Authors & Presenters

Jennifer Abrams, an author and educational presenter, is a former high school English teacher and new-teacher coach. She helps educators develop collaborative skills, effectively support new teachers, navigate difficult conversations, and create safe workplaces.

Michael T. Adamson, Ed.D., is the Director of Board Services at the Indiana School Boards Association, Adamson is a former school board member of the Avon Community School Corporation in Avon, Indiana where he served for a total of 20 years, from 1974-78 and 1984-2000.

Lisa Almeida has more than a decade of experience delivering professional development and implementation support to educators. She is recognized for effective leadership in areas such as standards, assessment, and professional learning communities.

Justin Baeder is director of The Principal Center, where he helps school and district administrators build capacity for instructional leadership. Driven by the belief that leaders belong in classrooms—where the most important work is being done—he created the 21-Day Instructional Leadership Challenge, which has helped more than 10,000 leaders from 50 countries develop the habit of getting into classrooms and having evidence-based conversations with teachers.

Bradley Balch, PhD, is professor and dean emeritus at Indiana State University. He is currently a graduate faculty member in the Department of Educational Leadership, Bayh College of Education, and affiliate faculty member in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Business Education, Scott College of Business.

Dr. Tonya Balch is a professor in the Department of Applied Clinical and Educational Sciences in the Bayh College of Education at Indiana State University and has been the program coordinator for the School Counseling M.Ed. program for 15 years. She is passionate about ensuring excellence in graduate programming and providing authentic experiences in practice.

Becky Jo Evers-Gerdes, EdD, is the dean of academics at Loyola Catholic School in Mankato, Minnesota. Becky earned her master’s degree from Minnesota State University and doctorate from Bethel University.

Linda Beggs has more than 30 years of organizational development experience, specializing in culture, change, and team effectiveness. She collaborates with schools to create a high-trust culture essential to implementing wraparound resource centers.

Chris Beingessner is deputy principal of the middle school at Singapore American School. Throughout the past 17 years, he has held numerous K–12 teaching and school leadership roles

Heather Bell-Williams is principal of Milltown Elementary School in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. She has been in education since 1988 and has served as a classroom teacher, resource teacher, vice principal, district coordinator, and elementary principal.