These experts from the Bureau’s previous cohorts are still available for speaking opportunities and look forward to hearing from you.
Meet The Speakers
MILLY ARCINIEGAS
Executive Director
Hartford Parent University
Hartford, CT
Areas of Expertise:
Parent and community engagement, equity in education, building parent voice
DELIA ARELLANO-WEDDLETON
Director of Engagement and Partnerships
Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Quincy, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Community engagement, student and parent engagement, building community, student and parent voice
ARTHUR BARAF
Principal
The Met
Providence, Rhode Island
Areas of Expertise:
Student-centered learning, work and project-based learning, school culture, anytime/anywhere learning, internships, community-based learning
ED CERVONE
Executive Director of the Center for Innovation in Education and VP of External Partnerships
Thomas College
Waterville, ME
Areas of Expertise:
Workforce readiness, educational equity, community organizing
NICK DONOHUE
President & CEO
Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Quincy, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Systems change, student-centered learning, equity in education
KEI KAWASHIMA-GINSBERG
Director of CIRCLE
Tufts University
Medford, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Civic engagement, youth development, student-centered learning, state-level education policy, equity in education
TIM KLEIN
National Outreach Director
Project Wayfinder
Areas of Expertise:
Youth and community engagement, equity, purpose development, urban education, community partnerships
MEGHAN MARTINS
Associate Principal of Instruction
Danbury High School
Danbury, CT
Areas of Expertise:
Civic engagement, youth development, student-centered learning, state-level education policy, equity in education
HATICE NIGDELIOGLU
Mathematics Teacher
Revere High School
Revere, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Student-centered learning, youth voice and engagement, teacher leadership, secondary mathematics, growth mindset, competency-based learning, flipped learning, English-Language learners
ILLIANA RODRIGUEZ
Student
Holyoke High School
Holyoke, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Restorative justice, student voice, civic engagement, student activism, youth leadership
JESSICA SPOHN
Program Director
Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Quincy, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Education programming, implementing student-centered learning, educational equity
SIERRA STEWART
Student
Holyoke High School
Holyoke, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Restorative justice, student voice, civic engagement, student activism, youth leadership
JEREMY VANDERKERN
Alternative Program Coordinator
Fair Haven Union High School
Fair Haven, VT
Areas of Expertise:
Career & technical education, competency-based education, student-centered learning, personalized learning plans, community partnerships, work and project-based learning, blended learning, flipped classrooms, grant-writing, dual-enrollment
CHANDA WOMACK
Founding Executive Director
Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education
Providence, RI
Areas of Expertise:
Youth engagement and leadership development, multi-generational and multi-racial community organizing, strategic planning, building civic responsibility, interdisciplinary youth programming, culturally responsive supports
NINA CULBERTSON
Program Director of Learning, Evaluation and Research
Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Quincy, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Education research, evaluation, equity in education
Emeritus Speakers
LISSETTE AGYEMAN-CASTILLO
Teacher
Fenway High School
Boston, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Youth organizing, equity, project-based learning
PIOUS ALI
Youth and Community Engagement Specialist
Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME
Areas of Expertise:
Youth and community engagement, school governance
GAYLE ALLEN-GREENE
Former Principal
Bulkeley High School
Hartford, CT
Areas of Expertise:
School culture and climate; Positive Behavior Intervention Support; adult learning; blended learning; student and teacher engagement
ABUSANA 'MICKY' BONDO
Coalition Parent Leader Organizer
Portland Empowered, Portland Public Schools
Portland, Maine
Areas of Expertise:
Community organizing, parent engagement, student and parent voice
TORI CLEILAND
School Board Member and Educator
Winooski Public Schools
Winooski, VT
Areas of Expertise:
School governance, youth engagement, student mentorship, proficiency-based learning
DANIEL CORSETTI
Assistant Principal
Washington Middle School
Meriden, CT
Areas of Expertise:
Student-centered learning, youth engagement, professional development and student-centered learning coaching
LINDSEY COX
Project Manager
Partnership for Change
Burlington & Winooski, VT
Areas of Expertise:
Management, strategy, leadership and community engagement for educational change
TAIWO DEMOLA
Student
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Youth leadership, student activism, civic engagement, theater for social change
JAMES FLYNN
Social Studies Department Chair
Orville H. Platt High School
Meriden, CT
Areas of Expertise:
Blended learning, personalized learning, social media in the classroom, student voice and engagement
JOHN J. FREEMAN
Superintendent
Pittsfield Public Schools
Pittsfield, NH
Areas of Expertise:
Community engagement, district-wide application of student centered approaches, systems change
DR. LOURENÇO GARCIA
Principal
Revere High School
Revere, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Educational equity, critical pedagogy, restructuring schools, blended learning, student-centered and flipped learning, English language learners and second language acquisition
LAURA ITEKA
Student
Deering High School
Portland, ME
Areas of Expertise:
Youth engagement, community organizing, student voice
MOLLY MESSENGER
Director
Pittsfield Listens
Pittsfield, NH
Areas of Expertise
Rural organizing, youth organizing, parent engagement, student voice
ZACK MEZERA
Executive Director
Providence Student Union
Providence, RI
Areas of Expertise:
Community organizing, youth voice and engagement, electoral organizing
SHAUN MITCHELL
Dean of Students
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts
Hartford, CT
Areas of Expertise:
Student-centered learning, educational equity, literacy, proficiency-based learning
RICHARD MUTTS
Program Coordinator
Meriden Children First Initiative
Meriden, CT
Areas of Expertise:
Parent engagement, equity, youth mentorship
SUNNY PAI
Director of ELL Programs and Diploma Plus
Charlestown High School
Charlestown, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Competency-based education, restorative justice, equity
FRANCIS PINA
Teacher
Charlestown High School
Charlestown, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Youth engagement, improvement science, Algebra 1, secondary mathematics, growth mindset
AMY REX
Superintendent,
Milton Town School District
Milton, VT
Areas of Expertise: Student voice, shared leadership, proficiency-based learning, personalized learning
SHAWN RUBIN
Chief Education Officer
Highlander Institute
Providence, RI
Areas of Expertise:
Blended Learning, professional development
BRIAN STACK
Principal,
Sanborn Regional High School
Kingston, NH
Areas of Expertise:
Personalized learning, competency-based learning, administration and high school redesign
EMILY THIELMANN
Policy Associate
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME
Areas of Expertise:
Youth organizing, parent engagement, student voice
CHARLES WILLIS
Teacher
Lexington High School
Lexington, MA
Areas of Expertise:
Student-centered learning, student engagement, competency-based learning, teacher leadership