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Keynote Speaker
Merlyna Mathieu Valentine
National Speaker, Author, Consultant, Trainer
Merlyna Valentine Consulting, LLC.
Merlyna Mathieu Valentine is a national speaker, author, consultant, trainer, and owner of Merlyna Valentine Consulting, LLC. As a well respected educator for over thirty years, Ms. Valentine served as a teacher, principal, and executive director in a highly successful school district. Her transformational leadership as a school principal resulted in her school’s recognition as a “Top Gains” school. She received numerous awards and commendations such as teacher of the year, principal of the year, and was chosen as the University of New Orleans College of Education and Human Development Alumna of the Year.
Ms. Valentine was featured in several news segments and articles including a spotlight in Ebony Magazine. Internationally distinguished presenter, Dr. Harry K. Wong, showcased her school and leadership in an article on his website and invited Merlyna to present with him. In honor of her story of survival, courage, and hope, Ms. Valentine’s story was featured on the Today Show.
Against overwhelming odds, Ms. Valentine overcame a medical tragedy. Her life was forever changed in 2007 as she was given a less than 10% chance of surviving sepsis. Instead of focusing on what happened and what’s missing from life, she chooses to embrace this new path with a positive attitude. She accepts no excuses and models this in her daily life. Ms. Valentine is living proof that ordinary people do extraordinary things every day.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Sasha Thackaberry, Vice Chancellor
Learning Experience Design Innovation at National University System
She was formerly the Vice President for Online and Continuing Education at Louisiana State University. At LSU, Dr. Thackaberry led fully online programs, support for online and blended courses, and continuing education that encompasses professional development, K-12 and lifelong learning. She built an internal OPM with a stackable, pathway strategy moving from supporting 804 students to over 12,000 across the family of LSU institutions. Previous to her current post, she was the Assistant Vice President for Academic Technology, Course Production and New Learning Models at Southern New Hampshire University. She is the Chair of the Executive Committee for WCET, is the Co-Chair for the Council Chief Online Learning Officers through UPCEA, on the board for Quality Matters, and on the advisory committee for the national CHLOE survey, and is on the 7 Things Advisory Committee for EDUCAUSE.
She has served as a consultant for K-12, community college, non-profit and corporations in instructional design, professional development and elearning ecosystems. She has also held a variety of roles spanning the field of elearning and innovation, including as the Director of eLearning Technologies, Manager of Next Generation Learning and Senior Instructional Designer at Cuyahoga Community College, and as the Online Learning Coordinator at WVIZ/PBS ideastream, a designated edtech agency for the state of Ohio where she ran online programs for professional development of in-service K-12 faculty statewide.
Dr. Thackaberry has published articles in Inside Higher Ed, EDUCAUSE Review, eLearn Magazine, Distance Learning, e-Literate, WCET, evoLLLution, and the League for Innovation’s Learning Abstracts. She is the co-recipient of the 2013 MOOC Award for Excellence through the Open Education Consortium, and a 2010 Innovation of the Year award through the League for Innovation. Sasha holds a PhD in higher education administration with a research focus in Competency-Based Education as well as an MAT from Kent State University. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance is from the University of Akron.
Tuesday, November 30
3:00 – 5:00 pm – Pre-Conference Workshops
2:30 -7:30: Registration Open (will also be open each day)
7:00- pm 8:30 pm Opening Reception
Wednesday, December 1
7:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration Open
7:00 am-8:00 am Exercise & Meditation
8:00 am– 9:00 am Coffee/Continental Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:00 pm Pre-conference Workshops/Optional Sessions
12:00 pm– 1:00 pm Lunch on Your Own
1:00 – 2:30 IFWE Opening, Keynote and Networking
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Afternoon Break
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm Sessions
4:00 pm – 4:45 pm Sessions
6:00 pm – Mobile Roundtables
Evening Optional Networking Activity
Thursday, December 2
7:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration Open
7:00 am – 8:00 am Exercise & Meditation
8:00 am – 9:00 am Coffee/Continental Breakfast
8:00 am – 9:00 am Book Club
9:00 am – 9:45 am Sessions
10:00 am – 10:45 am Sessions
11:00 am – 11:45 am Sessions
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm IFWE Luncheon
1:30 pm – 2:15 pm Sessions (afternoon break included)
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm Network
3:30 pm – 4:15 pm Sessions
4:30 pm – 5:15 pm Sessions
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm IFWE Pajamarama
Friday, December 3
7:00 am – 11:00 am Registration Open
7:00 am – 8:00 am Exercise & Meditation
8:00 – 9:00 Coffee/Lite Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 Sessions
10:30 – 11:30 IFWE Closing Brunch