Allyson Apsey has been an educator for over twenty years; a school leader for sixteen of those years. She is passionate about students and staff and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable, and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the answers.

Recognizing the significant impact trauma has had on many of our students, staff, and families, Allyson completed a program to become a certified trauma practitioner in education. The supports students affected by trauma need are beneficial to all students because they are grounded in a foundational core of strong, positive relationships based on trust. Allyson is also certified in William Glasser’s Choice Theory and reality therapy.

Allyson writes on a blog called Serendipity in Education, and has authored three books: The Path to Serendipity, the picture book The Princes of Serendip, and Through the Lens of Serendipity, all published by Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Allyson is a national and TedX speaker who loves speaking to passionate groups of educators about working to be happy and effective people for the benefit of everyone around us. Allyson is married to Jim, and she has two amazing sons with him: Laine and Tyson. She is blessed.

Allyson Apsey has been an educator for over twenty years; a school leader for sixteen of those years. She is passionate about students and staff and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable, and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the answers.

Recognizing the significant impact trauma has had on many of our students, staff, and families, Allyson completed a program to become a certified trauma practitioner in education. The supports students affected by trauma need are beneficial to all students because they are grounded in a foundational core of strong, positive relationships based on trust. Allyson is also certified in William Glasser’s Choice Theory and reality therapy.

Allyson writes on a blog called Serendipity in Education, and has authored three books: The Path to Serendipity, the picture book The Princes of Serendip, and Through the Lens of Serendipity, all published by Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Allyson is a national and TedX speaker who loves speaking to passionate groups of educators about working to be happy and effective people for the benefit of everyone around us. Allyson is married to Jim, and she has two amazing sons with him: Laine and Tyson. She is blessed.

Kelly May-Vollmar, Ed.D. is the Chief Innovation and Information Officer for Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD). Prior to becoming the CIIO for Desert Sands, Dr. May-Vollmar was an elementary teacher, instructional coach, and site Principal.  In addition to serving as the DSUSD CIIO she works with the local county office of education as a coach for new administrators.   Dr. May-Vollmar serves on the CoSN Digital Equity Educator Advisory Panel and the Chief Technology Officer Council and has been awarded the Administrator of the Year award from ACSA Region XIX. She is passionate about helping administrators and teachers transform pedagogy in a way that maximizes the outcomes of technology integration in the classroom.

Allyson Apsey has been an educator for over twenty years; a school leader for sixteen of those years. She is passionate about students and staff and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable, and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the answers.

Recognizing the significant impact trauma has had on many of our students, staff, and families, Allyson completed a program to become a certified trauma practitioner in education. The supports students affected by trauma need are beneficial to all students because they are grounded in a foundational core of strong, positive relationships based on trust. Allyson is also certified in William Glasser’s Choice Theory and reality therapy.

Allyson writes on a blog called Serendipity in Education, and has authored three books: The Path to Serendipity, the picture book The Princes of Serendip, and Through the Lens of Serendipity, all published by Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Allyson is a national and TedX speaker who loves speaking to passionate groups of educators about working to be happy and effective people for the benefit of everyone around us. Allyson is married to Jim, and she has two amazing sons with him: Laine and Tyson. She is blessed.

Kelly May-Vollmar, Ed.D. is the Chief Innovation and Information Officer for Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD). Prior to becoming the CIIO for Desert Sands, Dr. May-Vollmar was an elementary teacher, instructional coach, and site Principal.  In addition to serving as the DSUSD CIIO she works with the local county office of education as a coach for new administrators.   Dr. May-Vollmar serves on the CoSN Digital Equity Educator Advisory Panel and the Chief Technology Officer Council and has been awarded the Administrator of the Year award from ACSA Region XIX. She is passionate about helping administrators and teachers transform pedagogy in a way that maximizes the outcomes of technology integration in the classroom.

