Keynote Speakers

DR. WARREN MORGAN

DR. WARREN MORGAN is Chief Executive Officer for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. As CEO, he leads one of the largest school systems in the state of Ohio with nearly 40,000 students and over 6,500 staff members. He was appointed by Cleveland Mayor, Justin Bibb and the Cleveland School Board in the summer of 2023.

As an experienced educator, Warren recognizes the potential every child has, and that an excellent and equitable education is the window to a world of opportunities for our children. He grew up in Chicago’s south suburbs. Prior to his current post as CEO of Cleveland schools, he served as Chief Academic Officer for Indianapolis Public Schools, where he led the academic vision, strategy, and policy of the district that has led to improvement in student performance.

Some of his previous leadership posts include serving as Executive Director for Teach For America in St. Louis, a high school principal in Chicago Public Schools, secondary science teacher in St. Louis where he was awarded Outstanding Teacher of the Year, and he began his career as a bill analyst for the Illinois Senate.

One of the highlights of his career was being selected as a White House Fellow in 2016, where he had the opportunity to serve in both President Obama and President Trump’s administrations. He was placed in the US Department of Education and worked closely with US Secretary of Education Dr. John King. He has the honor of serving on the White House Fellows Foundation Association Board of Directors currently.

Warren holds a B.A. in Psychology from Butler University, where he served as student body president; a M.Ed. in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri- St. Louis; and an Ed.D. in Urban Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois–Chicago. He is an alum of the Broad Center Fellow for Public Education Leadership at the Yale University School of Management and has an executive certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Washington University St. Louis. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Inc.

ELI LUBEROFF

ELI LUBEROFF, Desmos founder, two dueling loves are learning and programming. He combines those loves in Desmos Studio, a Public Benefit Corporation with the goal of helping everyone learn math, love math, and grow with math. When not glued to his computer, Eli blows off steam by playing piano or kicking around a soccer ball -- both mostly at random.

POOJA SHAW

POOJA SHAW is a mission-driven technology leader with experience building impactful products and teams across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She is currently Head of Growth at Desmos, a public benefit corporation that builds online math tools used by more than 100 million people worldwide, from students to professionals. Previously, she held senior roles in the health technology industry, and in the White House U.S. Digital Service and Domestic Policy Council, advancing initiatives at the intersection of technology and public policy. She studied Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University and holds an MBA from Wharton Business School.

Session Information

Cradle to Career: Policy Design and Community Support for Educational Equity

Eighty percent of children’s waking hours and all the rest of their lives are spent outside of school, yet society expects schools, alone, to level the playing field and create equal opportunity for all.  It hasn’t worked.  Urban and rural communities are coming together now to design systems of opportunity and support to tackle the effects of poverty and enable each child to take full advantage of high-quality schooling.  How do elected officials, community leaders, parents and others concerned about children’s well-being collaborate to mitigate the effects of poverty and improve child and youth outcomes? What would it take to collectively build a robust cradle to career pipeline to ensure all children have an opportunity for economic mobility?

Leading Without Leadership Titles

This panel explores how educators and advocates, inside and outside the classroom, can spark meaningful change without holding formal leadership roles in school systems. Panelists will share personal stories about the moments that catalyzed their journeys, the challenges they faced, and the turning points that helped them stay in the field and continue driving impact. Through reflections on informal leadership opportunities, speakers will highlight what empowered them, the lessons they learned, and what they might do differently with hindsight. This session offers both inspiration and practical insight for anyone committed to leading and thinking big from where they are.

The Neurodivergent Classroom: Designing Learning for Every Brain

What happens when we assume that every classroom will include a wide range of brains—and plan for that from the start? This session brings together a mix of K–12 to explore concrete ways to make instruction, classroom culture, and school systems more responsive to different ways of thinking, sensing, and communicating. How do we move from one-off accommodations to everyday practices that work for many students at once? Attendees will leave with practical strategies they can try immediately, along with ideas for partnering with students and families to build classrooms where more learners can participate, belong, and thrive.

AI-Driven Learning: The Future of Education?

This session will explore how emerging AI can elevate human-centered learning and unlock opportunities once thought unimaginable. We will also navigate the complexities of incorporating emerging technologies, discussing where AI acts as a catalyst for growth and where it may pose risks to the student experience. You’ll leave with bold ideas and practical direction to lead thoughtful, innovative AI adoption in your learning community.

MICHAEL B. HORN - Co-founder, Clayton Christensen Institute

XIUYE (SUE) CHEN - Senior Research Scientist in Dept of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine

What the US Can Learn from International Education

How might the U.S. reimagine its education system by looking outward? This session explores global models that challenge our assumptions about what schools should teach, how we define success, and the broader role education plays in a thriving society. Join us as we examine innovative practices from around the world—and consider what it would take to meaningfully reshape learning in the United States.

ASHLEY J. CAREY - Assistant Professor, Sacred Heart University

DAVID WEINREB - Magnet Resource Teacher, Elm City Montessori

JESSICA HAXHI - Supervisor of World Languages, New Haven Public Schools

Filling the Gap: Cross-Sector Collaboration to Enhance K-12 Education

Schools across the country face rising academic, social, and attendance challenges while operating within limited resources, increasing the need for collaborative solutions. Partnerships among public education systems, the private sector, and mission-driven organizations are expanding student support through high-impact tutoring, mentorship, teacher development, curriculum innovation, and stronger family and community engagement. This panel will explore how cross-sector collaboration can strengthen school systems, with panelists sharing examples of programs that have supported student achievement, improved attendance, and increased family participation while aligning with district priorities and building trust with educators and communities. Attendees will gain insight into how sustainable partnerships can help address opportunity gaps and support stronger, more responsive K-12 education systems.