I haven’t updated my speaking calendar on this website in a while, but between getting snowed in with the record storm last weekend, and the sheer anticipation of meeting and learning from amazing people around the world over the next few weeks, I’m excited to share a few upcoming events. Some of my most fulfilling projects have come out of chance encounters between like-minded people at professional events (face-to-face ones as well as virtual exchanges), so here are a few of the next batch I’ll be participating in. Please reach out to me if you’ll be there, too!

I’ll be a presenter during the Tuesday morning IGNITE session on How Student-driven, Global Collaboration Fosters Authentic Learning. This will be a particularly interesting conference for me, as daughter #3 has recently switched from public middle school to an independent, all-girls’ school. I’ll also be on the lookout for great stories to tell in upcoming publications. Do you have one??

About 150 “rock star” teachers and their district or school administrators from across the U.S. will gather for a few days of professional development to build global competency. This programs helps transform teaching and learning through targeted training, an international field experience, and global collaboration. Teachers: look into this program and apply next year! Free travel, PD, motivation! A terrific example of tax dollars put to outstanding use.

I attended the recent NYC IAWF leadership conference and am honored to participate along with an outstanding line-up of Iranian-American women who have excelled in all fields. I wish anyone with a lingering doubt or prejudice about how this immigrant community might impact their adopted country could be there to see this for themselves!

It’s great to periodically go to high-profile events, but my favorite thing of all is getting to spend a day with students, staff and parents. These are usually schools whose leaders recognize how vital global competency is for all students, and who build that into their school climate marked by empathy, respect, curiosity and a celebration of diversity. I’ll do a combination of all-school assemblies with the students, workshops for teachers and smaller group coaching sessions, and we might be able to squeeze in an evening talk or a daytime coffee with parents who want to raise global citizens. It’s gratifying to know that even just a day working with large and small groups within a school can have lasting impact. A brief story about a recent school visit to Chattanooga, TN is linked here.

At SXSWEDU I’ll lead a Featured Core Conversation on Students as Global Entrepreneurs Thru 3 Big Pivots (revolving around the recent research on World Class Learners with Yong Zhao, Emily McCarren, Kay Tucker and Gabriel Rshaid) and at SXSWi, Amanda Enayati and I will explore How Abundance Thinking Can Transform Your Career. This isn’t just exciting because I adore Amanda, her writing and thinking, but we will be launching the public conversation of an idea we’ve been developing that has the potential to transform the way we see our work and our daily interactions.

Feeling blessed, excited…