As the Chief Technology Officer for the Calcasieu Parish Public Schools for nineteen years, Dr. Abshire is a catalyst to initiate the integration of technology throughout the nation and internationally by providing leadership on numerous national, state and district committees focusing on the role of technology and curriculum in changing educational practice. A forty-three year veteran educator, she has worked as a school principal, K-5 teacher, library/media specialist, classroom teacher, and university professor. In 2010 she was appointed by the FCC to the USAC board representing the nation’s schools and libraries on ERATE matters. Sheryl was the 2013 National Coalition for Technology in Education & Training Community Builder Award winner for exemplary service in support of policies and practices designed to facilitate the effective integration of technology into teaching and learning across the nation’s education system. ISTE awarded Sheryl the first Public Policy Advocate of the Year Award in 2009 for her decades of work promoting educational technology.  Dr. Abshire is the past president of the Louisiana ISTE affiliate – LACUE where she presently serves as the Vice President of Advocacy and Programs. She was the first teacher inducted into our country’s National Teachers’ Hall of Fame and serves on the board and is past chair of Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). Additionally, she serves on the K-12 Advisory Board for Blackboard, Dell's Platinum Advisory Committee, eSchool News and Scholastic Administrators Advisory Boards.

Allyson Apsey has been an educator for over twenty years; a school leader for sixteen of those years. She is passionate about students and staff and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable, and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the answers.

Recognizing the significant impact trauma has had on many of our students, staff, and families, Allyson completed a program to become a certified trauma practitioner in education. The supports students affected by trauma need are beneficial to all students because they are grounded in a foundational core of strong, positive relationships based on trust. Allyson is also certified in William Glasser’s Choice Theory and reality therapy.

Allyson writes on a blog called Serendipity in Education, and has authored three books: The Path to Serendipity, the picture book The Princes of Serendip, and Through the Lens of Serendipity, all published by Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Allyson is a national and TedX speaker who loves speaking to passionate groups of educators about working to be happy and effective people for the benefit of everyone around us. Allyson is married to Jim, and she has two amazing sons with him: Laine and Tyson. She is blessed.

Kelly May-Vollmar, Ed.D. is the Chief Innovation and Information Officer for Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD). Prior to becoming the CIIO for Desert Sands, Dr. May-Vollmar was an elementary teacher, instructional coach, and site Principal.  In addition to serving as the DSUSD CIIO she works with the local county office of education as a coach for new administrators.   Dr. May-Vollmar serves on the CoSN Digital Equity Educator Advisory Panel and the Chief Technology Officer Council and has been awarded the Administrator of the Year award from ACSA Region XIX. She is passionate about helping administrators and teachers transform pedagogy in a way that maximizes the outcomes of technology integration in the classroom.

As the Chief Technology Officer for the Calcasieu Parish Public Schools for nineteen years, Dr. Abshire is a catalyst to initiate the integration of technology throughout the nation and internationally by providing leadership on numerous national, state and district committees focusing on the role of technology and curriculum in changing educational practice. A forty-three year veteran educator, she has worked as a school principal, K-5 teacher, library/media specialist, classroom teacher, and university professor. In 2010 she was appointed by the FCC to the USAC board representing the nation’s schools and libraries on ERATE matters. Sheryl was the 2013 National Coalition for Technology in Education & Training Community Builder Award winner for exemplary service in support of policies and practices designed to facilitate the effective integration of technology into teaching and learning across the nation’s education system. ISTE awarded Sheryl the first Public Policy Advocate of the Year Award in 2009 for her decades of work promoting educational technology.  Dr. Abshire is the past president of the Louisiana ISTE affiliate – LACUE where she presently serves as the Vice President of Advocacy and Programs. She was the first teacher inducted into our country’s National Teachers’ Hall of Fame and serves on the board and is past chair of Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). Additionally, she serves on the K-12 Advisory Board for Blackboard, Dell's Platinum Advisory Committee, eSchool News and Scholastic Administrators Advisory Boards.

Eric is a Senior Fellow and Thought Leader on Digital Leadership with the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Prior to this he was the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement.

His work focuses on leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework for all educators to initiate sustainable change to transform school cultures. 

Eric has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for his work. He is a CDE Top 30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award recipient, winner of Learning Forward’s Excellence in Professional Practice Award, Google Certified Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar. He has authored multiple books and articles.

He has also contributed on education for the Huffington Post, sits on the advisory board for many innovative companies, and was named to the NSBA “20 to Watch” list in 2010 for technology leadership. TIME Magazine also identified Eric as having one of the 140 Best Twitter Feeds in 2014.  His blog, A Principal’s Reflections, was selected as Best School Administrator Blog in 2013 and 2011 by Edublogs. It was also recognized with an Editor’s Choice Content Award in 2014 by Smartbrief Education.

