Saturday, February 3, 2024
Keynote Address: 10:00 am - 11:15 am EST

Within the context of Gifted Education, there are several paths that Highly Capable/Gifted Students (HC/GS) can take that lead to college matriculation.

The Robinson Center for Young Scholars (RCYS) offers such a path, providing opportunities for highly motivated and academically talented students to engage with University of Washington (UW) with early entrance options. The RCYS offers Saturday and Summer Enrichment courses (K-10) designed with rigor for HC/GS students to spark interest in subject matters and potential college majors. Students from these Enrichment classes and within the broader PNW are introduced and invited to apply to RC Transition School (8th grade) and UW Academy (10th grade) early entrance programs (EEP).Transition school is a one year college-preparatory program on UW campus that includes core academic preparation and scholarly skill-development to meet challenges of navigating as a college student at an exceptionally young age. TS graduates go on to become UW matriculating students the following year and participate in the UW Academy program along with those who would have been 11th graders, but were selected to enter UW as freshmen with the coordinated council of our faculty.

The success of these programs have depended heavily on the strong partnerships fostered between families, educators, and counselors. In this live panel presentation, representatives from our RC family discuss this unique partnership and benefits to its students as well as offer tips to any program interested in doing the same.

Speakers' Bios:

Jeamel Alday

Jeamel Alday is the Administrative Assistant at the Robinson Center (RC). He graduated from the University of Washington in 2021 majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Diversity. While at the University of Washington, he worked in the Center for Experiential Learning and Diversity and the Undergraduate Research program to promote leadership opportunities and research to Undergraduate Students at the UW. As Jeamel is the first point of contact for most interested families, he aims to give them confidence in their decision of choosing the RC as their students next step in their journey.

Dr. Kristina Henry Collins, Ph.D.

Dr. Collins earned both her Ph.D. and Ed.S. in educational psychology: gifted and creative education from the University of Georgia in Athens. She was most recently the associate director at the LBJ Institute for STEM Education and Research, and an associate professor in the Talent Development Program at Texas State University. Collins received the College of Education Presidential Distinction Award of Excellence in Teaching at the assistant professor rank for her work at Texas State University. In addition to Dr. Collin’s role at the Robinson Center, she will hold an affiliate faculty appointment in the College of Education and will hold an affiliate appointment in the School of Education at UW Tacoma.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Keynote Address: 10:00 am - 11:15 am EST

Gifted and advanced learners have specific needs when it comes to curricular and instructional practices. We cannot simply add more or just extend general education to nurture the intellectual needs of our most capable students. Dr. Richard Cash will define the four pillars of curricular and instructional practices for gifted and advanced learners. With each pillar, examples will be shared as to how to differentiate in the general classroom, self-contained classroom or in a pull-out/push-in model.

Speaker's Bio:

Dr. Richard M. Cash is an award-winning educator and author best known for his work in differentiation, advanced learners and self-regulation. Over his three-plus decades in education, his experiences include teaching, curriculum coordination, and program administration. Prior to his education career, Richard was an actor and children’s theater director. Currently, he is a widely respected education consultant with nRich Educational Consulting, Inc. (www.nrichconsulting.com). His consulting work has taken him throughout the United States, and internationally.

His areas of expertise are educational programming, rigorous and challenging curriculum design, differentiated instruction, 21st century skills, brain-compatible classrooms, gifted & talented education, and self-regulated learning. Dr. Cash has authored books on differentiation, gifted learners, and self-regulation for learning.

Dr. Cash may be reached at:
www.nrichconsulting.com
[email protected]
+1-612-670-0278

Sunday, February 4, 2024
Closing Keynote Address (Session 3A): 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm EST

Psychological well-being can be defined as a person who is happy, healthy and productive (Cross & Cross, 2017). The concept of well-being is from the field of positive psychology. Psychological well-being has been described as “the scientific study of what goes right in life” (Peterson, 2006, p.4). What makes this topic exciting and valuable is its inherent application to all people, including those with gifts and talents. This keynote presentation will share research to assist us as we try help our students with gifts and talents develop a sense of happiness, healthiness and productivity. The internalization of these three experiences will help lead these students to lives of psychological well-being.

Speaker's Bio:

 Tracy L. Cross, Ph.D., holds an endowed chair, Jody and Layton Smith Professor of Psychology and Gifted Education, and is the executive director of the Center for Gifted Education and the Institute for Research on the Suicide of Gifted Students at William & Mary. He has published more than 350 articles, book chapters, and columns; made more than 400 presentations at conferences; and published 14 books. He received the Distinguished Service Award from The Association for the Gifted (TAG) and the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the Early Leader, Early Scholar and Distinguished Scholar Awards from NAGC, and received six MENSA awards for outstanding research and in 2009 the Lifetime Achievement Award from the MENSA Education and Research Foundation. Most recently, he was honored for his legacy in the field of gifted education by the National Association for Gifted Children. He has edited eight journals, with five being in gifted education. He is president emeritus of TAG and NAGC, and just completed a second stint as a Fulbright Scholar at Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland.

Sunday, February 4, 2024
Keynote Address: 10:00 am - 11:15 am EST

This session spotlights how positive psychology interventions can scaffold the development of hope in school-aged youth. Emphasis areas will include students whose hope has been compromised by inadequate school services, by multiple exceptionalities with which they grapple, or by socioeconomic and/or diversity challenges. Data associated with a current Javits project exploration will provide additional evidence underscoring the value of positive psychology as a critical feature often omitted from educational programs targeting identification of and services for high-ability youth.

