"The pandemic shook us out of our teaching habits and forced us to find an alternative to in-person teaching. Like everyone else, I drank from the fire hose of online technology, and through the fatigue and misery of it all, I began to see the potential of the online lectures that were taking shape. They were as primitive as the first draft of any …

"The pandemic shook us out of our teaching habits and forced us to find an alternative to in-person teaching. Like everyone else, I drank from the fire hose of online technology, and through the fatigue and misery of it all, I began to see the potential of the online lectures that were taking shape. They were as primitive as the first draft of any …

Dave Cardona is a Graphic Designer in the Clothing Industry and has worked for over 20 years. Dave developed his passion for Graphic Design and Art by collecting Sports Trading cards and reading Sports Illustrated as a young boy. His first job as a Graphic Designer was in the Clothing Industry, and he continues to design, source and manufacture clo…

Carol Jiménez was elected to the Perris Elementary School District Board of Education in November 2022 and sworn into office in December 2022. Carol started her tenure in the district as a teacher, and as she noticed the disparity of the children in her district wrote grants to start a preschool program for the district. The grants were awarded and…

Dr. Denise Kennedy is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She is part of an early childhood education collaborative in California called PEACH (Partnership in Education, Articulation, and Collaboration in Higher Education) and co-leads the Credential workgroup. Dr. Kennedy is on the …

Dr. Chris Burns has been the Executive Director of Boys Republic since 2010 and has been employed there in various capacities for the last 30 years. His wife, Brandy, and he have raised their two boys in the Chino Valley, with one graduating from Cal Poly Pomona and working as an electrical engineer and the other in his junior year at Cal State Lon…

Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens is Reef Environmental Education Foundation's Co-Executive Director of Science & Engagement. She has been with REEF for almost 30 years and has overseen the expansion of its citizen science fish monitoring program over the last 2 decades. Christy’s role at REEF intersects citizen science, education, and conservation, e…

Louis is a very talented individual. He played three sports in high school basketball, baseball, and football. He also played the clarinet in high school and really enjoyed it. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a bachelor's in manufacturing engineering. Now he is an engineer working on designing machines that deal with tires. His ul…

Dr. Joel Wong is a Professor of Counseling Psychology in the School of Education at Indiana University. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and of the Asian American Psychological Association. Joel conducts research on the science of gratitude interventions and practices. joelwong@indiana.edu…

After working for 25 years as an educator in the private sector, Alda joined the Guiare team as Director and copartner in 2014. Since then, she has dedicated her time designing and implementing workshops as well as preparing the academic materials to complement the current national pedagogical strategies. She works closely with the Costa Rican Depa…

Marie Cardona is an environmental engineer and has been working in consulting for over 20 years. A California native, she divides her time between the U.S. and Canada, currently residing in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her passions include travel, music, photography, social activism, and hoarding coffee mugs.…

Sharon Latkovich Valente, Ph.D., is the Assistant Director of Curriculum Assessment and Evaluation, within the Master in Physician Assistant Studies Program at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University. She has taught across multiple disciplines and has extensive experience in assessment along with her background …

Romero Jalomo is the Vice President for Student Affairs at Hartnell College. He has served in this capacity for over nine years. Hartnell College is located in Salinas, California and serves approximately 14,000 students in the Salinas Valley.

Her real name is Laura, but she's better known as @thedivememe on social media. Since always, she has been fascinated by the underwater world. Already as a little girl, she started diving in the lakes and rivers of Switzerland, where she's from. Growing up, her passion for nature led to a degree in molecular biology, but her addiction to water neve…

"Don't live life in a vacuum." A graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Ashley captained the tennis team her senior year and graduated with a B.A. in English in 1986. A college internship in Washington D.C. led to a position as a Trip Coordinator in the Office of Presidential Advance following graduation. At the close of the Reagan Administr…

Tara Goines grew up in Southern California, attending several different elementary schools because of being a foster child. She went on to complete her Bachelor's degree at CSUN majoring in Business Law. Reflecting on her positive influences in school, she decided to get her multiple subject teaching credential and taught grades TK-8 for the next s…

"See challenges as an invitation to innovate." Adam Woods is moving into his 17th year of Science Engineering teaching at Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana, CA. Adam has spent the past 8 years developing and maintaining the first Aerospace Engineering Pathway in Orange County, which consists of 3 successive Engineering courses designed to better …

