Academy Home – Session Descriptions – 2026 Academy Schedule – Registration
Wednesday Keynote & Wednesday PM Workshop Presenter: Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin is a dynamic educator, leadership expert, and author recognized for inspiring authentic school–community partnerships. With over 25 years of experience as a special education teacher, principal, and national leadership executive at Apple, she brings both passion and depth to her work with educators, executives, and community leaders. As Founder and CEO of The Why Not? Incubator, she has helped establish more than 350 partnerships supporting underserved schools nationwide. Dr. Sanderlin is also CEO of Impact Leader Enterprises, where she empowers organizations and leaders through transformational keynotes focused on leadership, equity, and social impact. Her acclaimed book, The Why Not Challenge, provides practical strategies for uniting communities and schools. A sought-after keynote speaker featured on major media platforms, she inspires audiences to act boldly, lead with purpose, and embrace her guiding question: “Why not?” (Read Full Bio) (Website) (Why Not Sizzle Reel)
Thursday Keynote & Thursday AM Workshop Presenter: Jen Silva is the Director of External Relations for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (National Principals Association, NPA), overseeing federal and national policy, advocacy, and partnerships. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida and brings nearly three decades of experience across PreK–12 and higher education, previously serving in advancement and government relations roles for Duval County Public Schools, Head Start/Early Head Start of North and Central Florida, Edward Waters University, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Columbia University, and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund. She spent over a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives as Senior Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano of California. Jen holds an M.A. in Education Administration, Curriculum and Policy Studies from The Catholic University of America and a B.A. in Psychology from James Madison University. Having spent much of her schooling abroad and starting her career in a state children’s psychiatric hospital, she developed a strong commitment to school mental health and safety policy. In her spare time, she enjoys CrossFit and travel.
Wednesday Workshop Presenter: Dr. Kathleen Brinegar is currently an assistant professor of education at the University of Vermont. Her passion for and advocacy with and for young adolescents has been the center of her professional world for over twenty years. Dr. Brinegar’s research on young adolescents and the middle grades has been published widely. She is on the leadership team of the American Educational Research Association’s special interest group for Middle Level Education, is the editor of The Middle Grades Review, previously served as the editor of Middle School Journal for 8 years, and has been part of VT’s Middle Grades Collaborative for two decades. Prior to joining the faculty at UVM she was an associate professor and associate academic dean at Johnson State College/Northern Vermont University and a 7/8th grade teacher here in VT.
Wednesday Workshop Presenter: Dr. Meagan Roy has been an educator and leader in Vermont since 2002. She currently serves as the Coordinator of School Leadership Programs at St. Michael’s College. Previously, she has served as Superintendent of the Washington Central Unified Union School District, and spent more than a decade in the Champlain Valley Union School District as their Director of Student Support Services. She began her Vermont teaching career as an Intensive Needs special educator, and her professional endeavors are deeply linked to her beliefs about social justice and the need to ensure that public schools can serve all students. Meagan is also invested and engaged in education policy work at the state level, and has a particular interest in policy implementation at the local level. She is a past President of the Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators and past Chair of the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont. Meagan is a graduate of Simmons College in Boston, MA and completed her Master and Doctoral degrees in UVM’s Education Leadership and Policy Studies program. Meagan spends her free time with her family in South Burlington.
Wednesday Workshop Presenter: Bianca McKeen is Assistant Superintendent for Rutland City Public Schools. Among her many “duties as assigned” is the role of grants manager. Previously, Bianca was a science teacher for 13 years, during which time she was honored to be a Rowland Fellow, Darwin Day Scholar, VASE STEM Teacher of the Year, and a UVM Outstanding Teacher. Bianca has served as a PreK-8 Principal and a high school Associate Principal, earning the NASSP Vermont Assistant Principal of the Year in 2024. Bianca believes working collaboratively with school leaders on grant investments is the best way to support student needs.
Wednesday Workshop Presenter: Jessie Murray is the Title I Director and Grants Management Team Lead at the Vermont Agency of Education. She has managed Title programs at the state for 5 years after nearly a decade in higher education administration. As the Northeastern Regional Representative for the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators, Jessie is passionate about learning from states and districts across the nation to bring expertise and resources to educators and administrators back home. Jessie is committed to supporting Vermont’s education leaders with understanding the intricacies of ESEA, making strategic decisions about federal program implementation and maximizing the effectiveness of grant funds.
Thursday Workshop Presenter: Dr. Lauren Young is the Executive Director of the Vermont Principals’ Association of Activities and Athletics. A former teacher, coach, and principal, she brings more than two decades of experience in education, leadership, and youth development.Dr. Young is also the founder of The GRL Initiative a platform dedicated to empowering young women and student-athletes through leadership, belonging, and identity. As a speaker and author Lead Anyway: The Glow-Up Guide to Leadership that’s Real, No Perfect, she focuses on helping leaders build environments where safety, connection, and belonging are not just values—but daily practices. Her work blends research, real-world stories, and practical tools that help educators lead with humanity, courage, and authenticity.
Thursday Workshop Presenter: Dr. Joelle van Lent is a licensed psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with children, families, and child serving agencies. Dr. van Lent has expertise as a therapist, clinician, evaluator, consultant, and trainer. Her work focuses on child and adolescent mental health, family therapy, trauma, and neurodivergence. Dr. van Lent’s approach is geared toward fostering resilience and creating communities that support healthy development. She is currently in private practice based in the northwestern part of Vermont and works across the state with schools and agencies.
Thursday Workshop Presenter: Chelsea Myers is an advocate for systemic improvements in education through research, policy, and leadership. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Vermont Superintendents Association, where she leads statewide advocacy, professional learning initiatives, and public policy efforts. With an Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from Harvard and a B.S. in Biology from St. Michael’s College, she has conducted research on the neuroscience of learning and child development and education systems change at institutions like UCSF’s Laboratory for Educational Neuroscience and Harvard’s Education Redesign Lab.
Thursday Workshop Presenter: Anna Hipko serves as the Communications Coordinator for the Montpelier Roxbury School District, bringing nearly a decade of school-based expertise to the table. With a background in marketing for iconic Vermont brands, Anna blends private-sector strategy with a deep passion for public education. She specializes in analyzing communication data to drive strategy, ensuring that accessible design and cutting-edge technology and AI tools are used effectively to reach the right people. Anna is dedicated to engaging diverse audiences—from caregivers to taxpayers—ensuring that school communities navigate challenges and celebrate successes with data-backed transparency.
Thursday Workshop Presenter: Ben Dickie has 20+ years of experience working in communications, media relations, and public relations for both nonprofit and for-profit businesses, Ben brings a unique perspective to the education field. Now in his 13th year (CCSU and then EWSD combined), he oversees the internal and external communication efforts for the District. Using strategic and on-brand storytelling, Dickie is able to connect the nine schools in the District with the families and community members that they serve through a variety of targeted outlets.
Thursday Workshop Presenter: Katie West is the Public Information Coordinator for the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union. Her work revolves around multichannel storytelling, highlighting diverse voices from both staff and students. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Oswego in Strategic Communication, with her area of study being communicating with adults who experience functional illiteracy. In addition to her role in the Superintendent’s Office, Katie is the passionate head coach of the Mt. Anthony Union Middle School Cross Country team. She lives in Bennington, VT with her spouse, five dogs, and tortoise.