Welcome to the 2016 Yale SOM Education Leadership Conference! We look forward to seeing you in New Haven on April 7-8. Feel free to take a look at the conference agenda below. If you have any questions, please reach out to educationconference@yale.edu.
High School in the Community (HSC) is a small New Haven magnet school with the mission of developing students into critical thinkers,effective communicators, lifelong learners, and responsible citizens. During this opening session, we will hear perspectives from parents,educators, and students themselves about how they define success and what it takes for students to achieve it.
Thursday April 7, 2016 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT
Ballroom
Compared to most previous standardized tests, PARCC and SBAC are more rigorous and require deeper levels of critical thinking. Thus, it is unsurprising that results in many states highlight significant room for improvement in getting students college and career ready. As we meet in April, many states will be gearing up for their second year of PARCC and SBAC. This panel will explore what these new data tell us about student success that we didn’t know with previous assessments. It will also consider the major challenges in implementation and ways that districts can better prepare teachers to meet these new goals.
Writer (Slate, The Atlantic), blogger (The Grade, This Week In Education), & author (Stray Dogs). Former US Senate education staffer, teacher, researcher.
Teacher, Chicago Public Schools; Teach Plus Teaching Policy Alum
Sherisse A. Lucas has been a teacher with Chicago Public Schools for 12 years. She co-authored the op-ed piece “Don’t Park the PARCC”, which was published in the Catalyst Magazine. In addition she was a guest on Chicago Tonight, speaking on PARCC implementation in CPS. Ms. Lucas... Read More →
Director of Instruction and School Improvement, New Haven Public Schools
Dr. Iline P. Tracey currently serves New Haven Public Schools as Director of Instruction K-12. Her career in education spans 37 years in and outside the United States. She has used her educational expertise to service hundreds of students from elementary to college for the past 29... Read More →
Commissioner, Rhode Island Department of Education
Commissioner Ken Wagner began his education career when he was elected to his local school committee at age 18. He has since then worked as a school psychologist, an assistant principal, and a middle-school principal, and in 2009 he joined the New York State Department of Education... Read More →
Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell has been an educator in Connecticut for over 25 years. She was appointed as Commissioner of Education by Governor Dannel P. Malloy in April 2015, after serving as Interim Commissioner since January 2015. Dr. Wentzell began her career in education as a social... Read More →
When it comes to providing underserved students access to economic opportunity, all colleges are not created equal. In this panel we will hear from several high schools and college preparation programs that have had exceptional success in sending their students to highly competitive colleges, and find out what game-changing resources, opportunities, and supports they are offering to their students that are leading to such impressive college placement outcomes.
Rose Martinelli is a senior director at Huron Consulting Group. Prior to joining Huron, Rose spent more than 20 years in higher education, most recently serving as assistant vice president for Enrollment Management at the University of Chicago. Rose also served as associate dean for... Read More →
Deborah Bial is an expert in the field of higher education, college access and leadership development. Bial is the president and founder of The Posse Foundation, a youth leadership development and college access organization that sends teams (Posses) of students from diverse backgrounds... Read More →
I have been the director of college counseling at Hopkins for 29 years, having worked at other independent schools and public high schools in the tri-state region. I have a master's degree in counseling.
As the Dean of College and Upper School for Achievement First Brooklyn High School, Sabrina manages a team responsible for the school's college readiness and success programs. During her tenure, the school has seen 100% admission to 4-year colleges, and has implemented a college-match... Read More →
Tevera Stith serves as the Director of the KIPP Through College for KIPP DC. In this role, she leads a team of high school, college, and career advisors who ensure KIPP DC students get to and through college. Before coming to KIPP DC she served as Director of College Counseling at... Read More →
Although many schools have traditionally focused on strategies for improving parent engagement as a means to increase student achievement, many schools and organizations are currently shifting the conversation from parent engagement to parent empowerment. Rather than simply increasing opportunities for parents to learn about the school, they are leveraging parents to make active choices to transform communities and schools. This panel will explore the theory of action that underlies these efforts and examine the successes and challenges that organizations have faced in developing parent advocates.