Nikole Lim is a speaker, educator, and consultant on leveraging dignity through the restorative art of storytelling. She is the founder and international director of Freely In Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping survivors and advocates to lead in ending sexual violence through their rewritten stories. If you’d like to check out th…

Christianne is a 4th-grade teacher at Westmont Elementary, a VAPA school in Ocean View School District in Huntington Beach, California. After receiving her bachelor's degree in Theatre, and years of touring the world and living out of a suitcase, Christianne realized she needed to do something more and wanted to make a difference. So, she went back…

The mission of the 306 Foundation is to help build healthy communities. That goal is realized through a program created in 2013 called Toolbox4Life. Offered in three trimesters, these holistic construction and culinary training programs are free of charge to students coming from domestic violence, human trafficking, addiction behaviors, mental heal…

Matt Reynolds is a high school visual art teacher in southwest Ohio. He earned his BS in Art Education with an ELL endorsement from Olivet Nazarene University in 2012 and his MFA in Visual Arts from Jacksonville University in 2019. He works with his wife, Sarah, in the district where they and their two children live in.…

Samantha is the Director of Education at Plastic Oceans. Her bachelor's is from the University of Michigan - Dearborn in environmental studies where she focused on environmental education and is currently pursuing her master's in public health at Wayne State University. She provides environmental education for both youth and adults and specializes …

Dr. Lelemia Irvine is kupukaaina, a lineal descendant from the aboriginal families that sprouted out of the land of Waiʻanae. Notably, Dr. Irvine is the first Native Hawaiian kāne to earn a PhD in any engineering discipline at UH Mānoa and is the first appointed Physics faculty at the University of Hawaiʻi—West Oʻahu. In general, his research inter…

Currently living in New Orleans, William Butler has been writing since the 1950’s and has been published in various literary journals as well as publishing several volumes of poetry and a book of short fiction. He continues to explore the depth and width of the human heart through his poetry. His belief in nature and in personal experiences are dri…

Meleah Follen is the Youth Engagement Director for Healthy Community Initiative (HCI). In this role she oversees all aspects of Northfield YouthBank, and coordinates 90+ youth in their service on local boards and commissions through the Youth on Boards program. YouthBank is a youth philanthropy program and the Youth on Boards program facilitates au…

Anupama (Uh-noo-puh-maa) Joshi (Zo-shee) is a Professor of Child Development at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She has been a member of the higher education faculty for over 20 years and briefly served in higher ed administration. As a researcher she is most interested in understanding how our knowledge about children’s development i…

Gabi is an active participant in today’s youth athletics and education. She is a survivor of a hit and run accident that nearly took her life four years ago. Since then, Gabi has used that experience to help encourage and motivate others in all areas of life.

Regina Martinez - Emergency Medicine Doctor, Mexican National Team Cross-Country Skiier, and activist. Regina was born in Mexico City but has lived all over including 6 states in the US and Costa Rica. Along with her family, she is an immigrant to the U.S. She pursued the American Dream with dreams of becoming the first doctor in her family. She at…

Barbie The Welder is an American metal sculptor, published author of 6 books, and advocate for the skilled trades from Erin, NY. Even though she had no business experience or professional art education, Barbie’s unique, self taught style of creating sculptures quickly threw her into the spotlight on social media where she caught the eye of individu…

Nick is currently a part-time lecturer and Ph.D. student at Chapman University in Orange, California, where he will be starting the fourth semester in the Education and Leadership Studies Program. After graduating high school in 2002, Nick joined the United States Navy and served on active duty for 12 years as a Chief Information Systems Technician…

Peter Schulz is a junior at Indiana University majoring in supply chain, sustainable business, and international business, a member of the Indiana football team, and a member of the alpha kappa psi business fraternity. He is most recently known for selling out the Bloomington comedy attic. He is the lightest offensive lineman in the power 5. You ca…

"Where else than education, can you change the world?" ~ Dr. Reynolds is a retired public school teacher and university professor. She taught 7th and 8th-grade students with special needs, mostly students with learning difficulties and behavioral issues, for 34 years. She then retired to teach at a small Christian university to help launch and teac…

Dr. Ebony Williams is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at California State University, Sacramento, in the Marriage Couples and Family Counseling program. In addition, some of her duties included being a member of Sac State’s Division of Inclusive Excellence, a mentor for the Cooper Woodson College mentorship program and McNair’s Scholars program—…

"Give a Voice to the Voiceless" Anthony Solorzano is an independent filmmaker whose debut film, "Varsity Punks" was a homegrown project shot in El Monte, CA. Recently, he has expanded his visual storytelling skills by directing music videos, commercials, and short documentaries. His style likes to push on cultural boundaries by celebrating the unde…

“Think about where can this fit and will it benefit my students, my kid, my parents...” Samuel Keoleian, a rising Junior at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business from Michigan. He is passionate in both education and the capital markets. He has taken leadership opportunities to develop and spread financial literacy and investment know-how. …

"People should share their stories more." Natalie Price is a senior on the Indiana Track and Field Team. She is an Elementary Education major and a Counseling minor. She is about to go into her student teaching. She is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Monroe County.

