Authors & Presenters

Matt Thede is an assistant principal at Mount Vernon High School in Iowa. He has led curricular improvements and professional development initiatives in the areas of standards-based grading, unit design, instruction, and assessment.

With a career spanning over three decades, Tesha Ferriby Thomas, EdD, is a seasoned educator whose dedication to fostering collaborative learning environments has significantly enhanced educational practices and student outcomes in schools nationwide.

Nicole S. Turner is an educational coach and author with over 17 years of classroom and leadership experience. She has worked with thousands of educators, instructional coaches, and administrators across the United States through conferences and custom professional development sessions.

Eric Twadell, PhD, is superintendent of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He has been a social studies teacher, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent for leadership and organizational development.

Mark Van Clay, EdD, is an educational presenter who specializes in aligning school systems. He also works with the Consortium for Educational Change and has 30 years of experience in education.

Thomas Van Soelen, PhD, is a professional development trainer and leadership coach. His areas of expertise include instructional strategies, learning communities, critical friendship, leadership development, and teacher evaluation.

Breauna C. Wall, EdD, is an esteemed education professional with over a decade of experience as a leader, scholar, and practitioner. She champions equitable and collaborative education, with a focus on empowering educators through transformative knowledge, training, and support.

Dr. Kim Wallace started her career in public education 30 years ago as a high school English and history teacher before becoming a site principal and district office administrator.

Cindy Watters is currently the principal of Whittier Elementary School in Seattle Public Schools. With experience in large urban school districts and international schools, Cindy has worked and led in a wide variety of settings around the world.

Chris Weber is the principal of Oak Creek Elementary School in Irvine Unified School District, California. He earned his EdD from the University of California, Los Angeles, and has written books on Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), Response to Intervention (RTI), behavior, and mathematics that have supported well over half a million educators.