EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Opening Session Keynote Speaker
We are pleased to welcome Sucheta Kamath, Executive Function Expert, to the main stage of the 2023 EdLeader21 Annual Event as our keynote speaker. As a precursor to student agency, executive function— cognitive processes and mental skills that help individuals plan, monitor, and successfully execute their goals— is essential for building Portrait of a Graduate skills and competencies.
Sucheta is a world-renowned educational leader specializing in executive function, an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, and an entrepreneur. A life-long learner, educator, and mentor, Sucheta is the recipient of multiple professional awards for developing process-specific training programs designed to teach mastery of executive function, memory, higher-order cognition, and self-regulation.
Closing Session Keynote Speaker
Doannie Tran, Ed.D., will take the main stage as the closing keynote speaker where he will share a message on the critical topic of engaging communities in transforming education and reigniting democracy. Dr. Tran is the co-author of “The Open System: Redesigning Education and Reigniting Democracy”. The book serves as a call to action for school and community leaders to reframe educational institutions as open systems that are adaptable and responsive to the needs of students, families, and communities.
- Dr. Tran taught middle school and high school science in both Oakland, California and Boston, Massachusetts, before leaving teaching to help launch the Massachusetts region of Teach For America in 2009.
- While doing his doctoral work at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, he was sponsored as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at NewSchools Venture Fund, launching an education technology company called the Teaching Genome.
- He later served as an assistant superintendent in both Boston Public Schools and Fulton County Schools (Georgia), respectively.
- Currently, at the Center for Innovation in Education, he focuses on family and community empowerment as a lever for systems change. He is also co-founder of the Open Systems Institute, which develops the capacity of leaders to co-create and co-produce with communities.
Learning Sessions
In these sessions, educators share their innovative ideas, strategies, and initiatives around creating and implementing their district’s vision for 21st century education. Learn more about learning sessions.
School Tour (Add-On Experience)
At this year’s Annual Event, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in unique school tours of the Mehlville School District. You and your team can sign up for this add-on experience when you register for the Annual Event in St. Louis. Learn more about the school tour.
Portrait to Practice Expo
Learn how members are implementing their district's vision for 21st century learning—making the Portrait of a Graduate a reality for every student. Innovative stories and artifacts will illustrate how members are putting their Portraits into practice
and the impact it has on student learning. Learn more about the Portrait to Practice Expo.
see an example Portrait to Practice submission