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    Conference registration is open now for the annual Spring Learning & the Brain conference in New York City held at the Sheraton NY Times Square April 16 - 18, 2026.   

    This conference will be run as a hybrid conference.  Whether you attend in-person or remotely, recordings will be available for 45 days after the conference.
    Download Brochure
    Due to the proximity of the event, we are no longer able to accept payment via purchase order for this program. Late registration is still available using credit card. Please contact Kristin Dunay, [email protected], if you have any questions. 
    Teaching Executive Skills

    IMPROVING EXECUTIVE SKILLS FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS

    Students’ executive function skills have declined since the pandemic. Researchers, including MIT Cognitive Neuroscientist Nancy Tsai in her 2024 Working Paper, have found that student executive functioning has worsened across all grades and demographics due to the pandemic slump, especially in memory and “flexible thinking” skills. Yet, research shows these cognitive abilities are the master keys to success—predicting everything from kindergarten readiness and academic performance to better adult health and higher socioeconomic status. 

    This important interdisciplinary conference will decode the science of the brain's “Traffic Control Center”, exploring the crucial interconnecting links between cognitive control, emotions, memory, attention, ADHD, and achievement. Discover breakthrough interventions and evidence-based strategies—leveraging neuroscience, exercise, games, play, AI, and Apps—to powerfully boost student sustained attention, emotion regulation, cognitive control, and flexible thinking. Learn how to develop executive skills and create thinking, self-regulated writers and readers in the classroom.

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    You will gain knowledge about:
    Using brain science to maximize memory and attention
    Ways experience, exercise, and play shape executive skills
    Strategies to support executive function in PreK-12 classrooms
    How the brain organizes and completes tasks and reaches goals
    Training the brain to improve EF skills with games, AI, VR, and Apps
    Teens, technology, healthy emotional development, and self-regulation
    Ways to declutter brains and boost focus despite stress and distractions
    Strategies to manage cognitive load and empower emotion regulation
    Promoting flexible thinking and adapting to struggle and challenges
    The Science of Reading and developing self-regulated writers

    WHO SHOULD ATTEND

    Educators, Parents
    Curriculum, Staff Developers
    Speech-Language Pathologists
    PreK-12 Teachers, Administrators
    Psychologists, School Psychologists
    Learning, Special Needs Professionals
    Behavior, ADHD, Anxiety Counselors/Staff
    Superintendents, Principals, School Heads
    Reading, Writing, Technology Teachers
    Social Workers, School Counselors
    College, University Professors