Director, Community Organizing & Engagement, Annenberg Institute for School Reform
Richard Gray directs the Community Organizing and Engagement at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, which provides strategic support on education organizing to community organizations and builds alliances between CBOs, unions and research/policy institutes... Read More →
Gwendolyn Samuel is a mom of children that attend Connecticut Public Schools. In February of 2016, she launched Equity Impact Strategies (EIS) Consulting. a place where community building and public policy intersect. In addition, she is an equity in education advocate and facilitator... Read More →
Co- Founder Director Of strategic Partnerships, Parent Revolution 3.0
Shirley is an original member or our first small staff and has the distinction of being one of the Los Angeles Parents Union’s founders along with former staff member Mary Najera and current Parent Revolution board member Karen Robinson. Shirley is a dedicated, outspoken leader... Read More →
Zakiyah Ansari is the Advocacy Director of the New York State Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), the leading statewide organization that has been fighting for educational equity for the last decade. Zakiyah was one of the few parent advocates appointed to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s... Read More →
NJ Director, NJ Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO)
LaVar serves as the Newark City Director for the Black Alliance for Education Options (BAEO) where he fights for quality educational options for NJ families. Prior to his current role LaVar served as President and CEO of Newark Now. In his capacity as President, LaVar was responsible... Read More →
Friday April 8, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm EDT
Wooster
As public resource constraints lead to underfunded schools, public and charter schools are seeking alternative, private funding sources. Whether the money is from foundations, education non-profits, or individual donors, issues of equity and sustainability persist. How can donors, districts, and policy makers work together to make sure this money has the maximum impact for the maximum number of students? Can this funding successfully improve outcomes and reduce disparities?
Frederic D. Wolfe Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship, Yale School of Management
Sharon Oster served as Dean of the Yale School of Management from 2008 to 2011. She is a specialist in competitive strategy, microeconomic theory, industrial organization, the economics of regulation and antitrust, and nonprofit strategy. She has written extensively on the regulation... Read More →
Victor De La Paz currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer for New Haven Public Schools, a position he has held since 2014, where he oversees the district’s more than $330 million operating budget.Prior to joining New Haven Public Schools, Victor served as Chief Financial... Read More →
Dale Russakoff is the author of The Prize--Who's in Charge of America's Schools. She was a reporter for The Washington Post for 28 years, covering politics, education and social policy, and is now a freelance writer. Dale was born and raised in Birmingham, AL and graduated from Harvard... Read More →
K-12 Education Program Director, The Walton Family Foundation
Marc Sternberg is director of the Walton Family Foundation’s K-12 Education Program. Before joining the foundation, Marc served as the senior deputy chancellor at the New York City Department of Education, where he directed the citywide portfolio planning efforts including new school... Read More →
Clarifying the goals we have for students is only the first step toward realizing our vision for student success. The design and implementation process for new classroom and school models can be complex and challenging. What does the design and change management process look like, and what best practices are emerging? Though there are certainly common themes driving many of the school design and redesign efforts across the country, this period of educational change is marked by a diversity of approaches. Given that, to what degree is each process of design/school design unique and to what degree can we scale and/or share these processes? How is school design and redesign shaping the broader educational landscape?
Dickie Steele is a Principal at SYPartners, a design firm that brings creativity and optimism to help build great organizations and movements. He is currently working on several corporate transformation programs in the technology sector but also works with philanthropists and non... Read More →
Regional Director of Network Support & Research, Big Picture Learning
Over the past 10 years, Jennifer Ghidiu has worked with the Big Picture network of schools, as a classroom teacher, school leader, coach and director. Currently, Jennifer is supporting school startup in several different states in her region, coordinating research and data collection... Read More →
Vice President for Programs, Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Mary Sylvia Harrison brings experience leading initiatives to improve education and college readiness to her role in overseeing the Nellie Mae Education Foundation’s programs, New England’s largest foundation dedicated exclusively to education.Prior to joining the Nellie Mae Education... Read More →
Katie Potochney is responsible for leading the creative vision and experience design, while partnering with Strategy to develop narratives and insights. Driven by curiosity and her passion for generative thinking, Katie uses her background in design and advertising to imagine and... Read More →
Ross Wilson serves as Managing Partner of Innovation for the Boston Public Schools. He has previously worked as Chief of Staff, Assistant Superintendent for Human Capital, Assistant Principal, kindergarten teacher, literacy specialist, and teacher of students with disabilities. Ross... Read More →
Friday April 8, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm EDT
College
Concerned about the long term impact of overly punitive behavioral interventions, many schools are reforming their discipline strategies. This session explores how restorative justice and alternative positive behavior techniques affect the way that teachers, students, school administrators, and other stakeholders engage with each other and how the new patterns of interaction impact the overall school culture and climate. Additionally, the session highlights schools and districts that have successfully incorporated these models into their culture and examines the challenges they faced during the change process and how they overcame them.
