Corps members gain valuable experience and skills in the classroom. I've had countless conversations with TFA alums about finding the right career path. This session will provide lessons learned in connecting the dots from teaching to building a successful career in talent development. We’ll discuss how to effectively represent TFA experience in a way that positions you to land your next role. Participants will walk away with career building resources and the tips and tricks I've accumulated over the last 15 years working in NYC. 

Move beyond the "AI saves time" hype and retool this technology to center community-based learning where local knowledge, cultural wealth, and student agency are the main pillars of instruction. In this interactive session, we’ll discover how to harness AI to amplify culturally responsive-sustaining education (CRSE), reconnect schooling with community traditions, and infuse the learning experience with joy and authentic relationships. Guided by Planning Period’s Affirm, Reflect, and Expand logic model, we invite you to co-create this transformative pedagogy and break the disconnection between classroom and community. *Interested guests must bring a laptop to participate in this breakout.

Calling all leaders from various sectors who are storytellers, networking gurus, and/or experts in operations! Join this think-tank-style session and prepare for a dynamic journey that flows between research, discussion, reflection, and praxis. Through the exploration of diverse theories on thriving, define and refine your vision for creating a humane and results driven organization and workplace. 

This session explores the transformative role of AI in education and supports educators in understanding and shaping AI for their own contexts, with no technical background needed. Through interactive, hands-on activities, participants will unpack big ideas and begin building with AI in ways that matter to their communities. Join us and Playlab to take your first step toward becoming a critical creator and critical consumer of AI.

Many leaders and changemakers struggle to bridge the gap between their aspirations and the structural barriers that limit progress. This interactive workshop empowers participants to construct their ideal future state and identify the connections and resources needed to bring that vision to life. Through a healing circle, participants will explore how collective dreaming can drive real-world impact across their personal and professional lives. Participants will walk away with: 

• A clearer vision of their next steps toward meaningful change 

•  New connections to amplify their work 

•  A practical roadmap for creating sustained impact 

In today’s digital landscape, professional networking platforms like LinkedIn offer more than just career connections—they’re powerful tools for driving social impact and galvanizing support for mission-driven work. This workshop will explore how educators, nonprofit leaders, and other social impact professionals can leverage LinkedIn's features to become thought leaders online, engage a growing network, and amplify their organization’s mission. Attendees will explore content best practices from nonprofit leaders and leave with actionable strategies to optimize their profiles, create compelling content, and leverage professional networks for advocacy and community-building. This session is an independent learning opportunity presented by Amplifi Digital and is not affiliated with or officially endorsed by the LinkedIn company. 

Most of us become leaders because of our high standards and our ability to get things done, but then find that the real challenges of leadership require a completely different set of competencies!  Few of us ever receive training in what we call adaptive leadership–the human, emotional side of the job. In this break-out session, Lizette B. Suxo (TFA ‘01) and Matt Taylor will share Noble Story Group’s  EI “5-Square” framework as a tool to both build new competencies and solve adaptive challenges with the people you teach and lead. This is a learn-by-doing session!  Bring a challenge that is keeping you up at night and you will leave with a plan to engage and new language to take back to your team to promote broader adaptive leadership development. 

How can we influence education beyond the walls of our classrooms? 

As teachers, we do more than impart knowledge; we construct intentional and welcoming classroom spaces and lead our students' educational journeys. We can and should transfer these leadership skills from our classrooms to our school communities and the broader NYC educational landscape. This session is for any teacher interested in developing their leadership skills beyond the classroom and challenging the status quo. Join us as we explore the six steps of advocacy to get our educational ideas and best practices implemented in and beyond our schools. 

We express our values through laws and policies. Laws govern the resources, behaviors, and mindsets across our country. In this session, we will ground ourselves in the values we hope will be centered as community education councils (CEC), city council, NY state and federal governments set and execute policy agendas in 2025 and beyond. We’ll assess the alignment of policy issues to our values, dig deeper into the policy making cycle, and identify ways for you to engage in the process. This session will feature LEE members who are leading in policy roles and will provide resources for you to both learn more about and to become more civically engaged.

We express our values through laws and policies. Laws govern the resources, behaviors, and mindsets across our country. In this session, we will explore the values represented in local, state, and national elections this cycle. We will then identify ways that you can take action through policy, advocacy, organizing, or elected leadership in 2025 and beyond. As a LEE member, you have access to free resources to help you take action, including career coaching and campaign supports  – come learn what that can look like for you. This session will feature LEE members who will share about the civic actions they have taken and how you can too.