2026 KCSS MORNING KEYNOTE

Dr. Ryan New Director of Professional Learning, iCivics

Dr. Ryan New is an award-winning educator and researcher and has been the Director of Professional Learning for iCivics since December, 2023.  As a former President of the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies, we are excited to welcome him home to deliver our opening keynote.

A former classroom teacher of ten years, Dr. New also spent five years as the K-12 Instructional Lead for Social Studies for Jefferson County Public Schools. He has been recognized as the 2017 NCSS National Outstanding Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year and a recipient of the 2021 Kentucky Council for Social Studies Meece Award. He earned his doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Kentucky, focusing his research on inquiry-based learning and the C3 Framework. A key contributor to Kentucky’s state academic standards, Ryan is the architect of the Living Democracy instructional framework and has published extensively on building democratic classrooms and disciplinary literacy. 

2026 KCSS AFTERNOON KEYNOTE

Annie Evans, Director of Education and Outreach for New American History, University of Richmond

Annie Evans is the Director of Education and Outreach for New American History at the University of Richmond in Virginia.  In her role at the University of Richmond, Evans leverages more than 30 years of classroom and leadership experience to design history curricula for both K-12 and college students. She collaborates with educators, museums, and cultural institutions to develop free teaching resources, emphasizing how local history connects to broader topics. 

Evans  recently received the Sarah Drake Brown Leadership in History Award from the National Council for History Education in March, 2026. The honor is awarded to educators who demonstrate exemplary leadership in K-12 history education. 

Evans received her bachelor’s degree in education from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University. She joined the University of Richmond staff in 2019, following a career teaching history, civics, and geography in Virginia public schools.