Speaker Bios

Dr. Dan Keast, 

Dr. Dan Keast has led 50 course reviews for Quality Matters as a Master Reviewer, evaluated courses and peers for tenure and promotion reviews, read and reviewed hundreds of research articles, as well as attended incredible conference sessions on active learning. 

Dr. Dan Keast is a pioneer of online teaching and presents his research and innovations to a variety of disciplines in secondary and higher education. The link between Dan's research and teaching is obvious as he continually adapts his courses and constructivist teaching methods to new media, student needs, and innovative pedagogy. Keast won the University's nomination for the Regents' Teaching Award in 2014 and the 2015 nomination for the Piper Professor due to his teaching accomplishments, reputation as an online educator, and caring mentor to his students, faculty, and alumni.

Keast was recruited by UTPB to re-start the Music Program in the fall of 2004 and served as the area coordinator until Fall 2020. He is a diamond-certified online educator by The University of Texas System, a Quality Matters online master reviewer, and Professor has written many grants netting over a million dollars of external funding for Music at UTPB, and reviews grants for the US Department of Labor and HP Catalyst Programs. Keast is an avid supporter of the arts by serving as a member on the Board of Directors for the West Texas Jazz Society. As a music education researcher, his research interests include teaching and scaffolding activities in online learning environments. He has twelve publications including book chapters, peer-reviewed research journal articles, invited columns, and serves as an editor for Texas Music Education Research Online in Second Life, Magna Publications, and Journal of Learning and Teaching, plus digital creations & the Apple App Store.

Courtney Milleson, Speech Professor, Amarillo College  

Courtney doesn't just have one favorite quote, but several.  She is an avid reader and loves to travel.  She enjoys visiting New York City, watching baseball (go Cubs!), and watching murder mystery and science fiction movies.

Courtney has a bachelors degree in Speech/Public Relations from West Texas A&M University. She attended Texas Tech where she got her Masters degree in Higher Education. 

She is from the Texas Panhandle and grew up in Muleshoe, TX.

When asked why she thinks speech is important, Courtney replied, "Speech is the class that allows the ideas given specifically to you to find a home in the world. My job is to help students craft their message so they can be the agents of change in society." 

She enjoys working with students and challenging them to be their best self.

Dr. Trent Mohrbutter, Learning Programs, Products, and Services, and AVID National Staff Developer

In his 32nd year as an educator, Dr. Mohrbutter received his undergraduate degree in Education from the University of Victoria, a master’s degree in School Administration from East Carolina University, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Supervision from North Carolina State. 

Trent has worked with AVID since 2018, and has developed, implemented, and facilitated professional learning for community colleges and universities. Before joining AVID, he was the Vice President for Instruction and CAO at Nash Community College (NC), helping Nash become an AVID National Demonstration College in 2016.  Dr. Mohrbutter has consulted, written, and presented nationally on educational leadership, student equity, guided pathways, and instructional practices that support student opportunities and success. 

Kristi Gerdes, Southwest Texas Junior College, Amarillo college & AVID Consultant  

Kristi Gerdes brings a unique set of skills to share with educators as an instructor of English and College Success Skills at Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) in Uvalde, Tx., a project manager and instructional designer for Amarillo college and a leader in learning and development.

Kristi has degrees from the University of Chaminade of Honolulu (B.A.) and Dallas Baptist University (M.A.).  She began her teaching career in the secondary field as an English teacher and then the AVID elective teacher.  She was a part of Southwest Texas Junior College's faculty and the Student Success Coordinator from 2008 until 2012.  Her teaching and service experiences at Southwest Texas Junior College are broad; Kristi has taught the first-year seminar and core courses in the English department such as freshman composition, introduction to literature, British Literature and World Literature, working with traditionally-aged students and non-traditional students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).  Kristi also helped develop the Student Success Center at the Uvalde Campus and integrated a Supplemental Instruction (S.I.) and tutor support service at SWTJC.  As a Student Success Coordinator, Kristi has focused on student engagement and success as an advisor and an instructor.  Kristi has served on SWTJC’s SACS Student Services Committee, has been a part of several successful grant writing committees, and has been involved in many student engagement initiatives.   Also, she has offered professional development training for faculty members using high engagement activities and helped create a Unit Action Plan (UAP) that focuses on specific teaching methodologies that use data-driven results. Kristi was the AVID Liaison for SWTJC from 2009 until 2012 and feels that her experiences as administration and a faculty member give her insight into classroom realities and institutional processes.