Brain-Compatible Learning

Susan Olsen Stevens is an educator with experience that spans private, public, and international schools. Her mission is to inspire joy in reading and writing as a way to communicate important ideas.

Edward P. Darrah is a licensed and certified professional counselor and is triple board-certified in counseling, school counseling, and telemental health. He serves as a mental health and performance counselor for Temple University athletics.

This session explores the Big 5 components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Educators will gain practical, evidence-based strategies, examine how neuroscience informs instruction, and learn how to apply these practices within a response to intervention (RTI) framework to support all learners.

Sarah Kesty is an executive function coach, author, speaker, and host of The Executive Function Podcast. She began her career in education as a classroom aide, quickly discovering the positive impact of empowering students with executive function skills.

Nathaniel Hansford has taught every grade from preK to 12 in many interesting and diverse locations—from South Korea to the subarctic of Quebec. He specializes in using meta-analysis research to help teachers implement proven methodologies.

Michele A. Herold has been an integrated preschool teacher in the Metuchen School District in New Jersey since 2018. Her educational philosophy is to create an uplifting, compassionate, and nurturing classroom that encourages confidence, kindness, and love for learning.

Katie Upshaw is a preschool special education teacher in the Metuchen School District in New Jersey. Additionally, she also serves as a union representative, chairs the school leadership team, and engages in district committees.

Emily R. Peluso is a school-based speech-language pathologist (SLP) at Mildred B. Moss Elementary School of Metuchen School District. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and maintains the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence.

Kelsee G. Young has been a special education preschool teacher at Moss School in Metuchen, New Jersey since 2020. Her educational philosophy is to create a warm and nurturing environment for her students to play, grow, and thrive, upholding compassion over compliance.

Jason D. Cummins (Awachíikaate) is an Indigenous scholar with over 20 years of experience in education, having served in various roles including teacher, instructional coach, and administrator. He is a contributing author of The School Wellness Wheel, coauthor of Humanized Education, and a professor of educational leadership at Montana State University. Jason has worked with schools on a range of initiatives, from implementing traditional school improvement efforts to culturally sustaining, trauma-informed, and restorative approaches.