Nicola is a progressive early childhood educator with over 20 years experience in cultivating impactful and effective learning spaces for young students.

Her passion and expertise is an ability to balance play and rigor while integrating the arts and community to create a holistic, child-centered environment that fosters multiple intelligences, socio-emotional growth, character and a love of learning.

Jane Racoosin has worked in early childhood education for over 20 years and she has witnessed how children’s learning and emotional development are impacted by an exploration-based education approach. In her own classroom, she saw that children gained confidence and creativity when curriculum was developed in collaboration between teachers and children. 

She wanted to offer the same high quality early learning experience to all children across the five boroughs regardless of cost. In 2013, she started Teaching Beyond the Square to fulfill this vision and to elevate early childhood education’s importance in a public way. She has attended workshops at Reggio-inspired schools in the United States and been to Reggio Emilia, Italy to visit their early childhood programs and study their philosophy. She has presented at the 92nd Street Y, Kean University, and The European Early Childhood Research Conference in Birmingham, England. 

Jane has been an adjunct lecturer in the department of Early Childhood Education at Hunter College, received a BA in Psychology from the University of Vermont, a Masters in Early Childhood Education and a Masters in Supervision and Administration from Bank Street College. Jane served on the board of ISAAGNY from 2020-2022.

Link:

https://www.teachingbeyondthesquare.org/

Dayna Abraham has become a trusted and proven leader in the parenting community. She is the founder of the popular parenting site 'Lemon Lime Adventures' which has accumulated over 41 million viewers in less than seven years. 

She is also the CEO of Calm the Chaos, a seven-figure company which offers Dayna's compassionate framework to support thousands of parents worldwide. Her work has also been showcased in Huffington Post, Babble, Scary Mommy, Buzzfeed, ADDitude Magazine, and Positive Parenting Solutions. She is also the author of Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Everyday and Sensory Processing 101.

“My name is Dayna. Despite being a National Board Certified teacher with a background in Early Childhood, I spent the first 7 years of parenting thinking I was alone and terrible at parenting. It has become my mission to never let another parent feel this way. Much like many of you, I was never told there were more than 5 sensory systems, and I was for sure never told about the effects of the sensory systems on behavior and navigating life.  I’ve dedicated my life's work to sensory processing, intense emotions and embracing kids that don't "Fit". I have made it my mission to learn as much as I possibly can, and in turn share as much information with others. My book CALM THE CHAOS: A Failproof Roadmap for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids is a revolutionary guide for parents of kids that struggle with big emotions, power struggles, or challenging behaviors.”

Links:

https://lemonlimeadventures.com/

https://calmthechaosbook.com/?utm_source=lla&utm_medium=menu

Kisa Marx is a former academic-centered daycare provider turned heart-centered founder of her Play & Nature-based program, Kidcrew Adventures Early Childhood Community. 

With over twenty years of experience working in the field of early education, she is passionate about using her voice to speak for those who cannot yet speak for themselves. She believes that childhood is sacred, play is revolutionary, and she along with countless other early educators get the privilege of preserving both. When she is not advocating for children and play, you can find Kisa on a number of adventures with her partner, Chris, or hanging with her plants, pets, and the three adult humans they brought into the world.

Links:

Website https://kidcrewadventures.com/

Instagram https://instagram.com/kidcrewadventures?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Rae Pica is an education consultant dedicated to the development and education of the whole child. Rae has been an early childhood education consultant since 1980 and is internationally known as a speaker, online course creator, and author. Rae has written 22 books, including the text Experiences in Movement and Music (in its 5th edition), What If Everybody Understood Child Development?: Straight Talk About Bettering Education and her most recent book,  Children’s Lives and Spark a Revolution in Early Education: Speaking Up for Ourselves and the Children.

Rae is on a mission to ensure that children have the chance to be children and that child development guides all our practices with them. As a consultant, Rae has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Gymboree, Nike, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, Bright Horizons, and health departments, schools, and resource and referral agencies throughout the country.

More About Rae:
https://www.raepica.com/

Free to Play Summit:
http://freetoplaysummit.com/

Pete Moorhouse is an early years creative consultant, researcher, author and artist educator based in the UK.  He is a trainer for Early Education and deliverers training nationally and overseas and is also an endorsed Froebel Tutor. His work in school is centered around nurturing children's creativity and his practice is inspired by Froebelian principles and practice in Reggio Emilia. 

