Featured Speakers
Donny Piercy
Donnie Piercey is the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year and teaches fifth grade in Lexington, Kentucky. After graduating from Asbury College and earning his master's from Auburn Montgomery, he has been teaching at a public school in Kentucky since 2007. Donnie specializes in using technology to promote student inquiry, learning, and engagement.
Over 20+ years of teaching, these interests have given him the unique chance to represent Kentucky and his students around the world. He was invited to the White House to meet with the President in 2021. He co-hosts The Partial Credit Podcast, a podcast for educators. He was the recipient of a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship to Antarctica, and he also represents Kentucky on the inaugural National Geographic Teacher Advisory Council. He was the first North American lead for the Google Earth Education Experts Network, and he was the first teacher in Kentucky to become both a Google Certified Innovator and a Google Certified Trainer. In 2017, he co-authored The Google Cardboard Book: Explore, Engage, and Educate with Virtual Reality based on virtual experiences he created for his students.
Donnie's recent work in AI and Edu has not gone unnoticed, earning him multiple appearances on Good Morning America, the Associated Press, and PBS. His book, "50 Strategies for Using AI in the Classroom," published by Teacher Created Materials, is written for educators looking for practical classroom approaches to using AI to revolutionize their teaching methods and enrich their students' learning experiences.
Donnie has been invited to keynote and present at conferences and schools in thirty-three states and on five continents. The Bluegrass always calls him home, however, and he regularly leads professional development at school districts around the state.
Dr. Rochelle Dené Poth
Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher of Spanish and STEAM: Emerging Technology. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Doctorate in Instructional Technology. Rachelle's focus was on the need for professional development for educators, specific to Artificial Intelligence. Rachelle specializes in Artificial Intelligence, AI and the Law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, and STEM. She has more than 8 years of experience teaching and presenting on AI in her classroom, as well as working with educators worldwide.
Rachelle is currently serving as the Grant Coach for an initiative through ISTE+ASCD and Pinterest. Rachelle works with a Task Force from 12 districts in the United States and assists with policy revision, professional development, and the design of digital wellness resources for students, educators, and families.
Rachelle provides professional development related to AI policy and implementation to school districts, universities, and organizations. She also presents and provides keynotes on AI at state, national, and international events and in schools. Rachelle also provides AI training for other industries, including business, healthcare, and legal fields.
Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and recipient of the ISTE Making IT Happen Award and several Presidential Awards for volunteer service to education. Rachelle received the EdTech Trendsetter Award from EdTech Digest in 2024 and 2026.
She is the author of ten books, including "What the Tech? An Educator's Guide to AI, AR/VR, the Metaverse and More! and "How to Teach AI: Weaving Strategies and Activities Into Any Content Area." She has written curricula and courses on AI for all levels.
She is also a blogger for Defined Learning, EdTech K!2 Magazine, Edutopia Getting Smart, and Tech&Learning. She is the host of the ThriveinEDU podcast, ISTE's Learning Unleashed podcast, and The Lift by Amazon on BAM Radio Network.
Tisha Richmond
Tisha Richmond is a high school Culinary Arts teacher, author, podcast host, and Canva Specialist from Southern Oregon with 30 years of experience in Career & Technical Education. Her career has spanned both the classroom and district-level leadership as a Tech Integration Specialist, giving her a unique perspective on the power of creativity, innovation, and meaningful learning. She is passionate about helping educators create joyful, playful, and engaging experiences that spark curiosity and empower every learner.
She is the author of Make Learning MAGICAL and The Magical CTE Classroom, co-author of the EduProtocol Companion Guide, and co-author of the children’s book Dragon Smart, written with her son, Tommy. Across her classroom, books, podcast, and professional learning, Tisha inspires educators to reimagine learning through joy, creativity, gamification, and meaningful student experiences.
Tisha’s work has been recognized with the Medford School District Golden Pear Secondary Teacher Award and the Henry Ford Innovation Nation Educator Award, where she was named the national first-place winner in 2018.
At the heart of Tisha’s work is a simple belief: learning should be more than something students do; it should be something they experience, remember, and carry with them. Her mission is to help educators create joyful, inclusive, and unforgettable learning experiences that empower every student to thrive and discover the magic in learning.
Books:
Dr. John Spencer
Dr. John Spencer is a former middle school teacher and current university professor on a quest to see teachers unleash the creative potential in all of their students so that kids can be makers, designers, artists, and engineers. He regularly explores research, interviews educators, deconstructs systems, and studies real-world examples of design thinking in action. He shares these insights in books, blog posts, journal articles, free resources, animated videos, and podcasts.
He is the author of Vintage Innovation and the co-author of the best-selling books Launch and Empower. As a full-time professor, Spencer focuses his research on deeper learning in an era of frequent change.