Meet The Presenters.

Anita is an educational consultant and founder of the HAGT Learners Collaborative. She currently coordinates the High Ability Program at the American School of Bombay and conducts professional development workshops, courses, and ongoing coaching at a number of private international schools with European and American curricula. She previously created and coordinated special and gifted education programs at the American School of Doha and at Academia Cotopaxi. She also worked as a program specialist in the Los Angeles Unified School District in California, supporting 16 schools. She has a master's degree in special and gifted education, a K-12 principal’s license, and certification as an educational diagnostician. Her published writing includes The 3 E’s of Authentic Parent Partnership for Gifted Students (article, the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) and Ability Grouping ≠ Tracking (blog post, HAGT) and she serves as a professional mentor for the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color (AIELOC).

Ms. Cynthia Hogwood’s life began as a gifted and talented student, so it’s no surprise that she has a passion for Gifted Education. She spent several years as the Gifted and Talented Coordinator at the Anglo-American School of Moscow, both creating and implementing the school's initial programming; she is also a high school IB English teacher, having taught the IB Switzerland (Leysin American School), Russia (AAS Moscow), and the Philippines (International School of Manila). Cindi has a master's degree in Educational Leadership and Cultural Studies from the University of Houston and advocates for all learners, whether she is the classroom teacher or the specialist, and she looks forward to developing her understanding of how to accommodate and differentiate for gifted and talented students in whatever role she holds.

Dr. Selena Gallagher is a founding member of the High Ability/Gifted & Talented Learners Collaborative and has steered several international schools through the process of designing and implementing deliberate provision for highly able learners. She currently teaches at Cairo American College and previously served as the school’s Challenge and Enrichment Specialist. She has also co-authored a guidebook for international schools on highly able learners, and is a contributing editor for the Springer International Handbook of Giftedness and Talent Development in the Asia-Pacific.

Rodnella Turner is the Talent and Enrichment Coordinator at The KAUST School in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. She has worked in schools in North Carolina, Mumbai, and Dubai as a learning support teacher, co-teacher and high ability teacher. She has received her Masters degree in special education and has a graduate certification in gifted education. She has presented to faculty and parents in various settings about the nature and needs of gifted learners, as well as identification practices and differentiation methods.

Dr. Kristofor Wiley is an Associate Professor of Education at James Madison University in the United States, where he directs and teaches in the endorsement sequence in gifted education. His current scholarship examines the cultural assumptions encoded in gifted education systems, as well as the role of intercultural experience in teacher training and practice. Before earning his doctorate, he taught for six years with a full-time program for middle school students identified as gifted.

Austin is a photographer, sushi chef, juggler, and open-water swimmer who enjoys playing all types of games with his friends and family. Teaching people to think in different ways is his purpose for being an educator. He is a Middle and High School Gifted Education Specialist Teacher in Bogota, Colombia with a dynamic, high-energy teaching style. His workshops are interactive, thought-provoking, and include immediate takeaways and practical applications to add to your professional tool kits. Austin has always asked too many questions. He currently teaches Middle and High School students about the art of questioning, critical thinking, research, and the beginnings of prompt engineering.

Chandra Poole is an educator with over twenty years of experience. She has designed and delivered instruction to diverse populations in four countries. She is currently a language arts and social studies teacher at the American School of Bombay. In addition, she delivers professional development on DEIJ topics to teachers and school leaders.

Chandra is an experienced progressive educator with over twenty years of experience, seeking to create and maintain environments that facilitate global awareness, creativity, equity, empathy, and creativity. She has designed and delivered instruction to diverse populations in four countries. She is currently a language arts and social studies teacher at the American School of Bombay. In addition, she delivers professional development on DEIJ topics to teachers and school leaders. When she is not teaching or facilitating a workshop, she can be found reading a book or watching floating clouds.

Priscilla’s background is in fully inclusive special education and psychology. Professionally, her focus has been on all things student support. She takes great pride in understanding learners and has extensive experience in evaluations for giftedness and twice exceptionalities. To this end, the whole child is the heart of all she does and why she has focused on SEL and MH for the past decade. Personally, she is happily married, and has kids and rescue cats.

Seth Jaeger, EdD is an IB instructor at Rabat American School in Rabat, Morocco and is the former Coordinator of Gifted & Talented Programs at Colegio Nueva Granada in Bogota, Colombia. He is the current delegate to the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (WCGTC) for Colombia and has been a past board member of the Gifted Association of Missouri (GAM). Seth is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Ukraine 04-06) and was in a touring 80's tribute band before making the move to Colombia.

Kristopher Velez, more commonly known as Linus, has been an avid gamer, tinkerer, maker, and programmer since childhood. Previously a video game developer, Linus fell in love with education while teaching game development to students at iD Tech Camps. Since then, his career has been laser-focused on supporting students to find and develop capacities within their interests, develop flexible and adaptable mindsets, and pursue passions in hands-on learning with technology.

Desirée Daring, a native New Yorker, started her professional teaching career through Teach for America (grade 6 math), while earning her masters in Curriculum and Teaching, serving on her district’s Teacher Leadership Cabinet, advocating for teacher voice through her TeachPlus fellowship and partnering with her colleagues as an instructional coach. Then Desirée married her love of teaching and traveling by earning two teaching Fulbrights. To date, Desirée has taught in elementary, middle and high school.

Salma is an elementary HA Program intern that has been working in the Talent and Enrichment program for the last 2 years at The Kaust School. She has a background in special education and early childhood development and has been teaching for 5 years. Her main focus is engaging in math pull-out groups and actively collaborating with students and teachers to increase highly able student engagement.

As the Student Support Director at American International School Lagos, Stacy spearheads the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) implementation, ensuring a holistic approach to student success. With a focus on inclusivity, she leads the integration of Highly Able services into the school’s MTSS framework, recognizing the diverse needs of every learner. Committed to fostering an environment where all students thrive, Stacy leverages her expertise to create a comprehensive support system that addresses academic, social, and emotional growth for each individual within the AISL community.

Neil is a fifth-grade teacher at the American International School of Lagos. He has eight years of education experience at Singapore American School, ICS Addis Ababa, and American International School of Lagos. Neil is passionate about collaborating to advance math education for highly-abled students. He is currently working on program implementation and creating dynamic learning experiences to support all learners. Neil is also a practicing lawyer, adding an extra dimension to his advocacy for the success of every student.

Cassandra combines her roles as a seasoned Physical Education teacher, Strength and Conditioning coach, and recreational athlete to educate athletes about their distinct female physiology. With a rich background in physical education and sport, Cassandra strives to bridge the knowledge gap. She ardently believes that informed athletes and their support systems foster peak performance and holistic well-being. Through her experience and passions, she champions accessible education, ensuring every athlete receives tailored guidance. Cassandra strives to empower athletes to optimize their training, navigate physiological nuances, and thrive in their pursuits with resilience and knowledge.

Fran is a dynamic professional with a background in sports science and a leadership role in physical education. Her passion lies in advocating for female health across all life stages, and she remains dedicated to staying abreast of the latest research in the field. Committed to continuous learning, Fran actively engages with advancements in female health and physiology, ensuring that her knowledge is current and relevant. As a proactive educator, she strives to empower female students by disseminating the latest scientific findings, aiming to optimize their well-being through informed choices and a comprehensive understanding of their physiological needs.