Dr Cat Lutz is the Director of Mental Performance at IMG Academy, where she has spent over a decade shaping the mental game of athletes, from youth to professional levels. Cat's extensive academic background includes a PhD in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology from the University of Essex, UK, and two master's degrees—one in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Long Island University and another in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology from Staffordshire University, UK. A former Division I basketball player at Iona University, she also played professionally in the UK's Women's Basketball League for six seasons. Cat has held notable leadership positions, including Research and Training Manager for BrainCanDo, an educational neuroscience initiative, and lead sport psychology consultant for the University of Essex's Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS). These roles allowed her to work with students and athletes from a range of sports, competitive levels, and educational backgrounds, enhancing their mental skills to reach peak performance. At IMG Academy, Cat employs an interdisciplinary approach in her mental performance sessions to create a holistic approach to mental skills training. Dedicated to advancing the field of sport psychology and coach education, Cat is also committed to helping professionals in various fields improve their performance and mental recovery through tailored mental skills training.

Dr. Elise Ecoff recently finished her tenure as Nord Anglia Education's Chief Education Officer. Under her leadership, the Education Team's primary function is to work in partnership with our schools to reflect on and develop their educational offer in line with the Education Strategy. Prior to taking up this role in 2020, Elise was Principal at North Broward Preparatory School from 2012 where she had served since 2004 as a division leader, curriculum specialist, and Assistant Head of School. She also spent fifteen years working in Broward County Public Schools in Florida. With more than 30 years in education, Elise has learned much from students, families, teachers and education experts through her teaching and leadership roles. Her time leading schools fulfilled a lifelong dream and taught her more than she expected about the power of education, and the many and various ways learning empowers. Elise is also committed to helping schools on their continuous improvement journey and as such spent four years as a member of the board of directors of the Florida Council of Independent Schools.

Adam Neale is a Learning Support and Inclusion Teacher at St Andrews International School Bangkok, where he supports the development of inclusive practice for neurodivergent learners across the school community. He is also a Nord Anglia Education Teaching Fellow for Neuro-inclusion, contributing to professional learning and dialogue around belonging, inclusive pedagogy, and neuro-affirming practice. Informed by both professional expertise and lived experience as a neurodivergent educator, Adam is passionate about helping schools create environments where every learner feels understood, supported, and able to participate meaningfully.

Harry Cunningham is the Digital Innovation Manager at Nord Anglia Education, where he spearheads efforts to pilot new technologies that enhance teaching and learning. Previously, Harry worked in innovation roles at RM and Oxford University Press, partnering with schools and tech companies to create impactful digital learning solutions. Harry holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from the University of Oxford and is passionate about leveraging technology in education where it adds real value, amplifying great teaching rather than replacing it.

Christopher O'Shaughnessy is a passionate and versatile speaker, comedian, and author who uses a unique blend of story-telling, humor, and provocative insight to engage a wide array of people on topics associated with globalization and cross-cultural understanding. Chris is enlisted by organizations large and small ranging from international schools and educational institutions to government agencies and businesses across the globe. He has worked in, lived in, or traveled to more than 100 countries and brings first-hand experience of an ever-globalizing world to his audiences.

In June 2025, a group of teachers from Nord Anglia schools around the world gathered at Boston College for our Action Research Conference. Four of our amazing keynote speakers from the event closed out the conference with a panel discussion, which is what we're sharing today. Our panellists were Dr Kate Erricker (Group Head of Education Research and Global Partnerships at NAE), Dr Damian Bebell (Assistant Research Professor from Boston College's Lynch School of Education), Dr Ruben Puentedura (creator of the SAMR model for selecting, using, and evaluating technology in education), and Dr Trish Martin (Regional Managing Director of MonstarLab America).

Enjoy!

In today's episode, I'm excited to share a conversation I had recently as a guest on International Teacher Staffroom, a podcast hosted by Aimee Skidmore and Jacob Rosch that connects international teachers and provides thoughtful support for those working in international schools. Aimee, Jacob and I explore issues around classroom management and offer support to find impactful solutions. It was a great conversation, and I'm excited to be sharing it with you.

Listen to other episodes of International Teacher Staffroom here.

Dr Leslie Williams is the Group Head of Social Impact and Giving at Nord Anglia Education. Leslie is a passionate educator who tries to live by her values. She spent the first 20 years of her career in public and private schools as both an English literature teacher and a high school principal. During that time, she learned a great deal about the power of connection and reflection to develop inclusive classrooms and environments where she wanted everyone to feel that they belonged. In her work with Nord Anglia, Leslie has a chance to continue to work with students and educators from around the world on topics like leadership, sustainability, child rights, and inclusion and belonging.

Dr Anne Taffin d'Heursel Baldisseri is an inspiring educator and leader dedicated to building strong learning communities. Currently the head of school at Avenues São Paulo, Anne has a rich background in education, having previously served as the founding head of the primary division and as head of pre-preparatory at St. Paul's School. With a Ph.D. in zoology and ongoing postdoctoral research in bilingualism, reading, and motivation, she combines deep academic expertise with a passion for empowering teachers, students, and parents. Anne is also the founder of Flag Time, a daily routine within Early Years classrooms that transforms differentiated instruction into individualised learning, empowering students to take charge of their education.

Dr Andrea and Jonathan Taylor-Cummings are globally recognized experts in strengthening relationships to unlock high performance. With over 30 years of experience and groundbreaking research, they've pioneered The 4 Habits of ALL Successful Relationships, helping leaders and teams build trust, inclusion, and psychological safety. Their TEDx talk has been viewed over 3 million times, and their book continues to impact organizations worldwide. As founders of The 4 Habits Institute and the UK charity Achord, Jon and Andrea bring a powerful mix of practical insights and real-world experience to drive collaboration and success.

Resources:

• TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/o4Y5Mr8rZ9A?si=pQaegov5f1Yx3VZS
• Learn The 4 Habits Online: www.the4habitscourse.com
• Other Resources: www.the4habits.com/resourcehub

Social Media Handles:

• LinkedIn (Andrea): https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreataylorcummings/
• LinkedIn (Jon): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathantaylorcummings/
• LinkedIn (The 4 Habits Institute): https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-4-habits-institute/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The4Habits
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the4habits/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The4Habits
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the4habits
• X: https://x.com/the4habits