    Featured Speakers

    Memory Is More Than Retrieval: What the Science of Learning Is Not Telling You
    David B. Daniel, PhD, Conference Chair
    David B. Daniel, PhD, Conference Chair
    Professor Emeritus of Psychology, James Madison University; Former Executive Director and Founding Board Member, International Mind, Brain, and Education Society; Former Managing Editor, Mind, Brain, and Education Journal; Recognized in the “Top 1% of Educational Researchers Influencing Public Debate” in the US; Co-Author, “Toward an Ecological Science of Teaching” (2021, Canadian Psychology), “Seeing Self and Others On-Screen Does Not Negatively Impact Learning in Virtual Classrooms” (2021, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology), and “E-Textbooks at What Cost? Performance and Use of Electronic v. Print Texts” (2013, Computers and Education)
    Executive Function: How Your Brain Gets Things Done
    David T. Badre, PhD
    David T. Badre, PhD
    Associate Professor, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University; Affiliate, Carney Institute for Brain Science; Member of the Editorial Boards for Psychological Science, Cognitive Science, Behavioral Neuroscience, and eLife; Recipient of several awards, including an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship in Neuroscience, the James S. McDonnell Scholar Award in Understanding Human Cognition, and the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Young Investigator Award; Author, On Task: How Our Brain Gets Things Done (2022); Co-Author, “The Value of Proactive Goal Setting and Choice in 3-To 7-Year-Olds' Use Of Working Memory Gating Strategies in a Naturalistic Task” (2021, Developmental Science) and “Neural Systems Underlying the Learning of Cognitive Effort Costs” (2021, Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience)
    Advances in Understanding How Experience Shapes Executive Function Skills
    Sabine Doebel, PhD
    Sabine Doebel, PhD
    Assistant Professor of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, George Mason University; Author, “Rethinking Executive Function Development” (2020, Perspectives on Psychological Science)
    Engaging Brain Networks: The Developmental Power of Transcendent, Emotional Thinking in the Teenage Brain
    Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD
    Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD
    Director, USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE); Professor of Education, USC Rossier School of Education; Professor of Psychology, Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California; Author, Emotions, Learning, and the Brain: Exploring the Educational Implications of Affective Neuroscience (2015); Co-Author, “Nurturing Nature: How Brain Development Is Inherently Social and Emotional, and What This Means for Education” (2025, Social and Emotional Learning), “Growing the Adolescent Mind: Thinking That Ranges From the Here and Now to the Far Away and Beyond May Build Brains and Enhance Life” (2025, Scientific American), and “Default and Executive Networks’ Roles in Diverse Adolescents’ Emotionally Engaged Construal’s of Complex Social Issues” (2022, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience)
    The Science of Emotion Regulation
    Ethan F. Kross, PhD
    Ethan F. Kross, PhD
    Neuroscientist; Director, Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory; Professor, Department of Psychology and Ross School of Business, University of Michigan; Faculty Affiliate, University of Michigan's Center for Culture, Mind, and Brain; Author, Shift: Managing Your Emotions--So They Don't Manage You (2024), Chatter: The Workbook (Forthcoming), and Chatter: The Voices in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It (2021); Co-Author, "Managing Emotions in Everyday Life: Why a Toolbox of Strategies Matters" (2025, Emotion), "Harnessing Placebo Effects to Regulate Emotions" (2024, Handbook of Emotion Regulation), and "Smarter, Not Harder: A Toolbox Approach to Enhancing Self-Control" (2020, Policy Insights From the Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
    Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning
    Natalie L. Wexler, JD
    Natalie L. Wexler, JD
    Education Writer; Contributor, Substack Newsletter, "Minding the Gap"; Author, "Reading Comprehension Studies Can Mislead Us About What Works" (2026, Minding the Gap), Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning (2025), and The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System—And How to Fix It (2019); Co-Author, The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades (2017)
    Rise Above: Empowering Your Mind, Your Emotions, and Your Life
    Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD
    Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD
    Cognitive and Humanistic Psychologist; Founder and Director, Center for Human Potential; Professor, Columbia University; Honorary Principal Fellow, Center for Wellbeing Science, University of Melbourne; Former Scientific Director, The Imagination Institute, University of Pennsylvania; Host of the #1 Psychology Podcast, The Psychology Podcast, with over 30 million downloads; Columnist, “Beautiful Minds,” Scientific American; Author, Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself, and Realize Your Full Potential (2025), Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization (2020), Twice Exceptional (2018), and Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined (2015); Co-Author, Learned Helplessness (2020), Choose Growth: A Workbook for Transcending Trauma, Fear, and Self-Doubt (2022), Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind (2016), and “Imagination Is the Seed of Creativity” (2018, The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity) 
    Executive Brains: Connecting Anxiety, ADHD, and Emotion Regulation
    Tracey I. Marks, MD
    Tracey I. Marks, MD
    Licensed Psychiatrist; Owner, Marks Psychiatry And Forensic Services; Member, American Academy of Psychiatry And The Law, American Psychiatric Association; Author, Why Am I So Anxious? Powerful Tools for Recognizing Anxiety and Restoring Your Peace (2022), Bipolar Basics: Unpacking the Nuances and Understanding Solutions (2021), and Master Your Sleep – Proven Methods Simplified (2011); Co-Author, "Legal, Ethical and Clinical Implications of Prescribing Involuntary, Life-Threatening Treatment: The Case of the Sunshine Kid" (2003, Journal of Forensic Sciences)
    The Astonishing Effects of Exercise for Your Brain
    Wendy A. Suzuki, PhD
    Wendy A. Suzuki, PhD
    Dean, College of Arts and Science; Award-Winning Professor of Neural Science and Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University; Popular TEDTalk presenter with over 65 million views; Recently named "One of the Top 10 Women Changing the Way We See the World" by Good Housekeeping; Author of the Internationally best-selling book, Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion (2021), and Anxiety Is Your Superpower (2020); Co-Author, "Adapting a Neuroscience High School Curriculum to Support Inclusive Online Learning" (2023, Toward Inclusive Learning Design: Social Justice, Equity, and Community), "Exercise to Enhance Mental Health" (2022, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience), and Happy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better (2016)
    Decluttering Our Students' Minds in an Age of Stress, Distractions, and Change
    Deborah Gilboa, MD (aka "Dr. G")
    Deborah Gilboa, MD (aka "Dr. G")
    Family Medicine Attending Physician, Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill Health Center; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Founder of AskDoctorG.com; Resilience, Change, and Youth Development Expert; National Advisory Board, United States AntiDoping Agency; Board of Directors, Cybersmile Foundation; Author, From Stressed to Resilient: The Guide to Handle More and Feel It Less (2022), Get the Behavior You Want... Without Being the Parent You Hate! (2014), Teach Responsibility: Empower Kids With Great Work Ethic (2013), Teach Respect: That's My Kid (2013), and Teaching Resilience: Raising Kids Who Can Launch (2012)
    Everyday Genius: Boost Your Memory, Focus, and Problem Solving
    Nelson C. Dellis, BS
    Nelson C. Dellis, BS
    Founder and CEO, Climb For Memory; Six Time USA Memory Champion; Alzheimer's Disease Activist; American Memory Athlete and Consultant; Co-Founder, Memory League; Author, Everyday Genius: Hacks to Boost Your Memory, Focus, Problem-Solving, and Much More (Forthcoming), Memory Superpowers!: An Adventurous Guide to Remembering What You Don't Want to Forget (2020), and Remember It!: The Names of People You Meet, All of Your Passwords, Where You Left Your Keys, and Everything Else You Tend to Forget (2018)
    Active Playful Learning: How the Brain Really Learns
    Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, PhD
    Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, PhD
    Unidel H. Rodney Sharp Chair and Professor, School of Education; Joint Appointments in the Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware; Co-Director, Child's Play, Learning, and Development Laboratory; Co-Author, Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice (2022), "Active Learning: 'Hands-on' Meets 'Minds-on'" (2021, Science), “Brain Science and Guided Play” (2019, Serious Fun: How Guided Play Extends Learning), Becoming Brilliant (2016), Play = Learning (2009), and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool (2008)
    Active Playful Learning: How the Brain Really Learns
    Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD
    Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD
    Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Faculty Fellow; Department of Psychology, Temple University; Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Fellow, Cognitive Science Society, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, and American Educational Research Association; Co-Director, Child's Play, Learning, and Development Laboratory; Co-Author, Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice (2022), “Active Learning: “Hands-on” Meets “Minds-on” (2021, Science), “Play Could Help Reduce ‘COVID-19’ Slump in Learning” (2020, Child & Family Blog), “Cognitive Behavioral Science Behind the Value of Play: Leveraging Everyday Experiences to Promote Play, Learning, and Positive Interactions” (2020, Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy), Becoming Brilliant (2016), Play = Learning (2009), and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool (2008)