Allyson Apsey has been an educator for over twenty years; a school leader for sixteen of those years. She is passionate about students and staff and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable, and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the answers.

Recognizing the significant impact trauma has had on many of our students, staff, and families, Allyson completed a program to become a certified trauma practitioner in education. The supports students affected by trauma need are beneficial to all students because they are grounded in a foundational core of strong, positive relationships based on trust. Allyson is also certified in William Glasser’s Choice Theory and reality therapy.

Allyson writes on a blog called Serendipity in Education, and has authored three books: The Path to Serendipity, the picture book The Princes of Serendip, and Through the Lens of Serendipity, all published by Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Allyson is a national and TedX speaker who loves speaking to passionate groups of educators about working to be happy and effective people for the benefit of everyone around us. Allyson is married to Jim, and she has two amazing sons with him: Laine and Tyson. She is blessed.

Kelly May-Vollmar, Ed.D. is the Chief Innovation and Information Officer for Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD). Prior to becoming the CIIO for Desert Sands, Dr. May-Vollmar was an elementary teacher, instructional coach, and site Principal.  In addition to serving as the DSUSD CIIO she works with the local county office of education as a coach for new administrators.   Dr. May-Vollmar serves on the CoSN Digital Equity Educator Advisory Panel and the Chief Technology Officer Council and has been awarded the Administrator of the Year award from ACSA Region XIX. She is passionate about helping administrators and teachers transform pedagogy in a way that maximizes the outcomes of technology integration in the classroom.

As the Chief Technology Officer for the Calcasieu Parish Public Schools for nineteen years, Dr. Abshire is a catalyst to initiate the integration of technology throughout the nation and internationally by providing leadership on numerous national, state and district committees focusing on the role of technology and curriculum in changing educational practice. A forty-three year veteran educator, she has worked as a school principal, K-5 teacher, library/media specialist, classroom teacher, and university professor. In 2010 she was appointed by the FCC to the USAC board representing the nation’s schools and libraries on ERATE matters. Sheryl was the 2013 National Coalition for Technology in Education & Training Community Builder Award winner for exemplary service in support of policies and practices designed to facilitate the effective integration of technology into teaching and learning across the nation’s education system. ISTE awarded Sheryl the first Public Policy Advocate of the Year Award in 2009 for her decades of work promoting educational technology.  Dr. Abshire is the past president of the Louisiana ISTE affiliate – LACUE where she presently serves as the Vice President of Advocacy and Programs. She was the first teacher inducted into our country’s National Teachers’ Hall of Fame and serves on the board and is past chair of Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). Additionally, she serves on the K-12 Advisory Board for Blackboard, Dell's Platinum Advisory Committee, eSchool News and Scholastic Administrators Advisory Boards.

Eric is a Senior Fellow and Thought Leader on Digital Leadership with the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Prior to this he was the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement.

His work focuses on leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework for all educators to initiate sustainable change to transform school cultures. 

Eric has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for his work. He is a CDE Top 30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award recipient, winner of Learning Forward’s Excellence in Professional Practice Award, Google Certified Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar. He has authored multiple books and articles.

He has also contributed on education for the Huffington Post, sits on the advisory board for many innovative companies, and was named to the NSBA “20 to Watch” list in 2010 for technology leadership. TIME Magazine also identified Eric as having one of the 140 Best Twitter Feeds in 2014.  His blog, A Principal’s Reflections, was selected as Best School Administrator Blog in 2013 and 2011 by Edublogs. It was also recognized with an Editor’s Choice Content Award in 2014 by Smartbrief Education.

George Couros is a leading educator in the area of innovative leadership, teaching, and learning. He has worked with all levels of school--from K-12 as a teacher and technology facilitator, school and district administrator, and is the author of the book “The Innovator’s Mindset; Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity.” He is a sought-after speaker on the topic of innovative student learning and engagement and has worked with schools and organizations around the globe. George is also the creator of Connected Principals.com, an initiative that brings educators and leaders together from around the world to create powerful learning opportunities for students. 

Although George is a leader in the area of innovation, his focus is always the development of leadership and people and what is best for learners. His belief that, meaningful change happens when you first connect to people’s hearts, is modeled in his writing and speaking. You can connect with George on his blog, “The Principal of Change” (located at georgecouros.ca) or through Twitter (@gcouros).