Speaking Events
I have spoken locally in the Washington, DC area, as well as across the country and world on topics in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, EdTech best practices, virtual exchanges, comic books for teaching and learning, Computer Assisted Language Learning, and public diplomacy, at SXSWEDU, ISTE, Comic-Con International, MassCue, and NCTE. I also conduct international trainings worldwide on public diplomacy and English language education.
EduCon 2025: “Heroic Perspectives: Using Comics to Foster Empathy and Understanding,” February 2024, Philadelphia, PA
FETC 2025: “The Innovative Educator: Empathy-Driven Instruction and Creative Technology for K-12+,” “Catalyzing Global Education Through Virtual Exchanges and EdTech Tools,” January 2025, Orlando, FL
Tech & Learning Innovative Leader Summit: “Scaling Innovation by Finding & Building External Partnerships,” December 2024, Jersey City, NJ
NCTE 2024: “Artful Idea: Critical Creativity and ELA around the globe,” November 2024, Boston, MA
NYSCATE 2024: “Empathy & Innovation: Nurturing Creative Thinkers in K-12+,” “Steam and Creativity Playground” Stage Speaker, November 2024, Verona, NY
PLACE Training Leader, “Professional Learning in Predeal: Authentic, Contextualized English Teaching,” August 2024, Predeal, Romania
ISTELive 2024: “Basecamp for Creatives” ISTE Playground, speaker and coordinator, “Global Goals, Global Partners: The Power of Virtual Exchanges and Collaboration for SDGs,” June 2024, Denver, CO
ISTE Community Leaders Global Impact Virtual Conference 2024, “English Teaching Resources to Enhance Teaching and Learning,” Online, April 2024
TESOL2024: “Connecting English Teachers Worldwide through Virtual Exchanges for Student Success,” March 2024, Tampa, FLSouth by Southwest EDU 2024 “Creating Critical Creativity: Deeper Thinking for K-12+” March 2024, Austin, TX
South by Southwest EDU 2024 “STEAM Meet Up with the Federal Games Guild!” March 2024, Austin, TX
Educon2024 “The Artist Incognito: Making Art to Inform our Educational Practice” February 2024, Philadelphia, PA
MassCUE 2023 “Creating Global Connections for Teaching and Learning with UMASS Lowell,” Foxboro, MA
South by Southwest EDU2023 “Artful Idea: Critical Creativity & Global Learners,” March 2023, Austin, TX
Tech & Learning 2023 College Park: “Impact of Worldwide Virtual Exchange Programs,” February 2023, College Park, MD
Future of Educational Technology (FETC) 2023, “Digital Badging & Open Educational Resources: Tools for Global Impact,” January 2023, New Orleans, LA
IMSGlobal Digital Curriculum & App Innovation Summit, “Embarking on New Voyages for Teaching and Learning,” November 2022, Baltimore, Maryland
Global Learning for an Online World (GLOW), “Connecting with Global Classrooms: Virtual Exchanges for Critical Thinking and Language Learning,” November 2022, Virtual
Fulbright Teachers Exchanges: Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program “Office of English Language Programs and Materials,” Washington, DC October 2022
“Plot-twist! Now what?! A Creative Playbook for Humans,” MassCUE2022, Foxborough, MA
“Beyond Word Bubbles: Superpowered Virtual Exchange,” SXSWEDU 2022, Austin, TX
“Cultivating Creative Capacity from K12 to Higher Ed,” SXSWEDU 2022, Austin, TX
“Cultivating Creative Capacity K12 to Higher Ed,” ISTE2022, New Orleans, LA
“Comics VX: Creating Comics in Classrooms,” FanExpo Philadelphia, April 2021
“Beyond the Word Bubbles: Critical Thinking & Language Learning Through Comics Creation” ISTELive, 2021, virtual
“Beyond Word Bubbles: Comics & Critical Creativity,” SXSWEDU, Austin, TX March 2020 (Canceled)
“Beyond the Word Bubbles: Critical Thinking & Language Learning through Comics Creation,” ISTE 2020, Anaheim, CA June 2020 (Canceled)
“Beyond the Word Bubbles: Critical Thinking & Language Learning Around the World through Comics Creation” Comics Arts Conference at Comic-Con International, San Diego, CA 2020 (Canceled)
“Panels to Pages: Using Comics to Produce Better Writers” NCTE 2020, Denver, CO (Canceled)
“Beyond the Bubbles: Critical Thinking & ESL Through Comics Creation,” EduCON 2020, Philadelphia, PA, January 2020
Government, Games, and Grants: Meet the Federal Games Guild.” MAGFest. National Harbor, MD. January, 2020.
“Artistic Pedagogy for Literacy Learning,” NCTE, Baltimore, MD, November 2019
“Beyond the Word Bubbles: Critical Thinking & Language Learning through Comics Creation,” MassCUE, Foxborough, MA, October 2019
“Beyond the Word Bubbles: Mega Llama and Ultra Chuy Join the “A” Team of Global Education”, Comic-Con International, San Diego, CA, July 2019
“Online and Blended Learning”, ISTE 2019, Philadelphia, PA June 2019
“Linking Language Education and Public Diplomacy,” SXSWEDU, Austin, TX, March 2019
“Digital Badging and Open Educational Resources: Tools for Global Impact,” Badge Summit, Philadelphia, PA, 2019
“Office of English Language Programs Materials and Resources,” Southern African Region Annual Mid-Year Conference, Limpopo, South Africa, 2017
“English Language Programs and Public Diplomacy,” 4-day course, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2017
“English Language Programs- Teaching Resources for You!” Fulbright English Language Teachers Pre-Departure Orientation, Washington, DC, 2016
“Bridging the Gap: Creating Opportunities for High-Tech Learning in Low-Bandwidth Regions,” TESOL 2014, Portland, OR
“Resources for a Global Audience from the U.S. Department of State,” TESOL 2014, Portland, OR
“English Language Programs Materials and Resources,” American Corners, Moscow, Russia, 2013
“Video games, collaborative activities, and more!” Kalmyk State University, Elista, Russia, 2013
“Creating Virtual Reality Games for the ESL/EFL Classroom,” TESOL, Dallas, TX 2013
“Preparing Teachers to Use Virtual Reality Games in the Classroom,” TESOL, Dallas, TX, 2013
TESOL 2013, Dallas: “Gaming and Language Learning,” TESOL, Dallas, TX, 2013
“Video Games and Language Learning,” Electronic Village, TESOL, Philadelphia, PA, 2012
“Rethinking Facebook,” TESOL, New Orleans, LA, 2011
“Podcasting for EFL Learning,” TESOL, New Orleans, LA, 2011
“Digital_Nation and You: A Movie and Discussion on Digital Learning Today,” Workshop, American Corners, Novi Sad, Serbia, June 2010
“Using Podcasts for Test Preparation,” American Corners, Novi Sad, Serbia, June 2010
“Webquests, Podcasts, and Class Blogs in EFL,” co-presentation with Natasha Jovanovich, Narva, Estonia, May 2010
“Podcasts in EFL Settings,” lecture presentation, Narva, Estonia, May 2010
“Utilizing Web Technologies in EFL Settings,” ELTA National Annual Conference, Belgrade, Serbia, May 2010
“Effective Warm-ups and Closures,” Workshop, Nis, Serbia, April 2010
“Getting to know American Culture,” Workshop, Novi Pazar, Serbia, April 2010
“Using Webcasts, podcasts, and Web 2.0 in English Language Teaching”, Workshop, Belgrade, Serbia, British Council, February 2010
“Podcasts in Adult Education Settings”, Montgomery College, MD, Spring 2009
