Theme: We're Done Fooling Around

"Education in New Mexico is tough. We work hard. We face challenges every single day. We are tired."

These are the words that we can transform.

"Education in New Mexico is the golden standard. We work smart. We overcome challenges every single day. We can’t be stopped."

We are the teachers, the professors, the administrators and the policy makers that hold the key. We are unlocking the potential of education in New Mexico because we can’t stand to be last any longer.

Together, on April 1st, we will bring all of these individuals together in one place so that we can enjoy an evening dedicated to making RADICAL IMPACTS IN EDUCATION.

These ideas will transform your classroom, students, campus, school, staff, lessons, perspective and energy.

Our speakers have gotten their hands dirty by doing the research, implementing the practices and developing the best way to communicate their ideas to you.

We invite you to join us and embrace the possibilities, because as of right now, WE ARE DONE FOOLING AROUND.

The KiMo Theatre
423 Central Ave SW
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102
United States

Rachel Thomas & Steven Lamb

Educators

Rachel is a National Board Certified Teacher and Steven is an award winning elementary educator and together they believe in making ludicrous brainstorming ideas into positive learning experiences. Together they passionately explore Virtual Team Teaching, a method in which two geographically separated teachers digitally collaborate to engage their students in continuous shared learning experiences. One driving reason to connect the students to peers across the city is to let them share and learn from each other. Getting students to consider what they know from their own sphere of influence, and asking each other questions about it, is the best way Rachel and Steven know how to guide teaching and learning.

Working Classroom

Youth Performers

Working Classroom is an award-winning arts and education program promoting the creative, academic, and leadership potential of talented young artists from historically ignored communities.

Adah Zhang

Statistician

Adah Zhang recently moved to Albuquerque from Cleveland, where she received a Master’s Degree in Biostatistics from Case Western Reserve University. She is a statistician who is passionate about reevaluating the culture surrounding education. Adah’s experience working as a high school tutor and 5th grade classroom assistant at the central landfill of Guatemala, camp counselor and tutoring different social classes has provided her with a depth of experience relating attitudes surrounding education and changes to shift the culture.

Chad McDaniel

Entrepreneur

A rising New Mexico Entrepreneur, Chad McDaniel is the founder of the Modern Approach; a company that is helping modernize local businesses and adapt to the digital economy. After dropping out of college, Chad sought out mentors and discovered how, through the power of mentorship, he could learn faster and perform at a higher level than he did in traditional education. Chad is now ready to use his experience to modernize New Mexico’s education to be a leader in innovator-friendly public education.

Daniel DeLeon

Entrepreneur & Educator

Daniel DeLeon switched to a career in education after a successful career as an entrepreneur. His passion from both careers has led him to blending his experience to benefit the learning opportunities of his students. Daniel is a first-generation American Latino born in New York City who has made his way to Albuquerque via San Francisco and Austin. Daniel’s vision has led him to presently serving as the director of SPACE, Sandia Preparatory’s innovation center serving as an academic incubator for future programs both in and out of the classroom.

Marcia Lee Unnever

Movement Expert

Marcia Lee Unnever is the creator of Kids Focus, the brain-based program that helps kids focus using movement in the classroom. Marcia has 30 years of experience teaching, movement and using neuroscience to find healthy, medication-free answers to children’s behavioral and developmental challenges. She offers Kids Focus trainings to teachers, counselors, and parents across New Mexico and California. She also gives private sessions for children in Albuquerque, NM. She is a New Mexico certified Educational Trainer, Reading Specialist, ADHD Consultant, speaker and writer.

Melinda Forward

Teacher

Twenty-seven years in education, with the past 11 in high-poverty Title 1 schools, Melinda Forward knows there is a crisis with teacher and student retention. Melinda believes it is time for schools to get serious about helping students empower themselves, inspire others, and help their schools shift the way they care for their teachers and students. Every teacher and student deserves an innovative school where positivity is the rule, not the exception. To empower teachers and students to inspire one another, Melinda is building a global network of schools connected with enthusiasm and excitement about the present and future.

Rick Sherwood

Management Innovator

Rick Sherwood is a successful manager who enjoys supporting his teams to excel and collaborate to innovate and problem solve. Rick’s leadership style is focused on autonomy, mastery and purpose which supports his style to connect with people he manages in a personal way. This approach creates a highly productive and motivated people who are engaged in their work. Rick has a Master’s in Business Administration from UNM and is a lean six sigma master black belt.

Russ Fisher-Ives

Robotics Educator

Russ Fisher-Ives’s experiences as a prospector for gold and geologist in Alaska, instructor of High School math & science in Albuquerque and leader of a cutting edge Science Academy at Rio Rancho High School has now led him to be a global voice for robotics in education. Russ is Co-Founder of RoboRAVE International, a 16 year old robotics education & competition program that has expanded to 17 countries on 5 continents. His latest endeavor is an exciting product that reengages kids in education, language, and culture through a robot.

Sean Ritchel

Professional Youth Speaker, Rapper, and Activist

Sean Ritchel is a professional youth speaker, rapper, and activist with a passion for student success. Sean’s message emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance, encouraging students to “Look in the mirror. Love it. Now go above it.” Sean advocates for education reform and believes positive change can only happen if we speak loud about things that matter. He often uses rapping to speak loud and is also known as “The Motivational Rapper.”

Zachary Leonard

STEM Education Professional

Zachary A. Leonard is a STEM education professional with a passion for creating positive change. Dr. Leonard has had a varied career spanning the disciplines of engineering, science and math education over the last 23 years. His current work with the Los Alamos National Laboratory Math and Science Academy (LANL MSA) is focused on areas of STEM professional learning, school leadership, and school professional culture. He works to develop the individual and collective capacity of teachers and school leaders in schools around northern New Mexico.