    1) EXECUTIVE BRAINS: LINKING COGNITIVE CONTROL, EMOTION, & EXPERIENCE

    Advances in Understanding How Experience Shapes Executive Function Skills
    Sabine Doebel, PhD
    Sabine Doebel, PhD
    Assistant Professor of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, George Mason University; Author, “Rethinking Executive Function Development” (2020, Perspectives on Psychological Science)
    Executive Function: How Your Brain Gets Things Done
    David T. Badre, PhD
    David T. Badre, PhD
    Associate Professor, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University; Affiliate, Carney Institute for Brain Science; Member of the Editorial Boards for Psychological Science, Cognitive Science, Behavioral Neuroscience, and eLife; Recipient of several awards, including an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship in Neuroscience, the James S. McDonnell Scholar Award in Understanding Human Cognition, and the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Young Investigator Award; Author, On Task: How Our Brain Gets Things Done (2022); Co-Author, “The Value of Proactive Goal Setting and Choice in 3-To 7-Year-Olds' Use Of Working Memory Gating Strategies in a Naturalistic Task” (2021, Developmental Science) and “Neural Systems Underlying the Learning of Cognitive Effort Costs” (2021, Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience)
    Engaging Brain Networks: The Developmental Power of Transcendent, Emotional Thinking in the Teenage Brain
    Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD
    Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, EdD
    Director, USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE); Professor of Education, USC Rossier School of Education; Professor of Psychology, Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California; Author, Emotions, Learning, and the Brain: Exploring the Educational Implications of Affective Neuroscience (2015); Co-Author, “Nurturing Nature: How Brain Development Is Inherently Social and Emotional, and What This Means for Education” (2025, Social and Emotional Learning), “Growing the Adolescent Mind: Thinking That Ranges From the Here and Now to the Far Away and Beyond May Build Brains and Enhance Life” (2025, Scientific American), and “Default and Executive Networks’ Roles in Diverse Adolescents’ Emotionally Engaged Construal’s of Complex Social Issues” (2022, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience)
    From Brain Science to Classroom Design: What Executive Function Research Really Means for Teaching
    Dirk M.S. Van Damme, PhD
    Dirk M.S. Van Damme, PhD
    International Educational Consultant; Senior Research Fellow, Center for Curriculum Redesign; President, DVD Educonsult; Former Head of the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation and Head of the Skills Centre, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Expert in the Science of Learning and Executive Function; Co-Author, “Executive Functions: Conceptual Framework and Relevance for Education” (2025, CCR) and Educational Research and Innovation Open Educational Resources (2015); Co-Editor, “Developing Minds in the Digital Age: Towards A Science of Learning for 21st Century Education” (2019, OECD)
    Supporting Executive Function in the Classroom
    Allison S. Posey, MEd
    Allison S. Posey, MEd
    International Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Leader; Instructional Designer, MIT, Learning Solutions; Former Science Teacher; Former Teaching Fellow, Mind, Brain, and Education Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Author, Engage the Brain: How to Design for Learning That Taps into the Power of Emotions (2018) and “How to Support the Emotional Link to Learning” (2018, ASCD Express); Co-Author, Unlearning: Change Your Beliefs and Your Classroom With UDL (2020) 
    Executive Functions for Every Classroom (Grades K-3)
    Sarah Oberle, EdD
    Sarah Oberle, EdD
    Teacher, Red Clay Consolidated School District; Advisory Board Member, Digital Promise: Learner Variability Navigator; Committee Member, Professional Development and Associated Compensation, Delaware Department of Education; Co-Author, Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom (Forthcoming)
    Executive Functions for Every Classroom (Grades 3-12)
    Mitch J. Weathers, BA
    Mitch J. Weathers, BA

    CEO/President, Organized Binder; Former High School Science Teacher and Chair; Former Adjunct Professor, Dominican University of California; Advisor, TeachBoost; Advisor, The Odyssey Initiative; Author, Executive Functions for Every Classroom, Grades 3-12 (2024); Co-Author, Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom (2026)