Michael J. Strambler, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and is based at The Consultation Center. One area of Dr. Strambler’s work concerns understanding the role of social environments in the academic, psychological... Read More →
Restorative Practices Specialist, Community Conferencing Center
A Restorative Practices Specialist, Malene supports schools with whole school implementation. Merging social emotional learning with restorative practices, she utilizes a holistic approach to school transformation. A former educator and literacy coach, Malene has worked with students/teachers... Read More →
David Karp is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Project on Restorative Justice at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. His scholarship focuses on restorative justice in community and campus settings and on prison programs preparing inmates for return to the community... Read More →
Director of Practice, CASEL-Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
Karen VanAusdal serves as the Director of Practice with CASEL. In that capacity, she works to support and scale the SEL work in school districts across the country. Prior to that role, she served as the Executive Director for the Office of Social and Emotional Learning for Chicago... Read More →
Restorative Justice Coordinator, Community Schools
David Yusem and Denise Curtis have been RJ practitioners in Oakland for over 15 years. Together, they make up the OUSD central office RJ staff and support the district wide implementation of restorative justice practices.
Connecticut has long been known as one of the wealthiest states in the country, but it is quickly becoming one of the most inequitable, in part due to how public schools are funded. The state currently uses 11 different funding formulas to distribute resources to public schools, none of which truly take into consideration the learning needs of students or the needs of the schools that serve them. As Connecticut finds itself funding public schools inequitably through a complicated school finance system, this session explores the impacts of unfair school funding on students, schools, and communities, and discusses possible paths to equity.
Katie Roy founded the Connecticut School Finance Project in 2015 with more than 10 years of experience in law, policy, and organizational leadership. Prior to founding and directing the Connecticut School Finance Project, Katie worked with districts across Connecticut to help them... Read More →
Merrill Gay has served on the New Britain Board of Education since March of 2014. He is the father of two graduates of New Britain High School and spent many years working to increase the local school budget. His frustration led him to become a plaintiff in the CT Coalition for Justice... Read More →
Victor De La Paz currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer for New Haven Public Schools, a position he has held since 2014, where he oversees the district’s more than $330 million operating budget.Prior to joining New Haven Public Schools, Victor served as Chief Financial... Read More →
Jamilah Prince-Stewart is the Founding Executive Director of FaithActs for Education, a grassroots community organizing nonprofit in Bridgeport, CT. FaithActs organizes the faith community to improve education for the city’s children, and is currently 150 members and 32 churches... Read More →
Bruce Ravage is the founder and Director of Park City Prep Charter School. As former Director of The Math/Science Institute at Stuyvesant High School, Bruce designed and supervised a city-wide, middle school program to prepare students from under-represented districts for admission... Read More →
The rise of blended learning has focused attention in US schools on tailoring the instructional environment to the individual needs, skills, and interests of each student. Although technology has been a powerful tool in making helping teachers customize education for each student, school models such as Montessori have been personalizing instruction for decades. This panel will explore strategies and lessons that we can learn from both of these models. It will also consider how to design blended learning environments that have rich peer engagement and peer learning opportunities.
