SPEAKING & PD
Before I ever stepped onto a comedy stage, I spent over two decades in classrooms, conference rooms, and leadership roles — shaping school culture, leading teams, and helping classroom instructors thrive. I’m a veteran educator with both K-12 and Postsecondary experience, and I'm a keynote speaker and facilitator who still believes in the power of teaching and leading and in the people who do it. I also have public policy experience on both the federal and state level. If you're looking for a speaker who gets it — the stress, the heart, the calling — and specifically one who can deliver professional development that’s both impactful and enjoyable, I’m your guy. While many are leaving the field, I packed my boxes and headed back home. I'd love to share my journey back to K-12 with you!
Over the last 20+ years, I've presented literally hundreds of hours of professional development, trainings, keynotes. I've sat on panels. I've co-written laws and passed them. I've consulted and presented to state councils and associations on a variety of topics! I hope we can work together soon. We'll have a blast.
Ed.D. Doctorate: Educational Leadership
25+ Years in education
Former K-12 Principal
K-12 Teacher
Former University instructor
Former University Administrator
Work Experience: public school, private school, classical school, specialized school, community college, university
Keynote speaker to associations
Presented 100s of hours: PD workshops, trainings, panels
Provided External Reviews and Consulting services
Spanning 25+ years in education
Presented internationally: (PD) Africa
Nationally: Workshops, seminars, keynotes, & masterclasses for seasoned professionals across 16 states: Including, TN, KY, CO, NC, FL, GA, MA, MN, TX, OR, WA, OH, CA, NM, MD, MO.
Association on Higher Ed & Disability
Cumberland County School District
GA Independent Colleges Association
Tennessee Board of Regents
Scott County Chamber of Commerce
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
TN State Employers Association (TSEA)
Oneida Special School District
TN Association of Colleges & Employers
Tennessee Dyslexia Association (TNIDA)
RISE Conference: Reading Instruction Succesfully Enhanced
Missouri Developmental Disability Council (MODD-C) Partners in Policymaking
TN-AHEAD: Tennessee Association on Higher Ed and Disability
International School of Zanzibar, TZ
And many, many more.
Below are SOME topics I've tailored & a couple new ones. I can tailor to any group.
My Journey Home to K12
Making Education Accessible for All
School Culture
Leadership Development
Leveraging Data: Telling Your Story
Encouragement for New Teachers (K12)
New Teacher Training (postsecondary)
Leaving a Legacy
Transition topics
Public Policy 101: How to Make Change
Strength & Conditioning for Better Campus Results
Prepping Students with Disabilities for College
Leveraging Your Story
We All Fail Sometime:
Prepping for Your Next Fail
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Living a Life of Least Regret
Let's Work Through This Together
Scott County Hall of Fame Inductee for Outstanding Educator
Roane State College Outstanding Alumnus
TNAHEAD: Dona Sparger Award
"While many are leaving the field, I packed my boxes and headed back home. I'd love to share my journey back to K-12 with you! "
Just a few outlets I've been published, quoted, or mentioned in throughout my career:
CAREER & EMPLOYMENT
Psychology Today, US News Money, Monster, Recruiter.com, INC.,
ValuePenguin, SkilledUp, Share Your Road, NEA Achieves, Attentiv, The Young Hopeful.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Chronicle of Higher Education: Convergence—Diverse Issues in Higher Education,Journal of Postsecondary Education & Disability, Bankrate, College Express, Accredited Schools Online, Saving for College,Gradschools.com, World Wide Learn, Skilled Up, Affordable Colleges, Online Degrees 360, Good Call, Nerd Wallet, NEA Achieves, Huffington Post, Journal of Postsecondary Education & Disability, Disability Compliance for Higher Education, US News, Forbes.
K-12 EDUCATION & ADVOCACY
Edutopia (guest article), PBS Roadtrip Nation (feature), Learning Ally, Understood, UNICEF Innovation
Stories, Yahoo Tech, School Links, The Tennessean, the UN’s GOOD Magazine,
Teen Life, Reading Rockets, TREND Magazine, Topical Teaching, My Web Room, The Chattanoogan, AIM.Va, Benzinga, About.com, Huffington Post, GroupHigh,SpareFoot, Volunteer Voice, Disability Compliance for Higher Ed, Chronicle of Higher Education, CNBC and more.
LEADERSHIP
Forbes, Forbes Leadership, Y Scouts, INC., The Good Men Project, LinkedIn Pulse,
Huffington Post, You Leading You, Answers from Leadership, Salt & Light, MakeYour Someday Today, Journey to Success, Everyday Power, Inspire Me Today.
PARENTING
Proctor & Gamble Parent, Care.com, Positive Mom’s Magazine, Yahoo Finance, The Stir, SheKnows, Mom.Me, Family Taxpayers Association, Augusta Family Magazine,Daily Parent, Len Penzo, All Parenting, Parent Herald, Schools.com, TopicalTeaching, Intentional Parenting, Teen Vogue, Zliving, The Good Men Project, US News Money.
MAJOR MEDIA
CNBC, PBS, US NEWS, Denver Post, Forbes, Wall Street National, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Deseret News, Washington Post.
I promise we'll have a great time, but if this education stuff is too serious for you, head back over to my comedy page or visit my TikTok! --Or stick around and check out my media cred!