    Executive Function as a Developmental Path - What It Means and Why It Matters
    Mark Bertin, MD
    Mark Bertin, MD
    Developmental Pediatrician; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Public Health, New York Medical College; Faculty Member, Windward Teacher Training Institute; Board Member of APSARD (the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders); Contributor, Psychology Today; Editorial Board, Additude Magazine, Common Sense Media, and Reach Out and Read; Medical and Educational Consultant; Author, How Children Thrive: The Practical Science of Raising Independent, Resilient, and Happy Kids (2018), Mindful Parenting for ADHD (2015), and The Family ADHD Solution (2011); Co-Author, Mindfulness and Self-Compassion for Teen ADHD (2021)
    Executive Functions for Every Learner: Building Inclusive, School-Wide Support for Every Teacher and Every Student
    Glenn Whitman, MALS
    Glenn Whitman, MALS
    History Teacher; Dreyfuss Family Director, Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning; Co-Designer, NeuroTeach Global, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School; Co-Author, Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education (2016); Co-Editor, Think Differently and Deeply; who leads a team that focuses on the translation of the most promising research and strategies in the Science of Learning into instructional and student school experience design
    Kristin A. Simmers, MS, MEd
    Kristin A. Simmers, MS, MEd
    Director of Cognition and Learning at the Forman School; PhD Candidate in Learning Sciences at the University of Connecticut; Teacher with 20 years of experience from Kindergarten to Graduate School, who works with educators around the world, bridging research and practice.
    Hacking the Neuroscience of Change: How to Lead Mission Driven Professionals Out of Overwhelm, Frustration and Stress
    Deborah Gilboa, MD (aka "Dr. G")
    Deborah Gilboa, MD (aka "Dr. G")
    Family Medicine Attending Physician, Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill Health Center; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Founder of AskDoctorG.com; Resilience, Change, and Youth Development Expert; National Advisory Board, United States AntiDoping Agency; Board of Directors, Cybersmile Foundation; Author, From Stressed to Resilient: The Guide to Handle More and Feel It Less (2022), Get the Behavior You Want... Without Being the Parent You Hate! (2014), Teach Responsibility: Empower Kids With Great Work Ethic (2013), Teach Respect: That's My Kid (2013), and Teaching Resilience: Raising Kids Who Can Launch (2012)
    Empowering School Leaders for Change
    Alexa Sorden, EdD
    Alexa Sorden, EdD

    Founding Principal of the top ranking Leaders of Excellence, Advocacy, and Discovery (LEAD) School in the Bronx; Teacher; Reading Specialist; Administrator; Recipient of the 2017 Ryan Award for "Transformative School Leader" and the 2020 National Center for Urban School's Award for "Transformation for Best Urban School"; Selected as the 2018 Cahn Fellows Program for Distinguished Principals at Teachers College, Columbia University; Former Common Core Fellow at the NYC Department of Education