Speaker's Bio:

F. Richard “Rick” Olenchak is Professor of Educational Psychology and Research Methodology, Professor and Psychologist of Gifted/Creative/Talented Education, and Professor of Higher Education at Purdue University. Previously, Rick was Associate Provost for the multi-campus University of Houston System (UH), Chair of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences at UH, and prior to that Chair of Special Education and then Chair of Teacher Education at the University of Alabama.

Having taught grades 2-11, he served as P-12 Director of Gifted and Talent Development Education in two school districts and as principal at elementary and middle schools, including one of the first schools for multiexceptional students in the world. He also was a consulting psychologist for students whose talent is inhibited by socioeconomic, psychosocial, or other challenges. His dominant interest is multiple exceptionalities or young people with gifts and talents who grapple with numerous challenges such as neurodiversity.

Having served as President of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), President of the International Future Problem Solving Program, President of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students, he is a member emeritus of the Board of Directors of SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted). He continues to be active in various NAGC networks and is especially proud of his work in helping to launch a special interest group at NAGC addressing the needs of gifted and talent development among students who are Indigenous, First-Nations, or Natives of Alaska or Hawaii.

Publications number over 100, including the award-winning books, Social-Emotional Curriculum with Gifted (2009) and Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults (2005 and 2016). Current extramural funding totals approximately $5 million. Awards include: Distinguished Service from NAGC; John Gowan from NAGC; leadership from six states; Special Education from Mexico; Lily Endowment Teaching Fellow; and Leadership for Students with Talents and Disabilities.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Keynote Address: 10:00 am - 11:15 am EST

This keynote will provide an overview of exciting and positive new research about students who are both academically talented and have disabilities, focusing on recent research on students with ASD. The focus of this work is how we can use strengths and interests to help develop talents in a broad range of students who are 2e, that is twice exceptional. Specific recent research results will be shared about how we can support the academic strengths and interests of this group of students and help them realize their potential.

Speaker's Bio:

Sally M. Reis holds the Letitia Neag Morgan Chair in Educational Psychology at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. She is also a UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, and currently serves as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs. As Vice Provost, she has implemented several new and innovative programs for Honors Students, Effective Teaching and Learning, and innovative undergraduate student research. She is a former Department Head of the Educational Psychology Department and also served as Principal Investigator of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She is a fellow of Division 15 of the American Psychological Association, and has won numerous professional awards including the Distinguished Scholar of the National Association for Gifted Children, for her scholarly contributions. She also served as President of the National Association for Gifted Children.

She was a classroom teacher as well as an administrator for 15 years before becoming a professor. She has authored and co-authored more than 250 publications, including articles, book chapters, and numerous monographs and technical reports, and worked in a research team that has generated over 35 million dollars in grants during the last 15 years. Her publications have appeared in journals such as American Educational Research Journal. Journal of Educational Research, American Psychologist Exceptional Children, and Phi Delta Kappan. Her research interests are related to academically talented students and talent development as well as special populations of gifted and talented students, including students with learning disabilities, diverse groups of talented students who are often underserved and underachieve in school. Her recent work has involved methods of using gifted education pedagogy to stimulate interests, learning styles and abilities in all children. She has also studied show differentiated teaching strategies enable teachers to streamline the regular curriculum, ensure student mastery of basic skills, and provide time for challenging enrichment activities or acceleration activities. She has also conducted research on the challenges and problems faced by academically talented students with learning disabilities, and high poverty, high potential students who underachieve in school. She has conducted research on the Schoolwide Enrichment Triad Model, a model she developed with Joseph Renzulli. The SEM has been implemented in hundreds of school districts throughout the world. Some of her most cited research has been conducted on talented women and girls. She has conducted seminars and symposia in every state as well as an India, Spain, Germany, Italy, England, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Portugal, Argentina, China, and Panama on this work. In her most recent work, Sally has conducted research about using enrichment strategies to challenge and engage talented readers for which she has been awarded over 6 million dollars from IES.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 3A: 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm EST

Speakers' Bios:

Emily Kircher-Morris, M.A.

Emily Kircher-Morris, M.A., M.Ed., LPC, inspired by her own experiences as a twice-exceptional (2e) learner, is dedicated to supporting 2e children—including her own—in a way she wasn’t during her academic years. She has taught in gifted classrooms, has been a school counselor, and is now in private practice as a licensed professional counselor, where she specializes in helping gifted, twice-exceptional, and neurodivergent kids.

Emily is the author of several books related to the development of twice-exceptional learners. "Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom" (Free Spirit Publishing, 2021) focuses on supporting 2e learners in the educational setting, and "Raising Twice-Exceptional Children: A Handbook for Parents of Neurodivergent Gifted Kids" (Routledge, 2022) is a guide for parents navigating the world of twice-exceptionality. She is also a co-author on the second edition of “A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children” (Gifted Unlimited, LLC, 2023).

Emily hosts The Neurodiversity Podcast, which explores parenting, counseling techniques, and best practices for enriching the lives of neurodivergent people. She is the founder of the St. Louis-based nonprofit Gifted Support Network. She speaks at statewide, national, and international conferences and frequently provides virtual and in-person professional development to educators worldwide. Many of her presentations and workshops can also be found at the Neurodiversity University online learning platform. Emily lives near St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Dan Peters

Dr. Dan Peters is co-founder and Executive Director of the Summit Center. He has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families, specializing in overcoming worry and fear, learning differences such as dyslexia, and issues related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality. He is passionate about helping parents and teachers to better engage children in the classroom, at home, and in life, so that they can realize their full potential. Dr. Dan is author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears, and the companion book for children, From Worrier to Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Fears, as well as the Warrior Workbook: A Guide for Conquering Your Worry Monster. He is also co-author of Bright, Complex Kids: Supporting Their Social and Emotional Development and Boosting Your Child’s Natural Creativity, and hosts the podcast, Parent Footprint with Dr. Dan.

