Meet The Presenters.

Anita is an educational consultant and provides professional development workshops, comprehensive school audits, courses, and ongoing coaching for school leaders and faculty at a number of private international schools with European and American curricula. She previously coordinated special education programs and created gifted education programs at the American School of Bombay, the American School of Doha, and Academia Cotopaxi. Prior to relocating abroad, Anita supported more than a dozen schools in her role as a program specialist in the Los Angeles Unified School District in California.  She has a master's degree in special and gifted education, a K-12 principal’s license, certification as an educational diagnostician, certification as an instructional coach, and she is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. In addition to presenting regularly at regional and worldwide educational conferences, Anita serves as a New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation school visitor, a professional mentor for the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color (AIELOC), an Advisory Board Member of the Parents Alliance for Inclusion, and a Special Education Network & Inclusion Association (SENIA) India Board Member.

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 an international educator with over 15 years of experience supporting students with diverse needs. Currently serving as the Talent and Enrichment Coordinator at The KAUST School in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, Rodnella has provided dynamic learning support in schools across North Carolina, USA; Mumbai, India; and Dubai, UAE. Her work across various grades and content areas, both as a learning support teacher and a high-ability teacher, has given her a unique perspective on teaching and learning.

Chris Stapel is a middle school mathematics teacher at NIST. His 20+ years experience in HAGT education includes teaching and design roles at Johns Hopkins CTY, Duke TIP, and Northwestern CTD. In addition to teaching in the Boston Public Schools, The Blake School, and Pechersk School International, Chris has worked as an education researcher for Challenge Success and University of Kentucky, learning design coach at Global Online Academy, Teacher-in-Residence at Dong Thap University, and professional learning facilitator at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Austin is an open water swimmer, macro and AI photographer, and sushi chef who has always asked too many questions. He has taught Elementary, Middle and High School students about the art of questioning, critical thinking, creativity, impulse control, perseverance, social emotional components, and the beginnings of prompt engineering.

Erin Marsh is the Assistant Activities Director and a PE and health teacher at the International School of Brussels. She is a passionate advocate for inclusion and a self-confessed activities geek! Supported by evidence-based practices, she strives to ensure that all students in co-curricular activities feel a sense of learning membership and creates a safe space for all students to succeed. Erin has a master's degree in Special and Additional Learning Needs and is a PEERS-certified educator.

Dr. Bade-White is a US-trained school psychologist and special educator. She has over 20 years of experience in student support services with specialties in MTSS, testing and assessment, giftedness, SEL, threat procedures, and inclusion, especially for students with the most intensive needs. She has taught at the university level and earned recognition for her work from both the APA and NASP.

Maya Krishnadas is a middle school learning and high-ability coach with 11 years of teaching experience, currently in her 8th year at ASB. She is deeply committed to supporting diverse learners and strongly believes in the power of personalization to meet students' needs. Maya is currently focused on understanding and supporting twice-exceptional students, striving to help them reach their full potential.

Shany Abraham is a Math Learning Specialist in her 7th year at ASB. A passionate advocate for personalized learning pathways, Shany is enthusiastic about creating differentiated classes and enrichment opportunities. She takes a strengths-based approach to teaching, aiming to provide students with meaningful and impactful learning experiences.

Desirée Daring began teaching through Teach for America, while pursuing her masters in Curriculum and Teaching, serving on her district’s Teacher Leadership Cabinet, advocating for teacher voice through TeachPlus and collaborating with her colleagues as an instructional coach. Then Desirée married her love of teaching and traveling by earning two Fulbrights. Desirée has taught in elementary, middle and high school; she is currently a G5 Homeroom teacher, the G5 Team Leader and the ES Math Coordinator at ISB.

Salma Kutbi is a Student Support Teacher at The KAUST School, currently in her third year with the Talent and Enrichment Department. She works in the elementary school, providing talent and enrichment services through both pull-out and push-in groups. Salma collaborates with teachers and administrators to create opportunities that extend and enrich student learning, helping highly capable students thrive academically while supporting their individual needs and interests.

Janelle Meisenheimer is the Lower School PE Head and PE teacher at the International School of Brussels. She has worked at other international schools and also coaches girls soccer. The last couple of years she has presented on "How to Keep Girls in Sports" and is always looking to create ways to make physical activity exciting and relatable to all students.

Neil Dougherty has been teaching elementary school since 2013, with experience at Singapore American School, the American School of Dubai, ICS Addis Ababa, and AIS Lagos. Prior to entering education, Neil was a full-time practicing attorney, a profession he continues to engage with occasionally. In the classroom, Neil combines expertise from both careers to advocate for all learners, fostering their growth and achievement. Most recently, his work has focused on leveraging data and technology in math classes to enhance differentiation and personalization efficiently and effectively.

Lindsey is a passionate educator and educational leader who focuses on learning science and executive functioning to help students to reach their full potential. She believes in the power of teaching students about their own brains in order to develop the strategies and habits that work for them so that they can improve their academic performance with less stress and anxiety.