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Keynote Speakers
Garner Holt
World's Leading Animatronics Innovator
Garner Holt, the world’s leader in animatronics production, is still doing what he loves 44 years after starting his company - Garner Holt Productions. Now, he is helping to expand engineering, robotics, advanced manufacturing and animatronics to the world of education. The Garner Holt Education through Imagination branch is made up of a team of educators and industry professionals committed to supporting schools through innovative, hands-on STEAM Learning and Career Technical Education programs that use animatronics to inspire imagination, ignite creativity, and bring theme park magic and storytelling to life.
Garner Holt, the world’s leader in animatronics production, is still doing what he loves 44 years after starting his company - Garner Holt Productions. Now, he is helping to expand engineering, robotics, advanced manufacturing and animatronics to the world of education. The Garner Holt Education through Imagination branch is made up of a team of educators and industry professionals committed to supporting schools through innovative, hands-on STEAM Learning and Career Technical Education programs that use animatronics to inspire imagination, ignite creativity, and bring theme park magic and storytelling to life.
Dr. Daniel E. Walker
Award Winning Filmmaker, Author & Educator
The Three E’s: Equity, Education and Economic Freedom
Using historic and deep personal narratives, acclaimed historian and innovation guru Dr. Daniel E. Walker extols the liberating virtue of exposing students in economically challenged communities to market principles, entrepreneurship, and the world of finance.
Dr. Daniel E. Walker is a master teacher, equity advocate, and Head Start alum who mixes his deep content knowledge with humor and wisdom. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book, No More, No More, Slavery and Cultural Resistance in Havana and New Orleans, executive producer of the award- winning television program How Sweet the Sound: Gospel in Los Angeles (KCET), founding director of the Long Beach Indie International Film and Entertainment Festival, and co-curator of major exhibits at the University of Southern California, the California African American Museum, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Three E’s: Equity, Education and Economic Freedom
Using historic and deep personal narratives, acclaimed historian and innovation guru Dr. Daniel E. Walker extols the liberating virtue of exposing students in economically challenged communities to market principles, entrepreneurship, and the world of finance.
Dr. Daniel E. Walker is a master teacher, equity advocate, and Head Start alum who mixes his deep content knowledge with humor and wisdom. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book, No More, No More, Slavery and Cultural Resistance in Havana and New Orleans, executive producer of the award- winning television program How Sweet the Sound: Gospel in Los Angeles (KCET), founding director of the Long Beach Indie International Film and Entertainment Festival, and co-curator of major exhibits at the University of Southern California, the California African American Museum, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Dr. Jane McGonigal
World-Renowned Game Designer & Author
How to Build Urgent Optimism: A Future Imagination
Why are some futures easy for us to imagine, while others seem "unthinkable" or "unimaginable"? In this interactive session, we’ll take a tour of what exactly happens in the brain and our bodies when we try to imagine the challenges and opportunities of the future. We’ll practice a simple technique to increase our future imagination ability and improve our well-being at the same time. We'll play a brainstorming game that helps us fight normalcy bias and anticipate change. And we'll explore the concept of “urgent optimism”, a highly motivating and resilient mindset that we can build in ourselves and our communities. By the end of this keynote session, you'll learn what it means to think like a futurist. You'll take away a new appreciation for what professional futurists and educators have in common... and for the talents you already have that can help you inspire teachers and students alike to face the future with more hope, agency and creativity.
𝗝𝗔𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗢𝗡I𝗚𝗔𝗟, PhD, is a future forecaster and designer of games created to improve real lives and solve real problems. She is the author of two New York Times bestselling books, Reality Is Broken and SuperBetter, and her TED talks on how gaming can make a better world have more than 15 million views. She was named a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum; one of Fast Company’s “Top 100 Creative People in Business”; and one of the “Top 35 innovators changing the world through technology” by MIT Technology Review. She is the Director of Games Research & Development at the Institute for the Future, a non-profit research group in Palo Alto, California.
How to Build Urgent Optimism: A Future Imagination
Why are some futures easy for us to imagine, while others seem "unthinkable" or "unimaginable"? In this interactive session, we’ll take a tour of what exactly happens in the brain and our bodies when we try to imagine the challenges and opportunities of the future. We’ll practice a simple technique to increase our future imagination ability and improve our well-being at the same time. We'll play a brainstorming game that helps us fight normalcy bias and anticipate change. And we'll explore the concept of “urgent optimism”, a highly motivating and resilient mindset that we can build in ourselves and our communities. By the end of this keynote session, you'll learn what it means to think like a futurist. You'll take away a new appreciation for what professional futurists and educators have in common... and for the talents you already have that can help you inspire teachers and students alike to face the future with more hope, agency and creativity.
𝗝𝗔𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗢𝗡I𝗚𝗔𝗟, PhD, is a future forecaster and designer of games created to improve real lives and solve real problems. She is the author of two New York Times bestselling books, Reality Is Broken and SuperBetter, and her TED talks on how gaming can make a better world have more than 15 million views. She was named a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum; one of Fast Company’s “Top 100 Creative People in Business”; and one of the “Top 35 innovators changing the world through technology” by MIT Technology Review. She is the Director of Games Research & Development at the Institute for the Future, a non-profit research group in Palo Alto, California.