Aylon is the co-founder of Transcend Education a non-profit dedicated to providing R&D capacity to build, codify, and replicate breakthrough school models . He has been leading the Greenfield School design effort for Achievement First in New Haven and previously served in senior roles... Read More →
Director of Instructional Coaching, New Classrooms Innovation Partners
Nada Ahmed has sixteen years of instruction and leadership experience in high-need urban schools both in the United States and internationally. Nada brings educational training, including a Ph.D. in Education Research and Policy from Kings College, University of London, an M.S. in... Read More →
Sara Cotner has cultivated broad and deep insight into education reform as a Teach For America corps member and national staff member, the founder of an independent consulting firm focused on high-performing charter schools, an adjunct professor, and a teacher in various environments... Read More →
Julia Freeland Fisher is the director of education research at the Clayton Christensen Institute. She leads a team that educates policymakers and community leaders on the power of disruptive innovation in the K-12 and higher education spheres through its research. Julia has published... Read More →
Joanna's commitment to education began over ten years ago tutoring at a literacy center and then joining Teach For America in New York City. She taught middle school SPED and history in a traditional public school before moving back to her California roots and joining the KIPP network... Read More →
Director of Education Support Altschool, AltSchool
In addition to her experience as an school administrator, therapist, and classroom teacher, Carolyn has founded successful early childhood programs and schools. At Accelerated Schools a school reform project at Stanford University, she worked with teachers and administrators to improve... Read More →
Holding all students to high expectations provides access to higher quality educational opportunities. However, a recent study from researchers at American University and Johns Hopkins found that teachers with similar ethnic backgrounds as their students maintain higher expectations for them. How are schools and districts recognizing and addressing this discrepancy? How can districts effectively build cultural competence? What strategies for recruiting and retaining teachers of color have been successful? What new initiatives and innovations are most promising?
Carolyn Chuong is an Consultant at Bellwether Education Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to improving educational outcomes for high-needs students. At Bellwether, Carolyn works on growth strategy and policy analysis projects with clients across the K-12 education sector. She also volunteers... Read More →
New Haven Public Schools Board Member, New Haven Board of Education
Che Dawson is a longtime youth advocate and athletics coach in the city of New Haven. Currently, he is a principal in residence and science teacher at Elm City College Preparatory School and a Board of Education member for New Haven Public Schools. Previously, he worked in operations... Read More →
Chief Diversity Officer/Consultant, Teach For America/McClaurin Solutions
Irma McClaurin, MFA/PhD is chief diversity officer for Teach For America, a nonprofit organization focused on educational equity and excellence. An activist-anthropologist, educator and award-winning writer, passion and a deep commitment to social justice inform her work as she provides... Read More →
Founder & CEO, Fellowship for Race & Equity in Education
Michelle Molitor is the founder and CEO of Fellowship for Race & Equity in Education (FREE), an organization with the mission of creating equitable educational spaces for all students through honest and open dialogue across difference, and collective anti-racist action. This equity... Read More →
Assistant Professor of Economics, Johns Hopkins University
Nicholas W. Papageorge is an Assistant Professor in the Economics Department at Johns Hopkins University. His research focuses on a range of topics in applied microeconomics including self employment, medical innovation for infectious disease and the role of teacher expectations and... Read More →
Director, Teacher Policy, Center for American Progress
Lisette Partelow is the Director of Teacher Policy at American Progress. Her previous experience includes teaching first grade in Washington, D.C., working as a senior legislative assistant for Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA), and working as a legislative associate at the Alliance for Excellent... Read More →
Early childhood educators and advocates have a broad range of definitions of success for students. Many advocates recognize the importance of social-emotional development through play-based learning. However, given there is an achievement gap before students even enter kindergarten, some advocate for prioritizing literacy skills and number sense during those early years. This panel will examine the tensions between these priorities and look to different models of early childhood education that actualize those goals.
Sara Mead is a Partner with Bellwether Education Partners, where she leads Bellwether's early childhood work and leads teams providing policy and strategic advising support to foundations, advocacy organizations, and early childhood operators.
Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry, Yale Child Study Center
James Comer, MD, MPH is the Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center. In 1968 he founded the Comer School Development Program, which promotes a school focus on child development. He has received numerous awards, including 48 honorary degrees. In 2014... Read More →
Dr. Myra Jones-Taylor is the Commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC). The OEC was established in 2013 to coordinate and improve the various early childhood programs and components in the state to create a cohesive and comprehensive high-quality early childhood... Read More →
A veteran educator, Dr. Alissa Levy, taught math, science, and English to secondary students in Los Angeles for the first 12 years of her career. In 2014, she moved to New Haven to help start Elm City Montessori School, as its founding principal. Elm City Montessori School is New... Read More →
Since joining Acelero Learning in 2010, Lynsey has supported educational programming and leadership in multiple capacities. In her current role, Lynsey is a member of the Support Center’s national Early Learning, Research, and Training team, which works closely with Acelero Learning’s... Read More →
The role of the federal government in public education is changing as "No Child Left Behind" is replaced by the "Every Student Succeeds Act," As accountability shifts from the federal to the state and local level, what are the future implications for federal involvement in public education? How will it impact educational equity? Ultimately, what will it mean for what we expect of all of our children?
Chad Aldeman is an associate partner at Bellwether Education Partners and serves as Editor for TeacherPensions.org. Previously, Chad was a policy advisor in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development at the U.S. Department of Education, where he worked on ESEA waivers... Read More →
Charles Barone is the director of policy at Democrats for Education Reform. Barone’s work on education and children’s issues over the past three decades has spanned direct service, research, policy, and advocacy. A Capitol Hill veteran, Barone was the top education advisor to... Read More →
Brenda Calderon is an Education Policy Analyst at the National Council of La Raza, the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. She focuses on K-12 accountability issues and access and success for Latino students in higher education. In this role she works... Read More →
Senior Education Policy Advisor, Senate HELP Committee Majority Staff
Lindsay Fryer is a Senior Education Policy Advisor for Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee. She leads the K-12 and education research teams, and served as principal negotiator for the Chairman on the Every Student Succeeds Act... Read More →
Allie Kimmel is an education policy advisor for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee under Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), where she handles K-12 and early childhood education issues. Previously, she was a legislative assistant for Congressman Jared Polis... Read More →
Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute
Neal McCluskey is the director of Cato’s Center for Educational Freedom and is the author of the book "Feds in the Classroom: How Big Government Corrupts, Cripples, and Compromises American Education." McCluskey holds an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, where he... Read More →
Multilingualism can be an advantage for cognitive and social development. However, English Language Learners (ELLs) can miss out on these growth opportunities when schools lack the necessary support for these students. As the proportion of English Language Learners in the US continues to grow, it is becoming ever more important to improve instruction for ELL students. This panel will look to examples of schools and districts that are achieving success in supporting ELL students and enabling them to engage fully in grade level academic content. It will also discuss the benefits and pitfalls of keeping children in bilingual classes versus moving them as rapidly as possible to English only environments.
Associate Director, Educational Issues, American Federation of Teachers
Giselle Lundy-Ponce has been working in the field of PreK-12 education policy, legislation and advocacy for the last twenty-three years. Currently, she leads the American Federation of Teachers’ work on English language learners and Latino student achievement.
Assistant Superintendent of Office of Multilingual Learning, Saint Paul Public Schools
Dr. Efe Agbamu have served as a high school teacher and principal both in an urban and sub-urban setting and currently as the Assistant Superintendent of the office of Multilingual Learning with the St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, MN. Dr. Efe Agbamu has received several awards... Read More →
School Development Manager, Internationals Network for Public Schools
As School Development Manager at the Internationals Network for Public Schools, Dariana supports the network in its national expansion initiatives, supporting the opening and development of new schools and academies. Dariana has over 14 years of experience working in public schools... Read More →
Co-Director, Quality Teaching for English Learners, WestEd
Leslie Hamburger is Co-Director of the Quality Teaching for English Learners initiative at WestEd. She works with schools and districts in the development of educator expertise to work with English Language Learners in rigorous and accelerated ways. She assists schools in the development... Read More →
The post-Brown movement toward racial integration has been fraught with legal, political, and social barriers to change. In recent decades, cities and suburbs alike have been experiencing a trend toward school re-segregation. However, some schools and districts have been able to achieve diversity through a variety of means in order to raise achievement and prepare students for a workplace and country that is increasingly diverse. This panel will explore those means and ends, as well as the benefits and challenges of teaching a diverse student body.
