Keynote Presenters

Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 10:00am EDT

Sponsored by Grand Rapids Community College

Education in a Time Between Worlds: Cultivating Transformative Learning In the Anthropocene

Zachary Stein

Dr. Zachary Stein is a philosopher of education, psychologist, and futurist, working on problems of planetary risk and civilizational collapse. He is the author of two books, including: Education in a Time Between Worlds: Essays on the Future of Schools, Technology, and Society. Zak is co-founder of The Consilience Project, a think tank that publishes novel research at the leading edges of global risk mitigation, governance design, and culture. He is also co-founder of Lectica, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to the reform of large scale standardized testing infrastructures. Dr. Stein taught classes at Harvard University and Meridian University, and has been invited to speak at a wide range of venues, from the National Security Agency to off-the-grid spiritual retreat centers.

Friday, April 8, 2022 | 10:00am EDT

Sponsored by the University of Georgia

The Transformation of Experience – The Experience of Transformation

Saskia Eschenbacher

Saskia Eschenbacher is Professor of Adult Learning and Counseling at Akkon University of Applied Human Sciences, in Berlin. She earned a Ph.D. (2018) in Education from the University of Augsburg. In 2015 and 2018, she spent terms as a Visiting Researcher at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education, and in 2019 at Teacher’s College, Columbia University.

As part of her research and also as a practicing Systemic Therapist and Consultant, Eschenbacher is interested in how to promote and catalyze processes of personal change and transformation. She is a co-editor of The Palgrave Handbook of Learning for Transformation (2022).

Ted Fleming

Ted Fleming, is retired Head of Department at Maynooth University, Ireland and is currently teaching at Teachers College. He studied with Jack Mezirow at TC (M.A. & Ed.D) and later with Paulo Freire in Boston. He is originally a science graduate with degrees in Quantum Mechanics and Relativity Theory but an interest in Critical Theory followed. He has published many articles and chapters on Habermas, Honneth, Negt and Bowlby. He is currently external advisor to the Learning City project and Citizen’s University of Larissa Municipality in Greece. Other research interests and publications can be found at tedfleming.net.

Saturday, April 9, 2022 | 2:00pm EDT

Practicing the Elements of a Liberating Ecosystem: Transforming Toward Liberation

Elissa Sloan Perry

Elissa Sloan Perry has taught several courses in the MA in Leadership program at Saint Mary’s College of California and currently teaches Leadership for an Interdependent World. Elissa is also Co-Director of Change Elemental where she designs and facilitates equity-rooted leadership development, culture change processes, and coaching services. You can also find Elissa writing, dancing, exploring other art forms, and spending time with trees.