Authors & Presenters

James A. Nottingham is the creator of the Learning Pit®, author of 12 books, is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and is listed in The Future 500, which lists the United Kingdom’s most forward-thinking and creative innovators.

Jennifer Novak is an educational leader with a passion for supporting quality mathematics education as a supervisor and coach at the district and state levels. Jenny is currently the director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in Howard County Public Schools in Maryland.

Sandi Novak, a consultant, has more than 30 years of experience in education and has served as an assistant superintendent, principal, and teacher.

Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach is a 20-year educator who has been a classroom teacher, technology coach, charter school principal, district administrator, university instructor, and digital learning consultant.

Rebekah O’Dell teaches middle school English in Richmond, Virginia. She is the co-founder of the popular blog Moving Writers and coauthor of three books on writing instruction. Rebekah leads professional development workshops to educators across the country.

Ken O’Connor is an independent consultant specializing in grading and reporting. He has been a staff-development presenter and facilitator in 47 US states, nine provinces and one territory in Canada, and in 25 countries outside North America.

Cheryl O’Leary is principal of Thomas Edison Primary School, a Title I school located in Kankakee, Illinois. Cheryl implemented professional learning community concepts and results-driven professional development that brought about substantial, schoolwide change.

Josh Ogilvie is a teacher, speaker, and learner who is passionate about sound assessment and grading practices that empower students in their learning and contribute to the development of the whole child.

Alana Oif Telesman, PhD, is the director of the First Education Experience Program at The Ohio State University. She is also a member of the Council for Exceptional Children and has been selected as a doctoral research scholar.

Leanne Olinger is a current practitioner and instructional coach for the Fort Mill School District in South Carolina. She has served as a public educator for over 20 years and is dedicated to providing individualized learning experiences to educators and students alike.