DA Staff

DA 100 education influencers: Jennifer Valoppi

The former Emmy-winning news anchor and author has channeled her passion for education into her Women of Tomorrow program, in which accomplished professional women mentor at-risk female high school students.

DA 100 education influencers: Kate Koch & Courtney Orzel

The duo behind “Unsupervised Leadership,” a keynote presentation theme and podcast that seeks to demonstrate how new-age leadership can instill stability, confidence and professionalism in a constantly evolving educational landscape.

DA 100 education influencers: Mary Elizabeth Davis

Davis is the new superintendent of Cherokee County School District in Canton, Georgia. She was formerly superintendent of Henry County Schools, where she oversaw an 11-point growth in state accountability measures.

DA 100 education influencers: Michael Nagler

Professor emeritus of Classics and Comparative Literature at UC Berkeley, Nagler has spoken and written widely for campus, religious, public and special interest groups on the subject of peace and nonviolence.

DA 100 education influencers: Joseph Gothard

Superintendent of Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, Gothard was named the 2024 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year and the 2024 National Superintendent of the Year by AASA, The Superintendent Association.

DA 100 education influencers: Eric Sheninger

CEO of Aspire Change EDU, keynote speaker and author, Sheninger has worked with thousands of schools to develop innovative and practical ways to transform teaching and lead more effectively.

DA 100 education influencers: Joe Sanfelippo

Keynote speaker and author Sanfelippo is a retired 12-year superintendent was who helps school districts, boards and principals reshape their narratives and unlock their potential though community relationships.

DA 100 education influencers: William Robinson

Executive director of the University of Virginia Partnership for Leaders in Education, Robinson has helped countless school systems and school leaders advance research-proven practices conducive to stronger student outcomes while exploring new frontiers for future systems change.

DA 100 education influencers: Thomas Murray

Director of innovation for Future Ready Schools (All 4 Ed), Murray has dedicated the last 10 years to helping school districts apply evidence-based practices that result in student-centered learning environments. 

DA 100 education influencers: Laura McBain

McBain is the managing director of the K12 Lab at Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, which seeks to remove opportunity gaps in elementary and secondary education by creating more equitable models and sharing design approaches with students and educators.

DA 100 education influencers: Stanley Litow

A professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, Litow once served as the deputy schools chancellor for the New York City Public School System. He’s authored several books, including Breaking Barriers: How P-TECH Schools Create a Pathway From High School to College to Career.

DA 100 education influencers: Carl Hooker

An educational speaker and consultant with more than 25 years of teaching experience, Hooker was director of innovation and digital learning for the Eanes Independent School District for more than 12 years, spearheading an initiative that put iPads into the hands of all K12 students in the district.

DA 100 education influencers: Michael Fullan

The co-leader of the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning global initiative, which works alongside educators to transform the role of teachers to that of activators of learning. Fullan has also authored several books.

DA 100 education influencers: Dan Fitzpatrick

An international keynote speaker and author of the bestselling book, The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education, Fitzpatrick works with schools, colleges, universities and businesses.

DA 100 education influencers: Julia Freeland Fisher

Julia Freeland Fisher is the director of education at the Clayton Christensen Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank where she leads a team of researchers to uncover the effects of disruptive innovation on education.