Dr. Michael Postma

Dr. Michael Postma is a teacher, administrator, consultant, speaker, and author dedicated to the holistic development of both gifted and twice-exceptional children through his company Gifted & Thriving, LLC. Over the last two decades, Dr. Postma has worked in the field of gifted/talented education as both a teacher and administrator in the public and charter school system in Minnesota and North Carolina, and was the architect of the Minnetonka Navigator Program, a magnet school specifically designed for highly gifted and twice-exceptional students. Dr. Postma was also the Executive Director of SENG from 2017-2019 and Director of Programming until 2022. Dr. Postma has published a number of articles and two books, the latest titled The Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of Twice Exceptional Students. He travels and speaks nationally and internationally on a variety of topics such as: the social/emotional development of the gifted, understanding twice-exceptional learners, gifted/talented programming, neuroscience and the gifted/2e brain, and school related topics from understanding assessment to quality instruction for gifted/2e learners. He currently lives in Bellingham, WA and is the father of four children, three of whom are twice-exceptional.

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 3A: 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm EST

Speakers' Bios:

Mia Abernethy

Mia Abernethy is a 17 year old student from Palmerston North, New Zealand. She is a keen advocate for twice exceptional students and hopes to create more awareness around the challenges these young people face. She hopes to do this by sharing the knowledge she has gained through her own experiences and her experiences with working with young gifted and twice exceptional children. So that youth facing similar problems can find comfort in knowing that they are not alone in their experiences and learn to embrace their strengths.

Ryan Kricker

Hey, my name's Ryan Kricker. I'm 20 years old and I'm from Colorado Springs, Colorado. I like trains, sports (mainly baseball), and I am a YouTuber (Ryan's Colorado Rail Productions). I was classified as gifted and twice-exceptional at an early age. I have a great working memory, as I am able to remember lots of information from many years ago and recall it later at any time with an impeccable degree of detail and accuracy. I am honored to be a part of the Gifted and Thriving community and it is a real privilege for me to be a part of this event!

Margo Margan

Margo Margan is a writer and independent game designer most prominently working as a columnist and community leader at Third Factor Magazine. She often writes about her personal experiences with giftedness, misdiagnosis, and "not fitting in with being different." At Third Factor, Margo fosters the gifted community by hosting community groups, including Writer's Exchange. She has also created, designed, and published an original board game called CroXcards and an icebreaker game called Socializer! at The Game Crafter. Alongside this, Margo posts her more casual creative writing, breakdowns of her work on her website's blog, and fosters collaboration through spotlighting fanmade content for CroXcards.

Jordan O’Kelley

Jordan O’Kelley is a neurodiverse student at Cal State LA, where he is majoring in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. Jordan is twice exceptional, having been diagnosed with autism at age 4 and identified as gifted age 10. He advocates for strength-based education, encouraging neurodiverse individuals to follow their strengths and embrace their differences.

Jordan radically accelerated his education, enrolling in college at age 14 through CSULA’s Early Entrance Program. He has had an internship through NASA’s N3 Program, and an REU in the Physics Department at Vanderbilt University, through the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation. He is currently participating in the U-RISE Program at Cal State LA, researching star formation and astro-chemistry. Next fall, he will begin his studies for a PhD in Physics.

Jordan has written articles, participated in podcasts, and speaks at education conferences and universities on his experiences with public and private education as 2e student. He is a part of The O’Kelley Lab— a grass roots effort to promote supports, resources, and creative solutions for neurodiverse and gifted individuals. Jordan also created a YouTube video, “2e Like Me,” to promote 2e awareness and advocacy, and is featured in the award-winning documentary, “O’Kelley Legends: 2e Behind the Scenes.”

Jacob Person

Jacob Person is a 2E student who has been involved in various gifted / 2E communities, currently working in software engineering with an intense interest in biochemistry and pharmacology. Through a combination of skipped grades and Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Psychology in 2020, four years ahead of schedule. He is currently exploring potential fast-track Masters Degree-to-PhD programs in organic chemistry. Jacob is a lifelong learner with a passion for connecting with other gifted and twice-exceptional young people, both for the opportunity to learn from peers and to play the role of mentor to others with similarly-unique skillsets.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Special Discussion: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EST 

Homeschooling (or unschooling) remains a popular option amongst gifted families in the United States and beyond and yet the numerous questions remain for parents in regards to operating a successful home-based schooling model. Our expert panel brings decades of home-based education to this panel and will discuss questions like: Why homeschool? How do I get started? What about materials? Effective assessment and sustainability? What laws govern homeschoolers? And, many more. Please join us for this interesting discussion

Speakers' Bios:

Lisa Jobe, Esq.

Lisa Jobe is an educator, consultant and advocate specializing in providing support for profoundly gifted/2e learners and their families. Lisa pivoted from her corporate law career to homeschool her profoundly gifted sons, and has now devoted the past fifteen years to teaching and serving as an advocate in the gifted community. She has served on numerous school boards and advisory groups, and volunteers in many capacities, including collaborating in NAGC’s Member Advisory Group, serving on the Gifted Homeschoolers’ Forum (GHF) Board, where she leads the first virtual co-op for gifted/2e families, and co-hosting a parent support group amongst Davidson Young Scholar families with profoundly gifted learners.

Lisa is co-founder of Sequoia Gifted and Creative LLC, which serves gifted and twice-exceptional families nationally with individualized learning and advocacy support.