    2) REGULATED BRAINS: EMPOWERING EMOTION REGULATION FOR LEARNING

    The Science of Emotion Regulation
    Ethan F. Kross, PhD
    Ethan F. Kross, PhD
    Neuroscientist; Director, Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory; Professor, Department of Psychology and Ross School of Business, University of Michigan; Faculty Affiliate, University of Michigan's Center for Culture, Mind, and Brain; Author, Shift: Managing Your Emotions--So They Don't Manage You (2024), Chatter: The Workbook (Forthcoming), and Chatter: The Voices in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It (2021); Co-Author, "Managing Emotions in Everyday Life: Why a Toolbox of Strategies Matters" (2025, Emotion), "Harnessing Placebo Effects to Regulate Emotions" (2024, Handbook of Emotion Regulation), and "Smarter, Not Harder: A Toolbox Approach to Enhancing Self-Control" (2020, Policy Insights From the Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
    Executive Brains: Connecting Anxiety, ADHD, and Emotion Regulation
    Tracey I. Marks, MD
    Tracey I. Marks, MD
    Licensed Psychiatrist; Owner, Marks Psychiatry And Forensic Services; Member, American Academy of Psychiatry And The Law, American Psychiatric Association; Author, Why Am I So Anxious? Powerful Tools for Recognizing Anxiety and Restoring Your Peace (2022), Bipolar Basics: Unpacking the Nuances and Understanding Solutions (2021), and Master Your Sleep – Proven Methods Simplified (2011); Co-Author, "Legal, Ethical and Clinical Implications of Prescribing Involuntary, Life-Threatening Treatment: The Case of the Sunshine Kid" (2003, Journal of Forensic Sciences)
    Rise Above: Empowering Your Mind, Your Emotions, and Your Life
    Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD
    Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD
    Cognitive and Humanistic Psychologist; Founder and Director, Center for Human Potential; Professor, Columbia University; Honorary Principal Fellow, Center for Wellbeing Science, University of Melbourne; Former Scientific Director, The Imagination Institute, University of Pennsylvania; Host of the #1 Psychology Podcast, The Psychology Podcast, with over 30 million downloads; Columnist, “Beautiful Minds,” Scientific American; Author, Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself, and Realize Your Full Potential (2025), Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization (2020), Twice Exceptional (2018), and Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined (2015); Co-Author, Learned Helplessness (2020), Choose Growth: A Workbook for Transcending Trauma, Fear, and Self-Doubt (2022), Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind (2016), and “Imagination Is the Seed of Creativity” (2018, The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity) 
    Influence of Digital Technology on Youth Emotion Regulation - Promoting Healthy Development in a World of Digital Disruption
    Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary, PhD
    Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary, PhD
    Director, Emotion Regulation Lab; Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Hunter College, City University of New York; Consultant, NYC Department of Education; Advisor to the digital wellness organization, National Day of Unplugging; Author, Future Tense: Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad) (2022); Co-Author, “Living in a Digital World: Understanding the Development of Adolescent Emotional Adjustment in the Context of Digital Technologies” (2024, American Psychological Association), “Neural Signatures of Child Cognitive Emotion Regulation Are Bolstered by Parental Social Regulation in Two Cultures” (2019, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience), and “Stress and Emotion Regulation” (2019, The Oxford Handbook of Stress and Mental Health)
    ADHD and Building Emotion Regulation Skills in Children
    Mark Bertin, MD
    Mark Bertin, MD
    Developmental Pediatrician; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Public Health, New York Medical College; Faculty Member, Windward Teacher Training Institute; Board Member of APSARD (the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders); Contributor, Psychology Today; Editorial Board, Additude Magazine, Common Sense Media, and Reach Out and Read; Medical and Educational Consultant; Author, How Children Thrive: The Practical Science of Raising Independent, Resilient, and Happy Kids (2018), Mindful Parenting for ADHD (2015), and The Family ADHD Solution (2011); Co-Author, Mindfulness and Self-Compassion for Teen ADHD (2021)
    Anxiety and Executive Dysfunction in Teens with ADHD
    Roberto Olivardia, PhD
    Roberto Olivardia, PhD
    Licensed Psychologist; Lecturer on Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Clinical Associate in Psychology, McLean Hospital, who specializes in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), executive functioning issues, and learning differences; Member of Decoding Dyslexia – Massachusetts; the International OCD Foundation, International Dyslexia Association, Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association, and the American Association of Suicidology; Author, “Am I Depressed? Symptoms of Depression and ADHD, Untangled” (2025, Additude); Co-Author, The Adonis Complex (2000)
    Self-Regulation of Learning
    Daniel T. Willingham, PhD
    Daniel T. Willingham, PhD
    Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Virginia; Writer, “Ask the Cognitive Scientist” Column, American Educator; Author, Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy (2023), Why Don’t Students Like School? (2021, 2nd Edition), "Harnessing Curiosity: Curate What You Can't Control" (2021, GettingSmart), and "Make Students More Curious" (2014, Knowledge Quest)
    Practical Strategies for Building Emotional Regulation and Resilience in Youth
    Caren Baruch-Feldman, PhD
    Caren Baruch-Feldman, PhD
    Clinical Psychologist; School Psychologist; Fellow and Supervisor, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy; Author, The Happiness Workbook for Kids (Forthcoming), The Resilience Workbook for Kids: Fun CBT Activities to Help You Bounce Back From Stress and Grow From Challenges (2022) and The Grit Guide for Teens: A Workbook to Help You Build Perseverance, Self-Control, and a Growth Mindset (2017)
    Strategies and Tools for Self-Regulation in the Classroom
    Richard M. Cash, EdD
    Richard M. Cash, EdD
    International Speaker, Educator, and Consultant; Former Director of Gifted Programs; Author, Strategies and Tools for Self-Regulation in the Classroom: Boost Student Focus and Meet Learning Goals (2025), “Enhancing Social-Emotional Learning With Self-Regulation for Learning” (2019, Free Spirit Publishing Blog), Advancing Differentiation: Thinking and Learning for the 21st Century (2017), and Self-Regulation in the Classroom: Helping Students Learn How to Learn (2016); Co-Author, Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics (2013)

    3) TRAINING BRAINS: STRENGTHENING EF SKILLS WITH PLAY, EXERCISE, AI, & APPS

    The Astonishing Effects of Exercise for Your Brain
    Wendy A. Suzuki, PhD
    Wendy A. Suzuki, PhD
    Dean, College of Arts and Science; Award-Winning Professor of Neural Science and Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University; Popular TEDTalk presenter with over 65 million views; Recently named "One of the Top 10 Women Changing the Way We See the World" by Good Housekeeping; Author of the Internationally best-selling book, Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion (2021), and Anxiety Is Your Superpower (2020); Co-Author, "Adapting a Neuroscience High School Curriculum to Support Inclusive Online Learning" (2023, Toward Inclusive Learning Design: Social Justice, Equity, and Community), "Exercise to Enhance Mental Health" (2022, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience), and Happy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better (2016)
    Executive Function + Embodied Cognition: A Wholistic Approach for Enhancing Memory and Learning
    Mariale M. Hardiman, EdD
    Mariale M. Hardiman, EdD
    Co-Founder and Director, Neuro-Education Initiative; Professor, School of Education, Johns Hopkins University; Author, Brain-Targeted Teaching: A Framework for Joyful Teaching and Leading (2025), Connecting Brain Research With Effective Teaching: The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model (2003), “The Arts, Creativity, and Learning: From Research to Practice” (2019, Mobile Brain-Body Imaging and the Neuroscience of Art, Innovation and Creativity), and “The Effects of Arts-Integrated Instruction on Memory for Science Content” (2019, Trends in Neuroscience and Education)
    Training the Brain: Can Cognitive Training, Apps, and Games Improve Focus, Working Memory, and Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents?
    Susanne M. Jaeggi, PhD
    Susanne M. Jaeggi, PhD
    Co-Director, Brain Game Center for Mental Fitness and Well-Being, Center for Cognitive and Brain Health; Professor, College of Science, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, College of Arts, Media, and Design, Northeastern University; Professor and Fellow, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine; Co-Author, “Cognitive Interventions Targeting Executive Functions: How Do They Impact Prefrontal Circuits?” (2024, The Frontal Cortex: Organization, Networks, and Function), “The Relation Between Effortful Control and Executive Function Training in Preschoolers” (2024, Experimental Child Psychology), “Action Video Game Play Facilitates ‘Learning to Learn’” (2021, Communication Biology), and “Video Gaming and Working Memory” (2019, Computers in Human Behavior)
    Active Playful Learning: How the Brain Really Learns
    Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD
    Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD
    Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Faculty Fellow; Department of Psychology, Temple University; Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Fellow, Cognitive Science Society, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, and American Educational Research Association; Co-Director, Child's Play, Learning, and Development Laboratory; Co-Author, Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice (2022), “Active Learning: “Hands-on” Meets “Minds-on” (2021, Science), “Play Could Help Reduce ‘COVID-19’ Slump in Learning” (2020, Child & Family Blog), “Cognitive Behavioral Science Behind the Value of Play: Leveraging Everyday Experiences to Promote Play, Learning, and Positive Interactions” (2020, Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy), Becoming Brilliant (2016), Play = Learning (2009), and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool (2008)
    Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, PhD
    Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, PhD
    Unidel H. Rodney Sharp Chair and Professor, School of Education; Joint Appointments in the Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware; Co-Director, Child's Play, Learning, and Development Laboratory; Co-Author, Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice (2022), "Active Learning: 'Hands-on' Meets 'Minds-on'" (2021, Science), “Brain Science and Guided Play” (2019, Serious Fun: How Guided Play Extends Learning), Becoming Brilliant (2016), Play = Learning (2009), and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool (2008)

