Brian Cohen is the vice president of the Center for Digital Government and Center for Digital Education, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government and education. Prior to joining the Center, Brian was vice chancellor and University CIO for the City University of New York (CUNY).
As the vice chancellor and University CIO at CUNY, Brian directed the Office of Computing and Information Services (CIS), developed and managed the enterprise IT vision, strategy and day-to-day technology operations of the University. His areas of focus included academic and business systems, cloud strategies, IT policies and procedures, cybersecurity, project management, IT resiliency and disaster recovery and network and telecommunications.
Brian also served in leadership roles with the City of New York. Among his many accomplishments, Brian developed the City of New York’s e-Government strategy, implemented the City’s award-winning nyc.gov website and managed the City’s effort to address the Y2K technology challenge.

Dr. Kelley A. Gallt has served as Superintendent of Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 in Illinois for six years, where she leads nine schools and over 5,700 students. With a steadfast commitment to student success, equity, and system-wide transformation, Dr. Gallt is a passionate advocate for authentic, future-ready learning. She has championed dual credit and career pathway opportunities, expanded high school internship programs (supporting approximately 60 annually), and supported the creation and implementation of a dynamic instructional model rooted in authenticity, responsiveness, growth-mindedness, and innovation.
A forward-thinking leader, Dr. Gallt is committed to advocating for the responsible, safe, and ethical integration of artificial intelligence in education. She champions access to AI tools and learning for all students and educators, ensuring their use enhances instruction, personalizes learning, and supports equity across the system.
Under Dr. Gallt’s leadership, District 95 has achieved double-digit gains in student achievement across core content areas beginning at the elementary level, which earned the district recognition as one of only 11 districts in the State of Illinois (100+ nationwide) as recouping pre-Covid achievement scores based on a study conducted by Harvard and Stanford (Podcast by IASA: https://t.co/g9rhREsALc). The district also received two National Blue Ribbon School awards and a recent new Blue Ribbon nomination, as well as the prestigious U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon District Sustainability Award in 2024, an honor granted to only 10 districts nationwide. The district has earned the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) Facility of Merit Award for outstanding leadership in school safety and security at the high school level. In recognition of her visionary leadership and service, Dr. Gallt was named the District 95 Educator of the Year in 2020.

Pam Hendriksen is an experienced Human Capital Management (HCM) Solution Consultant at Infor, where she has spent the past four years helping public sector organizations — with a strong focus on K-12 education — navigate their digital transformation journeys.
Prior to joining Infor, Pam spent almost 20 years with Hillsborough County Public Schools, one of the largest districts in the nation. As the General Manager of Payment Services, she led payroll and accounts payable operations for more than 25,000 employees and managed financial processes tied to a $3 billion annual revenue budget.
Pam’s deep operational experience in both finance and HR within a school district environment gives her a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing K-12 organizations today. She is passionate about helping school districts modernize their human capital and finance strategies, streamline processes, and leverage technology to better serve employees, students, and communities.
Drawing on her extensive experience, Pam partners with school districts to drive meaningful change, helping them build more efficient, resilient, and future-ready operations.

In his 18 years as an educator, Dr. Michael Karner has served in several roles for school districts in Illinois including as a Principal of the Lake County Regional Safe School Program, an Assistant Principal for Zion District 6 and a Mathematics, Spanish and ELL teacher at Zion Benton District 126. Dr. Karner currently serves as the Regional Superintendent of Schools for Lake County, IL which oversees 45 public schools, 27 private schools, 3 special education cooperatives, and 2 charter school districts. As Regional Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Karner has offered new supports for school districts in the areas of alternative to suspension, professional development, truancy, mental health, school safety, and the Illinois Virtual Schools & Academy. Michael received his Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Aurora University, Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University, Masters in Educational Leadership from Aurora University, and his Bachelor’s Degree from Lake Forest College.

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010 and currently leads North Shore School District 112, serving the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, IL, just north of Chicago. A nationally recognized educational leader, Dr. Lubelfeld is deeply engaged in leadership development and professional growth, collaborating with state and national associations to inspire the next generation of educational leaders. Dr. Lubelfeld’s leadership has been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2017 Lake County Superintendent of the Year Award and the 2021 Administration and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Education.

Dr. Martirano is a seasoned educational leader, serving over 40 years in the public education sector. He has served as a science and math teacher, a principal and assistant principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels, a central office administrator, a local superintendent in two counties in the state of Maryland and as the state superintendent of schools for the great state of West Virginia. 
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree and two Masters of Education degrees from the University of Maryland and a doctorate in School Management and Instructional Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. Additionally, he is a completer of the Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance program at American University in Washington, DC. He the recipient of over thirty awards and honors during his distinguished career including being named the Outstanding Alumni from the College of Education at the University of Maryland, the Most Admired CEO and the Innovator of the Year by the Daily Record in the state of Maryland and the Exceptional School Superintendent Leadership Award given by the National Center for Children and Families.

Jeremy Wickham is the Executive Director of Technology and Operations for North Shore School District 112, a public K–8 district serving the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, Illinois. With a background in educational leadership and a passion for innovation, Jeremy oversees district-wide technology, facilities, safety, and transportation. He is a Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL) and is committed to advancing digital equity, operational efficiency, and student-centered solutions. Jeremy works to align technology and operations with instructional goals to support high-quality teaching and learning.