Sunday Keynote Speaker
Kate O’Neil
Tech Humanist & Founder of KO Insights
Kate O’Neill is widely known as “the Tech Humanist.” She is founder of KO Insights, a strategic advisory firm committed to improving human experience at scale, even — and especially — in data-driven, algorithmically optimized, and AI-led interactions. Kate regularly keynotes industry events, advocating for humanity’s role in an increasingly tech-driven future. Her world-leading clients have included Google, Adobe, IBM, Yale University, the city of Amsterdam, and the United Nations.
Kate’s prior roles include creating the first content management role at Netflix as one of the company’s first 100 employees; developing Toshiba America’s first intranet; leading cutting-edge experience optimization for Magazines.com; and founding [meta]marketer, a first-of-its-kind digital strategy, analytics, and experience optimization agency.
Author of 5 books including her latest, A Future So Bright, Kate’s insights and expertise have been featured in WIRED, CMO.com, USA Today, and many other outlets. She has been featured and quoted in a wide variety of national and international media, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, WIRED, NPR, Marketplace, NBC News, and BBC World News. In 2020 she was named to the Thinkers50 Radar, a global ranking of top management thinkers.
Sponsored by:
Monday Keynote Speaker
Eric Sheninger
Associate Partner with the International Center for Leadership in Education & Award-Winning Principal at New Milford High School
Eric works with schools throughout the world helping educators meet and exceed their potential to improve outcomes for learners. Prior to this, he was the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership, his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement.His work focuses on leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework for all educators to initiate sustainable change to transform school cultures. As a result, Eric has emerged as an innovative leader, best-selling author, and sought-after speaker. His main focus is using research and evidence-based practices to empower learners, improve communications with stakeholders, enhance public relations, create a positive brand presence, discover opportunities, transform learning spaces, and help educators grow professionally in the digital age.Eric has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for his work. He is a CDE Top 30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award recipient, winner of Learning Forward’s Excellence in Professional Practice Award, Google Certified Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar.
He has also contributed on education for the Huffington Post, sits on the advisory board for many innovative companies, and was named to the NSBA “20 to Watch” list in 2010 for technology leadership. TIME Magazine also identified Eric as having one of the 140 Best Twitter Feeds in 2014. He now presents and speaks nationally to assist other school leaders and educators to transform teaching, learning, and leadership.. His blog, A Principal’s Reflections, was selected as Best School Administrator Blog in 2013 and 2011 by Edublogs. It was also recognized with an Editor’s Choice Content Award in 2014 by Smartbrief Education. Eric began his career in education as a Science Teacher at Watchung Hills Regional High School where he taught a variety of subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Marine Biology, Ecology) and coached several sports (ice hockey, football, lacrosse). He then transitioned into the field of educational administration as an Athletic Director/Supervisor of Physical Education & Health and Vice Principal in the New Milford School District. During his administrative career, he has served as District Affirmative Action Officer and was the president of the New Milford Administrator’s Association. During his tenure as high school principal he successfully implemented numerous initiatives including a new teacher evaluation system (McREL), Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), oversaw Common Core implementation, and initiated a new grading philosophy. Eric received his M.Ed. in Educational Administration from East Stroudsburg University, B.S. in Biology from Salisbury University, and his B.S. in Marine/Environmental Science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
He has also contributed on education for the Huffington Post, sits on the advisory board for many innovative companies, and was named to the NSBA “20 to Watch” list in 2010 for technology leadership. TIME Magazine also identified Eric as having one of the 140 Best Twitter Feeds in 2014. He now presents and speaks nationally to assist other school leaders and educators to transform teaching, learning, and leadership.. His blog, A Principal’s Reflections, was selected as Best School Administrator Blog in 2013 and 2011 by Edublogs. It was also recognized with an Editor’s Choice Content Award in 2014 by Smartbrief Education.
Eric began his career in education as a Science Teacher at Watchung Hills Regional High School where he taught a variety of subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Marine Biology, Ecology) and coached several sports (ice hockey, football, lacrosse). He then transitioned into the field of educational administration as an Athletic Director/Supervisor of Physical Education & Health and Vice Principal in the New Milford School District. During his administrative career, he has served as District Affirmative Action Officer and was the president of the New Milford Administrator’s Association. During his tenure as high school principal he successfully implemented numerous initiatives including a new teacher evaluation system (McREL), Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), oversaw Common Core implementation, and initiated a new grading philosophy. Eric received his M.Ed. in Educational Administration from East Stroudsburg University, B.S. in Biology from Salisbury University, and his B.S. in Marine/Environmental Science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Sponsored by:
Tuesday Keynote Speaker
Jason Latimer
World Champion Magician, Curator of the Iconic Fleet Science Center, Host of the Award-Winning Streaming Series Impossible Science & Co-Host of the Science Channel Series SciJinks
Jason Latimer began his illustrious career at the age of 14 in the prestigious Magic Castle Junior program and went on to become one of only four Americans in history to be awarded magic’s highest honor: The Grand Prix World Champion of Magic. Today, his company, WonderFirst, is partnered with SONY Corp. to distribute “Impossible Science™”—Jason’s wildly innovative educational program—to tens of millions of school kids.
Latimer graduated from UC Santa Barbara with degrees in mathematics and economics with a focus on applied physics. Latimer toured the world with his own illusion show and was featured on dozens of national and international TV shows. His unrelenting passion for “wonder” soon catapulted him in a powerful new direction. He used his growing celebrity & business acumen to create Impossible Science™—a nationwide program that combines magic & science to inspire wonder in STEM education—Science, Technology, Economics, & Mathematics.
Today, Impossible Science™ is featured in museums across the country with exhibitions, festivals, & live shows, that inspire millions of kids & adults, alike: As Jason so aptly states: “The right question changes everything.” Sony was so impressed with his initial results that, in 2021, they partnered with him to scale Impossible Science™ globally.
It’s exploding growth includes partnerships with the two largest school districts in the world—The Dept. of Education NYC & Los Angeles Unified School District. Impossible Science’s magic & science curriculum is now provided by LA County Office of Education as a STEM resource and its videos and lesson plans are available for FREE online. Partnerships with PBS, NASA, and the USA Science and Engineering Festival, also utilize the power of Impossible Science™ to transform education by inspiring wonder.
Jason currently hosts the award-winning streaming series Impossible Science™, produced by Sony & WonderFirst. He is co-host of the Science Channel series, SciJinks with Big Bang Theory & Mythbusters; Johnny Galecki and Tamara Robertson. An active board member of the L.A. Science Festival City of STEM; he is also a board member on Kollab with the L.A. Boys and Girls Club; and curator to five museums throughout CA and OR. Latimer is truly transforming education.
In addition to being a World Champion, Jason won many other magic awards: Series champion of BBC One’s The Magicians; Recipient of Siegfried & Roy’s Masters of the Impossible award; the prestigious Golden Grolla Award from the Masters of Magic in St. Vincent, Italy (David Copperfield and David Blaine were two others), and is a judge on SyFy Channel’s Wizard Wars. Jason Latimer has inspired millions to challenge the unknown by uniting magic and science:
“The next cure, the next revolutionary technology, the next advancement in the world will come from a question that has never been asked. It’s up to us to inspire our next generation to ask new questions. It’s wonder that changes the world.” – Jason Latimer
Sponsored by:
NCTR Corporate Advisory Committee