Chazz Lewis’s mission in life is to enjoy the process of becoming the best version of himself and help others do the same. He goes by “Mr.Chazz” to his massive online following, and to his many students and fellow teachers, leaders, and human beings. Having stepped into the classroom in the early days, largely because he needed a job, he discovered a passion for inspiring and understanding and igniting curiosity and possibility in kids. And, he realized, he’d have to buck a lot of systems and do a metric ton of his own learning and reimagining to make it happen.
Along the way, he completed a master’s degree in executive leadership at American University and spent years using his own classrooms as living laboratories, developing a more conscious, informed, joyful and dignity-driven and inspired approach to learning, leading, and elevating others. His philosophy began to find relevance far beyond the classroom and has found a home everywhere from parenting to education, personal development, and organizational leadership. And he shares his ideas in a fun, playful, and accessible way, training thousands of teachers, and with his giant following on TickTok and Instagram. He is in the process of writing a book, and he goes deeper on his podcast, “Mr. Chazz’s Leadership, Parenting and Teaching Podcast”.
Where you can find CHAZZ LEWIS:
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Lindz Amer is an American LGBTQ+ activist and YouTuber, best known as the creator and host of Queer Kid Stuff. Launched in April 2016, Queer Kid Stuff is a YouTube channel focused on LGBT issues, specifically directed towards children aged 3 to 7. Amer created the channel in response to a perceived lack of LGBT education and representation in media targeting this young demographic. In addition to their work on the channel, Amer serves as CEO of the media production company Queer Kid Studios. For their significant contributions to LGBT education and advocacy, Amer has received recognition from GLAAD, the TED Conference, and the Webby Awards.
Where you can find LINDZ AMER:
Dr. Jasmine Moses (she/her) is an educator, advocate, and proud toddler mama, passionately living and applying the socially conscious and developmentally appropriate practices she teaches. As the host of the Children Deserve Better podcast and founder of Equity in Bloom, she empowers parents, caregivers, and educators to rethink harmful systems and nurture socially conscious children through equitable, anti-bias, anti-racist, and justice-driven approaches.With a doctorate in education and years of hands-on experience, Dr. Moses offers transformative professional development sessions that equip educators and communities to create spaces of equity, connection, belonging, and liberation—where every child and family is valued, celebrated, and free to thrive.When she’s not facilitating or creating content, you can find her in the children’s section of the library or exploring local indie bookstores, always searching for the next story to share with her family and audience.
Where you can find Dr. Jasmine Moses:
Dr. Stella Louis is a multi-award-winning freelance early years consultant, trainer and author, working with all forms of early years settings, as well as parents, government departments and charities.
Hannah Betteridge is an experienced policy professional and public servant. In both her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, Hannah primarily focused on uncovering the impact of race, stereotypes, and bias on outcomes for individuals from Black and Asian backgrounds in Britain.
Where you can find Dr. Stella Louis and Hannah Betteridge:
Rose Felix Cratsley is a well-being and equity specialist, innovator, and the founder and CEO of Ivy Child International, a nonprofit committed to expanding access to mindfulness and healing education for children, youth, and communities globally. As a BIPOC-led organization, Ivy Child centers social justice and uplifts often overlooked populations, fostering resilience through culturally responsive programs. A recognized thought leader, Rose has delivered a TEDx talk on “Unlocking Children’s Potential Through Mindfulness” and was named among the “Powerful Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful Magazine in 2022. Her work bridges mindfulness, education, and systemic change, championing community-centered approaches that promote wellness and leadership.
Where you can find ROSE FELIX CRATSLEY:
Prerna Richards is a nationally recognized keynote speaker and recipient of the 2020 Susan Hargrave Trainer of the Year Award. With 39 years of experience in early childhood education, she is the founder of "Together We Grow," providing professional development, behavior coaching, and NAEYC consulting with a focus on play-based learning and social-emotional development. Guided by her belief that “knowing better leads to doing better,” Prerna equips educators with practical strategies that foster positive change and create joyful, thriving, learning environments.
Where you can find Prerna Richards:
Lynnette Arthur is a NYC teacher inspired by the practice of the Reggio Emilia Approach. She has worked with young learners for 17 years. In 2005, she attended an educator’s conference in Reggio Emilia, Italy which inspired and transformed her practice. One of the major takeaways from Reggio was the approach of Emergent Curriculum and she implements emergent curriculum in her classroom every year. Outside of the classroom, she has a Facebook group, Reggio Children Inspired, that has a community of over 139,000 like minded individuals, and she also is the host of Wunderled's podcast, The Powerful Pedagogy.
