Agenda

The EdExec Summit agenda delivers a 360-degree view of the “Executive Playbook,” tailored for the core functional leaders driving your business: Leadership, Sales & Marketing, Partnerships, and Product Development. Each interactive roundtable is co-facilitated by a district administrator and an industry expert, deep-diving into five critical pillars: Sales, Marketing, Privacy & Security, Research, and Pilot Programs.​​​​​​​

Thursday, September 10

Friday, September 11

Name Speakers
08:00 AM - 09:00 AM (CDT)
Breakfast On Your Own 
09:00 AM - 09:50 AM (CDT)
Panel: State of the Education Market: What to Expect in 2026 and BeyondJim McVety Todd Brekhus Chad Johnson Rohan Wadhwa
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM (CDT): The Complex District Sales Cycle
[LEADERSHIP] Navigating the Post-ESSER MarketTodd Brekhus Dr. Rochelle Clark Dewayne McClary
[SALES] Strategies to Engage All K-12 Buyers and InfluencersKrynica Drake Geri Gillespy Kara Thorstenson
[MARKETING] Evidence as Lead GenR.J. Gravel Chad Stevens Laurie Fiorenza
[PARTNERSHIPS] Aligning Your Channel Partners and Internal Sales TeamsLiz Crawford Matthew Montgomery Mikkel Storaasli
[PRODUCT DEVELOPMEN] Ensuring Interoperability & Easy ImplementationBerj Akian Joe Ayala
Data Sprawl: Systemic Cybersecurity & AI Risk in K-12 EcosystemsRandi Economou Robert Iskander
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM (CDT): Privacy, Cybersecurity & Governance
[LEADERSHIP] The Trust Factor: Balancing innovation while ensuring data privacyJeff Carlson Rachel Hazel
[SALES] The Security Vetting Hurdle: How to proactively pass district safety requirements to prevent stalled dealsJon Castelhano Dwight Levens Tammy Wincup
[MARKETING] Trust as a Brand AnchorChantell Manahan Mary Jane Warden
[PARTNERSHIPS]  Avoiding the Third-Party Partner Data LeakJohn Armstrong Randi Economou
[PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT] Privacy by DesignMatt Winters Stephanie Cizdyn
12:00 PM - 13:00 PM (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT)
Lunch & Panel Discussion: The AI Paradigm Shift: Hype vs. Market RealityMatt Winters Geri Gillespy Caleb Hicks Arman Jaffer Nathaniel Zenner
13:00 PM - 13:50 PM (1:00 PM - 1:50 PM CDT): The "Evidence" Imperative
[LEADERSHIP] Funding & Prioritizing Independent Research Richard Charles Hank Thiele
[SALES] Moving from "Feature-Benefit" to "Outcome-Based" SalesTrina Reaves Brittany Miller
[MARKETING] Turning Academic Research Into Digestible Marketing MessagingDwight Levens Thomas Rodgers
[PARTNERSHIPS] Co-Branded Research & ValidationsBill Bass Dr. Amy Jackson Nathaniel Zenner
[PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT] Connecting Product Usage to Student AchievementJon Castelhano Dr. Rochelle Clark
14:00 PM - 14:50 PM (2:00 PM - 2:50 PM CDT): Marketing Trends
[LEADERSHIP] Growth through TrustRachel Hazel Grenita Lathan Tyson Smith
[SALES] Leading Sales Through District-Community PartnershipsSuzan Brandt Geri Gillespy
[MARKETING] GEO & AI-First DiscoveryChantell Manahan
[PARTNERSHIPS] The Micro-Influencer & Educator NetworkJoe Ayala Paula Reed
[PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT] Product-Led Growth Jon Castelhano Caleb Hicks
15:00 PM - 15:50 PM (3:00 PM - 3:50 PM CDT): From Pilot to Enterprise
[LEADERSHIP] Surviving the Tech Stack Consolidation WaveR.J. Gravel Hank Thiele Lisa O'Masta
[SALES]  Avoiding Year Two ChurnLaurie Fiorenza Trina Reaves
[MARKETING] Customer Evidence as Sales EnablementChantell Manahan Mary Jane Warden
[PARTNERSHIPS] Expansion through Ecosystem IntegrationJohn Armstrong Chris Hull
[PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT] Designing User Experience (UX) That Drives ExpansionBill Bass Krynica Drake Trevor Minton
16:00 PM - 16:50 PM (4:00 PM - 4:50 PM CDT)
Final Reflections: The District Leader's ViewGregory Bagby Grenita Lathan Dwight Levens Terri Webb Dr. Rochelle Clark Hank Thiele

“Tech & Learning’s EdExec Summit wasn’t just another conference. It’s part of a movement. I walked away with more than connections. I left with clarity, community, and conviction."  
Brandy Washington, former District Director-Special Education Compliance Support, Houston ISD