Featured Speakers
Dr. Paul Bloomberg
Dr. Paul Bloomberg, one of the nation’s most sought-after school improvement coaches, is dedicated to advancing learner agency and collaborative inquiry in schools worldwide. He is a best-selling author, coach, organizer, public education cheerleader, CEO, publisher, husband, parent and friend.
Dr. Trudy Arriaga
A trailblazing educator with 40 years of service, she was Ventura Unified School District’s first female superintendent. Now a faculty member at Cal Lutheran University, she is a celebrated author and leader in cultural proficiency and gender equity in education.
Benjie Howard
Benjie Howard, an author, poet, musician, and wilderness guide, is the founder of New Wilderness Project and co-founder of Youth Equity Stewardship. He combines his passion for nature and education to foster equity, inclusion, and stewardship through intergenerational programs and partnerships nationwide.
Doug Fisher, Ph.D.
Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association William S. Grey citation of merit and an Exemplary Leader award from the Conference on English Leadership of NCTE. He has published numerous articles on teaching and learning as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook, PLC+, Visible Learning for Literacy, Comprehension: The Skill, Will, and Thrill of Reading, How Tutoring Works, and most recently, How Learning Works. Doug loves being an educator and hopes to share that passion with others.
Joseph Assof
Joseph Assof is a high school and community college mathematics teacher and the math department chair at Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego, CA. He leads his department’s reform efforts to align with the Common Core Standards, focusing on high-quality instruction. He is a member of the San Diego County Math Leaders Task Force and has co-authored Teaching Mathematics in the Visible Learning Classroom, High School, Teaching Mathematics in the Visible Learning Classroom, Grades 6-8, and The Teacher Clarity Playbook, and his classroom is featured in several Visible Learning for Mathematics, Grades K-12 videos
Dominique Smith , Ed.D.
Jay, a distinguished educator with 28 years of experience, is a two-time Principal of the Year and award-winning school leader known for driving exceptional student achievement. As Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, he continues to support schools across all levels in improving outcomes and fostering excellence.
Nancy Frey, Ph.D.
Nancy Frey, Ph.D., is a Professor in Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. Nancy has published in The Reading Teacher, Theory Into Practice, Reading Psychology, Early Childhood Education Journal, and Educational Leadership on research related to literacy, school leadership, and effective instruction. Current books include The Teaching Reading Playbook, Teaching Students to Drive Their Learning, Welcome to Teaching, and The PLC+ suite of books. In 2008, she was given the Early Career Achievement Award by the Literacy Research Association and is a member of the California Reading Hall of Fame. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California, and is a co-founder and administrator at Health Sciences High and Middle College.
Loan Mascorro
During her nearly two decades in education, Loan Mascorro has worked as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal and professional developer. Currently, as a Partner Consultant with The Core Collaborative, she supports much of the work that includes, but is not limited to Impact Teams, Formative Assessment, Student Centered Curriculum Design, English Language Learners and implementation support. Loan is also the co-author of The EmpowerED Learner Toolkit published by Schoolwide Publishing.
Patricia McDonald
Patricia McDonald (Tmac), founder of Teaching Equity Network, is a culturally sustaining educator, consultant, and leader committed to transforming traditional education. With 28 years of classroom experience, she champions equity, cultural responsiveness, and supports BIPOC educators in navigating and reshaping education systems for student success.
Tom Vander Ark
Tom Vander Ark is an advocate for innovations in learning. As CEO of Getting Smart, he advises learning organizations on the path forward. A prolific writer and speaker, Tom is a best-selling author and has published thousands of articles and papers through GettingSmart.com and LinkedIn. Previously he served as the first Executive Director of Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and as a public school superintendent in Washington State.