Speakers and Special Guests

Last Name

First Name

E-mail Address

Notes

Harris

Bernard

info@theharrisfoundation.org

Defining himself as a “dreamer who believes nothing is impossible,” Bernard A. Harris, Jr., M.D. is an accomplished NASA astronaut, physician and businessman. He currently serves as president of The Harris Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization he founded in 1998 to develop math/science education and crime prevention programs for America ’s youth. Because he credits his personal achievements to self-empowerment and self-determination, he uses this foundation to inspire young people that they can do anything, if they only set their mind to it.

Robertson

Bill

wrobert9@ix.netcom.com

Bill Robertson is a science education writer, reviews and edits science materials, writes a monthly column for Science and Children, and conducts teacher in-service workshops at school districts around the country. Bill is a former college physics instructor who became involved in research in cognitive science and human learning. He has published articles on conceptual understanding in physics, constructivism, and the Learning Cycle. He began writing and conceptualizing K-8 science curriculum for Biological Sciences Curriculum Study in 1987.

Seeley

Cathy

Dr. Cathy Seeley is a Past President of the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics, the world's largest mathematics education organization, with 100,000 members and 250 affiliates in the United States and Canada. NCTM is a public voice of mathematics education and provides leadership to ensure mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students. Dr. Seeley has had a distinguised career in mathematics education. She worked on the development of mathematics specifications for the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress and as a writer for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Rubillo

Jim

Jim Rubillo is the executive director of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Prior to coming to NCTM, Jim worked in public education for 36 years. For 30 years he served Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania for 30 years in a variety of roles including professor of mathematics, associate dean for information systems, director of institutional research, and chairperson of the department of mathematics and computer science. Prior to his college service, Jim was a high school teacher and department chair. He has also served as a consultant for many corporations in the areas of total quality management and project management.

Spellings

Margaret

"We cannot prepare students for the global economy if we don't get them to grade level first."— Secretary Margaret Spellings

Margaret Spellings is the U.S. Secretary of Education. As the first mother of school-aged children to serve as Education Secretary, Spellings has a special appreciation for the hopes and concerns of American families.
Secretary Spellings is working to ensure that every young American has the knowledge and skills to succeed in the 21st century. She has partnered with states to implement and enforce the No Child Left Behind Act, which commits our schools to bringing all students up to grade level or better in reading and math by 2014. The law has led to rising test scores and shrinking achievement gaps in states across the country.

Dispezio

Michael

icaris@aol.com

For the past five years, Michael has celebrated his passion for education as the JASON Academy curriculum architect, content specialist, and broadcast segment host for the JASON Project. Michael spent his graduate years in Woods Hole and worked as a research assistant to the Nobel laureate Albert Szent-Gyorgyi. After leaving the marine science laboratory and his post as a night school instructor at the Boston University School of Nursing, Michael spent eight years teaching a variety of elementary, middle, and high school science subjects. Moving from the classroom, he focused his attention on the development of educational materials which to date has included co-authorship on over 30 K-12 titles, consultant on numerous publications and authorship on over 25 different trade books.

Keeley

Page

pkeeley@mmsa.org

Page Keeley is the Senior Science Program Director for the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance where she consults on, develops and leads various science education initiatives and projects in Maine and nationally. She is the Principal Investigator and Project Director for three NSF-funded projects including The Northern New England Co-Mentoring Network, Curriculum Topic Study- A Systematic Approach to Utilizing National Standards and Research, and PRISMS- Phenomena and Representations for Instruction of Science in Middle School. She is the author of four books on science formative assessment. Page is the 08-09 NSTA President.

Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy