Bios – Insight Sessions
Insight Sessions Biographies
Kieryn Bateman
Kieryn Bateman has been the Director of Learning at Loreto Normanhurst since 2016. She is a dedicated and passionate educator who believes that a values-based education is pivotal in confronting social inequity and challenging global injustice. ↑ top
Gabriela Bentancor
Gabriela Bentancor, Psychologist, Master in Psychology and Education, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. Head of mentoring program, NPDL Uruguay. ↑ top
Laura Bidlack
Currently in my 18th year in education, my background includes special education teacher, learning consultant, asst. director of elementary special education and elementary principal. ↑ top
Claudia Brovetto
Claudia Brovetto: Cluster lead Uruguay since 2016. Manager at Ceibal, Uruguay. Ph.D in Linguistics from Georgetown University. EFL specialist, teacher educator. ↑ top
Mario Campos
Mario Campos is a high school junior at William Workman High School. ↑ top
Keyla Carillo
Keyla Carillo is a high school junior at William Workman High School. ↑ top
Merek Chang
Merek Chang is a High School Science Teacher in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District and former science teacher at William Workman High School. ↑ top
Raine Clarke
Raine is a grade 12 student and president of the student council. She loves singing, playing guitar and is involved in figure skating and dance. ↑ top
Damon Cooper
Damon Cooper is Director of Teaching and Learning at Central Coast Grammar School in Australia. He leads teachers to create quality deep learning for students across the school. ↑ top
Amanda Cooper
Amanda Cooper has taught Technology, particularly Food, for many years, taking every opportunity to develop her skills through professional development and enriching students’ learning through authentic experiences. ↑ top
Sara Crowley
I have had the pleasure of serving students and families for over 20 years as a classroom teacher, learning consultant, middle school and elementary principal. ↑ top
Sandra Cunningham
Sandra Cunningham has been the Head of PDHPE at Loreto Normanhurst since 2022. She is a dedicated and highly expert educator who is passionate about providing a holistic education that develops students’ personal attributes, skills and values. ↑ top
Lynn Davie
Lynn has extensive experience in driving innovation in teaching and learning as a teacher, school leader and senior public servant. As Director of Learning and Teaching with the Victorian Education Department Lynn led the NPDL Cluster. Lynn is currently. Partnership Lead with the University of Melbourne’s New Metrics for Success. Lynn brings a unique combination of deep expertise in designing effective learning and assessment. alongside experience in educational leadership, supporting transformation at a school and system level. ↑ top
Anna Davis
Anna Davis is the Secondary Visual Arts Content Specialist for Alpine School District, while also teaching art half-time at Timpanogos High School. ↑ top
Brooke Davis
Brooke and Byron’s work as teachers and part-time vision for learning coaches at THS help every teacher accomplish our 2 school goals of (1) Intentional connection and well-being of students and staff, and (2) deliberate deep learning for students and staff. ↑ top
Harpreet Dhir
Teacher on Special Assignment, History-Social Science/Ethnic Studies TK-8, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, author, researcher; background in elementary and post-secondary teaching. ↑ top
Megan Dickins
Megan has over 20 years of wide ranging educational experience. Her leadership experience range includes Deputy Principal, Regional Instructional Coach and currently Head of Pedagogy. Megan believes passionately in tapping into individual student’s interests and passions, so students have agency in their learning. ↑ top
Rhonda Eddy
Ronda Eddy is the principal of St. George School at the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. This is Ronda’s 22nd year in education. She is passionate about Deep Learning’s impact on student engagement. ↑ top
Leandro Folgar
Folgar graduated from the School of Education at Harvard University with an MA in technology, innovation, and education. He earned a BA in education from Universidad Católica del Uruguay. President of Ceibal (the Uruguayan agency for educational technology and innovation). He has worked as an associate professor in the Department of Education at Universidad Católica de Uruguay, focusing on active pedagogical practices, gamification, and playful environments of the 21st century. ↑ top
Ryan Francom
As an assistant principal Ryan is integral in facilitating Timpanogos High School’s leadership work around deep learning. ↑ top
Jaron Fried
Dr. Jaron Fried currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services for the Anaheim Union High School District. Dr. Fried oversees the implementation of the district’s framework, the Career Preparedness Systems Framework, to ensure all students in AUHSD are provided with the highest quality instruction grounded in 21st century skills to ensure college, career and life success. Dr. Fried has made the focus of all professional learning clear and intentional, resulting in a positive shift with the instructional pedagogy more aligned to the demands from the world of work. ↑ top
Annette Goodman
Annette Goodman teaches second grade at Las Lomas Elementary School. She has been in education for 22 years. ↑ top
Jennifer Gottlieb
Jennifer works with educators to implement learning that is authentic and centered on student voice. She is also an instructor at Oakland University in Michigan. ↑ top
Monalisa Grover
As Michael Fullan says, Monalisa Grover is a “learner of context”. An expert at traditional teaching transforming into a leader promoting the values of Deep Learning. ↑ top
Jay Halai
Jay has a background in educational leadership, curriculum development, and teaching and learning from various schools in Australia and the UK. ↑ top
Ann Hanson
Ann Hanson has been in education for 25 years and has been a school administrator for 9 years. ↑ top
Gayle Houlahan
