KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
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Eric Carter
Executive Director of Baylor University, Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities
Erik Carter is the Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities at Baylor University and Executive Director of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. His research addresses strategies for supporting inclusion and belonging in schools, workplaces, and communities for children and youth with disabilities. He has published widely on the topic of inclusive practices, including more than 300 articles and chapters and seven books.
Meredith Honig
Professor, University of Washington
Director, District Leadership Design Lab (DL2)
Meredith Honig is a Professor of Education Policy at the University of Washington and Director of the District Leadership Design Lab (DL2), where she partners with districts to redesign central offices for educational equity, especially for historically underserved students. Her research, widely published and funded by major foundations, focuses on systemic barriers to equity and how district leaders can drive change. She co-founded DL2 in 2014, previously led the award-winning Leadership for Learning Ed.D. program, and has held roles at the University of Maryland and the California Department of Education.
Ali Hearn
National Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Coach
Ali Hearn, LCSW is a National keynote speaker, trainer, and coach whose mission is to shift mindsets and ignite fires within others to create sustainable change and impact. Throughout her career, she has worked with thousands of educators across the country, emphasizing the importance of improving social/emotional skills, promoting the installation of Restorative Practices within school systems, and reinforcing MTSS frameworks to better support the current needs of students, staff, and families. Ali’s diverse experiences as a school- based social worker first sparked her passion for working with people, and her years working with the Midwest PBIS Network in partnership with the National Center on PBIS, honed her skills in strengthening school systems and culture to positively impact social, emotional, and academic outcomes. Ali’s balance of energy, humor, candor and heart not only inspires educators to want to make schools better, but empowers them to know they can. Her unique style and approach make her a sought after leader in educational spaces and a dynamic catalyst for change. Ali received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois and her Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University in Chicago, is a certified Restorative Practices trainer, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She shares monthly strategies, reflections, and resources with a growing online community through her “SPARKS".