    4) FOCUSED BRAINS: SUSTAINING ATTENTION DESPITE DISTRACTIONS & STRESS

    Decluttering Our Students' Minds in an Age of Stress, Distractions, and Change
    Deborah Gilboa, MD (aka "Dr. G")
    Deborah Gilboa, MD (aka "Dr. G")
    Family Medicine Attending Physician, Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill Health Center; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Founder of AskDoctorG.com; Resilience, Change, and Youth Development Expert; National Advisory Board, United States AntiDoping Agency; Board of Directors, Cybersmile Foundation; Author, From Stressed to Resilient: The Guide to Handle More and Feel It Less (2022), Get the Behavior You Want... Without Being the Parent You Hate! (2014), Teach Responsibility: Empower Kids With Great Work Ethic (2013), Teach Respect: That's My Kid (2013), and Teaching Resilience: Raising Kids Who Can Launch (2012)
    Focused Minds: Connecting Attention, Long-Term Memory, and Emotion
    Monica D. Rosenberg, PhD
    Monica D. Rosenberg, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Chicago; Principal Investigator, Cognition, Attention, and Brain Lab; Member of the Neuroscience Institute, Committee on Computational Neuroscience, Committee on Neurobiology, and the Institute for Mind and Biology; Author, “A Temporal Hierarchy of Sustained Attention Dynamics” (2025, Current Directions in Psychological Science); Co-Author, “Sustained Attentional State Is a Floodlight, Not A Spotlight” (2025, Experimental Psychology: General) and “High Performers Demonstrate Greater Neural Synchrony Than Low Performers Across Behavioral Domains” (2024, Imaging Neuroscience)
    Do I Have Your Attention?: Strategies to Improve Attention and Memory in Any Classroom
    Grace Dearborn, MA
    Grace Dearborn, MA
    Executive Director, Conscious Teaching, LLC; Education Consultant; Instructional Coach; Award-Winning Teacher; Professional Development Coordinator; Served in schools as a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Coordinator, Literacy Coach, Curriculum Specialist, and Mentor Teacher; Co-Author, Yeah, But What About This Kid? Tier 3 Behavior Interventions That Work (2019), Conscious Classroom Management: Unlocking the Secrets of Great Teaching (2016, 2nd Edition), and Picture This: Visuals and Rubrics to Teach Procedures, Save Your Voice, and Love Your Students (2011)
    Helping Students Pay Attention
    Daniel T. Willingham, PhD
    Daniel T. Willingham, PhD
    Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Virginia; Writer, “Ask the Cognitive Scientist” Column, American Educator; Author, Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy (2023), Why Don’t Students Like School? (2021, 2nd Edition), "Harnessing Curiosity: Curate What You Can't Control" (2021, GettingSmart), and "Make Students More Curious" (2014, Knowledge Quest)
    The Science of Learning: How Memory Is Connected to Attention, Cognitive Load, and Struggle
    John T. Almarode, PhD
    John T. Almarode, PhD
    Professor of Education, James Madison University; Co-Editor, Teacher Educator Journal; Co-Author, The Mathematics Playbook (2024), The Teacher Clarity Playbook, Grades K-12 (2024), The Early Childhood Education Playbook (2022), How Tutoring Works: Six Steps to Grow Motivation and Accelerate Student Learning (2021), How Learning Works (2021), Clarity for Learning (2018), From Snorkelers to Scuba Divers: Making the Elementary Science Classroom a Place of Engagement and Deep Learning (2017), Visible Learning for Science (2017), and Captivate, Activate, and Invigorate the Student Brain in Science and Math, Grades 6–12 (2013)