Dr. Ray McNulty
Future-Driven Educational Strategist
Raymond J. McNulty is the President of the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC), and the Successful Practices Network (SPN). Prior to that, Ray was Dean for the School of Education at Southern New Hampshire University which Fast Company magazine named the 12th most innovative organization in the world in its World's 50 Most Innovative Companies. Ray has served as the President of the International Center for Leadership in Education and was also the Chief Learning Officer for Penn Foster, a global leader in online education. Ray has been a Program Director and Senior Fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he worked with leading educators on improving our nation's high schools. On an international level he serves as a senior member of the Aspirations Academy Trust in London England. The Trust operates 15 Academy schools in Southern England focused on 21st century skills and learner success in the global world. Ray is a past president of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and author of It’s Not Us Against Them — Creating the Schools We Need, published in 2009 by the International Center.
An educator since 1973, Ray has been a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent. From 2001-03, he served as Vermont's education commissioner. During his tenure, Ray focused on aligning the Department of Education's work on three key issues: early education, educator quality, and secondary school reform.
Ray is a presenter at the state, national, and international levels on the need for school systems to accept the challenges that lie ahead. He is committed to raising performance standards for both teachers and students and to building solid connections between schools and their communities. Ray believes strongly that education systems cannot wait for the children and challenges to arrive at school; rather, schools need to reach out and help forge solutions.
Raymond J. McNulty is the President of the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC), and the Successful Practices Network (SPN). Prior to that, Ray was Dean for the School of Education at Southern New Hampshire University which Fast Company magazine named the 12th most innovative organization in the world in its World's 50 Most Innovative Companies. Ray has served as the President of the International Center for Leadership in Education and was also the Chief Learning Officer for Penn Foster, a global leader in online education. Ray has been a Program Director and Senior Fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he worked with leading educators on improving our nation's high schools. On an international level he serves as a senior member of the Aspirations Academy Trust in London England. The Trust operates 15 Academy schools in Southern England focused on 21st century skills and learner success in the global world. Ray is a past president of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and author of It’s Not Us Against Them — Creating the Schools We Need, published in 2009 by the International Center.
An educator since 1973, Ray has been a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent. From 2001-03, he served as Vermont's education commissioner. During his tenure, Ray focused on aligning the Department of Education's work on three key issues: early education, educator quality, and secondary school reform.
Ray is a presenter at the state, national, and international levels on the need for school systems to accept the challenges that lie ahead. He is committed to raising performance standards for both teachers and students and to building solid connections between schools and their communities. Ray believes strongly that education systems cannot wait for the children and challenges to arrive at school; rather, schools need to reach out and help forge solutions.
Dr. Robert Peters
Educational Transformation Champion
Dr. Robert Peters is the Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Successful Practices Network and the Nation Dropout Prevention Center. He currently works with school systems to strategically plan comprehensive solutions that empower academic success. Robert strongly believes in the power of relationships and has effectively worked with educators across the United States in rural, suburban and some of the largest urban districts including Miami-Dade County and Atlanta Public Schools.
Robert’s passion for helping ALL students reach their full potential is personal. As a parent of a child with special needs, he fully understands the need to ensure that each and every student receives the highest degree of academic opportunity from kindergarten through senior year.
Along with Robert’s passion and commitment to education, he also brings a history of innovation and transformation in all aspects of leadership. Before joining Successful Practices Network and the National Dropout Prevention Center, he served as an Assistant Superintendent, and principal at all school levels. He holds an Ed.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. Robert is dedicated to working with district leaders, campus- based administrators and teachers to create systemwide solutions that empower academic success.
Dr. Robert Peters is the Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Successful Practices Network and the Nation Dropout Prevention Center. He currently works with school systems to strategically plan comprehensive solutions that empower academic success. Robert strongly believes in the power of relationships and has effectively worked with educators across the United States in rural, suburban and some of the largest urban districts including Miami-Dade County and Atlanta Public Schools.
Robert’s passion for helping ALL students reach their full potential is personal. As a parent of a child with special needs, he fully understands the need to ensure that each and every student receives the highest degree of academic opportunity from kindergarten through senior year.
Along with Robert’s passion and commitment to education, he also brings a history of innovation and transformation in all aspects of leadership. Before joining Successful Practices Network and the National Dropout Prevention Center, he served as an Assistant Superintendent, and principal at all school levels. He holds an Ed.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. Robert is dedicated to working with district leaders, campus- based administrators and teachers to create systemwide solutions that empower academic success.
Student Speaker
Varun Srivastava
High School Senior
Varun is a senior at Redlands High School and the co-founder of STEM For All Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to STEM opportunities for all students. His work as the president of SFAF combines his leadership, creativity, and entrepreneurship, and has proven extremely successful in empowering the student voice and advocating for access and equitable STEM educational opportunities for all students. As the President of SFAF, he has campaigned for students and teachers to integrate STEM across the curriculum and have successfully presented to teachers and administrators at various county, state (CA STEAM Symposium, CMC, CLS), national (CUE, InventionCon 2022), and international conferences (ISTE2022).
Varun is a senior at Redlands High School and the co-founder of STEM For All Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to STEM opportunities for all students. His work as the president of SFAF combines his leadership, creativity, and entrepreneurship, and has proven extremely successful in empowering the student voice and advocating for access and equitable STEM educational opportunities for all students. As the President of SFAF, he has campaigned for students and teachers to integrate STEM across the curriculum and have successfully presented to teachers and administrators at various county, state (CA STEAM Symposium, CMC, CLS), national (CUE, InventionCon 2022), and international conferences (ISTE2022).
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