Diversity & Equity

Jackie Palmquist is a national presenter and educational consultant with over 30 years of high school classroom mathematics teaching and leading experience. Her leadership emphasizes and supports collaborative planning and current research-informed best instructional practices.

Anthony Muhammad, PhD, is an author and international thought leader. He worked as a practitioner for nearly 20 years, serving as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He is recognized as one of the fields leading experts in the areas of school culture and Professional Learning Communities at Work^®.

Douglas Reeves, PhD, is the author of more than 40 books and more than 100 articles on leadership and education. He has twice been named to the Harvard University Distinguished Authors Series and was named the Brock International Laureate for his contributions to education.

Margaret Lane Dunne, EdD, has over 20 years of teaching experience and is a faculty member at Great Neck South High School. She is also an author and a presenter who enthusiastically shares her insights about better ways to engage students.

Jillayne Flanders the executive director of the Center for Educational Improvement, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting mindful and compassionate schools with heart-centered, trauma-informed practices. She has taught graduate classes at Westfield State University, supervised student teachers at Mount Holyoke College, and lectured at Boston University, Springfield College, Boston College, and Harvard Graduate School of Education.

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.

Inspired by the book A Blueprint for Belonging, this session offers a transformative approach to leadership and team building for educators, leaders, and paraprofessionals. Explore strategies to prevent burnout, build resilience, and foster cultures of belonging using the BUILD framework (Boundaries, Understanding, Integrity, Listening, Dependability), while tackling leadership challenges in high-impact roles.

JoEllen McCarthy is a literacy expert, speaker, and author dedicated to integrating academic and affective learning through inclusive mentor texts. She supports educators and students by promoting joyful, student-centered literacy practices that connect reading, writing, and life skills.

Steve Van Bockern is a professor of education at Augustana University in South Dakota. Formerly a teacher and principal, his research interests include resiliency, alternative education, restorative justice, bullying, discipline, and creating well-being.

Dr. Kapono Ciotti has worked internationally in educational change organizations and has trained teachers in over 100 schools and districts across four continents, impacting hundreds of thousands of students.