Jenny Anderson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Celebrate EDU, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through education in business and entrepreneurship. Inspired by her brother Brent, who is on the autism spectrum, Jenny has devoted her career to championing new approaches that enable people with disabilities to identify their strengths, build confidence, and pursue meaningful futures.

Under Jenny’s leadership, Celebrate EDU has developed nationally recognized programming that introduces entrepreneurship and self-employment as pathways to independence. She has collaborated with schools, transition programs, and disability organizations across the country to bring practical, engaging learning opportunities to students of all abilities.

Jenny is committed to challenging stereotypes, celebrating strengths, and creating more inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities to thrive. Her work continues to spark innovation in education that helps individuals pursue meaningful lives and greater independence.

Founder, Create Awareness…Change Lives, Inc.

Abigail G. Manning is a resilience architect and change-maker who brings lived experience, practical take-away skills and hope to her audiences. As the Founder of Create Awareness…Change Lives, Inc., and developer of the unique Purple Threads curriculum, she helps individuals and organizations cultivate environments of courage, trust, and transformational learning.

Abigail’s path has not been easy but it has taught her internal power, strength and optimism. She overcame dyslexia, childhood abuse, and navigated solo parenting of her young children who grew into high-achieving Marines. Undeterred by adversity, she has built two businesses from the ground up.

Her professional reach spans the highest echelons of service: she has been a speaker and instructor at the Pentagon, Air Force Academy, USDA, Colorado Senate and many national non-profits that promote the well-being of women and children. Over her career, she has coached over 250 active-duty Special Operators, focusing on emotional intelligence, stress resilience, personal transition, and human performance.

At Courage to Risk, Abigail’s message resonates with both educators and families: when we surface the hidden barriers (trauma, diverse learning needs, voice suppression) and cultivate awareness, we can change lives for students, for staff, and for communities. She models how courage is not the absence of fear, but the disciplined act of leaning into growth.

Abigail holds a double major from Indiana University, is trauma-informed trained, and continues to pursue advanced certifications to enhance her impact and service to others.

Kristen Hayton. is an experienced educator, executive function coach, and curriculum developer specializing in supporting students with ADHD and learning differences. She has worked extensively in special education, both in schools and private coaching, helping students develop strategies for success that align with their strengths. Kristen is known for her engaging, practical approach that blends current brain-based learning research with tools educators can use immediately. She has created online courses for students, teachers, tutors, and academic coaches, and her work emphasizes empowering students to become confident, independent learners. Kristen has presented at district and regional education conferences, sharing insights on ADHD, executive function, and relationship-based learning. Passionate about supporting students with learning differences, she is dedicated to helping educators see and support the potential in every learner. When not teaching, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her grandbabies.

Mark developed symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome when he was seven years old and

demonstrated significant behaviors throughout school. He persevered thanks to positive relationships with school staff. He earned a BA in English at Colorado State University-Pueblo, where he discovered his love for writing; and two master’s degrees at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs despite suffering from newly diagnosed disabilities including a brain injury and a significant stutter. He now teaches special education in southern Colorado and gives motivational speeches, sharing his triumphs as a student with disabilities and how they led him to become a teacher of students with disabilities. Mark has published two books of poetry, “Tell Me Something Good” (2024) and “Fingerprints” (2019), the former being a finalist for the 2025 Colorado Book of the Year Award, that chronicle the shared successes of him and his students in overcoming disabilities, mental illness, and abuse. For more information, please visit: www.teacherwithtourettes.com

Danny Combs is a nationally recognized leader advancing opportunity for neurodistinct individuals and the broader disability community. As the inaugural Director of Colorado’s Disability Opportunity Office within the Department of Labor and Employment, he works with the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to make Colorado the nation’s best state for people with disabilities.

He founded TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades), Colorado’s leading transition-to-employment nonprofit, and co-founded the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce, uniting 100+ businesses to create pathways to meaningful work. His efforts have secured tens of millions in funding, expanding access for all socioeconomic backgrounds.

A U.S. Air Force Reservist, Danny’s leadership has been honored by the White House, Pentagon, and in 2024, with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society Citizen Honor Award. A #1 Amazon author, Senior Fellow, and national policy voice, Danny is also the proud father of five children.

Juliana Tapper is a seasoned educator with experience as a math intervention and Algebra 1 teacher in South Central Los Angeles, East San Jose, and Denver. Having worked closely with students who have been historically unsuccessful in math, she understands the intricacies of supporting learners who struggle. After her time in the classroom, Juliana became a district math coach and TOSA before founding CollaboratEd Consulting in Westminster, Colorado. Through her consultancy, she has provided professional development to schools, districts, state departments of education, and juvenile justice systems. Juliana is a sought-after presenter at national conferences like NCTM, NCSM, ASCD, and Learning Forward, and is the bestselling author of Teaching 6-12 Math Intervention: A Practical Framework to Engage Students Who Struggle.