She is also a doctoral student at Bridges Graduate School, studying cognitive diversity in education. Lisa has several areas of passion, including individualized learning, strengths-based education, creativity, and acceleration advocacy.

Please feel free to reach out to Lisa any time at [email protected]. 

Kasi Peters

Kasi Peters is a passionate advocate and support person for gifted children and their families. She has served on the boards of many gifted organizations including SENG, Profoundly Gifted Retreat, and Gifted Homeschoolers Forum. Kasi holds a certificate in Gifted and Talented Education from UC Irvine, is a current graduate student at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education and is a Master Facilitator and Trainer for SENG Model Parent Groups. Kasi is co-founder of Westside of Los Angeles Gifted, a local meetup and resource group whose mission is to connect gifted families with meaningful social opportunities and with appropriate resources that meet their unique needs. Kasi is also co-founder of Square Pegs, an independent consulting business that is dedicated to supporting families looking for alternative educational opportunities and has been homeschooling her two gifted children since 2012. Kasi is also a board certified music therapist primarily working with children who have special needs.

Cassandra Whetstone

Co-Founder, Sequoia Gifted and Creative, LLC
[email protected]

Cassandra Whetstone is a credentialed educator and consultant who has taught in both traditional classrooms and homeschool environments over the last thirty years. She is the co-founder of Sequoia Gifted & Creative, LLC, which supports families who are navigating alternative educational pathways for their unique learners. Cassandra is also a freelance writer and mentors young writers in grades K-12.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 1A: 11:30 am - 12:45 pm EST

As the Spiral Model of Development begins to take hold in the twice exceptional community of educators and parents, we must examine the variables contributing to the appearance of competency within the four domains: Academic, Social, Emotional, and Physical. The paradigm is shifting to a holistic perspective, understanding that culture, language, gender, SES, intellect, and a multitude of factors play a role in developing talent. 

Speakers' Bios:

Dr. Karen B. Arnstein, Ed.D.

Dr. Karen B. Arnstein, Ed.D., a postdoc at Purdue University, leads Javits grant research in positive psychology to identify underrepresented gifted students. She also explores the developmental transitions of twice-exceptional (2e) students. Collaborating on the Spiral Model of Development, she presented at major conferences. A core faculty at Bridges Graduate School, Chair-Elect for NAGC's Special Populations SIG, and Co-Chair of SENG's Research Committee, Dr. Arnstein's impactful work advances understanding in gifted education.

Dr. Barry Gelston, EdD ABD

Barry Gelston, Director at Bridges Graduate School, is a doctoral candidate in Cognitive Diversity. Former GHF president, Gelston co-developed the Spiral Model of Development with Dr. Karen Arnstein, addressing competence assessment for twice exceptional learners. A seasoned professional in education, Gelston introduced the "appearance of competence" concept and created the Gelston Scale of Cognitive Diversity. Currently a private math teacher, he actively supports 2e individuals, leveraging his extensive career to address competence assessment complexities.

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 3B: 2:45 - 4:00 pm EST 

Every classroom includes a spectrum of learners, and the outliers on both ends pose some of the greatest challenges to educators and families. What do the terms “gifted” or “twice exceptional” (“2E”) mean? Who are we talking about? You may be surprised by the characteristics of this population and all that goes with these neuro-diverse profiles, including super sensitivities, living with intensity, and passion in their areas of interest. Learn the unifying traits and theories that define gifted and twice exceptional (2E) children and how some traits can mask or “hide” others.

Speakers' Bios:

Michelle Barmazel

Michelle Barmazel is the Co-President and Organizational Liaison for MAGE. Michelle moved into the field of gifted education from a career in business when her eldest was having trouble getting his needs met by the traditional school system. She obtained an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School focused on gifted education policy where she did her TEDxHGSE talk “Why Gifted May Not Be What You Think". She has spent the past almost 15 years supporting families in the realm of the highly and profoundly gifted and performs teacher trainings all over the country.

Karen Blumstein

Karen Blumstein is the Co-President and Parent Liaison of the Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education (MAGE). She is an elementary, special needs, and gifted educator with extensive classroom experience focusing on 2E dyslexic students. Using her experience as a teacher and a parent, Karen regularly performs teacher trainings, webinars, and parent support discussions while speaking on Gifted Education and Twice Exceptionality.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Session 1A: 11:30 am - 12:45 pm EST

The WISC V offers more than IQ scores. While informative, the various Indices including Full Scale IQ, General Abilities, Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, Processing Speed, Non-Verbal, and Arithmetic can be mis-leading. Too often parents receive scores from a WISC V administration without knowing the key meanings behind each subtest, so this session offers interpretation of the WISC V. This session focuses on WISC V sub-test interpretations to help parents and clinicians get the most out of this robust tool and understand when a professional/school is interpreting it correctly. Finally, this session explains how highly intelligent children are different in their approach to testing and how that can negatively or positively affect the results.

Speaker's Bio:

Dr. Paul Beljan, PsyD, MP, ABPdN, ABN is a pediatric neuropsychologist practicing in Scottsdale, AZ. He is a past president of the American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology (ABPdN). He holds child diplomate with ABPdN and adult diplomate with the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology (ABN). In 2016, Dr. Beljan completed a post-doctoral master’s degree in psychopharmacology from New Mexico State University.

Dr. Beljan co-authored Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, BiPolar, OCD, Depression, and Other Disorders. He also co-authored Large Scale Brain Systems and Neuropsychological Assessment: An Effort to Move Forward. Dr. Beljan is a nationally retained forensic expert and lectures nationally and internationally.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Session 2B: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

I will discuss how fostering your own positive mindset can help build and nurture the ever complex and fluctuating role as a parent of a 2e individual.

