Keynote Speakers
Opening Keynote Speaker Dr. Rae Niles
Dr. Rae Niles began her career with Sedgwick Public Schools, USD 439 as a classroom teacher and then became the Director of Curriculum and Technology for the district. After more than two decades she left Sedgwick to join Apple, Inc. as the Senior Manager for Apple Professional Learning, leading a team of educators who provided professional development and training to teachers and administrators throughout the United States and abroad.
Following her career with Apple, Niles “fun-tired” in 2022 to start a small antique sampler reproduction business called “Red Barn Samplers” traveling globally to share her passion for the history behind the antique needlework. In 2023, late in the school year, her local school district needed a superintendent. Niles, not one to sit by idly, offered her services if needed, to assist her former school district. The rest, as they say, is history, in July 2023 Niles returned to Sedgwick Public Schools, USD 439 as the school district superintendent where she serves today. Whether in her role as a teacher, district administrator, manager at Apple, Niles or now as superintendent she has always loved helping others achieve their dreams. Her background includes work with the U.S. Department of Education, McNeil Lehrer Group, Follett Education and numerous state and national education organizations. Rae holds multiple degrees including a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Wichita State University. Dr. Rae Niles has presented at numerous events nationally and internationally, sharing both her love of samplers and her passion for children and education. |
Luncheon Keynote Speaker Amelia Earhart
If your parents named you Amelia Earhart, would you learn to fly?
Speaker Amelia Rose Earhart was faced with this exact question… and chose to go all in, completing her private, instrument and commercial flight training with the goal of someday flying all the way around the world- just like the incredible American hero she was named after - Amelia Mary Earhart. In 2014, she completed her goal- circumnavigating the globe along a 28,000 nautical mile route- all in a single-engine aircraft. This modern-day Amelia Earhart says the most important lesson she learned during her journey is that in order to truly succeed, and also grow along the way, we need to learn to love life’s turbulence- by staying agile amidst the storms that inevitably pop up along each of our paths. Amelia has fifteen-years of experience as a helicopter and breaking news reporter in Denver and Los Angeles, has sent numerous teenage girls to flight school during her ten-year stretch as president of the Fly With Amelia Foundation, hosts a tech podcast focused on the future of AI in business, and is now turning her aerial photos into original paintings. She has been invited by Apple Computers, Capital One, Berkshire Hathaway, Lockheed Martin and dozens of other industry leaders to share her story. In her recently published book, Learn to Love the Turbulence: “Flight Lessons” on becoming the pilot in command of your own journey, Amelia shares ways to think like a pilot to move through life with agility and confidence. Her story isn’t all smooth sailing. In fact, it’s going to be a bumpy flight, so keep your seatbelts fastened… |
Agenda and Breakout Sessions
Wednesday, October 9th
Pre-Summit Networking and Social
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Thursday, October 10th
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