Previous Conference Keynotes
At ALCSS, we pride ourselves on offering and delivering a day of high quality professional development to our member. As part of that dedication, we search for national level speakers to share inspiration and offer thoughtful insights into education. Many also share motivational stories and ready to use lessons. Check out some of our speakers from the past three years.
2018 Dr. Lawrence Paska, Executive Director
Dr. Lawrence Paska is the Executive Director of the National Council for the Social Studies. He began his appointment in October 2016. Dr. Paska’s professional experience has provided him with in-depth, multi-level, critical understandings of K-12 education and state education systems. He began his career as a middle school social studies teacher and later served in multiple roles at the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Among his contributions at NYSED were serving as a P-12 state social studies specialist and establishing the Office of Educational Design and Technology in P-12 Education. Most recently, Dr. Paska served as the Director of Professional Development for the Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), where he and his team provided instructional programs and services for 32 public school districts in the greater New York City region, supported data-driven instruction, developed instructional leadership seminars, and were instrumental in implementing the NYS K-12 Social Studies Framework.
Within the NCSS community, Dr. Paska has served as the 2015-16 President of the New York State Council for the Social Studies, and as the NCSS House of Delegates Chair of the Resolutions Committee. Dr. Paska is an experienced manager, facilitator and presenter whose professional vision is anchored in collaborative leadership and constructivist teaching. He has taught social studies education methods at the university level and holds permanent 7-12 social studies education and school district administrator certifications in the state of New York. He earned a B.A. in History and an M.A.T. in Social Studies from Union College (NY) and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University at Albany (NY).
Within the NCSS community, Dr. Paska has served as the 2015-16 President of the New York State Council for the Social Studies, and as the NCSS House of Delegates Chair of the Resolutions Committee. Dr. Paska is an experienced manager, facilitator and presenter whose professional vision is anchored in collaborative leadership and constructivist teaching. He has taught social studies education methods at the university level and holds permanent 7-12 social studies education and school district administrator certifications in the state of New York. He earned a B.A. in History and an M.A.T. in Social Studies from Union College (NY) and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University at Albany (NY).
2017 Dr. Jada Kohlmeier, Professor, Auburn University
Dr. Jada Kohlmeier, Auburn University, will share a philosophy and classroom examples of using social problems to organize inquiry experiences in 7-12 grade classrooms. In her presentation, she will explain the purpose and importance of disciplined inquiry in preparing citizens for a pluralistic democracy. She will provide anecdotal and video-case examples from the Persistent Issues in History Network of teachers and students in 7-12 grade classes using this approach to inquiry. She will highlight ways problem-based inquiry engages and supports students in investigating, debating, and deciding social issues with multiple perspectives.
Dr. Jada Kohlmeieris a Professor of social science education at Auburn University. She is the Associate Director of the Persistent Issues in History Network, which is a professional development network of teachers focused on problem-based historical inquiry. During the past 14 years, she has co-directed several Lesson Study professional development projects with Dr. John Saye. They worked with the entire history faculty at Auburn Junior High for three years. The teachers appreciated the experience so much, it has continued every summer. She assisted Dr. Saye with a Teaching American History Grant project called Plowing Freedom’s Ground from 2010-2013 which conducted lesson study with 30 teachers in five districts. Most recently she piloted a two-year Lesson Study project with two US Government teachers at Opelika High School. Her research focuses on professional development, historical and ethical reasoning in history and social studies. She has authored numerous publications and made frequent presentations at national conferences related to social studies and history instruction. During her 10-year tenure as a high school social studies teacher in Kansas, Kohlmeier was a James Madison Fellow as well as a finalist for Kansas Teacher of the Year in 2002. She was awarded a Milken Family Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award in 2001 and twice has been named an AU Outstanding Professor.
