Speakers Hall of Fame

Aditya Agarkar is the Co-founder and former VP of Product Development at Edulastic, a K-12 assessment platform that grew to serve more than 10 million users before being acquired by GoGuardian. With over 30 years of experience in the software industry, he was instrumental in building Edulastic from the ground up into one of the leading formative assessment tools for K-12 education. Before Edulastic, Aditya co-founded Snapwiz and served as Director of Product Strategy at Oracle. Under his leadership, Edulastic became one of the first assessment platforms to integrate with Clever Library, and teachers using the Clever integration showed significantly higher engagement with the platform's online assessment tools. He continues to contribute to the EdTech ecosystem as an investor and advisor to educational technology ventures.

Alok Jain is the Co-Founder and CEO of Moonpreneur Inc, an EdTech startup focused on tech entrepreneurship for children. A serial entrepreneur and IIT alumnus based in the Bay Area, Alok has founded four successful companies and brings extensive experience in building and scaling technology businesses. Moonpreneur (formerly Moonshot Junior) addresses a gap in K-12 education by kindling an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit in children and using the business process to teach them vital life skills. Alok started this approach in 2020 by coaching his 13-year-old daughter to successfully launch a business, and the model has since scaled into a comprehensive platform offering programs in robotics, coding, advanced math, IoT, app development, and more. Moonpreneur has grown into one of the fastest-growing EdTech companies in Silicon Valley, empowering the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

Annette Ethcuit is a coach and mentor who brings a distinctive interdisciplinary background to her work in education and personal development. She spent 10 years in the UK Police Service followed by 5 years in corporate analysis, experiences that honed her skills in understanding human behavior, communication, and organizational dynamics. Now focused on coaching and mentoring, Annette specializes in personality assessment and skills development, helping individuals identify their strengths and unlock their potential. Her unique combination of law enforcement, corporate, and coaching experience gives her a practical, evidence-based approach to personal and professional growth.

Audrika Thakuria is an educator and EdTech visionary with a Master of Science in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a prestigious Merit Scholarship. She served as a UNESCO consultant and played a pivotal role in crafting EdTech policies for 46 countries, with a specific focus on equipping teachers with digital skills during the pandemic. Currently, Audrika leads the Delta Careers division at Crimson Education, where she spearheads the use of technology to prepare high school students for the dynamic corporate world. Delta Careers partners with top companies to offer immersive, real-world projects that help students gain industry exposure, develop critical skills, and build their professional portfolios. Her dedication to integrating AI technology into cutting-edge online modules is matched by her commitment to managing a fully remote global team whose upskilling remains a top priority.

Brian South is a College Readiness Coach, author, and passionate advocate for student success based in Sacramento, California. He mentors students in college entrance essays, admission interviews, and college research, and provides invaluable assistance in sourcing college funding for students. Brian is the author of Demystifying College Admission: Learn Key Strategies and Develop the Right Mindset to Get into the College of Your Choice, which became an Amazon #1 bestseller in multiple categories on its first day of pre-sale. The book covers self-development strategies, organizational skills, essay writing and interview tips, the college application process, resources for nontraditional students, funding options, and preparation for the age of artificial intelligence and distance learning. He passionately shares his training and certification in education, coaching, financial literacy, neuroscience, and sales to help students open the door to the college of their choice.

Dr. Corey Seemiller is an award-winning faculty member in the Department of Leadership Studies in Education and Organizations at Wright State University. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Communication from Arizona State University, a Master's in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Arizona. Dr. Seemiller has been at the forefront of research and publishing about Generation Z since the generation began entering college. She has released six books on the topic, including her latest, Generation Z Leads, which highlights strategies for developing the leadership capacities of Gen Z students. She and her research partner are among the most-cited Gen Z researchers in the world, having secured research teams from 31 countries and gathered responses from more than 21,000 participants in 81 nations — making it the largest and most comprehensive Gen Z study of its kind. Her TED Talk has been viewed more than 250,000 times, and her work has been featured on NPR and in The New York Times, Time Magazine, and Newsweek.

Ellen Prescott, Ph.D., PMP, is an Instructional Designer at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco, where she creates dynamic, context-rich Canvas courses that engage and inspire diverse learners. With more than 15 years of expertise in instructional design, she brings deep experience in adult learning theory, accessibility best practices, and learner-centered course development. Her work focuses on crafting inclusive digital learning environments that meet the needs of students from a wide range of backgrounds and learning styles. Ellen holds a Ph.D. and a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, which she applies to managing complex course development projects from design through delivery.

Humberto Hernandez is a Colombo-American educator and technologist with more than 10 years of experience in EdTech. A certified Front-End Web Developer, he brings a unique perspective to the intersection of technology and inclusive education, advocating for accessibility and universal design in digital learning environments. Humberto is passionate about ensuring that educational technology serves all learners, regardless of ability or background. He hosts the AI in Education podcast and works as an instructional designer who balances innovation with inclusive, ethical, and equitable teaching practices. His work centers on removing barriers to learning through thoughtful digital design and accessible content creation.

Keith Wakeman is the CEO and Co-Founder of SuperBetter, a digital education and mental wellbeing company recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of 14 top innovators globally in youth mental health. Through its innovative Live Gamefully methodology, SuperBetter harnesses the psychology of gameplay to empower individuals and groups to build cognitive resilience and achieve their goals. Keith began his career in the U.S. food industry, where he led brand management, innovation, and new venture development for top-tier companies including Kellogg, Keebler, and Nabisco, overseeing the launch of over a billion dollars worth of new health-focused products. He holds a marketing degree from Illinois State University and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago. SuperBetter has impacted over one million people worldwide, with a published Penn research trial showing that 10 minutes of daily use was associated with a 49% reduction in depression symptoms and a 61% reduction in anxiety symptoms over just six weeks.

Martine Holland is the Head of Assessment at Bedrock Learning, a UK-based educational technology company that provides a vocabulary and literacy curriculum used by schools across the United Kingdom. In her role, she collaborates with Cambridge University and leading reading researchers to create effective assessment frameworks that measure student progress in literacy. Before joining Bedrock, Martine served as a senior assessment specialist for IELTS, one of the world's most widely recognized English language proficiency tests. She has published research on pandemic-era remote learning and the role of AI in education, bringing a scholarly perspective to assessment design. Her expertise spans language assessment, educational measurement, and the thoughtful integration of technology into learning evaluation.

Rebecca Roese is a Curriculum Management Director at 2U/edX, the leading global online learning platform that provides over 45 million learners with access to world-class education in partnership with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporations. She brings more than 15 years of experience in higher education with deep expertise in adult learning, curriculum design, and distance learning. Prior to 2U, Rebecca served as Program Manager for CQI Curriculum at Western Governors University, where she applied program management methodologies to enhance educational programs. Her skill set spans curriculum development, instructional design, and the strategic management of online learning programs at scale.

Stuart Draper is the Founder and CEO of Stukent, a digital courseware and simulation company that serves thousands of higher education and high school institutions globally. He co-authored the bestselling digital courseware Digital Marketing Essentials and has grown Stukent from a startup in 2013 to a team of more than 100 members. Before founding Stukent, Stuart successfully bootstrapped GetFoundFirst.com, a digital marketing agency that was acquired in December 2015. He is a five-time Inc. 5000 honoree, with Stukent ranking as high as #264 on the list of fastest-growing private companies in America. Stuart is also the founder of CharityFast.org, demonstrating his commitment to giving back alongside building innovative educational products. His focus areas include education, AI, and providing students with hands-on digital marketing experience through industry-leading simulations.