Keynote Speakers

OWENS   ·   CHAN   ·   BRIDGES   ·   JOHNSON   ·   ELLENBURG   ·   KNIGHT

A Whole New World for Teachers and Principals

Cathy Owens, director of learning, is responsible for overall operation of NSDC's annual conference for staff developers and its summer conference for teacher leaders and administrators. In addition, she guides other learning institutes and strategic initiatives set forth by the organization. She is committed to improving student learning through teacher leadership.

Owens previously had been director of professional development and teacher networks for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards where she designed programs to move NBCTs into leadership roles. She is a former high school English teacher, university adjunct instructor, and is also a National Board Certified Teacher. Earlier in her career, she was a statelevel coaching facilitator for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Owens earned her M.S. in secondary education from North Carolina A&T State University and her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She interrupted her doctoral work to join the nonprofit sector.

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Educating the Whole Child: From Challenges to Opportunities

Yvonne Chan, principal of the Vaughn Next Century Learning Center in Los Angeles, has created one of the most successful urban public schools and conversion charter schools in the nation. Vaughn serves Pre-K through 10th grade for students who live in poverty. Vaughn was recognized in 1995 as a California Distinguished School and in 1996 as a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School.

Chan serves her students and public education through participation on the Los Angeles City Commission for Children Youth and Families, the Board of Public/Private Venture in Philadelphia, the California State University Advisory Board, and the Consortium for Policy Research in Education. Chan is also an adjunct professor at UCLA. She has a B.A. in foreign languages from UCLA, an M.A. in special education from California State University at Northridge, and an Ed.D from UCLA.

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What Is The Core Business of Teachers?

Randy Bridges became superintendent of the Alamance-Burlington School System in September 2006. Prior to his current position, he served as superintendent for the Rock Hill School District in South Carolina. He has held other positions in North Carolina public school systems including serving as a classroom teacher for 12 years, middle and high school principal, associate superintendent for public relations, associate superintendent for human resources, and superintendent of the Orange County School System in Hillsborough, NC.

Bridges serves on several state and national boards, including the Southern Education Foundation Board of Directors, Alamance YMCA Board of Directors, Center For Teaching Quality Board of Directors, and Louisburg Junior College Board of Trustees. Among his awards and achievements, Bridges was the recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and the 2002 North Carolina School Boards Association Superintendent of the Year. Bridges received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and his Doctorate of Education from Fayetteville State University.

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Teaching Outside the Box

LouAnne Johnson is a former U.S. Navy journalist, Marine Corps officer, and high school teacher. Currently, she teaches Developmental Reading and Writing and works as a substitute teacher. In 1989, Johnson began teaching reading and writing to non-English speakers as an intern at a high school in California. Two years later, she was appointed department chair of a special program for at-risk teens. During the government evaluation of 10 similar pilot programs, Johnson's group was rated first in academic achievement, increased self-esteem, and student retention.

Johnson is the author of seven nonfiction books including My Posse Don't Do Homework, which became the 1995 box office hit “Dangerous Minds” starring Michelle Pfeiffer. Johnson has presented workshops and keynote addresses to numerous organizations, and has appeared as a guest on several television shows. She is a native of rural northwestern Pennsylvania. She has a B.S. in Psychology and an M.A. in English.

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Everything I Ever Needed to Know was Taught to Me By Kindergarteners

Richard Ellenburg, a K-5 science teacher at Camelot Elementary School in Orange County, is the Florida Department of Education/Macy's 2008 Teacher of the Year. He is serving for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for education, touring the state to spread the word about educational opportunities and challenges in Florida. A veteran science teacher of 28 years, Ellenburg has a passion for teaching.

Whether he uses animals like “Slither” the corn snake, or a cow skull to teach one of his science lessons, his students can count on Ellenburg to make science fun and interesting. On any given school day, he can be found singing with the kindergarten students as he strums his electric guitar, challenging the 3rd graders to lift him off the floor using a balance, or launching rockets with 5th graders.

Ellenburg not only shares his wealth of knowledge with students, but with his fellow teachers. He publishes a monthly newsletter called The Science Corner, which consists of various teaching topics and lesson plans. He also opens his lab to other science teachers to share curriculum ideas and discuss effective teaching methods.

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Jim Knight
Backup Keynote Speaker

Jim Knight is a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. Knight’s articles on instructional coaching have been published in JSD, Principal Leadership, and The School Administrator. He has written two books on instructional coaching. Knight is frequently asked to guide professional learning for instructional coaches and has presented and consulted in more than 35 states.

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