Meet the TEDxCCSU Team!

Dr. Jesse Turner- Central CT State University- Professor: Literacy, Elementary, and Early Childhood Education Department

Founding Member of TEDxCCSU, TEDxCCSU Co-Host

Dr. Jesse Turner is a founding member of the TEDxCCSU team, and is the Director of the Literacy Center at Central Connecticut State University where he teaches advanced clinical graduate courses for literacy specialists. As part of the community engagement mission, the Literacy Center provides tutoring by certified teachers, free of charge to local children every year. Jesse works closely on a daily basis with children, parents, and their teachers. He is an activist and advocate for public school education. He has spoken to audiences across the nation about the problems created by institutionalized inequality in our public schools. In 2010 Jesse created the Facebook group “Children Are More Than Test Scores” as a way to connect individuals and communities struggling against the NCLB law. He walked 400 miles in 40 days from Connecticut to Washington, DC to raise awareness of the negative impact high-stake testing policies are having on children, parents, teachers, and schools. With a core group of people he met on his first walk, and online Jesse helped build the coalition that would eventually become Save Our Schools March. He has written numerous articles/chapters on assessment. He is an Editor for the New England Reading Association Journal. Jesse serves on the National Steering Committee for the 2016 Save Our School Coalition: March For Public Education and Social Justice. He is an active member of Moral Monday Connecticut, and a member of NAACP. His work includes advocating for children, parents and teachers, chairing conferences, writing grants, and organizing community based projects.

John Foshay- Central CT State University- Professor: Special Education & Interventions

Founding Member of TEDxCCSU, TEDxCCSU Co-Host

John currently teaches courses in research methods, data-based individualization, assistive technology, contemporary issues in special education, learning theory, and special education law.

He has been at CCSU for 16 years and prior to starting at the university was a doctoral student at WVU, a high school teacher for students with Intellectual Disabilities, and an instructor at a state institution for individuals with severe and multiple disabilities.

Dr. Scott McKenna, Ph.D. - Central CT State University- Events Manager

Founding Member of TEDxCCSU, Events & Logistics Manager

Ryan Wark- Central CT State University- Media Center Digital Media Production Coordinator

Founding Member of TEDxCCSU

Erin Gilbert- Newington Public Schools- 4th Grade Teacher

TEDxCCSU Team Member, TEDxCCSU Website Developer, Public Relations Consultant

Erin has taught in Newington, CT for the past five years in a variety of grade levels, finally landing this year in fourth grade. She received her Undergraduate Degree in Elementary Education from Western CT State University and her Masters Degree in Reading and Language Arts Education from Central CT State University.

Over the past few years, she has worked closely with the Department of Literacy, Elementary, and Early Childhood Education at CCSU, is a fellow of the Central CT Writing Project, and serves as the Site Coordinator for the Central CT Student Writing Project.

Erin joined the TEDxCCSU team in 2018.

Brian Nance

Brian Nance is a Public Policy Master’s candidate at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. He graduated from Trinity in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy & Law. In years past, Brian has worked with the United States Surface Transportation Board in Washington, DC, the law group Squire Patton Boggs in Paris, FA and the Children’s Defense Fund where he garnered experience to analyze a range of policy issues. A Connecticut native, Brian has volunteered for the National Action Network, the National Organization for Women, Union Baptist Church and the Icla da Silva Foundation. Brian also mentored elementary and middle school students at Hartford schools. These experiences have incited Brian’s passion to pursue a career in helping others while continuing to challenge himself.

Brian is our newest TEDxCCSU team member!