Speaker's Bio:

Recently donning the cover of Creating Change Magazine, Sara Bradford, CEO of SJ Childs LLC, an autism consulting business created to support families. Sara, her husband, and her two kids are all autistic. She is a member of the Autism Council of Utah. She is a Global Autism Speaker and a Podcast Host of The SJ Childs Show Podcast. She has partnered with realtors, police training, corporate autism training programs, after-school program training, speaking at national conferences, and hosting her own events as well. Sara is a children's book author, pen name SJ Childs. Teaching kindness and inclusion for all.

Sunday, February 4, 2024
Session 1B: 11:30 am - 12:45 pm EST

Evergreen trees stay green throughout winter, performing photosynthesis with limited sunlight and water, designed to withstand harsh weather and thrive; our gifted population does not always fare so well. It is a misconception to think that the gifted population is immune to mental health challenges that other students experience, that their intellectual potential has somehow inoculated them from stress, anxiety, depression, etc. In this session, we will examine resilience theory, strategies that encourage social-emotional health and awareness, much like a social-emotional photosynthesis for gifted including understanding perfectionism and how depression and anxiety might manifest in our gifted community.

Speaker's Bio:

Linda Elizabeth Lawhorn Collins, Ed.D, is a gifted education teacher at Park Hill School District in Kansas City, Missouri, who specializes in working with 2e students, presents nationally, and enjoys researching and writing about gifted students. In 2004, Linda was Master Teacher of the Year for Blue Valley School District, and in 2009, and she was the Blue Valley School District’s Kansas Teacher of the Year, and the semi-finalist for Region 3, Kansas Teacher of the Year. Linda was named a 2013 Sunflower Ambassador for the Blue Valley School District, was Park Hill School District's Star of the Month in 2020, and she has served as a member of the Editorial board for SENG. Linda earned her Doctorate in Education, in 2023, from the University of Kansas in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in gifted education. Linda’s dissertation research focused on the underrepresentation of diverse students in gifted education and gifted education teachers' ideas about more inclusive practices. One of her students wrote "if middle school is a hurricane, then our gifted class is the eye of the storm." Linda is married to her high school sweetheart and enjoys spending time with her delightfully diverse 2e family.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 4B: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm EST

Highly sensitive kids require highly skilled parents. However, we all struggle with the human condition; for we often fall short as our own dysregulation gets in the way. It happens. This presentation outlines a process moving the dial from a reactive self to a more responsive self. And doing so through the development of a more resilient self. You will walk away from this presentation ready like never before to engage with your kids. And inspired to do so.

Speaker's Bio:

Larry M. Davis, MA - With over 40 plus years as an educator, I have worn many hats on this path including Behavior Specialist, Highly Capable Coordinator, District Special Education Director, Elementary Principal, and teacher. In addition to being one of the leading Education Advocates nationwide. And throughout this long and winding road, behavior seems to rise to the surface as an area of interest and importance. As a result, I have created a program called SELFIRST, providing participants opportunity to make a shift from the reactive self to a more responsive self.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 2A: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

Auditory Processing Disorders (APD) and Vision Processing Disorders (VPD) are common in the gifted population, but are often missed or misdiagnosed as ADHD or dyslexia. There are great intervention and management strategies available for both APD and VPD that can make a huge difference in a child's life (adults too!). Learn where these sensory disorders originate, what they look like at home and in the classroom, and what strategies can help.

Speaker's Bios:

Austina De Bonte (Smart is not Easy)

Austina De Bonte is President of WA Coalition for Gifted Education, Past President of NW Gifted Child Association, advisor to The G Word documentary, member of the NAGC Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, and a consultant at Smart is not Easy. She received the NAGC Carolyn Callahan Doctoral Student Award (2023), People to Watch by Variations 2e Magazine (2020), WAETAG Advocacy Award (2019), and has won three PTA Outstanding Advocate awards. She is a doctoral candidate at Bridges Graduate School.

Megan Locke, Au.D., CCC/A (Able Kids Foundation)

Megan Locke earned a Doctor of Audiology degree from Central Michigan University and is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She completed her residency year at a sound therapy center, becoming a certified provider in various listening programs. She joined the Able Kids Foundation in 2008 and continues to specialize in the field of auditory processing disorder (APD).

Hilary K. Wisdom, Au.D., F-AAA (Able Kids Foundation)

Hilary Wisdom received her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from Gallaudet University and completed her externship at the UNC – Greensboro with specialized training in auditory processing disorder (APD). She joined the Able Kids Foundation in 2019 and provides diagnostic evaluations and management strategies for individuals with APD. She is certified by the American Board of Audiology.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Session 4A: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm EST

If you feel like you’re behind on college planning before you’ve even started, this session is for you. Over the course of this session, I will introduce a variety of common issues and label them “big problems” or “small problems” to help put a framework on what to prioritize over the course of the college application process. I will also introduce a variety of support tools at a variety of price points, from completely free to low-cost. I will also provide suggestions on situations where work with a trained college consultant can be helpful.

This session will focus on common needs of gifted and neurodiverse students.

Speaker's Bio:

Amy Estersohn is a teacher and an educational consultant. Translation: she has read over 4,000 college applications from 45 states and six countries during her time as an admissions officer. She has taught English and writing to over 1,000 students in grades 7-12, and she has supported dozens of students through the admissions process. In addition, to teaching and admissions, Amy is passionate about books, and she continues to read and review books for national teacher and librarian organizations. She really, really, really likes to read stuff.

