Championing Change: Strengthening Relationships & Communities

Marke Freeman is an author of CHAMPIONS Creed, Speaker and NCAA, WNBA & NBA G-League Broadcaster.  Marke works with organizations, teams and individuals worldwide educating, equipping and empowering through sports. She has explored all four corners of sports as a Professional Athlete, College Coach, Sports Analyst and Director of Player Development for her own Skills Academy – Max-OUT Basketball. Following her professional playing career she immediately found her purpose impacting from the sidelines at University of Missouri – Kansas City and later Washington University – Saint Louis completing her coaching career with a 75% winning record, even making an Elite Eight Appearance in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.  Truly living through her world, Marke is an acclaimed teacher who has helped thousands create the results they seek. But, most people know her as an ordinary woman with an extraordinary message that has shifted the trajectory of many lives.

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Sense of Belonging as a Catalyst for Educational Success

Joseph Clevenger, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Programs at the San Diego County Office of Education, overseeing student safety, Juvenile Court and Community Schools, and Special Education Services. As a former Superintendent with over 20 years of educational experience dedicated to expanding equitable access and opportunities for all students, he understands the impact of Systems work through collaboration.  Since his arrival, Joseph has been building departmental connections and is engaged in advancing SDCOE’s goals of reducing poverty and increasing the sense of belonging for every student and staff member within the organization.
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Elevating Voices: Celebrating Cultural Representation and Leadership in AAPI Education

Dr. Rebecca Penh is an Executive Leadership Coach in the Learning and Leadership Division at the San Diego County Office of Education. Dr. Penh is an educator with over 20 years of experience.  Within that time she has been a classroom teacher, Resource Teacher (where she provided instructional training and support for all teachers), a school principal, and a district administrator.  This continuum of learning has led to her current work as an executive leadership coach here at the San Diego County Office of Education where she supports schools.  Her work and passion is rooted in educational equity, access and opportunities for marginalized communities.  As the Region 8 for the California Association of Asian and Pasifika Leaders in Education known as ⁠CAAPLE⁠, she ensures that CAAPLE’s mission and vision is implemented throughout her area and members are empowered to learn, grow, collaborate and build skills to support students.  

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Bridging the Digital Divide in Schools Through a Techquity Lens

Ken Shelton is an International Keynote Speaker, Best Selling Author, Education Strategist, Consultant, and education expert in Artificial Intelligence, Instructional Design, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Anti Bias and Anti-racist work.  His trainings are about making a difference in education and ensuring that all students, particularly, marginalized students, are able to succeed with leadership that involves inspiration, motivation, educational awareness and creativity.

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Reducing Implicit Bias through Awareness, Teamwork, and Coaching

Dr. Tracey A. Benson, CEO of Tracey A. Benson Consulting and founder of the Anti-Racist Leadership Institute, received his doctorate in Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Masters of School Administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He has served as an assistant professor of educational leadership, high school principal, middle school vice-principal, and elementary school teacher. His research explores the vestiges of structural racism in K-12 education that continue to impede the academic success of students of color. His book, Unconscious Bias in Schools: A Developmental Approach to Exploring Race and Racism, was released with Harvard Education Press in August 2019.

Resources:

• Anti-Racism Leadership Institute

• Unconscious Bias in Schools (Book)

• Anti-Racism Leadership Institute Podcast

• The Binary Code or Racism (Ted Talk)

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“Miracle League Extends Smiles for Miles”

Dan Engel is a visionary and dynamic non-profit, social enterprise, operating, financial and investment executive who has spent the past 16 years devoted to impacting the communities in which he lives, works and operates. Dan began his professional career as an investment banker, helped build a company that was sold to Berkshire Hathaway, became a nonprofit junkie, resumed his financial career managing a single-family office and more recently specializing in the design, acquisition and management of life insurance. 

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Community-Centered Leadership: Rich in Culture, Values, and Student Focused

Linnette Castañeda is currently the Director of Educational Services for National School District.  She has served as an instructional assistant in Special Education, a teacher in elementary schools, a resource teacher, and a principal. Under her principalship, her school became recognized as a PBIS Platinum Level school.  During her leadership, she has organized the district's inaugural Back to School Resource Fair, hosted the first Secret Santa Event in collaboration with Costco Optical, and is set to launch its first 6th Grade Student Summit. This summit will prepare students for the transition to secondary school, addressing topics like peer pressure, A-G requirements, AVID, and the various opportunities available to them. She is an advocate for family engagement and community support. Her passion is uplifting families and sharing that dreams can come true if we turn our dreams into goals.

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