2025 Summer Symposium

On February 1st, 2018, Heather died on the floor at work after suffering from Sudden Cardiac Arrest at the age of 28.

Working long hours each day trying to make a name for herself in the world of education, Heather never knew that you could literally become stressed to death.

Since her near death experience, one that less than 9% of people survive, Heather has learned about the negative impact of stress on the brain, heart, and body, and how important it is to keep your stress levels in check.

Using humor, her personal experience, and data, Heather passionately educates others about heart health and how important it is to learn to manage stress before you too, are stressed to death... Read more

Michael Barolak is a transformational leader committed to creating, improving, and executing organizational systems that intentionally benefit all students, staff, and stakeholders.  With twenty four years in public education as a social worker and district administrator, Michael is a passionate learner and skilled trainer with experience developing staff and students, building relationships, coaching, and managing projects.  As a strong collaborator and an independent thinker, Michael aims to strengthen the district, school, and individual staff goals.  Besides implementing and crafting staff... Read more

Courtney has over a decade of experience serving in K-12 educational settings—as a teacher, administrator, literacy consultant, and school improvement coach. Her most recent work has led her to school districts around the country in service of improving district-wide systems and structures to support effective teaching and learning. Courtney earned her bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Kent State University before continuing her education at the University of Denver where she earned a master's degree in International Human Rights. In an effort to combine her two passions—learning... Read more

I have been working with children for close to 15 years. Several years ago I made the transition away from public education and had the pleasure of working with families in nature. Currently, I am the Lead Teacher for an online organization educating homeschooling families from around the globe! My experiences in education have shown me that parents have a deep desire to understand how their child experiences the world. They are seeking an understanding of how to best support their child in an academic and emotional sense. They were also seeking to build their own emotional toolbelt that would... Read more

Dr. Eric Junco stands at the forefront of educational equity as the inaugural Director for Equity at Northern Illinois University's College of Education. With a rich background that bridges the gap between theory and practice, Dr. Junco's journey in education is marked by a pursuit of fostering inclusive and responsive learning environments. Through faculty panel discussions, belonging surveys, focus group research, and the dissemination of JEDI research and pedagogy-based materials, he has been a catalyst for change. His collaborative work with administrative committees to enhance mentoring and... Read more

Jennifer is a dedicated and seasoned education professional with an impressive career spanning over 25 years. Her journey in the field of education has taken her through various roles, from being a classroom teacher to serving as an interventionist, team lead, parent, and school board member. Currently, she is serving schools  as  the Director of the Area 2 SEL Hub. Jennifer's commitment to education is deeply rooted in her passion for learning. She believes in the power of education to shape individuals and society positively. As an advocate for social and emotional skill building, Jennifer... Read more

Linda DeYounge currently serves as the Professional Learning Facilitator for the Boone-Winnebago Regional Office of Education. Previously, she served as a high school English teacher for five years at Hononegah Community High School.

In her time as a teacher, she focused on writing instruction, developing the College Writing and Journalism courses, as well as mentoring the Newspaper Club staff. She also has a passion for technology implementation in the classroom and workplace. In her current role, she serves adult learners through facilitating site-specific professional learning and online, self-paced programming. Her second degree is in Fine Arts with a minor in Art History. You can find her playing trivia on Wednesday nights and painting in the studio during the weekend... Read more

Holly Kelly is a Regional Educational Technology Coordinator for the Learning Technology Center, serving the east central region. She facilitates professional learning opportunities for educators, administrators, and technology staff that support digital teaching and learning. Holly also provides onsite and remote workshops and networking events at an ROE or a school district, including professional development workshops for in-service days.

Holly is passionate about helping educators feel more confident, creative in their instruction, and motivated and excited to use technology with their students. Holly is a 15-year veteran of the education field, which has included stints as a secondary-level English teacher and a high school library media specialist. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College in Providence, RI, a master’s degree from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL, and certified teacher and counselor credentials. She holds further professional certifications, including as a Google for Education Certified... Read more