LEAD conference program
Join us at McNamara Alumni Center for two days of actionable insights, tools, and strategies to help you create more equitable education systems at the Leading in Equity, Action, and Diversity (LEAD) conference.
A full schedule of events is available below. Note: All speakers and times are subject to change.
Day 1 program details
8 - 9 a.m.
9 - 9:15 a.m.
9:15 - 10:15 a.m.
Registration and networking breakfast | Minnesota Room area
Welcome and introduction to keynote | Memorial Hall
Keynote | Memorial Hall
Bio: Dena Simmons, EdD, is the founder of LiberatED, a collective developing school-based resources at the intersection of social-emotional learning (SEL), racial justice, and healing. Formerly the assistant director of Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, she has been an educator, teacher educator, diversity facilitator, and curriculum developer. A prominent voice on social justice and liberatory pedagogy, Simmons has spoken at the White House, the Obama Foundation Summit, the United Nations, and multiple TED events.
Her work has been featured in Education Week, HuffPost, NPR, and PBS’s MAKERS: Women Who Make America. A recipient of numerous fellowships, including Truman, Fulbright, Soros, and Pahara-Aspen, she earned her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research focuses on teacher preparedness, culturally responsive pedagogy, and the intersection of equity and SEL to foster justice and safe learning environments.
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Morning breakout sessions
Location: Johnson Great Room
Description: Discover how West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools embeds social justice learning in its fourth grade classrooms through exploring social identities, developing an appreciation of diversity, exploring social justice issues, and building empathy. It put the vision of social justice education into its classrooms, which have become a place with informed, empowered students, who are inspired to change the future. Hear what they do, how they do it, and how their students are taking action!
Presenters:
- Shannon Dodson | Teacher, ISD 197
- Allie Duellman | Teacher, ISD 197
- Megan Tulia Krolnik | Teacher, ISD 197
Location: Thomas Swain Room
Description: Culturally relevant and inclusive mathematics teaching and learning experiences are essential in Minnesota classrooms. This session is aimed at moving participants from "it's a good idea" to "what can we do in our next math lesson." While the title appears elementary, the content is essential for any grade level.
Presenter:
- Lesa Clarkson | Professor, University of Minnesota
Location: Ski-U-Mah
Description: The far-reaching consequences of chronic absenteeism affect student learning and engagement but also impact the likelihood of on-time high school graduation. This session will provide an overview of the most effective solutions to addressing absenteeism, and dive into detail on an effective model of intervention: the Check & Connect Student Engagement model paired with the AmeriCorps Promise Fellow program.
Presenters:
- Colleen Kaibel | Director of Student Retention & Recovery, Minneapolis Public Schools
- Marius Massie | National Trainer, Check & Connect
- Kate Suchomel | Lead Development & Communications Officer, Minnesota Alliance With Youth
Location: Heritage Gallery
Description: Schools are experiencing massive shifts in student populations, which has prompted the field of education to focus on teachers’ knowledge and skills to work with students whose backgrounds and experiences differ from theirs. We describe the experiences of educators as a decisive element in seeking to transform educational inequities through socially just teaching.
Presenters:
- Ayan Omar | Director of Equity Services, St. Cloud Area School District (ISD 742)
- Jennifer Meagher | Director of Student Teaching, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
11:45 - 1 p.m.
1:15 - 2:15 p.m.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Afternoon breakout sessions
Location: Johnson Great Room
Description: Elevating student voice is a goal that most schools and districts aspire to do. How many schools and districts actually accomplish this goal? Who carries the weight of implementing student voice and student recommendations? This session will provide an example of how school leaders use and operationalize recommendations of Youth Data Analyst (YDA) interns in schools for the purpose of antiracist school improvement.
Presenters:
- Silvy Lafayette | Director of Teaching and Learning, St. Louis Park Public Schools
- Melissa Kalinowski | Middle School Principal, St. Louis Park Public Schools
- LaNisha Paddock | High School Principal, St. Louis Park Public Schools
- Dr. Patrick Duffy | Director of Teaching and Learning, St. Louis Park Public Schools
- Jaiden Leary | Student, St. Louis Park Public Schools
- Estrella Ochoa | Student, St. Louis Park Public Schools
- Ford Marciniak | Student, St. Louis Park Public Schools
- Anya Panday | Student, St. Louis Park Public Schools
Location: Thomas Swain Room
Description: In this session, participants will co-create necessary space to collaboratively learn about the significance and strategies to humanize leadership and equity to meet today's challenges in a post-pandemic world. Participants will draw on their lived experiences to situate the learning into their context. Dau Jok will leverage insights from Indigenous knowledge systems and Pk-12.