    5) FORGETFUL BRAINS: BOOSTING MEMORY THROUGH TRAINING & EMOTIONS

    Everyday Genius: Boost Your Memory, Focus, and Problem Solving
    Nelson C. Dellis, BS
    Nelson C. Dellis, BS
    Founder and CEO, Climb For Memory; Six Time USA Memory Champion; Alzheimer's Disease Activist; American Memory Athlete and Consultant; Co-Founder, Memory League; Author, Everyday Genius: Hacks to Boost Your Memory, Focus, Problem-Solving, and Much More (Forthcoming), Memory Superpowers!: An Adventurous Guide to Remembering What You Don't Want to Forget (2020), and Remember It!: The Names of People You Meet, All of Your Passwords, Where You Left Your Keys, and Everything Else You Tend to Forget (2018)
    Memory Is More Than Retrieval: What the Science of Learning Is Not Telling You
    David B. Daniel, PhD, Conference Chair
    David B. Daniel, PhD, Conference Chair
    Professor Emeritus of Psychology, James Madison University; Former Executive Director and Founding Board Member, International Mind, Brain, and Education Society; Former Managing Editor, Mind, Brain, and Education Journal; Recognized in the “Top 1% of Educational Researchers Influencing Public Debate” in the US; Co-Author, “Toward an Ecological Science of Teaching” (2021, Canadian Psychology), “Seeing Self and Others On-Screen Does Not Negatively Impact Learning in Virtual Classrooms” (2021, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology), and “E-Textbooks at What Cost? Performance and Use of Electronic v. Print Texts” (2013, Computers and Education)
    Improving Memory: Benefits of Emotions, Novelty, and Reward Motivation
    Lila Davachi, PhD
    Lila Davachi, PhD
    Professor of Psychology; Director, Davachi Memory Lab, Columbia University; Co-Principal Investigator of the “Optimizing Memory Using Neural Information” Project; Recognized with the prestigious “Young Investigator” Award from the Cognitive Neuroscience Society in 2009; Co-Author, “The Impact of Mnemonic Prediction Errors on Episodic Memory: A Lifespan Study” (2025, Developmental Psychology), “Temporal Interactions Between Neural Proxies for Memory Recall, Negative Affect, and Emotion Regulation in Major Depression” (2025, Biological Psychiatry), “Weak and Strong Memories Are Equally Reactivated During Counterfactual Learning, but Only Weak Memories Are Modified” (2025, OSF)
    The Science of Why We Forget and Remember: Connecting Memory, Emotions, and Training
    Elizabeth Kensinger, PhD
    Elizabeth Kensinger, PhD
    Professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College; Member, Rising Stars Committee, Association for Psychological Science; Nominations Committee, Psychonomic Society; Consulting Editor, Memory and Cognition; Co-Author, “Different Effects of Emotional Valence on Overt Attention and Recognition Memory” (2025, Cognition and Emotion), Emotional Memory (2024), Why We Forget and How to Remember Better: The Science Behind Memory (2023), and “The Power of Negative and Positive Episodic Memory” (2022, Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience)
    Supporting Students With Working Memory Challenges
    Margaret (Peg) Dawson, EdD, NCSP
    Margaret (Peg) Dawson, EdD, NCSP
    School Psychologist; Former Co-Director, Center for Learning and Attention Disorders, Seacoast Mental Health Center; Past President of both the National Association of School Psychologists and the International School Psychology Association; Recipient of NASP’s “Lifetime Achievement” Award in 2006 and the International School Psychology Association's “Distinguished Services” Award in 2010; Co-Author, Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Children Reach Their Potential (2024, 2nd Edition), Coaching Students With Executive Skill Challenges (2023), Executive Function Skills in the Classroom (2022), Smart but Scattered Teens (2012), and Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide to Assessment and Intervention (2003)
    Scientific Approaches to Maximize Memory and Learning in the Classroom
    Susanne M. Jaeggi, PhD
    Susanne M. Jaeggi, PhD
    Co-Director, Brain Game Center for Mental Fitness and Well-Being, Center for Cognitive and Brain Health; Professor, College of Science, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, College of Arts, Media, and Design, Northeastern University; Professor and Fellow, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine; Co-Author, “Cognitive Interventions Targeting Executive Functions: How Do They Impact Prefrontal Circuits?” (2024, The Frontal Cortex: Organization, Networks, and Function), “The Relation Between Effortful Control and Executive Function Training in Preschoolers” (2024, Experimental Child Psychology), “Action Video Game Play Facilitates ‘Learning to Learn’” (2021, Communication Biology), and “Video Gaming and Working Memory” (2019, Computers in Human Behavior)
    Consolidate Learning and Thinking by Asking — and Answering — the Right Questions
    Andrew C. Watson, MEd, MA
    Andrew C. Watson, MEd, MA

    Classroom Teacher; Founder/President of Translate the Brain, a professional development consultancy; Author, The Goldilocks Map: A Classroom Teacher’s Quest to Evaluate ‘Brain-Based’ Teaching Advice (2021), Learning Grows: The Science of Motivation for the Classroom Teacher (2019), and Learning Begins: A Teacher's Guide to the Learning Brain (2017); Blogger, Learning & the Brain Blog

