Dr. Todd Whitaker

Dr. Todd Whitaker has been fortunate to be able to blend his passion with his career. Recognized as a leading presenter in the field of education, his message about the importance of teaching has resonated with hundreds of thousands of educators around the world. Todd is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and professor emeritus at Indiana State University. He has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals.



Prior to moving into higher education he was a math teacher and basketball coach in Missouri. Todd then served as a principal at the middle school, junior high, and high school levels. He was also a middle school coordinator in charge of staffing, curriculum, and technology for the opening of new middle schools.

One of the nation’s leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd has written over 50 books including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Other titles include: Dealing With Difficult Teachers, Ten-Minute Inservice, Your First Year, What Great Principals Do Differently, Motivating & Inspiring Teachers, and Dealing With Difficult Parents.

Dave Burgess

Dave Burgess is the New York Times Best-Selling author of Teach Like A PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator and co-author of P is for PIRATE: Inspirational ABC’s for Educators. He is a highly sought after professional development speaker well known for his creative, entertaining, and outrageously energetic style. His workshops, seminars, and keynotes not only motivate and inspire teachers, but also help them to develop practical ways to become more creative and engaging in the classroom. Dave empowers teachers to embrace the mighty purpose of being an educator and sparks them to design classes that are life-changing experiences for students.

Dave specializes in teaching hard-to-reach, hard-to-motivate students with techniques that incorporate showmanship and creativity. At a recent ceremony in Washington, D.C., he was awarded the BAMMY for Secondary School Teacher of the Year by the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences.

Jack Berckemeyer

Jack Berckemeyer is a nationally recognized presenter, author, and humorist. He is the author of Managing the Madness - A Practical Guide to Middle Grades Classrooms, Taming of the Team - How Great TeamsWork Together and most recently published, Deliberate Optimism - Reclaiming the Joy in Education, co-authored with Dr. Debbie Silver and Judith Baenen. As former middle level teacher and now expert in middle level education and adolescent development, Jack shares his passion, humor, and expertise that is guaranteed to re-energize the room.