Dr. Jada Kohlmeieris a Professor of social science education at Auburn University. She is the Associate Director of the Persistent Issues in History Network, which is a professional development network of teachers focused on problem-based historical inquiry. During the past 14 years, she has co-directed several Lesson Study professional development projects with Dr. John Saye. They worked with the entire history faculty at Auburn Junior High for three years. The teachers appreciated the experience so much, it has continued every summer. She assisted Dr. Saye with a Teaching American History Grant project called Plowing Freedom’s Ground from 2010-2013 which conducted lesson study with 30 teachers in five districts. Most recently she piloted a two-year Lesson Study project with two US Government teachers at Opelika High School. Her research focuses on professional development, historical and ethical reasoning in history and social studies. She has authored numerous publications and made frequent presentations at national conferences related to social studies and history instruction. During her 10-year tenure as a high school social studies teacher in Kansas, Kohlmeier was a James Madison Fellow as well as a finalist for Kansas Teacher of the Year in 2002. She was awarded a Milken Family Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award in 2001 and twice has been named an AU Outstanding Professor.
2016 Dr. Michael Libbee, Professor, Central Michigan University
Dr. Michael Libbee is a professor of geography at Central Michigan University where he also serves as director of the Michigan Geographic Alliance. He is a former Geographer in Residence at the National Geographic Society.
His fields of specialization include teacher preparation, environmental issues, human geography, and geographic education. He has received numerous grants to further the instruction of history and geographic education in his state and has published several scholarly articles about curriculum and resources in social studies education.
He has presented or co-presented at more than 100 presentations, workshops, and professional meetings including the Michigan Council for the Social Studies, National Geographic Society Alliance Coordinators Meeting, the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting and the National Conference on Geography Education. He has received multiple endowments including one for K-12 environmental education outreach and one for undergraduate student travel. In addition, he has conducted more than 300 hundred workshops for teachers since 1989 with over 7,000 hours of professional development to more than 70,000 workshop participants.
He has served as chair for the Environmental Education Advisory Committee and the Geography National Standards Project and is a Past-President of the National Council for Geographic Education. Dr. Libbee has received the following honors and awards: Distinguished Mentor Award from the National Council for Geographic Education, National Geographic Society’s Distinguished Geography Educator, the Distinguished Service to the Public Humanities Award,and the Outstanding Social Studies Educator Award as well as the Presidential Award from the Michigan Council for the Social Studies.
2015 - Mr. Juan Jose Valdes, The Geographer - National Geographic
The Geographer/Director of Editorial and Cartographic Research
National Geographic Society
(This biography is from 2015. Mr. Valdes retired from The Society in 2016 with 40 years of dedicated service.)
Juan José Valdés is The Geographer and Director of Editorial and Cartographic Research of the National Geographic Society. He guides and assists the Map Policy Committee in setting border representations, disputed territories, and naming conventions for National Geographic. As Director of Editorial and Cartographic Research, he is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and consistency of its maps and map products. Now approaching forty years of service, he has worked in once capacity or another on every type of map produced by the Society. These include its map supplements, globes, page maps, dynamic mapping platforms, and five editions of National Geographic’s renowned Atlas of the World.
In addition to these duties, he serves as a liaison between the Society’s cartographic and educational branches, frequently lecturing to primary, secondary, and college level students on the significance of geography and cartography in today’s world.
He is also a National Geographic Expert who shares his insights and behind-the-scenes perspective to those he accompanies on National Geographic Expeditions trips to Cuba.
National Geographic Society
(This biography is from 2015. Mr. Valdes retired from The Society in 2016 with 40 years of dedicated service.)
Juan José Valdés is The Geographer and Director of Editorial and Cartographic Research of the National Geographic Society. He guides and assists the Map Policy Committee in setting border representations, disputed territories, and naming conventions for National Geographic. As Director of Editorial and Cartographic Research, he is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and consistency of its maps and map products. Now approaching forty years of service, he has worked in once capacity or another on every type of map produced by the Society. These include its map supplements, globes, page maps, dynamic mapping platforms, and five editions of National Geographic’s renowned Atlas of the World.
In addition to these duties, he serves as a liaison between the Society’s cartographic and educational branches, frequently lecturing to primary, secondary, and college level students on the significance of geography and cartography in today’s world.
He is also a National Geographic Expert who shares his insights and behind-the-scenes perspective to those he accompanies on National Geographic Expeditions trips to Cuba.