Mike Petrilli is an award-winning writer and president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, one of the country's leading education-policy think tanks. He is the author of The Diverse Schools Dilemma: A Parent's Guide to Socioeconomically Mixed Public Schools, and co-editor of Knowledge... Read More →
Richard D. Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, has been called “the intellectual father of the economic integration movement” in K-12 schooling. He is the author of six books, including All Together Now: Creating Middle Class Schools through Public School Choice... Read More →
Deputy Mayor, DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education
Jennie Niles serves as Deputy Mayor for Education in Washington, DC. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing the Mayor's vision for academic excellence and creating a high quality education continuum from birth to 24. She is the founder and former leader of... Read More →
Executive Director of School Choice, Hartford Public Schools
Enid M. Rey, Esq. is the Executive Director of the Office of Schools Choice and manages all the marketing, recruitment, and student placement operations for Hartford Public Schools (HPS).Attorney Rey has a passion for leadership roles that increase quality options for academic enrichment... Read More →
Principal- Elementary Division, Brooklyn Prospect Charter School
Jumaane Saunders has had a wealth of experience in the education world. He began his career with TFA teaching high school science in LA and NYC, worked as a Program Manager for the NYC DOE central office and served as a science consultant for many urban school districts. Jumaane is... Read More →
Community colleges play an important role in providing a pathway to economic opportunities, especially those for whom four-year colleges are not the best option. However, completion rates for community college students are historically very low, and many students who enroll never see significant benefits from their studies. This panel will present innovations to raise completion rates and will highlight successful examples of career technical education programs and high school to college career pathways programs.
Senior Research Associate, CCRC/NCREST, Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Elisabeth Barnett is Senior Research Associate at the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University and also serves as Associate Director of the National Center for Education, Schools and Teaching (NCREST) at Teachers College. Dr. Barnett’s... Read More →
Amy Loyd is associate vice president at JFF and leads the Pathways to Prosperity initiative. In this role, she guides states and regions in developing and scaling effective policies, infrastructure, and practices to build sustainable systems of college and career pathways aligned... Read More →
Workforce Development Coordinator, Gateway Community College
Erika Lynch started working for Gateway Community College in 2006 as the Health Careers Advisor. This position was the result of collaboration between the local Workforce Investment Board (Workforce Alliance) and Gateway Community College. She provided a comprehensive outreach, testing... Read More →
Director of Operations + National Tour Manager, The Future Project
Before joining The Future Project in January 2012, Sarah Tankoos served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala from 2009-2011, where she managed an integrated youth development program for students, teachers, school leaders and parents, and led a community-driven construction project... Read More →
Director for STEM Initiatives and Special Projects, City University of New York
Dr. Theresa Williams has over twenty years of experience in urban, suburban, public and private higher education settings, focusing on the liberal arts, career-oriented education, and research. Her experience as a higher education administrator is grounded in providing access and... Read More →
Most of the world's elite schools have robust STEAM offerings, because research shows that hands-on science and arts play a pivotal role in cognitive development. Furthermore, creative problem solving skills are becoming ever more important in the modern job market. However, in the era of NCLB accountability, some of the neediest schools have had to prioritize math and literacy, leaving little time for enriching STEAM curricula. How do we ensure all students develop foundational skills without sacrificing other opportunities that further students’ overall development? This panel will explore the tension between these priorities.
,p>Caryn Voskuil works in the education studio at IDEO in San Francisco. Caryn takes a dual role working with design teams to help them understand how design and innovation will impact clients as well as working directly with clients to think strategically about what challenges and... Read More →
Director of Teaching & Learning, The Center for Arts Education
Jerry James is CAE’s Director of Teaching and Learning overseeing all arts education programming and related research initiatives. Prior to joining CAE, Jerry was a lecturer at the Museum of Modern Art and an international teaching artist at The Lincoln Center Institute. Jerry has... Read More →
Devin Krugman joined East Bay Innovation Academy as Head of School following nine years working for the New York City Department of Education, most recently serving as Director of Performance-Based Assessment Design where she led initiatives focused on project-based learning and designed... Read More →
Trey joined Maker Ed as its Executive Director in October 2014. He received his Ph.D. in molecular biology in 1997. From 1997 to 2014, he was a researcher at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg Germany and founded and sold a genomics research and training company... Read More →
Senior Vice President, Programs and Research, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
Kimberly Smith is Senior Vice President of Programs and Research with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship the global leader in youth entrepreneurship education. Prior, she was Vice President of Education at PBS and Discovery Education. She is an Aspen-Pahara fellow, a KIPP-DC... Read More →
The term “No Excuses Charter School” has been in the national conversation for the past 20 years, but does anyone really know what it means to be a “No Excuses” school? This panel will explore how different charter schools define this model and how they address the tensions created by working with students in poverty. How do these schools ensure that students are successful when they transition to college? How do their choices affect the communities within the schools and without? What have we learned over the past 20 years, and where are we headed?
