Chris Rice is an experienced educator, advocate, and speaker. He has over 10 years of experience as a school psychologist and has worked in several states and with students ages 3-21. Currently, Chris serves as a gifted education psychologist for a large school district in North Carolina. He has the opportunity to help influence policy and practice, work directly with gifted learners, and support AIG teachers through professional learning–among other roles and responsibilities. In his free time, Chris is the Vice President of NCAGT, serves on the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee for the National Association for Gifted Children, and enjoys speaking with parents, educators, and anyone else interested in supporting gifted and advanced learners. If not at work, in a board meeting, or on stage, you can find Chris on the lacrosse field coaching his son’s team or spending time with his family–probably outside on a trail.

Adele Vensel is a passionate educator, advocate, and PhD student at UNC Charlotte, specializing in Special Education with a focus on gifted education. With over 15 years of experience in public education, Adele has worked in Title I schools across all grade levels, from preschool to high school. She currently serves as a gifted education specialist for a school district in southwestern North Carolina where she collaborates closely with gifted learners and supports teachers through professional development . Adele is also an alumna of the Public School Forum of North Carolina’s Educational Policy Fellowship, which allows her to shape policy and practice. Outside of her professional work, Adele is actively involved with the Advocacy and Engagement committee of NCAGT, leads SENG community groups, and is a dedicated advocate for gifted and advanced learners. When she's not working, you can find Adele enjoying the great outdoors, whether she's swimming, biking, or running.

Resources:

• Proposed Cuts to AP Funding
• NCDPI Advanced Learning & Gifted Education

Dr. Emily King is a Child Psychologist and former School Psychologist who has worked with neurodivergent children and teens for over 20 years. She received a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she worked at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. She began her career as a School Psychologist in Houston, Texas specializing in providing school-based mental health in K-12 public schools. Emily now works in private practice in North Carolina supporting the mental health needs of neurodivergent youth, their families, and their teachers.

You can find more of her on the Learn with Dr. Emily Substack, where you can find her workshops, blogs, and podcast.

You can also find her professional development offerings for teachers here.

She is also the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom, a professional development curriculum for educators. And her new book, THE NEURODIVERGENT LEARNER, will be available for presale in early 2026!

https://www.learnwithdremily.com/

https://www.learnwithdremily.com/teachers

https://www.learnwithdremily.com/parents

@emilywkingphd

NCAGT Blogs on this topic:

https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter1

https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter2

https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter3

https://www.ncagt.org/post/2elearners

You might know Todd Stanley from his YouTube channel “Todd Talks” or his website “The Gifted Guy” which has a ton of free resources! Todd served as classroom teacher for 18 years and then, has the gifted coordinator for Pickerington Schools the past 10 years. In this episode we discuss the power of project based learning, something he has a lot of experience in and wrote a few books. He shares some of his favorite tools from his book Teachers’ Toolbox for Gifted Education. We also discuss his new book, Letting Student Voices Shine: Using Online Talks to Teach Public Speaking, where he shares the how and why on student presentations. Beyond teaching and writing, Stanley is an active speaker and workshop facilitator and offers professional development sessions. This episode is packed with great nuggets to help you create better structure and empower your students.

Monica Simonds, M.Ed., is a Strategist for K-12 Assessments at Riverside Insights. In this role, she works closely with educators across the U.S. to help them gain greater insight and utility from their assessment data with a specific focus on best practices for identifying and serving gifted and talented students. Monica is the 2017 recipient of the NAGC Gifted Coordinator award and the 2019 TAGT Administrator of the Gifted award. On this episode, she shares resources on how to support gifted students after they receive their Cognitive Ability Test score.

https://riversideinsights.com/

Gia Kaul combines her rich background of teaching elementary and middle school to impactful roles at Pearson Education, the National Math and Science Initiative, and the College Board. Currently, she serves in the Schools Development position at Cambridge International Education. Her expertise lies in fostering strong connections with state, district, and school stakeholders to drive educational opportunities for students. In this episode, Gia discusses the mission and impact of Cambridge International, a global leader in education programs and qualifications, and how Cambridge supports students and educators around the world with interesting and advanced curriculum.

https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/usa/

In this episode of They’ll Be Fine, we're chatting with Brian Housand and Stephanie Higgs!

With a Ph.D. in Gifted Education from University of Connecticut, Brian has written books and given numerous presentations focused on gifted education. As the coordinator of gifted programs at UNC Wilmington, he educates and inspires teachers to bring more creativity to the classroom for their gifted students. He is also known for integrating technology in interesting and exciting new ways. If you have been lucky enough to be a student of his or listen to one of his presentations, you know what I’m talking about.

Stephanie Higgs, as known as Little Miss Gifted on Instagram, is an award-winning, Nashville-living gifted educator and differentiation coach. Stephanie is a quick thinking, fast talking, passionate presenter, and your #1 hype girl! After listening to her you will leave energized, equipped, and empowered for an educational glow up!