    The Science of Memory and Learning
    Nistha Dube, MS Candidate
    Nistha Dube, MS Candidate

    Neuroscience & Education MS Candidate from Columbia University; Co-host, Learning & The Brain Podcast, Research Intern at Harvard Human Flourishing Program, Educational Consultant, whose mission is to empower individuals to cultivate intentionality and purpose in their everyday lives; Featured on Business Insider; TEDx and Keynote Speaker, whose long-term vision is to bring self-discovery techniques to schools so that youth are better equipped with techniques for developing self-awareness and making intentional decisions for their future; Author, Beyond the Skin (2021), "Test-focused Education Detrimental to Student Mental Health" (2017, CollegiateTimes)

    6) THOUGHTFUL BRAINS: CONNECTING THINKING, READING, & REGULATING

    Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning
    Natalie L. Wexler, JD
    Natalie L. Wexler, JD
    Education Writer; Contributor, Substack Newsletter, "Minding the Gap"; Author, "Reading Comprehension Studies Can Mislead Us About What Works" (2026, Minding the Gap), Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning (2025), and The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System—And How to Fix It (2019); Co-Author, The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades (2017)
    Bring the Science of Writing Alive in Your Classroom
    Leslie E. Laud, EdD
    Leslie E. Laud, EdD
    Consultant; Founding Director, thinkSRSD; Pre-Service Faculty Member, Evidence-Based Writing Instruction, Teachers College, Columbia University; Teacher, Self-Regulated Strategy Development for Writing, Bank Street College; Collaborator, WELL Team, Massachusetts General Hospital; Author, Executive Skills and Writing Instruction (2025); Co-Author, Releasing Readers: Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching Close Reading (2024), Releasing Writers: Evidence-Based Strategies for Developing Self-Regulated Writers (2020), and Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Middle School Literacy Instruction (2012)
    The Chicken and the Egg: Leveraging a Metacognitive Approach to Executive Function
    Benjamin N. Powers, DBA
    Benjamin N. Powers, DBA
    Director, Global Literacy Hub, Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine; Senior Scientist, Haskins Laboratories; Executive Director, The Southport School; Founder, The Southport CoLAB; Executive Director, The Dyslexia Foundation; Research Associate Professor, University of Connecticut; Technical Advisor, National Center on Improving Literacy; Honorary Board Member, Smart Kids with LD (SKLD); Author, “Students With Learning Differences Need Supports and Outspoken Champions” (2023, ADDitude) and “5 Steps To Help Students With Reading-Based Learning Differences” (2023, eSchool)
    The Courage to Learn and Adapt to Challenges: Creating Risk-Ready Classrooms
    Douglas B. Fisher, PhD
    Douglas B. Fisher, PhD

    Chair, Department of Educational Leadership, San Diego State University; Classroom Teacher, Health Sciences High and Middle College; Co-Author, Microlearning in the K–12 Classroom: Short Bursts of Instruction for Breakthrough Understanding (2026), The Engagement by Design Playbook: Creating Learning Environments Where Students Thrive (2026), The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers That Make Learning More Engaging (2025, 2nd Edition), Rigor Unveiled (2025), Teaching Students to Drive Their Learning (2023), and Confronting the Crisis in Engagement (2022)

    Rethinking Cognitive Load Theory
    Jan L. Plass, PhD
    Jan L. Plass, PhD
    Director, CREATE Lab; Co-Director, Games for Learning Institute; Professor, Educational Communication and Technology, Paulette Goddard Chair in Digital Media and Learning Sciences, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University; Co-Author, “The Future of Personalized Learning With AI” (2025, Learning and Individual Differences), Rethinking Cognitive Load Theory (2025), and “Individualization in Cognitive Skills Training: Essential or Superfluous? Examining the Effectiveness of an Adaptive Game for Training Executive Functions in Young Adults” (2024, Learning and Individual Differences)
    How Writing Instruction Can Revolutionize Education
    Natalie L. Wexler, JD
    Natalie L. Wexler, JD
    Education Writer; Contributor, Substack Newsletter, "Minding the Gap"; Author, "Reading Comprehension Studies Can Mislead Us About What Works" (2026, Minding the Gap), Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning (2025), and The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System—And How to Fix It (2019); Co-Author, The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades (2017)
    Executive Function and Reading Challenges: Integrating Clinical, Educational, and Cognitive Neuroscience Insights
    Joanna A. Christodoulou, EdD
    Joanna A. Christodoulou, EdD
    Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions; Adjunct Lecturer, Harvard Medical School; Adjunct Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Research Affiliate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Director, Brain, Education, and Mind (BEAM) Lab; 2014 Winner of the "Transforming Education Through Neuroscience" Award from the Learning & the Brain Foundation and the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society; Co-Author, "Timing Matters: Leveraging Temporal Contexts for Interpreting Reading Progress" (2026, Mind, Brain & Education) and "Dissociating Executive Function and ADHD Influences on Reading Ability in Children with Dyslexia" (2022, Cortex)

    Co-Sponsors Include:

    Neuroscience and Education Program, Teachers College, Columbia University
    Mindful Education Lab New York University
    School Development Program, Yale University
    The Neuro-Education Initiative, Johns Hopkins Graduate School of Education
    National Association for Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
    National Association for Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
    LEARNING & the BRAIN® Foundation