"Serve and give back. Create change, even if it's a small change."~ Dr. Regine Muradian is a licensed clinical psychologist, children’s author, speaker, consultant and mental health advocate. In her clinical practice, Dr. Muradian works with children, adolescents, and adults who present with a wide range of emotional stressors. In her consulting wo…

" You can't think your way through figuring life out, you have to live your way to figuring life out." Dr. Sarah Sicher is a double board certified Psychiatrist trained to treat psychiatric issues across the lifespan including early development, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. She strives to take an integrated, whole-person approach and offe…

"Envision, dream, and try to improve the human condition" Ellen Junn is the 11th president of California State University, Stanislaus and has a remarkable and extensive 35-year history with the CSU, having worked at five other CSU campuses prior to joining Stan State. President Junn earned a bachelor’s degree in experimental and cognitive psycholog…

"Best effort, stay ready, never quit!" David Rhodes has been a middle and high school mathematics teacher in Santa Ana Unified School District for the past 16 years, earned his credential and Masters from Cal State Fullerton School of Secondary Education. He has been an intramural coach, union representative, school site council president, and is c…

"Truth is truth. It doesn't matter who's voice it is." "You can make a change regardless of age. You can change your mind, but whatever you choose, do it with your whole heart." Sarah’s Bio Sarah Laidir is an international attorney and a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve. She has served the Air Force in various capacities for the last …

Dr. Stephanie Chalk is a mental health counselor, adjunct professor, and psychology technical writer. Stephanie specializes in trauma, disability, and multiculturalism. She recently completed her dissertation on the connections between individualism and collectivism, posttraumatic growth, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Cristina Zenato, a professional diver since 1994, Cristina is an ocean and cave explorer, a shark behaviorist, photographer, speaker, writer, and conservationist. Cristina believes in the power of education and uses her writing and speaking to empower women, inspire younger generations, and teach about conservation. Cristina is a member of the Expl…

Kathryn Cloward is a purposeful storyteller who’s earned national praise for her award-winning Kathryn the Grape® Affirmation Series of books and music. Through her illustrated likeness of Kathryn the Grape, she provides a treasure box filled with positive and affirming tools of love for children and adults to use together. An award-winning author,…

Stephen Hauck is a Police Officer in Southern California for the City of Glendora. He’s worked patrol for four years and is a force instructor for the department. In high school he started and EdActs club, played sports and the trumpet. He received a music scholarship to go to college where he also worked as a Police Cadet. He is currently finishin…

Nikita Ganatra is the owner of Kumon Math and Reading Center in Foothill Ranch, California which she started in 2013. Her experience in K-12 over the past 15 years spans various K-12 educational settings - teaching and learning from kids of all ages. She holds a Masters in Education from CSU Fullerton where she also received her credentials as well…

Dr. Mark L’Esperance is a professor and dean of James Madison University’s College in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He has presented and published extensively at the state, national, and international levels on issues of school reform. L’Esperance has worked with public-school systems in coaching hundreds of administrators related to strategic planning a…

Stacy Hurst is an assistant professor of Teacher Education at Southern Utah University. She has degrees in Sociology and Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Education. Her extensive experience also includes teaching first grade and serving as a reading specialist. Stacy is the co-author of a foundational literacy program, and is the Chief…

Tiana is currently a 3rd grade teacher at George Washington Academy in St. George, Utah, where she is in her 9th year as an elementary education teacher. After earning her bachelor’s degree in 2012 at Southern Utah University, she left her small Utah town and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. There she taught 3rd grade at a Title 1 school, Paul Culley El…

Tracey Greenwood is married to Jeff who is also a teacher and has two children: Lucas (11 yrs) and Alyssa (6 yrs). They live in the seaside community of Maraetai which is in East Auckland, and is a Learning Designer and Learning Coach at Ormiston Junior College. @TraceyTait1