YOUR 2019 KEYNOTE LINE-UP OF GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL LEADERS

MICHAEL FULLAN


Michael Fullan, OC is the former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto. He is co-leader of the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning global initiative (npdl.global). Recognized as a worldwide authority on educational reform, he advises policymakers and local leaders in helping to achieve the moral purpose of all children learning. Michael Fullan received the Order of Canada in December 2012. He holds honorary doctorates from several universities around the world.

Fullan is a prolific, award-winning author whose books have been published in many languages. His book Leading in a Culture of Change received the 2002 Book of the Year Award by Learning Forward, Breakthrough (with Peter Hill and Carmel Crévola) won the 2006 Book of the Year Award from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), and Turnaround Leadership in Higher Education (with Geoff Scott) won the Bellwether Book Award in 2009. Change Wars (with Andy Hargreaves) was named the 2009 Book of the Year by Learning Forward, and Professional Capital (with Andy Hargreaves) won the AACTE 2013 Book of the Year, and the Grawemeyer Award in Education in 2015. Michael Fullan's latest books are:

  • Nuance: Why Some Leaders Succeed and Others Fail
  • Surreal Change: The Real Life of Transforming Public Education (autobiography)
  • Deep Learning: Engage the World Change the World (with Joanne Quinn and Joanne McEachen)
  • Coherence: Putting the Right Drivers in Action (with Joanne Quinn)
  • The Principal: Three Keys for Maximizing Impact.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

ALMA HARRIS


Dr. Alma Harris (FRSA) is Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the Department of Education, University of Bath. Previously, she held professorial posts at the University of Warwick, University College London and the University of Malaya. She is internationally known for her research and writing on educational leadership and school improvement.

In 2009-2012, she was appointed to the Welsh Government as a senior policy adviser to assist with the process of system-wide reform. She co-led the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) programme with Dr. Michelle Jones and also led on the development and implementation of a Master's qualification for all newly qualified teachers in Wales. Since 2009, she has worked for the World Bank contributing to development and research programmes aimed at supporting schools in challenging contexts in Russia. Professor Harris is a Visiting Professor at the Moscow Higher School of Economics and the University of Southampton. Dr. Harris is Past President of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and School Improvement (ICSEI), which is an organisation dedicated to enhancing quality and equity in education. In January 2016, she received the ICSEI honorary lifetime award. She is currently an international adviser to the First Minister of Scotland.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

TODD WHITAKER


Dr. Todd Whitaker has been fortunate to be able to blend his passion with his career. Recognized as a leading presenter in the field of education, his message about the importance of teaching has resonated with hundreds of thousands of educators around the world. Todd is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and professor emeritus at Indiana State University. He has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals.

Prior to moving into higher education he was a math teacher and basketball coach in Missouri. Todd then served as a principal at the middle school, junior high, and high school levels. He was also a middle school coordinator in charge of staffing, curriculum, and technology for the opening of new middle schools.

One of the nation's leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd has written over 50 books including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Other titles include: Dealing With Difficult Teachers, Ten-Minute Inservice, Your First Year, What Great Principals Do Differently, Motivating & Inspiring Teachers, and Dealing With Difficult Parents. Todd is married to Beth, also a former teacher and principal, who is currently a faculty member of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and professor emeritus at Indiana State University. They are the parents of three children; Katherine, Madeline, and Harrison.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

LEE WATANABE-CROCKETT


Lee Watanabe Crockett is an author, speaker, designer, inspirational thinker and the creative force behind some of the most exciting transformations in education happening worldwide today. He believes in creating balance in the reality of a digital present and future. As such, he has cultivated skills in Aikido, studied tea ceremony while living in Japan, and studied painting in Florence. He also studies traditional Zen Buddhist music which he performs on a Shakuhachi, the Japanese bamboo flute.

Lee has a curiosity about life and the shared human experience. This curiosity is infectious, as anyone who has heard him speak can tell you. Joyful curiosity is the foundation of his approach to creating vital learning and corporate environments for groups around the world. He is the creative force behind the Solution Fluency Activity Planner—a social network which has created a culture of collaboration for educators around the world to share and source unit plans that align to the structure of a modern learning environment, as outlined in his writing.

In addition to creating digital learning tools for the education sector, Lee has adapted his own corporate experience into a dynamic team-based training model. Lee sees and understands the current of endless exponential change that exists in corporate culture—change which has created paradigm shifts for so many major industries. Lee’s ability to sense trend, identify opportunity and pivot in response to adversity has been invaluable to his clients.

Lee is co-author of Understanding the Digital Generation, The Digital Diet, Living on the Future Edge, and the best-seller, Literacy is not Enough. He continues to work with educators and corporations in several countries, helping them make the shift to regain relevance and establish a culture of excellence.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

DOUG FISHER


Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College. He is a member of the California Reading Hall of Fame and is the recipient of an International Reading Association Celebrate Literacy Award, the Farmer award for excellence in writing from the National Council of Teachers of English, as well as a Christa McAuliffe award for excellence in teacher education. He is a board member of the International Reading Association and a past board member of the Literacy Research Association.

Douglas Fisher has also published numerous articles and books on improving student achievement as well presenting his renown workshop series across Australia “Making Literacy Visible”.

His books include many educational bestsellers including : Making Literacy Visible, Text Complexity Teaching Literacy in the Visible Learning Classroom, Unstoppable Learning, Better Than Carrots or Sticks, Engagement by Design and All Learning is Social and Emotional among many others.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

VICTORIA BROWNLEE


Victoria Brownlee is an educational consultant with Education Resource Group, where she works collaboratively with educators to build instructional capacity. Her passion for education, combined with her widespread knowledge about assessment, curriculum and research based instructional strategies, provides creditable support for teachers, leaders, schools and districts.

Previously, Victoria worked as a teacher, reading specialist and building-level leader. In addition to her direct work with students, Victoria developed and delivered professional development designed to increase student achievement. She has deep knowledge of implementation of balanced literacy, reading & writing across the curriculum, and creating reliable assessments. One of her interests includes utilizing classroom assessments to increase learning.

Victoria holds a Bachelor of Science in elementary education and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in reading, both from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She is currently working in build additional expertise in the area of Mindful Learning.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

GRANT BRINKWORTH


Professor Grant Brinkworth is a Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO – Health and Biosecurity. He has a PhD and expertise in nutrition and exercise science with more than 18 years’ experience leading large-scale clinical studies evaluating the effects of diet, exercise and lifestyle interventions on human health, performance and functionality in healthy and clinical populations.

Professor Brinkworth’s research interests include developing, substantiating and translating effective nutrition, lifestyle and technology solutions for weight, metabolic disease and type 2 diabetes management and has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal papers.

Professor Brinkworth also holds an MBA degree with interests in innovation and the commercialisation of science outcomes and lifestyle programs for large-scale community adoption.

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TONY JONES


Tony Jones is one of Australia's most respected journalists. As host of Q&A he brings over 20 years of award winning journalism to the table.

Tony is known for his incisive and probing interviews on the breaking issues of the day. His role on Q&A capitalises on his ability to tap into the political zeitgeist and keep the discussion focused and on track.

Tony Jones has won pretty much every award an Australian journalist could wish for. He's covered the seminal news events of the last two decades - from the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, through the collapse of apartheid in South Africa, to the rise of the Taliban and, closer to home, the revelations of sexual abuse in remote Aboriginal communities.

During Tony Jones' career he has been was host of ABC's Lateline and has reported for Four Corners on ABC as well as Dateline on SBS.

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