Past Conferences
2021
Dr. Nicol R. Howard, keynote speaker
Dr. Nicol R. Howard is an associate professor and associate dean of academic affairs in the School of Education at the University of Redlands. Dr. Howard is also co-director of the Race in Education Analytics Learning Lab in the Center for Educational Justice. Dr. Howard has been an educator across multiple levels from kindergarten through college throughout her more than 20 years in the field. Her research focuses on STEM and computer science equity and parent involvement.
2020
Dr. Bryan Zwemke, keynote speaker
Dr. Bryan Zwemke is a High School Principal in Illinois. He is an active member of multiple educational organizations including being a guest blogger for the Teach Better Team sharing his insight on supporting the entire ecosystem that exists in every school building. Bryan completed his qualitative research on building a school system's social capital through social media. Through his work in this area, Bryan continues to partner with districts to show schools the power of sharing their story through a strategic framework and empowering staff and students to share their voice. You can connect with Bryan on Twitter @bryanzwemke.
2019
Monica Genta, keynote speaker
Monica Genta’s goal is to transform teachers, leaders, and schools from seeing education as an ordinary job into an extraordinary adventure. She is a believer in finding awesome and celebrating life every day! Monica is the author of four books, a middle school science teacher, and nationwide educational consultant and motivational speaker. Monica’s TED talk has been viewed by thousands of educators from all over the world. Find out more at www.monicagenta.com or on social at @MonicaGentaEd.
2018
Lisa Lee, keynote speaker
Lisa Lee is an award-winning educator with experience teaching all grades, prekindergarten through 12th. She is an international keynote speaker, TEDx Talk presenter, and National Yale Fellow. Lisa also presents at educational conferences, professional learning events, as well as at numerous community and state organizations. Lisa's belief in the importance of the teaching profession and the difference teachers can make is the cornerstone of who she is as a person.
2017
Kayla Delzer, keynote speaker
Delzer is a globally awarded 3rd-grade teacher and technology champion in North Dakota. In fact, The New York Times named her "one of the tech-savviest teachers in the United States." She has ten years of teaching experience in second and third grade. Kayla frequently travels around the United States and other countries as a featured and keynote speaker. She has delivered well over 100 keynotes, one of note being at Twitter Headquarters. On July 23, 2015, she delivered her first TEDx Talk, Reimagining Classrooms: Student as Leaders and Teachers as Learners.
Dan Zehr, endnote speaker
Zehr is a high school English teacher at Washington Community High School in central Illinois. He is internationally recognized for his creativity engaging students in canonical literature and literary devices by integrating themes and characters from the Star Wars franchise. He is also an author for StarWars.com, contributor to StarWarsInTheClassroom.com, host of the award-winning Coffee with Kenobi podcast, and appeared in a Target commercial sharing his love for teaching and Star Wars.
2016
Ramsey Musallam, keynote speaker
A life-threatening condition and the inspiring words of the open-heart surgeon who saved his life jolted Musallam out of what he tabs “psuedo-teaching” following 10 years in the field. Today, the dynamic educator’s mission is “to meaningfully integrate multimedia into a hands-on, inquiry-based learning cycle” and to empower fellow educators to employ strategies that similarly foster student learning. His TED Talk “3 Rules to Spark Learning” puts teeth to the importance of sparking curiosity in the classroom.
2015
Kevin Honeycutt
, keynote speaker
Launch Me
How can a person connect to the world and grow? How can we learn to market our talents while we cultivate them? How can we teach kids to do the same? With today's tools and adequate passion, we can teach kids to build the life they don't know they want...yet. Join me for this fast-paced journey into launching into the life you want and teaching kids to do it too.
2014
Lauren (Wichmann) Hoeft '07, keynote speaker
The Technology-Infused Educator
Hoeft is an Illinois State alumna, 2014 Illinois Teacher of the Year finalist, and technology coach for Prairie Elementary School in Buffalo Grove. She got her M.S. in educational technology and works with teachers to seamlessly integrate technology and differentiate with technology in the classroom.
2013
David Jakes, keynote speaker
Learning at the Speed of Technology
Jakes is a digital learning strategist for the Third Teacher + by Cannon Design in Chicago. Students have access to remarkable technology. From smartphones to Google Glass, how technology is leveraged to support student learning is a question every teacher must address. Join David Jakes as he explores the dynamic nature of technology and helps you understand the tools and trends that are reshaping what it means to be a learner.