Dr Jo Boaler is the Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Education at Stanford University. Former roles have included being the Marie Curie Professor of Mathematics Education in England, and a mathematics teacher in London comprehensive schools. She is author of 18 books, numerous articles and a White House presenter on women and girls. Her latest book is called: Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead and Live without Barriers and is published by Harper Collins. She co-founded www.youcubed.org to give teachers, parents and students the resources they need to excite students about mathematics. She is one of the writing team for the proposed Mathematics Framework for the state of California, co-leading a K-12 Data Science Initiative and was named as one of the 8 educators “changing the face of education” by the BBC.

Alice Brouhard is a champion of the use of technology, especially tablet technology, to assist individuals with memory, physical and cognitive challenges. She has worked tirelessly to set up a system that allows Kara, who sustained a serious TBI, to live independently in her own house despite significant disabilities. Alice has served on the Colorado Assistive Technology Coalition through the University School of Medicine. She has spoken nationally and internationally on the use of high tech and low-tech solutions to promote self-sufficiency for those with cognitive and physical challenges. Alice has been a TEDx speaker, and her technology ideas and solutions have been in journals and publications.

Kara is a fearless outdoor adventurer and has been featured in an award-winning documentary “Kara -Star of the World” that describes her journey to her Summits and highlights her independence. She is an active community volunteer, and in addition, has two small business. Kara has been featured in local and national publications as well, highlighting her self-sufficiency with the use of tech.

Alice and Kara live in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. They have been honored, along with Alice’s late husband and Kara’s Dad, Jim, with a Garfield County, Colorado Humanitarian Service award– “Inspiring Hope”

Dr. Briana Makofske is the co-owner of Summit Psychological Assessment & Consultation, a Licensed Psychologist and Licensed School Psychologist in the state of Colorado, and the author of the SEL Toolbox. She has extensive experience working with children with neurodevelopmental disorders in school settings and in private practice. She addresses children’s individual needs through assessment, the development of collaborative goals and interventions, and the provision of direct and consultative services. Dr. Makofske believes that all children can acquire skills to increase their independence. The focus of her work now is to collaborate with, and teach skills to, parents and educators to support children in multiple environments.

Sarah Rossi (top left), a Reading Specialist and English teacher, is the instructor of the LEAD (Learning and Educating About Disabilities) class at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs. In this program, students learn about the brain, about what constitutes a learning disability, and about how disabilities impact learning. Students also learn the importance and practice of self-advocating for their needs. LEAD gives students a chance to be empowered to not let learning disabilities hold them back from college and their career aspirations.

I’m Shay McCaffrey (top right), and I’m a junior. I have ADHD, anxiety, and depression. I like learning when I feel like it’s actually happening. English comes easy for me, but other classes don’t. I have had to overcome my difficulties in classes, and I hope to help others overcome theirs.

Hello, I am Trevor Zizza! (bottom left) I am a Junior, and the LEAD program helps me with my three disabilities: depression, anxiety, and ADHD. They affect me constantly in school, so I try to educate others of the trouble and benefits I get from all three.

My name is Charlie Stuhlsatz (bottom right). I am a senior, and I have Dyscalculia, ADHD, and anxiety. I want to teach others about my disability to get rid of the negative stigma around disabled people. LEAD helps me to learn about and feel more confident in my learning despite my disabilities.

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Cathy Williams is the Co-Founder and the Executive Director of youcubed. Previously Cathy taught High School mathematics for 18 years before becoming a district, county, and state mathematics leader. Cathy is an author of the nine-book series Mindset Mathematics, Visualizing and Investigating Big Ideas.

Barbara Coloroso is an international bestselling author and for the past 49 years an internationally recognized speaker and consultant on parenting, teaching, school discipline, positive school climate, bullying, grieving, nonviolent conflict resolution and restorative justice.

She has appeared on CBC, BBC, Oprah, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and NPR and has been featured in the New York Times, Time, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, and other national and international publications.

Her uniquely effective parenting and teaching strategies were developed through her years of training in sociology, special education, and philosophy, as well as field-tested through her experiences as a classroom teacher, laboratory school instructor, university instructor, seminar leader, volunteer in Rwanda, and mother of three grown children. She is the author of four international bestsellers: Kids Are Worth It! Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline; Parenting Through Crisis—Helping Kids in Times of Loss, Grief and Change; The Bully, the Bullied, and the Not-So-Innocent Bystander—From Pre-school Through High School and Beyond, Breaking the Cycle of Violence and Creating More Deeply Caring Communities; and Just Because It’s Not Wrong Doesn’t Make It Right—From Toddlers to Teens, Teaching Kids to Think and Act Ethically. Barbara’s latest book is Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide...and Why it Matters. She also has two critically acclaimed video programs Winning at Parenting...without beating your kids and Winning at Teaching...without beating your kids.

Dr. Adair is the Director of Mathematics and the Technology Integration Specialist at Denver Academy. She received her BA in Mathematics from the University of Colorado, her MA in Education Administration with a Professional Principal License for the state of Colorado, and her Ph.D. from the University of Denver. Dr. Adair has been a high school math teacher for the past thirty+ years, as well as mathematics department chair, college counselor, and dean of students. Dr. Adair has presented at numerous conferences both locally and nationally. Conference presentations including Courage to Risk, Colorado Department of Education – Webinar Series: What About Maths?, NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) 2019, University of Denver – Morgridge College of Education – Share Fair, and Math on the Planes – Keynote Speaker 2023. She was honored to receive the 2023 Educator of the Year award from the Colorado Council for Learning Disabilities. Dr. Adair enjoys working with students to help them believe they can do mathematics and appreciates time spent with colleagues discussing mathematical literacy.