Today they are here to talk about Gripes to Grapes - In their words, Gifted education is magical, but it can also make you feel like you’ve lost your sparkle. You’re pulled in a thousand directions, expected to do it all, and often misunderstood (even by your peers). This summer, it’s time to reconnect with your magic. To pause. To prune. To believe in yourself again. Because you are a gifted teacher. Because YOU are a rare and radiant unicorn! 🦄 And they are here to help you see that again. We hope you enjoy this episode with Brian and Stephanie

Register: https://www.brianhousand.com/offers/isStKSoB/checkout

Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., is an international author, educator, presenter, and professional development provider with 30 years of experience in education. He is the author of

• Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry (Solution Tree),
• Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A Method and Model for Deeper Teaching and Learning (Solution Tree),
• Now That’s a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor Through Classroom Questioning (ASCD).

Erik is the owner of Maverik Education, providing professional learning and support on how to plan and provide teaching and learning experiences that are standards driven and student supportive. He is also consistently ranked as one of the World’s

Top 30 Education Professionals by the international research organization Global Gurus and the Top 10 Global Thought Leaders in Education by the organization Thinkers360.

Maverik Education: www.maverikeducation.com

Twitter / X: @maverikedu12

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maverikeducation/

Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A Method for Deeper Teaching and Learning:

www.solutiontree.com/truedok

Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry:

www.solutiontree.com/inquiringminds

In this episode of They’ll Be Fine, we speak with Crawford Leavoy, National Speech & Debate Tournament Champion coach. For the past 12 years as Director of Speech & Debate at Durham Academy, he's built a program that consistently dominates the national stage: 12 straight years of Top 20 finishes at the National Speech & Debate Tournament, with multiple Top 10 placements. He's a three-time North Carolina Coach of the Year and a two-diamond coach with the NSDA. Crawford creates an environment where gifted students are challenged, where their passions ignite, and where they learn to apply their academic skills in a competitive, yet supportive, arena. He prioritizes developing well-rounded individuals, fostering leadership, confidence, and critical thinking. For him, it’s about building good people, not just good debaters. Get ready to learn more about Speech & Debate from one of the most successful speech and debate programs in the country in this conversation with Crawford.

Welcome back to They’ll Be Fine, the podcast where we dive into the most impactful practices in gifted education and beyond. In this episode, we’re exploring an instructional approach that transforms classrooms into vibrant spaces for critical thinking, inquiry, and meaningful dialogue—the Paideia approach.

We recently had the privilege of sitting down with two incredible school leaders in Charlotte, NC– Kelly Dowdy and Jane Armbruster, They implement the Paideia framework at their schools with remarkable success. They shared invaluable insights into how this philosophy fosters deep learning, student engagement, and a culture of intellectual curiosity.

Kelly Dowdy is in her 25th year in education. She has served as the principal of Elon Park Elementary since January 2017. Her career began as a fifth-grade teacher at the same elementary school she attended as a student. She has also taught fourth grade, worked as a literacy facilitator, and served as an assistant principal. In 2005, she earned her National Board Certification as a classroom teacher and has chosen to maintain it even after transitioning out of the classroom. She earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from Winthrop University in 2011. A native of Charlotte and a graduate of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Kelly has always had a love for learning at every level.

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Born in Hong Kong, Jane Armbruster comes from a family of educators, a legacy that began with her grandparents. Her passion for education runs deep—her sister previously taught at the university level, working with master's students, while her brother teaches in international schools at the middle and high school levels. With 28 years of experience in education, Jane currently serves as the Principal of Providence Spring Elementary in Charlotte, NC, which is home to one of the largest populations of gifted students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Since joining CMS in 2000, she has held various roles, including classroom teacher, Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) teacher, facilitator, and assistant principal. She holds National Board Certification and an Academically Gifted Licensure and is deeply committed to creating enriching learning experiences for all students. Beyond school leadership, she has presented at the National Gifted Conference, the NCAGT Conference, and the National Paideia Center. She thrives on problem-solving and critical analysis, always seeking ways to enhance education for all students. The daily joys of working in a school continue to energize her, and she finds fulfillment in collaborating with educators, students, and families to create meaningful learning experiences. She is dedicated to working with all stakeholders to develop not only strong learners but also responsible citizens and stewards of the world.

In this episode of They'll Be Fine, Kim Tredick, a seasoned educator with 36 years in public education, discusses her journey and passion for gifted education. She details her professional background from being an elementary school teacher to an assistant superintendent, emphasizing the need for differentiation. Kim introduces the Depth and Complexity framework, developed in the early 1990s by Dr. Sandra Kaplan and Betty Gould, as a way to enhance critical and creative thinking among students of all learning levels. She explains how the framework utilizes visual icons to help students actively engage in metacognition, promoting inclusive and equitable education. The interview covers practical applications of the framework, its benefits, and success stories, along with resources available through J. Taylor Education and the Center for Depth and Complexity for educators and parents alike.

Kim Tredick is currently a lead trainer and curriculum writer for the Center for Depth and Complexity. Kim has applied Depth and Complexity for three decades in various educational roles as a teacher, principal, district administrator, and Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. In 2006, she was awarded the Milken National Educator award for her work with differentiation. Kim is the author of the best-selling Differentiation Smart Reference Guide, which is used in over 40,000 classrooms. As one of the original participating educators during the first PD rollout of Depth & Complexity in the 1990s, she provides practical, effective strategies for utilizing the Depth & Complexity framework.