Presenter:
- Dau Jok | Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, West Des Moines Community Schools
Location: Ski-U-Mah
Description: With the implementation of the ethnic studies bill and the social studies standards that include a new ethnic studies strand, it’s crucial for administrators to understand the tenets of ethnic studies and how it differs from other areas in the humanities. Come and engage with a panel of practitioners to discuss what ethnic studies is and the pedagogies that are used in this field.
Presenters:
- Natalia Benjamin | Director of Multilingual Learning, Rochester Public Schools
- Angelica Torralba-Olague | Education Pathway Teacher & Grow Your Own Coordinator, Minneapolis Public Schools
- Brian Lozenski | Chair of Educational Studies, Macalester College
- Briana Santoscoy | Student, Family, & Community Engagement Coordinator, White Bear Lake Area Schools
- Kim Park Nelson | Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, Winona State University
Location: Heritage Gallery
Description: This session will examine the ways in which colonial structures persist within educational systems and highlight the necessary work of decolonization. Drawing upon the tenets of Tribal Critical Race Theory, the session will highlight practical strategies and culturally responsive practices that educators can implement to create indigenized, antiracist, and supportive environments for Indigenous students.
Presenter:
- Lisa Aguilar | Assistant Professor, College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota
3:45 - 5:45 p.m.
Reception | The Commons, Thomas Swain, University Hall, and cafe/patio
Day 2 program details
8 - 9 a.m.
9 - 9:15 a.m.
9:15 - 10:15 a.m.
Registration and networking breakfast | Minnesota Room area
Welcome and introduction to keynote | Memorial Hall
Keynote
Bio: Ann M. Ishimaru, EdD, is the Killinger Endowed Chair and Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy at the University of Washington’s College of Education. Her work in P–12 educational leadership focuses on building collective leadership among youth, families, communities, and educators to advance dignity, justice, and well-being in schools. Her research is grounded in two core ideas: that leadership is key to addressing racial injustice in education, and that those most affected by inequities should help shape solutions. She works to disrupt power imbalances by fostering equitable collaboration between system leaders and racially minoritized communities. As a community-based researcher and director of multiple leadership initiatives, she explores practices that support cross-racial solidarity and community-driven educational change. Her books include Just Schools: Building Equitable Collaborations with Families & Communities (2020) and the forthcoming "Doing the Work” of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change (2025).
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Morning breakout sessions
Location: Johnson Great Room
Description: This panel brings together local, Black scholars and practitioners in a structured dialogue which will highlight key historical and contemporary scholarship, policy, and practice related to the state of Black educators and Black education.
Presenters:
- Darrius Stanley | Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy, University of Minnesota
- Cherise Ayers | Principal, Central High School (St. Paul)
- Lesa Clarkson | Professor of Mathematics Education, University of Minnesota
- Markus Flynn | Executive Director, Black Men Teach
- Marqkye Pitts | Elementary Education Student, University of Minnesota
Location: Thomas Swain Room
Description: Explore the transformative impact of Check & Connect on the educational journey of American Indian students with disabilities. Discover how this approach fosters meaningful connections and promotes academic success, empowering students to thrive.
Presenters:
- Becky Gerdes | State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Education
- Dominic Good Buffalo |Parent Advocate & Grant Coordinator, PACER
- Chris Reynolds | Nontraditional Education Programs Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education
- Jana Ferguson | Training Manager, Check & Connect
- Steve Battaglia | High School Principal, Cloquet High School (ISD 94)
- Katie Danielson | School Social Worker and Check & Connect Coordinator, Cloquet High School (ISD 94)
Location: Ski-U-Mah
Description: School leaders from Anoka-Hennepin and Mahtomedi as well as Representative Clardy (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) from the Minnesota House of Representatives will share how their leadership influenced a positive climate and inspired practice changes to increase equitable achievement. They will discuss how they leveraged strengths for successes and addressed implementation struggles and pivots.
Presenters:
- Lucy Payne | Faculty, University of St. Thomas
- Mary Frances Clardy | Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives
- Scott Briske | Principal, Wildwood Elementary - Mahtomedi Public Schools
- Judy Livingston | Literacy Coach, Wildwood Elementary - Mahtomedi Public Schools
- Amy Oliver | Principal, Monroe Elementary - Anoka-Hennepin Schools
- Lisa Silmser | Literacy Specialist, Monroe Elementary - Anoka-Hennepin Schools
Location: Heritage Gallery
Description: In this session, participants will engage in conversation about the collaborative work of ISD 917, MN Humanities Center, and Metro State University to strengthen the retention and resilience of teachers from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups through mentorship, affinity groups, and graduate coursework supported by PELSB grant funding. Learn how strategic partnership can improve organizational culture and increase collective efficacy and how your school or district may be able to get involved!