Thomas Toch is the founding director of the Center on the Future of American Education, an independent, solution-oriented think tank at Georgetown University.
Nikki Barnes is the Principal of KIPP Academy Boston Middle School in Roxbury, Massachusetts. For twenty five years she has worked in public schools as a teacher, teacher-leader, community activist and parental advocate.
As Chief Academic Officer, Michele oversees curriculum development, instructional management, and leader and teacher training across all 34 Success Academy Charter Schools. A founding teacher at our first Success Academy in Harlem, Michele has been a teacher, Leadership Resident... Read More →
Master of Divinity Candidate, Yale Divinity School
Calvon Jones is an alumnus of KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory, class of 2011. He went on to Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was a history and religion major. He graduated from Morehouse College on May 17, 2015 with the highest honors, Summa Cum Laude (suhm-uh kuhm... Read More →
Dacia Toll is the President and co-CEO of Achievement First, a non-profit charter management organization which operates 22 public charter schools in Connecticut and New York. Dacia led the founding team and served for six years as the principal of nationally acclaimed Amistad Academy... Read More →
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 1 in 5 children struggles with a mental disorder in a given year. Poor mental health can affect a child's ability to focus in school and to develop positive relationships with peers and family members. At the same time, a growing body of evidence suggests that social-emotional learning is critical to long-term academic success. If we accept that learning and non-academic factors are linked, are schools then responsible for students’ social-emotional development and mental health? If so, what policies and resources need to be in place to accomplish this? And how can we better coordinate efforts to promote SEL and mental health resources within schools and school communities?
Phil Vaccaro is a Managing Director at Parthenon-EY where he works in the firm's Education Practice. Phil has led numerous K-12 public education projects for school districts on topics ranging from teacher and leader effectiveness, school management and accountability, and district... Read More →
Dr. Jamie Grant received his A.B. and doctorate in education from Harvard University. He is a pioneer in the application of and research on meditation in school settings. After 16 years as professor and dean at Maharishi University of Management, he has spent the last ten years working... Read More →
Director of Capacity Building, NYC Department of Education
Renée LeeHim, originally from in Toronto, Canada and raised in Amherst, Massachusetts, started her career as a special education teacher through Teach For America (TFA). Following her TFA commitment, Renée went on to lead teacher recruitment for Democracy Prep Public Schools, and... Read More →
Daniel Oscar is CEO of Center for Supportive Schools, which advances the efforts of schools across the country to develop their students into leaders who help make schools safer, more supportive, engaging, and inspiring. He was one of the founders of Teach For America, and President... Read More →
Senior Research Scientist, Turnaround for Children
Dr. Good is Senior Research Specialist at Turnaround for Children and an associate professor of psychology at CUNY’s Baruch College and The Graduate Center. Her research focuses on factors impacting student achievement, learning, motivation and self-image. Specifically, she studies... Read More →
Associate Research Scientist, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Shauna Tominey, PhD is the Director of Early Childhood Programming and Teacher Education at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Her research focuses on developing and evaluating programs aimed at promoting emotional intelligence for children and adults. Dr. Tominey has been... Read More →
National President, Democrats for Education Reform
Shavar Jeffries serves as President of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER). Jeffries began this role in September 2015, and brings a personal commitment to ensuring that a child’s zip code does not define their destiny. From his efforts fighting for fair funding practices to get... Read More →