Gayle Houlahan has taught commercial education for 20 years, continually scanning and researching to keep abreast of innovations and opportunities to enhance teaching and learning. ↑ top
Saireen Hussein
Saireen started as an English and History teacher in 2009 and a few years later, became the head of the humanities, she is the deputy principal of teaching and learning in the secondary school. ↑ top
Theresa Huston
Theresa Huston teaches second grade at Las Lomas Elementary School. She has been teaching for 26 years. ↑ top
Joe Jensen
Dr. J’s commitment to creating a deep learning culture with his school leadership team consumes his time and gives him purpose between bike rides. ↑ top
Georgina Lake
Georgina is an educator with more than 30 years experience in a variety of roles who loves learning with others and also enjoys reading and all things outdoors. ↑ top
Jenn LeBrun
Teacher on Special Assignment, Technology TK-12, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District in Southern California; background in teaching secondary English-Language Arts, technology, and service learning. ↑ top
Carlos Libisch
Carlos Libisch, Psychologist, Doctoral candidate in Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. New Measures Lead, NPDL Uruguay. ↑ top
Jorga Marrum
Jorga Marrum is Manager: Strengthening Outcomes for the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales [AISNSW]. She is the lead facilitator of Deep Learning for NSW independent schools with over 40 schools volunteering to join the network since its inception in 2019. Jorga is a passionate educator with expertise and passion for strategic leadership and design engaging learning collaboratively with teachers. ↑ top
Amy McGeorge
Amy McGeorge started her teaching career in Chicago, but taught English in the Bay Area for 12 years before transitioning to an Instructional Coaching role. ↑ top
Margot McKeegan
As an experienced, innovative and educational leader Margot works alongside a number of schools across Aotearoa, NZ. As the NZ NPDL cluster lead facilitator; she helps to transform learning and leads professional development in a personalised, future focused way. This includes working closely with leadership teams, leading professional learning, and facilitating online learning. ↑ top
Tania Mills
Tania is the Deputy Principal at Hillpark School, Aucklnad, New Zealand. She is an NPDL Leader, with a focus on wellbeing outcomes for children and staff. ↑ top
Chris Morris
Chris Morris is an excitable learner. Fun and learning go hand in hand. As a teacher and Educational Consultant, he designs experiences that challenge learners to step out of their comfort zone and devise creative solutions to limiting beliefs and problems of practice. Chris is excited to be part of this powerful Global knowledge building network. ↑ top
Emma Rtizema-Bain
Emma is the Associate Principal at Hillpark School, Auckland, New Zealand. She is an NPDL leader, as well as being the special needs co-ordinator for our school. ↑ top
Sherra Robinson
I am a Mi’kmaq woman from Mekap’sk (Northern Peninsula) Mi’kmaq Band, Taqamkuk (Newfoundland), where I am an educator and scholar. I am also a Program Specialist for Comprehensive School Health with the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, with a background as an English, Drama and Technology teacher with a keen interest in advancing student voice and agency, storytelling, relationality and Indigenous Education. ↑ top
Nuraan Samodien
Nuraan Samodien, educator since 2006 with a Masters in International Education (School Leadership). Her quality in teaching lead her into international leadership from 2011. ↑ top
Judith Sanchez-Villaneda
Judith Sanchez-Villaneda has been in education for 25 years and enjoys working with middle school students. ↑ top
Brian Saxton
Brian is an early innovator for deep learning and is one of its most ardent missionaries. When not at school, he is likely fishing. ↑ top
Ramon Silveira
Ramón Silveira: Communication Lead of Uruguay cluster. Coordinator of the Ceibal Media Lab. Innovation and implementation of change. ↑ top
Emy Soubiron
Emy Soubiron: Teacher of Chemistry, B.A. in Fharmateutical Chemistry, Ms in Education of Chemistry, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. ANEP and NPDL representative at Ceibal. ↑ top
Jo Speak
Jo is Headteacher of Poplars Farm Primary, a diverse and inclusive state school in Bradford, UK. As a longstanding school ambassador to the British Council, faculty member of the Global School Alliance and NPDL cluster lead for Europe, she is committed to international collaboration. ↑ top
Byron Tanner
Brooke and Byron’s work as teachers and part-time vision for learning coaches at THS help every teacher accomplish our 2 school goals of (1) Intentional connection and well-being of students and staff, and (2) deliberate deep learning for students and staff. ↑ top
Miranda Thorman
Miranda Thorman taught secondary history for 13 years in the Bay Area and transitioned to school leadership in 2018. She is currently a Principal. ↑ top
Belinda Treloar
Belinda is a passionate educator with over 20 years of experience, well versed in differentiating lessons to cater for individual and group needs through inquiry-based, deep learning. She enjoys discovering every child’s preferred learning style and considers it a welcomed challenge to cater for all intelligences within her class. Belinda has taught in Catholic, Independent, and International schools and has a strong conviction to inspire students to think critically about their daily lives, to consider how they fit into a global society, and to question the world around them. ↑ top
Staci Ybarra
Staci Ybarra has been an educator for 16 years providing quality instruction to students with diverse learning needs. ↑ top
Dario Zarauza
Darío Zarauza, Secondary School Biology teacher, Capacity Building Coordinator, NPDL Uruguay. ↑ top
Veronica Zorrilla de San Martin
Veronica Zorrilla de San Martín: Capacity Building Lead of Uruguay cluster. School teacher and Doctor of Education from ORT University, Uruguay. Responsible for the curricular design for the transformation of education in Uruguay. ↑ top