AACTE Spotlight Sessions

Friday, February 20

10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Global Roots, Shared Futures: AACTE, ICET, and the Evolving Landscape of International Teacher Preparation

For many decades, AACTE and the International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) have advanced a shared vision: that teacher education is central to building just, democratic, and globally connected societies. This session revisits the rich history between AACTE and ICET, highlighting their collaboration in shaping international standards for teacher preparation and global education leadership.

Join distinguished education leaders as they explore how global partnerships continue to inform educator preparation, research, and policy—and what’s next for teacher education in an increasingly interconnected world.

Moderator:

• Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D., President and CEO, AACTE

Presenters:

• David Imig, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; Professor of Practice, UMD, College Park and former AACTE President & ICET leader
• Carol Gentles, Ph.D., Chair, ICET Board of Directors; University of the West Indies, Jamaica

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3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Say What You Mean: A Leadership Communications Workshop for Deans and Institutional Leaders

This 60-minute spotlight session helps academic deans and institutional leaders take an honest look at how well-positioned they are to lead and sustain strategic communications that serve their mission, strengthen trust, and increase impact.

Led by Danielle Kristine Toussaint, founder and CEO of Purple Haus, the session is grounded in their Say What You Mean framework and its five essential principles for communicating with clarity, courage, and conviction when the stakes are highest.

Participants will examine their personal leadership voice, assess institutional narrative readiness, and reflect on the structure and capacity of their communications function. Through guided discussion and rapid reflection, each leader will identify one actionable priority or conversation to take back to their team — ensuring that what they learn translates into meaningful movement.

Presenter:

• Danielle Toussaint, M.S.Ed., Founder and CEO, Purple Haus

Saturday, February 21

10:15 – 11:15 a.m. An Introduction to the National Center for School-University Partnerships at the University of Mississippi

Presenter:

• David Rock, Ed.D., Dean, School of Education, University of Mississippi

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1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Building Capacity: A Community of Practice Model for Literacy Faculty

Experience first-hand a community of practice for literacy professors that fosters peer learning, shared problem-solving, and professional growth grounded in the science of reading. Explore a curated set of resouces and learning tasks that can be integrated into your coursework to teach candidates about evidence-based literacy instruction. Take a peek behind the scenes at how our seven-week community of practice for professors around the country was developed and reflect on how this type of learning experience can be used in your own institutions to strengthen faculty expertise and program impact

Presenters:

• Seema Tejura, Managing Director, The Literacy Architects
• Caitlin Deckard, M.Ed, Science of Reading Specialist, The Literacy Architects
• Karen Betz, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Literacy & Director of Reading Science Programs, Marian University, Indianapolis

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3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Between Tradition and Transformation: Leading with Purpose in Uncertain Times

It is undeniably difficult, if not almost impossible, to lead with purpose in these uncertain times as we simultaneously strive to remain true to our educational values and philosophies and uplift and inspire colleagues. Emerging and veteran academic leaders are encountering situations where staying the course seems as impossible as moving forward. And our work exists in an era where a drive toward innovation seems insatiable while fiduciary stability has been compromised. Yet, as leaders, our preparation for our work in the academy was focused initially on our disciplines, steeped in teaching, research, and service, which prepared us for the foundation of working at our colleges and universities. But the foundation of colleges and universities is being traumatized during this politized era. Our core ideals and social-emotional boundaries have been tested beyond what we may have envisioned our academic endeavors to be and our leadership development to become.

Being a leader in the academy means that we must be consistent with our words, behaviors, and actions. Our values, beliefs, and goals as leaders stimulate us to be reliable, trustworthy, responsive, inclusive, compassionate, and accountable in our work. These attributes are critical as we advocate and support our faculty, staff, students, administrators, and our larger educational communities both internal and external to our institutions.

Moderators:

• Jane S. Bray, Ed.D., Dean (Retired) Darden College of Education and Professional Studies and Executive Coach, Academic Impressions, Old Dominion University (Retired.)
• Anne E. Larson, Ph.D., Dean and Professor, College of Arts, Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences (CAHESS), Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Panelists:

• Wanda Blanchett, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Urban Teacher Education Learning & Teaching, Rutgers University
• Monika Shealey, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Education and Human Development and former AACTE Board Chair, Temple University
• Michael Dantley, Ph.D., Dean Emeritus, Miami University of Ohio