Past conferences

What the US Can Learn from International Education

10:30–11:30 a.m., Classroom 2200

How might the U.S. reimagine its education system by looking outward? This session explored global models that challenge assumptions about what schools should teach, how success is defined, and the broader role education plays in a thriving society.

Carolyn Streets, Award-winning educator, New Haven Public Schools, Daniel Rubenstein, Head of School, International School of Beijing, 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

Leading without Leadership Titles

10:30–11:30 a.m., Classroom 2400

Educators and advocates, inside and outside the classroom, on sparking change without a formal leadership title in a school system. Panelists shared the moments that started their work, what kept them in the field, and what they might do differently.

Sarah Hughes, Former Chief of Staff, KIPP LA Schools, Tonya McIntyre, Executive Director of Student Academic Success, Amherst Regional Public Schools, Natalie Tung, Co-founder and Executive Director, HomeWorks Trenton, Dr. Madeline Negrón, Superintendent of New Haven Public Schools, Anna Moyer, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy, The University of Alabama

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

10:30–11:30 a.m., Classroom 2430

Most of a child’s waking hours are spent outside of school, and schools alone have not leveled the field. This session asked how elected officials, community leaders, and parents design support around school so children can actually use a good education.

Sarah Miller, New Haven Board of Alders, Jack Powers, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Beacon Center of Tennessee, Paul Reville, Founding director, Education Redesign Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Leslie Blatteau, President, New Haven Federation of Teachers

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

12:30–1:30 p.m., Classroom 2200

Schools face rising academic, social, and attendance challenges with limited resources. This panel looked at partnerships among public systems, private organizations, and nonprofits — tutoring, mentorship, teacher development, curriculum, and family engagement — that stayed aligned with district priorities.

Milly Arciniegas, Founder and CEO, Parent School Volunteer Engagement Tracker (PSV E-Tracker), Daniel Lee, Deputy Director, NYC for iMentor, Alan Safran, CEO and co-founder, SAGA Innovations, doing business as Saga Education

The Neurodivergent Classroom: Designing Learning for Every Brain

12:30–1:30 p.m., Classroom 2400

What changes when a classroom is planned, from the start, for a wide range of brains? The session looked at instruction, culture, and school systems that work for more learners at once, and at partnership with students and families.

Christina Cipriano, Ph.D., Director of the Education Collaboratory at Yale University, Amanda Morin, Director of Academic Services, Compass High School Bay Area, Carly Priest, National Program Director, The Neurodiversity Alliance, Katie Novak, Founder, Novak Education Consulting, Christopher Bugaj, Founding member of the Assistive Technology Team, Loudoun County Public Schools

AI-Driven Learning: The Future of Education?

12:30–1:30 p.m., Classroom 2430

Where emerging AI can support human-centered learning, and where it can get in the way. The session was about adoption that stays answerable to students.

Professor K. Sudhir, Director of the Yale China India Insights Program, Dr. Benjamin Glaser, Director of AI Initiatives in the Humanities at Yale Library and the Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, Michael B. Horn, Co-founder, Clayton Christensen Institute, Xiuye (Sue) Chen, Senior Research Scientist, Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine

Eli Luberoff

Spoke in 2026. Desmos founder

Eli Luberoff, Desmos founder, has two dueling loves: 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

Spoke in 2026. Head of Growth at Desmos

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.

Dr. Warren Morgan

Spoke in 2026. Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Metropolitan School District

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, and secondary science teacher in St. Louis, where he was awarded Outstanding Teacher of the Year. 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’s and President Trump’s administrations. He was placed in the U.S. Department of Education and worked closely with U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. John King. He serves on the White House Fellows Foundation and Association Board of Directors.

Warren holds a B.A. in Psychology from Butler University, where he served as student body president; an 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 Fellowship for Public Education Leadership at the Yale School of Management and has an executive certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Washington University in St. Louis. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.