Sunday, February 4, 2024
Session 2B: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

This session presents what the GT and SPED research literatures and the LGBTQ+ press (2000-present) say about the traits, problems, and triumphs of 2e LGBTQ+ students and what teachers and parents can do to assist these students as they navigate through uncertain times and settings. Supportive views are given from both traditional and critical perspectives. Specific mention is made of how to nurture 2e LGBTQ+ youth with learning, emotional, autism-spectrum, and health disabilities/differences.

Speaker's Bio:

Terry Friedrichs, Ph. D., Ed. D., is a licensed and/or certified educator of students who have gifts/talents and learning, emotional, autism-spectrum, and health disabilities. He holds doctorates in gifted/talented (GT) and special education (SPED) and in critical educational theory, as well as a master's in LGBTQ+ studies and four decades of experience in teaching and organizing thrice-exceptional children. 

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 1B: 11:30 am - 12:45 pm EST

Can a strengths-focused mentor change the path of a twice- or multi-exceptional student? Is it possible to effectively mentor if physically separated across the globe from the mentee? Do relationships of trust and safety, shared interests, and common lived experiences lay the foundation for lifelong achievement? How might technology support building engagement with highly anxious learners? This presentation will share the answers to these questions as documented by my dissertation research on virtual meeting-based mentorships for twice-exceptional students with chronic anxiety. I will share authentic stories of such mentoring relationships, a visualization of the key components of successful mentorships, and the impact of such relationships on both the mentor and mentee.

Speaker's Bio:

Dr. Amy Haynes Clark discovered her love of twice-exceptional education through the creation of Chestnut Ridge Academy, which she founded to serve her son by creating highly customized experiences for gifted and exceptional minds. She has since earned a Doctorate in Education at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity with a focus on Innovative Leadership. She now supports neurodivergent individuals as well as their families, educators, and employers through her consultancy, Exceptionally Engaged. At Exceptionally Engaged, she helps parents to adopt strategies that foster harmony in the home, employers to create positive work environments, and educators to build engagement in learning. As a mentor for multi-exceptional individuals, she supports a sense of belonging and self-efficacy by exploring how strengths, talents, and interests might guide their future pathways. She is a fierce advocate for the life-changing benefit of service dogs for neurodivergent individuals and is currently building communities to support these opportunities at Heel & Home. With her multi-disciplinary background in technology, learning, design and research she loves supporting those interested in collaborating on the magic that lies at the intersection of technology and learning.

Sunday, February 4, 2024
Session 2A: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

How do we raise Exceptionally and Profoundly Gifted (EPG) children who thrive? This presentation combines practical boots-on-the-ground wisdom and research-based and theoretical perspectives to deliver profound parenting strategies curated for our brightest children and teens. Learn the fundamentals of differentiated parenting approaches derived from an informed understanding of our EPG offspring's unique core traits and (signature) idiosyncratic dimensions. Learners with measured IQ scores 3 SD units above the mean are a statistical rarity in most educational, mental health, and social settings. Typically, educators and mental health practitioners fail to identify and even minimally address the needs of the EPG, resulting in inadequate development of their extraordinary intellectual and social-emotional capabilities. Parents of EPG offspring report extreme frustration and concern for their children's well-being due to this widespread ignorance and lack of opportunity for their children to thrive. P. Susan Jackson draws from decades of experience consulting, counselling, researching, and raising EPG offspring to deliver this insight-rich presentation.

Speaker's Bio:

P. Susan Jackson is a leading expert in the gifted, specializing in the Exceptionally and Profoundly Gifted. She is a researcher, author, filmmaker, psychotherapist, consultant and parent. Her clinical work spans 29 years, comprising over 60,000 hours of psychotherapy wholly with this exceptional population. She is the author of numerous articles and chapters in the gifted education literature and consults and speaks worldwide. Her "Integral Practice for the Gifted™" model addresses multiple aspects of human functioning– including cognitive, emotional, spiritual, physical, and talent-based dimensions – and explains how advanced cognition influences all of these elements, the Self, and the expression of talent. In 2021, she received the “Mental Health Practitioner of the Year Award" 2021 (conferred by the Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Organization). In addition, in 2020, she was chosen as a "Person to Watch” for her exemplary work supporting the Neurodivergent, presented by the international 2-e-Newsletter organization. Her highly anticipated book: "Excuse Me, Where Do I Park my Whale? The Extraordinary Journey of the Exceptionally and Profoundly Gifted." is due for release June 1, 2024.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Session 2A: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

If I say, 'emotion,' what do you associate it with?
It is often a concern for gifted people, who experience their own or others' emotions with great depth. Some might have disconnected from this intensity as it hurt too much or no longer feel. Others wonder how to navigate through the overwhelm, not feeling in control. The most common strategy is to deal with emotions through the head: analyzing over and over. What if there were other strategies? What if your emotions were a guide?
If you would like to change your relationship to your emotions, this is for you!

Speaker's Bio:

Gloria Jensen is an artist and a coach specializing in supporting gifted adults. She is the founder of the Gifted Adult Interview, published on her blog to demystify and thrive in being neurodivergent through true stories. Her approach to neurodiversity is multicultural, spanning several European countries and the United States. Her focus is in helping gifted adults deeply understand how they operate, deal with their mental and emotional intensities, and create a life that is a reflection of who they are.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Session 3B: 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm EST

Gifted and twice-exceptional learners often have unique interests and creative talents beyond those typically supported in traditional education models. How can homeschool parents empower their learners to nurture those interests, foster creativity, and integrate personalized learning into their educational journeys? In this conversation, we will explore self-led learning and personalized learning pathways; share practical strategies in building these pathways; and talk with a gifted teen whose unique learning pathway has led to heightened learning motivation, rewarding educational experiences, as well as early college success.

