The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is hosting the third annual Chicago Booth Education Management Conference, a critical convening of education leaders, practitioners, and graduate students. The Conference is an opportunity for students and practitioners alike to delve into current challenges and exciting trends in education, engage with emerging and ongoing academic research, and apply innovative business management principles to the education space. Through panels, workshops, keynotes, and networking conversations, we seek to create a forum for leaders to connect and transform the education landscape in Chicago and beyond.

Welcome Remarks - Dean Stacey Kole

Keynote Speaker - Timothy Knowles, Founder & Managing Partner of The Academy Group

Lunch will be served during the keynote

Early Childhood Education and the Chicago Landscape

Across disciplines, researchers agree that high quality early education provides the greatest return on investment in reaching and supporting children. Learn from early childhood experts on the impact of early childhood education on children, communities, and society, especially in connection to the Chicago landscape.

Featured speakers:

Christina Hachikian (Moderator) - Executive Director of the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at Chicago Booth

Phyllis Glink - Executive Director of the Irving Harris Foundation

Kelly Lambrinatos - Executive Director and Co-Founder of VOCEL

Elliot Regenstein - Partner at Foresight Law + Policy Advisors, Former SVP at Ounce of Prevention Fund

Funding Change: Cross-Sector Perspectives on Education Funding

How do schools and districts make the most of limited resources? In a crowded funding landscape, how do the most impactful organizations differentiate themselves? Join policymakers, foundations, and investors for a thought-provoking discussion on current trends and challenges with funding in the education space.

Featured speakers:

Caroline Grossman (Moderator) - Director of Programs at the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at Chicago Booth

Ginger Ostro - Executive Director, Advance Illinois

Anna Piepmeyer - Manager of Program Investments, The Chicago Public Education Fund

Adnan Nisar - Partner, The Vistria Group

Lightning Talks: Leadership Lessons from Innovative School Models

How are today's schools solving similar challenges in different ways? How does school leadership drive strategy and what does it take? Top leaders from innovative school networks across the country will share their unique approaches to K-12 education: their school, its strategy, and their leadership experience. These short presentations will be followed by a moderated Q&A.

Featured speakers:

Lisa Rosen (Moderator) - Executive Director, Science of Learning Center at the University of Chicago

Tim King - Founder, President & CEO of Urban Prep Academies

Katie Thaeder - Director of Operations, Leadership Prep Canarsie Middle School Academy - Uncommon Schools

Tim Ligue - Co-Principal, Intrinsic Schools

Workshop in The Art of Making

Makerspaces are surging in popularity as students learn to tinker, build, design, and create innovative projects while building STEAM competencies. Join top leaders in the Chicago makerspace scene for an interactive breakout workshop featuring student designs and creations.

Featured speakers:

Charles Abelmann (Moderator) - Director of The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Louis Coronel - Technology Coordinator at The Laboratory Schools

Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford - Visual Artist, Adjunct Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Thomas Kearns - Founder of Bit Space

To & Through Project Workshop: Using Data to Drive Student Outcomes

The how, what, and why of using data to improve outcomes and opportunities for students is more popular now more than ever in education. Come learn from University of Chicago's To & Through Project on how they make data come to life for educators, policy leaders, and families in this interactive workshop.

Featured speaker:

Alex Seeskin - Director of University of Chicago's To & Through Project

Creating Cultural Capital Through Arts Education

Arts education has the transformative power to not only inspire and ignite creativity, but also level the playing field for children across diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Hear from some of the most prominent leaders in the Chicago arts education scene.

Featured speakers:

Karen Gahl-Mills (Moderator) - CEO & Executive Director of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture in Cleveland, Ohio

Gabrielle Lyon - Vice President of Education & Experiences at the Chicago Architecture Foundation

Paul Sznewajs - Founding Executive Director of Ingenuity

Jacqueline Terrassa - Women's Board Endowed Chair of Museum Education at The Art Institute of Chicago

EdTech: Tools and Best Practices for Teachers and Learners

How are today's students, teachers, and administrators engaging with personalized learning, and other innovative technologies designed to jumpstart the educational experience? Join leaders in the education technology space for a discussion on how edtech tools are being used effectively in classrooms and how schools are scaling tools and best practices.

Featured speakers:

Tim Carnahan (Moderator) - Director of Programs at LEAP Innovations

Abby Ross - Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, ThinkCERCA

Priya Mathew - Vice President of Product and Design at eSpark Learning

Kevin Connors - Founding Director of Personalized Learning at Chicago Public Schools

Christopher Shelton - High School Teacher, Chicago Public Schools

The Economics of Education with Kevin Murphy

Join MacArthur "Genius" Award winner Kevin Murphy for a conversation about trends in returns to education, drivers of inequality, and the challenges it poses for education. Professor Murphy was the first business school professor to be chosen as a MacArthur Fellow and has been teaching at Booth for over 20 years.

Featured speaker:

Kevin Murphy - George L. Stigler Distinguished Service Professor of Economics, UChicago Booth School of Business

Leading College Access

Students from low-income communities, many of whom are first generation and students of color, must overcome systemic barriers to quality, affordable college education and degree completion. Join a conversation with Chicago networks that support students in college access, attainment, and persistence.

Featured speakers:

Chris Broughton (Moderator) - Executive Director of Bottom Line Chicago

Sarah Berghorst - Executive Director of One Goal Chicago

Matt Niksch - Chief College Officer at Noble Charter School Network

Abel Ochoa - Director of The University of Chicago Collegiate Scholars Program

Envisioning the Future Classroom

We'll explore the possibilities of Virtual and Augmented Reality in the classroom setting. The goal is to explore what has been achieved so far in this area, the success stories of both panelists and audience members, and where this industry is headed in the future.

Featured speakers:

Andrew Johnson (Moderator) - Associate Professor of Computer Science at University of Illinois Chicago

Josh Farkas - CEO of Cubicle Ninjas

Adam Rummelhart - Microsoft Learning Consultant

Adam Wisniewski - CEO of EX3 Labs

Letters to My Younger Self: Reflections from Education Trailblazers

What does it take to become an education trailblazer? Come learn from the best! We've asked our panelists to write a one-page letter to their younger self, reflecting on what they wish they had known, their trials and triumphs, and advice to emerging leaders in the education sector. A guided Q&A session will follow.

Featured speakers:

Simone Santiago (Moderator) - Former Director of Strategic Planning for the Noble Network of Charter Schools

Daniel Anello - CEO, New Schools for Chicago

Carmita Semaan - Founder & CEO, Surge Institute

Abigayil Joseph - Chief of Staff to the Board of Education, City of Chicago