Featured Speakers

Conrad Hughes

Conrad Hughes (PhD, EdD) is the Director General of the International School of Geneva (Ecolint). He is also a Senior Fellow at UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education, a member of the advisory board for the University of the People and research assistant at the University of Geneva’s department of psychology and education. 

Conrad’s most recent books are Education and Elitism: Challenges and Opportunities (2021, Routledge), Understanding Prejudice and Education: The Challenge for Future Generations (2017, Routledge) and Educating for the 21st Century: Seven Global Challenges (2018, Brill). 

You can learn more about Conrad's work at his website, Conrad-Hughes.com

Nneka Johnson

Dr. Nneka Johnson is an advocate for international education. She believes in the power of servant leadership, design thinking/innovation, global engagement/collaboration and mentorship.  Nneka strives to empower school leaders to use innovative methodologies to make a positive impact within their diverse communities.  

In 2023, Nneka became the first Fellow at the Council of International Schools (CIS). Before joining CIS, she spent five years at the International School of Dakar (ISD), where she held the position of Director of Innovation and Strategic Development. In her senior leadership role at ISD she was responsible for a number of school strategic initiatives.  She currently serves on the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) Board of Trustees and the AISA Professional Learning Design Team.  She is also an Edsafe Women in AI Fellow.

Nneka’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Queens College in New York City, a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Georgia State University, and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from Mercer University in Atlanta.

You can connect with Nneka on X (Twitter) at @NnekaJ_Edu

Natasha Devon

Natasha Devon MBE is a writer, activist and broadcaster. She tours schools and events throughout the UK and beyond, delivering talks and conducting research on mental health, body image, gender & equality. She presents on LBC (one of Britain’s most popular speech radio stations) every Saturday and writes regularly for newspapers and magazines, as well as appearing on television. She has a monthly column in Teach Secondary magazine.

Natasha is a Fellow of The University of Wales: Aberystwyth. She is an ambassador for charities Glitch UK and The Reading Agency, as well as a patron for No Panic. She is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid England and eating disorder charity Beat.

She has written non-fiction titles ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Being Mental: An A-Z’ for adults and ‘Yes You Can: Ace School Without Losing Your Mind’ and ‘Clicks: How to Be Your Best Self Online’ for young people aged 12+. Her debut YA novel ‘Toxic’ was published in July 2022 and is about coercive control in friendship. The sequel ‘Babushka’ was published on 5th October 2023.

Find out more at www.natashadevon.com.

Becky Green

Becky Green loves that she gets to learn from students and educators around the world as the Associate Director of Professional Learning with the Global Online Academy (GOA). Since 2016 she has coached, facilitated, designed, and led across their professional learning and student programs. But first and foremost, Becky is a middle school teacher having spent two decades in international and public school classrooms. 

She cares deeply about ensuring students thrive beyond school walls, and whether it’s supporting transitions to competency-based learning, partnering purposefully with AI, facilitating portrait of a graduate processes, or reimagining learning design, Becky prioritizes joyful, relational, student-centered experiences. 

A fan of both adventuring outside and making creative messes inside, at home you can find her filling sketchbooks with her son, canning produce from her husband’s garden, and hiking trails with her rescue pup near her family’s pear farm in Washington State, USA.

In addition to the GOA website, you can connect with Becky via LinkedIn.

Jen Cort

Jen Cort is a diversity practitioner, author, podcast host, school counselor, trustee, coach, speaker, consultant, and activist.  She has also served as a principal, school administrator, and elementary, middle, and high school counselor.  Jen works throughout the United States and in multiple countries.   

Jen has keynoted and presented at national and international conferences, hosts a diversity institute, and frequently contributes to publications. Her work is quoted in Racing Toward Diversity, Insights, Friends Journal, NAIS Independent Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, New York Times, and more. 

Jen hosts an internationally syndicated podcast, "Third Space With Jen Cort," and authored  the book 'HUBs - Help Us Begin Strategies When the Topic is Challenging.'

You can learn more about Jen's work on her website, JenCort.com

Glenn Whitman

Glenn Whitman is a History teacher and Executive Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. Glenn is the co-author of Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education, the co-designer of Neuroteach Global and Neuroteach Global Student, and co-editor of Think Differently and Deeply, the international publication of the CTTL. 

Glenn earned his MALS from Dartmouth College and a BA from Dickinson College and has shared the work of the CTTL through publications such as Edutopia, Mind, Brain, and Education, ASCD Express, “Impact” from Charted College, and EdSurge and presented around the world at public, charter, private, and international school conferences including: ASCD, Learning Forward, researchED, New Teacher Center, Learning & the Brain, Festival of Education, and SXSWedu.

You can get in touch with Glenn via CTTL's website, X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.

Stephanie Simpson

Stephanie Simpson is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE), the premier membership organization helping middle school educators cultivate the potential and possibilities of young adolescents. Stephanie is a seasoned professional association leader. She began her associations career as a policy analyst at the American Medical Association after earning a J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and B.A. in International Studies and Information Technology from DePaul University. 

You can connect with Stephanie on Twitter @steph_auditore.