Speaker's Bio:

Lisa Jobe is an educator, consultant and advocate specializing in providing support for profoundly gifted/2e learners and their families. Lisa pivoted from her corporate law career to homeschool her profoundly gifted sons, and has now devoted the past fifteen years to teaching and serving as an advocate in the gifted community. She has served on numerous school boards and advisory groups, and volunteers in many capacities, including collaborating in NAGC’s Member Advisory Group, serving on the Gifted Homeschoolers’ Forum (GHF) Board, where she leads the first virtual co-op for gifted/2e families, and co-hosting a parent support group amongst Davidson Young Scholar families with profoundly gifted learners.

Lisa is co-founder of Sequoia Gifted and Creative LLC, which serves gifted and twice-exceptional families nationally with individualized learning and advocacy support.

She is also a doctoral student at Bridges Graduate School, studying cognitive diversity in education. Lisa has several areas of passion, including individualized learning, strengths-based education, creativity, and acceleration advocacy.

Please feel free to reach out to Lisa any time at [email protected].

Sunday, February 4, 2024
Session 1A: 11:30 am - 12:45 pm EST

Your child reacts with disgust to people chewing and breathing at the dinner table. Your student gets furious at the classmate who sniffs. Your spouse will only wear tagless cotton shirts, and can’t function at work with all the keyboard typing. What’s going on? Why are they reacting to things no one else notices? This session will provide an overview of this relatively recently named phenomenon known as Misophonia- misnamed as ‘hatred of sound’- recognizing that Misophonia is not limited to the auditory realm, nor to the sensory mechanisms alone. We will explore its relationship to being gifted where intense reactivity to sounds, smells, movements, textures, energy, lighting, even lack of symmetry are common. Citing recent research, we will differentiate it from other co-occurring phenomena. Examples and tips will be offered. Ample time will be set aside to field questions and offer hope.

Speaker's Bio:

Heidi Lack, Ph.D. ATR-BC is a clinical psychologist and board-certified registered art therapist in the field of behavioral medicine - the intersection of the mind-body-emotions. She has decades of training, work, and supervisory experience stemming from the department of Behavioral Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Dept. of Psychiatry; as a Senior clinician at the Hallowell Centers; as adjunct faculty at Lesley University. She is currently in private clinical, coaching and consultation practice helping adults, college-aged and some teens, families, parents and elders juggle the joys and challenges of their neurodivergences stemming from their giftedness and multi exceptionalities, anxieties, attentional and executive functioning issues, social thinking, sensory processing differences such as Misophonia, and their related exceptionalities. She co-founded and facilitates "Intentional ParentingTM" support groups at schools, SoulCollage® and ethical values character trait-based workshops in the community, is trained as a SENG SMPG/SCG parent group facilitator, is a facilitator at GHF Professionals Networking group, and Board Member of Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education. Dr. Lack partners with Dr. Gail Post the Gifted Parenting Journey Workshop series of support groups for parents of gifted/2e children. Dr. Lack is a multimedia artist, intermittent writer/poet, and parent whose multi exceptional young adults required support and creative schooling variations to meet their complex learning profiles. See https://drheidilack.com, [email protected] or https://www.thegiftedparentingjourney.com.Lisa is co-founder of Sequoia Gifted and Creative LLC, which serves gifted and twice-exceptional families nationally with individualized learning and advocacy support.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Session 3A: 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm EST

During this session, participants will learn culturally responsive family engagement strategies that will increase and enhance their family engagement models. Often, school personnel have little or no familiarity with the culturally diverse communities they serve. As a result, parents of culturally diverse or 'minoritized' gifted/neurodiverse students are only minimally engaged with schools and schools have little or no success as they attempt to develop effective partnerships with families, communities in diverse communities. This session will provide specific steps to improve family engagement and discuss potential community partnerships which can help districts meet their goals of equity & excellence while improving outcomes for all students. Current successful partnerships will be examined and contact information provided.

Speaker's Bio:

Dr. Joy Lawson Davis is one of the nation’s premier experts in gifted education, frequently called upon for presentations, interviews, podcasts, to serve on expert panels and Advisory Councils to advocate for increased equity in gifted education services. Her specific expertise is diversity, access and equity in programming for students from underrepresented populations and culturally diverse/neurodiverse gifted students. Dr. Davis is also core faculty member at Bridges Graduate School for Cognitive Diversity and Johns Hopkins University, School of Education.

Dr. Davis is also an award-winning author of six books, her most recent books include Bright Talented & Black: A guide for Families of Black gifted learners 2.0”; “Empowering Underrepresented Gifted Students: Perspectives from the Field” and “Culturally Responsive Teaching in Gifted Education: Building Cultural Competence and Serving Diverse populations”. Davis served for five years on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children, serves on the editorial boards of two professional journals, and on the Board of Trustees for The Roeper School in Michigan. Dr. Davis also served for five years as the State Specialist for K-12 gifted programming in Virginia. Davis is the recipient of the 2022 Honorary Member of the Colorado Academy of Educators of the Gifted; 2020 New Jersey Hall of Fame Award from the NJ Association for Gifted Children; the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted; and the 2019 Alexinia Baldwin Special Populations Award from the National Association for Gifted Children.