Presenters:
- Marci Levy-Maguire | Communications, Innovation, & Public Relations Coordinator, Intermediate School District 917
- Sung Ja Shin | Humanities Officer, Minnesota Humanities Center
- Yvonne RB-Banks | Chair/Professor - School of Urban Education, Metropolitan State University
11:45 - 1 p.m.
1:15 - 2:15 p.m.
Lunch | Memorial Hall
Policy panel | Memorial Hall
Bio: Yvette Jackson is a lifelong teacher. She is the winner of the 2019 GlobalMindEd Inclusive Leader 2012 ForeWord Reviews’ Silver Book Award, for her seminal work, The Pedagogy of Confidence: Inspiring High Intellectual Performance in Urban Schools. She is internationally recognized for her drive to provide and promote pedagogy that supports and celebrates educators fulfilling their commitment as “gifted” teachers and administrator leaders to elicit high intellectual performances and engagement from ALL their students. Drawing from neuroscience, gifted education, literacy, and the cognitive mediation theory of Jean Piaget’s mentee and her mentor, Dr. Reuven Feuerstein, she developed the assets-focused High Operational Practices to inspire and cultivate students’ strengths for learning, self-determination, and personal achievement. She has been the CEO of the National Urban Alliance, adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and visiting lecturer at the Graduate Schools of Education at Harvard, Stanford, Rutgers, and St. Thomas Universities. Jackson holds multiple degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BA from Queens College, CUNY.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Afternoon breakout sessions
Location: Johnson Great Room
Description: Explore the experiences of Columbia Heights Public Schools' (CHPS) students, teachers, and parents working in partnership with Black Men Teach, an organization that empowers the growth of Black male teachers. Black Men Teach strives to create the conditions where Black male elementary teachers thrive in Minnesota. CHPS is committed to diversifying the workforce and fostering a caring academic culture for learners and staff.
Presenters:
- Markus Flynn | Executive Director, Black Men Teach
- Zena Stenvik | Superintendent, Columbia Heights Public Schools
- Devon Minke | Elementary Teacher, Columbia Heights Public Schools
- Keondre Lewis | Elementary Teacher, Columbia Heights Public Schools
- Michelle Pettway | Parent and School Board Member, Columbia Heights Public Schools
- Anita Pettway | Student, Columbia Heights Public Schools
Location: Thomas Swain Room
Description: This session will center linguistic justice as a core component of educational equity for multilingual learners. Participants will explore multiple approaches to language in policy and practice and will leave with actionable strategies to create more just multilingual ecologies in schools, including (free or low cost) professional learning resources that can be used in schools or districts to support systemic changes.
Presenters:
- Ashley Karlsson | Project Director, Southeast Service Cooperative
- Claudia Tabini | Community Engagement Specialist, Southeast Service Cooperative
Location: Ski-U-Mah
Description: Wondering what resources are available to meet new state English Language Arts (ELA) standards that include Indigenous perspectives? Join Odia Wood-Krueger (Metis) and Danielle Grant (Little Shell Ojibwe) as they discuss new publications created through the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Understand Native Minnesota campaign. This session will provide guidance for using these resources and implementing Indigenous Education for All.
Presenters:
- Danielle Grant | President and CEO, Achieve Twin Cities
- Odia Wood-Krueger | Educational Consultant, Wood Krueger Initiatives, LLC
Location: Heritage Gallery
Description: Willow Lane Elementary, a racially identifiable school in the Twin Cities, has significantly improved literacy outcomes among its student population over the past three years. This session offers a detailed examination of Willow Lane's strategies and methodologies. Attendees will gain insights into a leadership framework that promotes socially just literacy practices while developing collective-efficacy for its educators.
Presenters:
- Matt Menier | Principal, Willow Lane Elementary - White Bear Lake Area Schools
- Cynthia Mueller | Principal on Special Assignment & District Literacy Specialist, White Bear Lake Area Schools
- Kelly Pylkas-Bock | Instructional Coach, Willow Lane & Birch Lake Elementary - White Bear Lake Area Schools
3:45 - 5:45 p.m.
Reception | The Commons, Thomas Swain, University Hall, and cafe/patio