Pete is the UKs leading authority on woodwork in Early Years education and has written several books and journal articles, including ‘Learning Through Woodwork’ (Routledge) and books on outdoor learning. He is currently working on his latest book – ‘Creativity in Practice: Nurturing creative and critical thinking in early childhood education’. 

He was awarded an honorary research fellowship from the University of Bristol and is currently researching the value of woodwork in early education. Pete was also awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake international research into best woodworking practices in education. Pete won the national award (2019) from the Creative Learning Guild for his work promoting creativity in education and is Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

https://irresistible-learning.co.uk

Sherleen Bruno is a learning support specialist who works with young children with learning differences. With over fourteen years of experience in the field of education, Sherleen Bruno has served as a Special Educator to early learners from Pre-k through Second grade in public and private schools, as well as an Early Interventionist and Itinerant teacher.

As a Learning Specialist, Sherleen provides targeted and direct instruction to students through individual and small group support by using the students' interests, learning styles, and individual learning goals. She targets multiple academic areas including reading, writing, and social skills while utilizing multi-sensory teaching approaches including Sounds in Motion (SIM) and Orton-Gillingham. Sherleen also works closely with families to offer tools and structures that will ultimately help students manage their learning independently. In addition, Sherleen serves as an Educational Consultant to provide teachers and staff with insights and recommendations for best practices in supporting students with varied academic and social-emotional needs.

Sherleen continues to strive to support students in reaching their best potential academically, socially and emotionally.

Founder of Hip Hop Building Blocks

https://hiphopbuildingblocks.com/

Born and raised in New York Eric Royo grew up in an era where Hip Hop thrived and was at the forefront of everything cool, expressive and revolutionary. He gravitated towards the music because it gave him the feeling of being free and open to express himself in whatever way he chose. The beats, the rhythms, the lyrics all called to Eric in a way that was magnetic and electric. 

At first just freestyling in the parks of NYC he eventually formed a group with other MC’s, producing beats, writing raps, and performing shows. Hip Hop gave him a voice and an identity in a way nothing else had before. As he navigated his way through a complicated music industry he eventually began to find his footing running Hip Hop workshops with youth groups. This natural evolution transformed his career from Emcee to educator. 

Over the next 12 years Eric taught in elementary schools and continually  found ways to introduce Hip Hop culture to his students. Through this desire to spread the real and honest narrative of the culture, Hip Hop Building Blocks was formed. By teaching the origins, influences, and history of the culture it serves as a model for students to build and strengthen their own school community. 

Engaging students in the elements of Hip Hop (DJing, Emceeing, Graffiti Breakin’ and Knowledge of self) encourages them to represent their identity, giving young people a voice and a platform for self-expression. With the core principles of peace, love, unity, and having fun, Hip Hop Building Blocks is a unique approach to social emotional learning that is experiential, engaging, and accessible to all. 

Links:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/hiphopbuildingblocks/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSRgay4VTnPkXPkVcfDkIHg

Dr. Diane Kashin is a registered early childhood educator in the province of Ontario. She received a Bachelor of Honors Degree from York University, an Early Childhood Education Diploma from Seneca College and a Master of Education and Doctorate Degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. 

Diane has taught early childhood education at both the degree and the diploma level. Since retiring from teaching, Diane has been working as a consultant, and workshop/webinar presenter. She is the co-author of three ECE textbooks and just finished writing a book for Redleaf Press on professional friendships in ECE titled Cultivating a Culture of Friendship in Early Childhood Education. 

Diane writes a blog to support professional learning in early childhood education: Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research and loves to engage in continuous professional learning face to face and through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. She is the past president of the Association for Early Childhood Educators of Ontario and the current coordinator of the York Region Nature Collaborative.

- Follow Kashin, Diane on Twitter : https://twitter.com/DianeKashin1

- Contact Kashin, Diane on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Tecribresearch/?ref=bookmarks

- See Kashin, Diane's website : https://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/

- Contact Kashin, Diane on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-kashin-a6090151/

With over two decades coaching people how to retrain the brain with a healthier and happier mindset, Linda teaches adults, youth and families, the importance and value of empowerment, through culinary and nutrition education and energy healing. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, carries an Integrative Health Coach Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Links:

https://www.thehealthcook.com/about

https://equityatthetable.com/directory/linda-rosenblatt/