Starla brings over 41 years year of teaching and brings a rich background of experience ranging from coaching, athletic training, all levels of Biology, college instruction of Anatomy, and years of on-site medical observation. She has been presenting successful teaching methods with teachers during conferences and staff development workshops for over 29 years.

Her teaching experience includes Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Microbiology, Pathophysiology, AP Biology, Pre-AP Biology, standard Biology, and mentoring Health Science Curriculum.

Tisha is an innovative educational consultant, international speaker, Canva for Education Learning Consultant & Global Education Community Manager, podcast host, and author from Southern Oregon. She has served 25 years in public education as a Career & Technical Education teacher, district Tech Integration Specialist, and Student Engagement & PD Specialist. Additionally, she is the co-founder and president of the Southern Oregon CUE affiliate and serves on the Executive Board for CUE.

Tisha is the author of the book Make Learning MAGICAL, which unlocks seven keys to transforming teaching and creating unforgettable experiences in the classroom. In 2018, she received Medford School District’s Golden Pear Educator Secondary Teacher Award and was first-place winner of the Henry Ford Innovation Nation Educator Award. Tisha is passionate about infusing joy, passion, play, and gamified strategies to immerse and empower students and make learning a MAGICAL experience for all!

Kristy Volesky is an educational advocate who ambitiously supports students, teachers, schools, and colleges. With a passion for collaboration, Kristy has always sought ways to streamline programs and initiatives with key business and community leaders to efficiently address challenges. Kristy’s experience teaching, leading, collaborating and developing solutions with industry thought leaders has led to the advancement of effective work-based learning practices locally and nationally. Kristy serves on ACTE’s Work-based Learning Policy Team, co-leads the monthly state leader network collaboration with the Coalition for the Career Development Network, is on the Iowa Work-Based Learning Coordinator Board, is the owner of Volesky Consulting and is a business and education strategist with Momentum Studios.

Kristy has over 20 years of educational experience as a work-based learning coordinator, educator, and state level program consultant. She recently published her first book, Transformational Work-Based Learning to support coordinators overseeing internship programs. Kristy holds a bachelor’s degree in business education and a master’s degree in organizational leadership.

Dr. Christopher M. Knoell, Ph.D., brings a rich history of educational expertise to his workshop-style presentations and keynotes. With over a decade of foundational experience as an elementary teacher followed by nearly 20 years of teaching at the college level, Dr. Knoell is a dynamic educational leader known for his caring, enthusiastic, and innovative approach to instruction at the University of Nebraska Kearney, one of the top-rated Teacher Education Programs in the midwest. He is also the lead presenter for Engaging PD (EngagingPD.com) working across the state of Nebraska with school districts, large and small, in the areas of teacher resiliency, classroom technology (artificial intelligence),  and effective instruction.

Dr. Knoell’s enthusiastic commitment to education shines through in his inspiring workshop-presentations and keynotes. He supports teachers to become more resilient, renew their love of teaching, and improve the culture of their schools and classrooms, as well as provide educators with practical, implement-tomorrow skills, tools, and strategies to take their instruction to the next level!