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Keynote Speaker: K.C. Boyd
K.C. Boyd is a school librarian with the District of Columbia Public Schools System. She is a second generation educator and holds Master’s degrees in Library Information Science, Media Communications, and Education Leadership. Boyd was the national 2022 School Library Journal Magazine, “Librarian of the Year.”
Boyd currently is the 2024 Chair of Ethnic & Multicultural Informational Exchange Roundtable (EMIERT) of the American Library Association. In addition, Boyd serves on the executive boards for the District of Columbia Library Association and Washington Teachers Union. She is an active committee member for the American Library Association Chapter Council representing Washington D.C., and EveryLibrary Institute/Advisory Board. Boyd is also a member of the District of Columbia Public Schools Library Corps and Ward 6 Public Schools Organization. She is also the recipient of the American Consortium for Equity in Education 2022 Excellence in Equity Award, and the 2022 National Association of State Boards of Education “Policy Leader of the Year Winner.”
A staunch advocate for school libraries, she is widely known and respected for her work with educating parents, teachers, and district officials on promoting independent reading for children and teens. Additionally, she is a sought-after, popular keynote speaker and conference presenter at the national level. It is Boyd’s belief that all children, despite economic circumstance, have the right to read and should have access to books that reflect themselves and encourage inquiry. Boyd can be reached through her website: http://www.kcboyd.com/.
Author Panel:
Makiia Lucier is the author of Dragonfruit, Year of the Reaper, the Isle of Blood and Stone duology, and A Death-Struck Year. Her stories are inspired by history and mythology and have been called “brilliant” (Booklist), “moving,” (New York Times), “masterful” (Horn Book), and “breathtaking” (School Library Journal). They can be found on many notable lists, including NPR’s “Books We Love” and the American Library Association’s ‘Best Fiction for Young Adults.’ She is a recipient of the 2025 Oregon Book Award for Young Adult Literature.
Makiia grew up on the Pacific island of Guam, not too far from the equator, and holds degrees in journalism and library science.
She lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.
Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and award-winning author of numerous children’s books including Brave Every Day, Children’s Book Council’s Teacher Favorites Book Selection, and The Invisible Boy, a School Library Journal Best Picture Books Selection and a recommended back-to-school book by USA Today and Scholastic Instructor. Her work helps empower children to be kinder and more inclusive in their social world. Trudy has collaborated with leading experts and organizations including Sesame Workshop, International Bullying Prevention Association, Committee for Children, and ConnectSafely.org. For more information, visit trudyludwig.com.
William Ritter is an author of Young Adult and Middle Grade fantasy who made his debut in 2014 with the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series, which the Chicago Tribune refers to as “Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and that Kirkus Reviews calls, "Lively supernatural investigations with humor and heart."
He is also an Oregon educator and a proud father of two.
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