Valerie Probstfeld
RN, MSN, FNP-BC
Valerie Probstfeld is a Nurse Practitioner, Founder of To Mom Is To Love, writer, flutist, and keynote speaker. With a master's degree from Yale University, her professional background spans pediatric neurology and primary care. Valerie is the podcast host of To Mom Is To Love and an advocate for mental health and wellness.
Dr. Barbara Vokatis
Professor at the State University of New York at Oneonta
Barbara is a professor at the State University of New York at Oneonta, keynote speaker, award-winning author, and therapy dog partner. As a researcher, she studies learning in innovative courses, innovative inquiry spaces for children, and her innovative dog therapy lab in a local elementary school. She is an author of books on dog therapy in educational settings ("Teachers and Therapy Dog Teams: Innovative Collaborations to Make a Difference for Children") and a children’s book ("Carmel Goes to School") with the therapy dog theme.
Ambreen Nadeem
Mental Health Advocate
Ambreen Nadeem is a Psychologist, Founder of Psychology Talks and Co-Founder of Save Lives Project. She is an Amazon bestselling author and a keynote speaker. She is a Podcast host of Psychology Talks. She is a Mental Health Advocate. She is actively spreading awareness and helping people to deal with mental health issues through counseling, blogs, Podcasts, and live shows. She is the Co-Founder of the Save Live Project. She is among Top 100 Global Thought Leaders in 2024.
Perry Knoppert
Founder of The Octopus Movement
Perry Knoppert, founder of The Octopus Movement, embodies resilience and the power of non-linear thinking to solve complex global challenges. His journey from homelessness to leading a global movement reflects a deep belief in the potential of unconventional minds. The Octopus Movement, which he envisions as a "Global Human Mycelium of Nonlinear Thinkers," connects diverse individuals whose thinking transcends traditional boundaries, much like the interconnectivity of mycelium in nature. By turning adversity into opportunity, Perry has created a platform that fosters creativity, connection, and innovative solutions for a better world.
Under Perry’s leadership, The Octopus Movement has expanded its influence through initiatives like the Global Black Box, a cutting-edge think tank where non-linear thinkers tackle the unsolvable for startups, global organizations like NASA, and educational institutions. This global network merges unique talents and perspectives to create solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems. Perry’s life and work demonstrate that embracing non-linear thinking can lead to profound change, both on a personal level and in shaping a sustainable global future.
Dr Justin James Kennedy
Neuroplasticity Specialist
Dr. Justin is a TED Speaker, Neuroplastician, and Coach, with expertise in behavioral neuroscience. As a professor, he serves as a Ph.D. coach and supervisor at several academic institutes. Dr. Justin is the co-founder of ION—The Institute of Organisational Neuroscience, an organization dedicated to advancing academic research in the field. With a strong focus on Applied Neuroplasticity and Coaching, Justin is committed to standardizing neuroplastician practices through his platform, @neuroplasticians.com. He also helps coaches and consultants navigate the process of applying for their ideal Ph.D. Dr. Justin leads the npnHub.com, a space for professionals to discuss applied neuroscience in a managed and collaborative environment. Dr. Justin is passionate about supporting research partnerships, Ph.D. development, and fostering neuro-psychological safety within organizations. As a top-rated executive coach, coach supervisor, and mentor, he provides valuable insights and guidance in behavioral and wellbeing neuroscience.
Dr Jen Fraser
Educational Consultant & Child Advocacy Specialist
Jennifer Fraser, PhD is an award-winning educator of 20 years and is now working as a consultant. She is the author of four books that all look at how we educate from different angles. The first book was on mentoring as an individual goes through a rite of passage from being a reader of culture to a writer of culture. The second looked at how fiction writers in the modernist era questioned the parental and educational practice of suppressing children’s grief. The third and fourth analyze the way in which educators can be trained to believe bullying is a necessary evil for greatness. Jennifer is an advocate for children to learn in safe, healthy, brain-informed environments.
Robyn Simpson
Kindness Culture Consultant & Leadership Specialist
Robyn Simpson is the Founder of Choose the ‘Tude, creator of the Kind Community Project and co-author of the Courageous Kindness Program. Robyn Simpson is a dynamic speaker, thought leader, and the driving force behind the Kind Community Project and Choose the ‘Tude movement. With a rich background in human development, team engagement, and creating kind cultures through actions and events, Robyn passionately advocates for creating kind daily habits at home, at work and in our communities, globally. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and human development, her topics include:Building Kind Cultures at Work/Mental Strength through Practical Kindness/The Power of Self-Kindness/Generational Shifts and Workforce Expectations. Robyn has a gift for connecting with diverse audiences—from time poor parents, to busy professionals or stressed leaders—providing them with tools to foster kinder cultures through Kind Leadership. Whether sharing strategies for the Kind Campaigns or offering personal stories that highlight the transformative power of kindness, Robyn leaves audiences with actionable steps for positive change.
David Dibble
Healthcare Systems Transformation Specialist
David Dibble is the creator of 3D Healthcare, a revolutionary systems-improvement model designed to transform healthcare delivery from the inside out. Unlike traditional models such as Lean or Six Sigma, 3D Healthcare offers sustainable improvements in quality of care, patient experience, staff well-being, and profitability—both in frontline care and C-suite operations. With over 20 years of consulting experience, David has authored three books on 3D Healthcare, including a case study on its successful implementation. Inspired by his time with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, David integrates these principles into healthcare systems to foster a culture of excellence and compassion.
Dr. Amy Hawrylchak
Academic Administrator
Dr. Amy Hawrylchak began her career in education as a Spanish and French teacher and assistant principal in the Boston area. She joined TVHS as Chief Academic Officer and Principal in January 2021. Dr. Hawrylchak holds a bachelor’s degree from University at Albany, master’s degree from Harvard University, administrative certificates from Cambridge College and Canisius College, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from The Sage Colleges. Dr. Hawrylchak’s dissertation research was on teacher agency.