Where you can find Lynnette Arthur:
Rose Felix Cratsley is a well-being and equity specialist, innovator, and the founder and CEO of Ivy Child International, a nonprofit committed to expanding access to mindfulness and healing education for children, youth, and communities globally. As a BIPOC-led organization, Ivy Child centers social justice and uplifting often overlooked populations, fostering resilience through culturally responsive programs. A recognized thought leader in her field, Rose has delivered a TEDx talk on "Unlocking Children’s Potential Through Mindfulness" and was named among the “Powerful Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful Magazine 2022. Her work seamlessly bridges mindfulness, education, and systemic change, championing community-centered approaches that promote wellness and leadership.
Where you can find ROSE FELIX CRATSLEY:
Matt Karlsen and Susan Harris MacKay are dedicated to catalyzing greater beauty, democracy, and joy through the partnership of children and adults. As teachers, pedagogical companions, and facilitators who hold a strong image of children and the adults who live and learn alongside them, Matt and Susan host The Studio for Playful Inquiry - an online community dedicated to companionship and growth of professional educators around the world pursuing greater possibilities, connection, and meaning in their work. They would love to have you join the growing community there!
Susan and Matt began the Center for Playful Inquiry and its online Studio following the pandemic-related collapse of Portland Children’s Museum and Opal School, where they were longtime members of collaborative teams initiating and sustaining innovative pedagogical and professional development experiences. Matt lives in Portland, Oregon with his family and Susan lives in both Portland and Cannon Beach, Oregon with hers. Susan is the author of Story Workshop: New Possibilities for Young Writers (Heinemann, 2021). Both Susan and Matt write and speak on topics of play, the arts, early literacy, inquiry, democracy, and leadership development. Visit www.centerforplayfulinquiry.com to find out more about opportunities to connect and partner with them.
Where you can find Matt Karlsen and Susan Harris MacKay:
With over 30 years of experience in education and 20 years as an atelierista, pedagogical leader, and consultant, Suzanne has dedicated her career to championing children’s rights and democracy.
Her Swedish book on Risky Play received a 5/5 rating from the Swedish Library Service and is praised for its accessible, inclusive approach to play advocacy.
Where you can find SUZANNE AXELSSON:
Mike Huber, MAEd (He/Him) has been in the field of Early Childhood Care and Education since 1992. He is the author of Inclusion Includes Us, Embracing Rough and Tumble Play and The Power in Pretend: Supporting Young Children’s Power, Identity and Agency through Play. He is the co-host of the podcast Teaching with the Body in Mind and frequent guest on That Early Childhood Nerd. Mike is the Director of Curriculum at Rise Early Learning Center. He has served on the Boards of MnAEYC and Childcare Aware MN.
Where you can find MIKE HUBER:
Debbie LeeKeenan, M.Ed, is Co-Director and Founder of Anti-Bias LeadersECE, lecturer, consultant and author. She has been in the field of early education for over 50 years. She is a former preschool, special education, and elementary school teacher. She was director of the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School at Tufts University from 1996 to 2013. She has been a member of the early childhood faculty at Tufts University, Lesley University and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Debbie is producer of the films, Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years, (2021) and Families Embracing Anti-Bias Values (2024). Her work has been published in numerous journals and books, including Young Children , Exchange and Theory into Practice. Her most recent co-authored books include: From Survive to Thrive: A Director’s Guide for Leading an Early Childhood Program and Leading Anti-bias Early Childhood Programs: A Guide to Change, for Change. Debbie is Chinese-American, the child of immigrant working-class parents and is part of a multi-racial family.
Where you can find DEBBIE LEEKEENAN:
Paola Lopez, a business management professional turned education leader, is the visionary founder and executive director of Kinderoo Children’s Academy and the Innovation Center of Ocala, both based in Florida. With over two decades of experience in early childhood education, Paola's dedication to advocating for children's rights and promoting diversity and innovation has defined her pedagogical journey.
Kinderoo Children’s Academy serves 180 families, providing education for children from 12 months to First Grade, with a new Microschool set to open in 2024. Paola leads a team of 26 dedicated educators who bring her vision to life. Her mission is to equip both teachers and children with the skills and mindsets essential in a world of constant innovation.
Paola’s educational approach emphasizes a “shared pedagogy” that fosters agency, creativity, and inquiry-based learning, informed by contemporary research. Her research adopts a rhizomatic concept-as-method approach, creating innovative thinking tools that enhance teachers' spatial literacy skills and recognize learning environments as immersive spaces and the 'third teacher.' She is currently writing a book on immersive environments, exploring this concept in depth.
Paola’s commitment to the field has earned her affiliations, awards, and training from organizations like NAEYC, NAREA, and the Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange. As a recognized leader, she serves on several state boards and has presented at international, national, and regional conferences. She received the 2019 NAEYC Play, Practice, and Policy Forum’s Patricia Monighan Nourot Award for her commitment to excellence in education, as well as the 2024 FLAEYC Advocate of the Year award.
Paola's passion for innovative education, grounded in the Reggio Emilia philosophy, underscores her belief in a child-centered approach as key to fostering lifelong autonomous learners. She aims to empower educators and children to thrive in an ever-changing world through responsive practices, documentation, reflection, and transformation through play and inquiry.