Teri Holamo
M.A., LPC-S, RPT-S, CAAPT-S-I, CAEBS, CHST
Teri Holamon is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, and a Certified School Counselor in the state of Texas. She is also a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and a Certified Humanistic Sandtray Therapist. She became the first Certified Animal Assisted Play Therapist® in the United States through the International Association of Animal Assisted Play Therapy®, and is now an AAPT Supervisor and Instructor, as well as a Certified Animal Ethology and Behavior Specialist. Teri brings over 20 years of clinical experience, and decades of working with dogs and horses to workshops, and the state and national conferences where she has presented. Teri owns a private practice in Texas, and is also the owner of North Texas Therapy Animals, an affiliate group of Intermountain Therapy Animals, where she is an Instructor and Evaluator for volunteer therapy dog teams. She is an instructor for Reading Education Assistance Dogs, and has worked extensively with elementary students in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area schools, libraries, bookstores, and community programs.
Johanna Jarvinen Taubert
Master of Education
Promoting learning in various different ways and contexts has been the core of Johanna Järvinen-Taubert’s work. She has worked as a teacher trainer and university researcher in the field of education in Finland. For over 20 years she has trained teachers from early childhood education, basic education, high schools and higher education in teachers’ professional development programs in Finland.
As a pedagogical director of Learning Scoop, Finland, Johanna Järvinen-Taubert has focused on training teachers, students and education experts from all over the world. Her mission is to share ideas and best practices with experts from other countries. Meeting devoted educators from all over the world and learning from each other is the most inspiring aspect of her current work. For the last years she has also been a pedagogical expert in the team developing digital tool for lesson planning, LessonApp, for teachers around the world.
Johanna Järvinen-Taubert is an enthusiastic and inspiring trainer with the years of experience in the field. She is also one of the editors and authors of the book Finnish Education in Practice – What, Why and How, published in 2021.
Dr. Taylor Chastain Griffin
Director of Animal-Assisted Intervention Organizations
In her roles as National Director of AAI Advancement for Pet Partners and Executive Director of the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals, Taylor Chastain Griffin, Ph.D. focuses on supporting research and professional development within the therapy animal arena. Having witnessed hundreds of interactions between her own therapy animals and the people with whom they’ve visited, she is passionate about bolstering the intervention with empirical investigation. She obtained her doctorate in research psychology in 2018, with her studies focusing on the human-animal bond as it is experienced in contexts of shared traumatic experiences. Through her undergraduate education in psychology and animal behavior to her graduate work to become a mental health counselor, she has always strived to shape her educational and professional endeavors with the foundational goal of promoting AAI. She is also a published author, dog trainer, speaker, and Pet Partners team evaluator.
Lucinda Ormiston
MS
Lucinda is an experienced teacher who has worked with multiple grade level children in elementary education settings as well as with remedial math groups. Together with Barbara Vokatis and Carmel (Barbara’s therapy dog), she has engaged in innovative and creative ways of including the therapy dog team in her classes and in remedial math groups to help children learn writing, math and social studies. In collaboration with Barbara, she wrote a book: “Teachers and therapy dog teams: Innovative collaborations to make a difference for children” and co-presented this work.
Dr. Gina Anderson
CEO & Learning Technology Specialist
Dr. Gina Anderson is on a mission to help organizations grow their safety cultures through meaningful learning that inspires and engages employees. For more than twenty-five years, she has focused her attention on studying how adults best learn, consistently growing her methodology by engaging with transportation and logistics companies. Dr. Anderson is the CEO of Luma Brighter Learning, an award-winning learning company 2X recipient (2024 and 2023) of the prestigious INC. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies award. Dr. Anderson routinely publishes new, measurable, science-based techniques specifically focused on driver learning to help companies improve their safety scores and uphold compliance. She wrote the book: Thrive: How Learning Can Ignite a New Way Forward. She also is the best-selling contributing author of the book, Perspectives on Invisible Illnesses. She is the creator and host of the ‘I Love Learning’ podcast, featuring leaders from across the world sharing what motivates them to learn, and an Inc. magazine learning thought leader and author. Dr. Anderson holds a Doctor of Education in instructional systems technology from Indiana University, where she also minored in learning science. She has a passion for helping people learn.
Valerie Probstfeld
RN, MSN, FNP-BC
Valerie Probstfeld is a Nurse Practitioner, Founder of To Mom Is To Love, writer, flutist, and keynote speaker. With a master's degree from Yale University, her professional background spans pediatric neurology and primary care. Valerie is the podcast host of To Mom Is To Love and an advocate for mental health and wellness.
Dr. Barbara Vokatis
Professor at the State University of New York at Oneonta
Barbara is a professor at the State University of New York at Oneonta, keynote speaker, award-winning author, and therapy dog partner. As a researcher, she studies learning in innovative courses, innovative inquiry spaces for children, and her innovative dog therapy lab in a local elementary school. She is an author of books on dog therapy in educational settings ("Teachers and Therapy Dog Teams: Innovative Collaborations to Make a Difference for Children") and a children’s book ("Carmel Goes to School") with the therapy dog theme.
Ambreen Nadeem
Mental Health Advocate
Ambreen Nadeem is a Psychologist, Founder of Psychology Talks and Co-Founder of Save Lives Project. She is an Amazon bestselling author and a keynote speaker. She is a Podcast host of Psychology Talks. She is a Mental Health Advocate. She is actively spreading awareness and helping people to deal with mental health issues through counseling, blogs, Podcasts, and live shows. She is the Co-Founder of the Save Live Project. She is among Top 100 Global Thought Leaders in 2024.