Where you can find PAOLA LOPEZ:
Kisa is an educator, keynote speaker, author, and anti-racist curriculum developer with over 20 years of experience in education. As the founder of The Play Lab Foundation, she works to make child-centered, liberated learning accessible to all families.
She is the author of Rethinking Weapon Play in Early Childhood (Routledge) and the upcoming We Are Who We're Waiting For (Redleaf). She has spoken nationally and internationally on play, decolonizing education, and centering Black children in learning spaces.
A neurodivergent advocate, Kisa is passionate about equity, access, and joy in education. She proudly serves the wild, the worried, the intuitive, the unknowing, and the brave—honoring childhood as sacred, nature as restorative, and play as revolutionary.
Where you can find KISA MARX:
Richard Cohen has proudly been an early childhood professional for 40 years, serving in the roles of infant, toddler, preschool and kindergarten teachers, center director and in key national and international ECE leadership roles. For the past 25 years, Richard has delivered playful keynote addresses at early childhood conferences worldwide. His social media presence, "Zen and the Art of ECE" is a phenomenon that has created a robust global community of early educators and caregivers.
Where you can find RICHARD COHEN:
Miriam Beloglovsky is a professor of early childhood education, sought-after public speaker, coach, and the co-author of the Loose Parts Inspiring Play award-winning books series, which have created an international phenomenon and have been translated into different languages.
Playful Transformation
Miriam is a play advocate and founder and CEO of Playful Transformation, a company dedicated to advocating for the right to play and finding joy in life. Miriam’s mission is to weave together play, collaboration, public policy, education, critical reflection, inquiry, creativity, and innovation to enhance play opportunities for young children and educators. All with the belief that play is central to human transformation, building community and improving education can lead to authentic equity and a more civil society. She believes that we can create play spaces and play opportunities to impact people’s lives in collaboration.
Before embarking on her journey as an early childhood educator and play advocate, Miriam was a newscaster, weather reporter, and media executive in California.
Miriam is fluent in English and Spanish language. As a public speaker, Miriam engages, inspires, and motivates audiences throughout the world to explore the power of play. She embraces play as a vehicle that transforms people’s lives.
Where you can find Miriam Beloglovsky:
Natalie Williams is a dedicated leader in education with over 18 years of experience as a Director, educational consultant, writer, and public speaker. She is the Director of Education at Miami Children’s Museum and the co-founder of the Museum Playful Learning Collective (MPLC), a network committed to advancing playful, inquiry-driven learning experiences in museums and educational spaces.
A longtime advocate for high-quality early childhood education, Natalie has been a NAEYC member since 2007 and has served on the board of a NAEYC Affiliate group. She continues to contribute her expertise by serving on additional educational boards, helping to shape policies and initiatives that support children, families, and educators. As a member of the STEM National Impact Team, she plays a key role in expanding equitable access to STEM education nationwide.
Natalie’s passion for learning extends beyond administration—she is a fierce advocate for children, working to create environments where curiosity, creativity, and exploration thrive. Through her writing, consulting, and public speaking, she empowers educators, families, and institutions to reimagine learning through play.
Where you can find NATALIE WILLIAMS:
Dr. Lillian Ardell is a speaker, bilingual ed coach and founder of the educational consulting firm Language Matters, LLC. With over two decades of experience working with Multilingual Learners and the teachers who serve them, Dr. Ardell inspires teachers to Disrupt the Monolingual Bias one brave moment at a time.
Lillian is a sociolinguist and trained qualitative researcher. She uses a unique blend of theory, practice and adult learning to craft transformative speeches, activities and coaching cycles anchored in equity and teacher empowerment. She infuses comedy, poetry and dance (yes, dance!) into all her engagements. Keep a lookout for Lillian’s upcoming book Disrupting the Monolingual Bias: A Framework for Teacher Advocacy at the end of 2025. And consider booking Lillian for your next symposium or summit!
Where you can find LILLIAN ARDELL:
Jelani Memory is a bestselling author, publisher, and entrepreneur dedicated to reshaping how stories are told and shared. He is the founder of A Kids Co., a media company that creates books and content designed to spark meaningful conversations with kids. His groundbreaking debut, A Kids Book About Racism, launched an entire imprint of books tackling complex and essential topics, reaching readers around the world.
Jelani’s impact on children’s literature has been widely recognized. In 2024, he was honored with the Eleanor Roosevelt Bravery in Literature Award, and in 2025, he received The Walt Morey Young Readers Literary Legacy Award for his commitment to publishing bold, necessary stories that challenge and inspire young minds.
Beyond his literary work, Jelani has built multiple successful companies, including Circle, a technology company that revolutionized digital parenting before its acquisition by Aura in 2021. In 2024, he led A Kids Co. through a transformative acquisition by DK and Penguin Random House, where he now serves as VP & Publisher, guiding the next evolution of nonfiction storytelling for young readers.