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 4A: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm EST

The journey from preschool to college can present a tricky route to navigate when you are the parent of a gifted or twice-exceptional child. It can feel like a lonely, overwhelming job, but you don’t have to go it alone. A collaborative network including your child, parenting/caregiving peers and partners, educators, and other practicing professionals makes the journey far less treacherous and much more rewarding. Starting with the earliest school years, we’ll talk about collecting resources, expanding your network, and practicing and modeling positive advocacy skills. Over time, the load gets lighter as your child learns and grows and eventually becomes their own best advocate.

Speaker's Bio:

Carol Malueg is a learning coach and consultant, specializing in gifted and twice-exceptional education and support. Carol sits on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented (MCGT) and the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum (GHF). She was honored with the MCGT Friend of the Gifted Award in 2020 and the Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Presidential Award for Distinguished Service in 2021. Her company, Gifted Roads, addresses the gifted and multi-exceptional experience across the lifespan. https://giftedroads.com

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 1B: 11:30 am - 12:45 pm EST

Creative thinkers, especially gifted ones, can fear the idea of their work failing. Facing criticisms is often one of the most terrifying things creatives can imagine. But I couldn't have achieved my dreams without failure.

It took just over a decade to develop and publish my original boardgame, CroXcards. Playtesting, scrapping ideas, and taking all failures into account helped me grow the game into what it is today. I'll share the story of how failure created CroXcards, hoping it will inspire others not just to accept their failures, but to chase failures so they can succeed.

Speaker's Bio:

Margo Margan is a writer and independent game designer most prominently working as a columnist and community leader at Third Factor Magazine. She often writes about her personal experiences with giftedness, misdiagnosis, and "not fitting in with being different." At Third Factor, Margo fosters the gifted community by hosting community groups, including Writer's Exchange. She has also created, designed, and published an original board game called CroXcards and an icebreaker game called Socializer! at The Game Crafter. Alongside this, Margo posts her more casual creative writing, breakdowns of her work on her website's blog, and fosters collaboration through spotlighting fanmade content for CroXcards.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 3B: 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm EST

Giftedness is a whole body experience, affecting not just the brain but the whole body. When that gifted person is either chronically ill or gender diverse, or both, there’s a whole new set of issues that little is known in the larger world. Did you know there is a signifiant prevalence of giftedness within the Transgender community? Some believe LGBTQIA+ prevalence in Gender Z and younger in HG/PG is up to 40%! Rebecca Niederlander is living in this intersectional world and will share information so you will feel empowered and supported to be the best self, and the best ally, you can be for both gender diversity and neurodiversity, and the physiological chronic illnesses that are often comorbidities to so many of us in the gifted community. This session is also educational for teachers, behavioral health practitioners, and all others who love and support our diverse gifted population.

Speaker's Bio:

Rebecca Niederlander is an artist, essayist, curator, health advocate, and accomplice. Among a lifetime of boards and volunteerism, Niederlander is currently on the board of Transforming Family and on the Advisory Board for the UMASS Boston study Experiences of transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse youth with mental health provider assessment for access to gender-affirming care. She presented on chronic illness in the gifted community at the 2023 Gift-A-Palooza, and the 2023 SENG national conventions, as well as presenting on allyship to the gender diverse people in your life at the 2023, 2022 and 2021 SENG Conference, and on chronic illness and giftedness in the gender diverse community at the 2023 TransPride International conference. In the early 2000s, she founded a therapy dog program at the Sycamores Home for boys that she ran for five years. She co-authored Just Listen: Affirming Strategies for Supporting Gifted Transgender Youth for NAGC’s Parenting for High Potential. Her artwork has been shown internationally including the acclaimed Venice (Italy) Biennale. Niederlander’s 2013 TEDtalk is “The Art of the Journey.”

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 4A: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm EST

Learn how Executive Function deficits impact 2e learners at various stages of life. Learn some of the most common and predictable patterns that can interfere with quality of life as well as some unique perspectives on the positives.

Speaker's Bio:

Seth Perler, MEd Gifted Education. [Executive Function, 2e, ADHD, Neurodiversity]

Seth Perler is a well-known Executive Function Coach, activist, educator, vlogger, and guy who cares about seeing outside-the-box kids succeed. This means that he helps struggling, neurodiverse learners turn it around in a baffling system so they can launch a successful future. His weekly blog, SethPerler.com gives parents and teachers game-changing answers in a sea of misguided educational fluff.

Seth also runs TEFOS, The Executive Function Online Summit and it is excellent. Learn more here.

If you want to help a student who struggles with homework, grades, procrastination, overwhelm, underachievement, time-management & motivation, then understanding this “Executive Function” thing is critical.

There’s no instruction book for how to help a child navigate school & life. Traditional interventions often fail because they don’t get to the root of a child’s problems and they’re often based on misunderstanding, misinformation and outdated paradigms. Consequently, a child’s patterns get worse each year, leading to pervasive difficulties transitioning into adulthood. That’s the opposite of what education should do, and the sooner we get the facts about Executive Function, the better.

Parents often feel helpless, watching their child drown in school, as they spin their wheels trying to help. There’s no time to waste, life isn’t a dress rehearsal. Parents want tools that are 1) practical, 2) that demystify the problem and 3) that consider a child’s unique needs. It’s simple but not easy. It’s all about Executive Function and many of Seth’s students are 2e or Twice-exceptional.

Bonus Pre-Recorded Presentation

Pre-Recorded Gifted & Thriving Signature Series Webinar (2023)

There remains numerous questions on what exactly ADHD/ADD means, especially in the Gifted/2e population. Many gifted individuals, diagnosed or not, may display symptoms of ADHD without any official diagnosis leaving confusion around who they really are. So, what are the answers? Is it really ADHD or is it just characteristics that might coincide with the gifted individual? It has been established that gifted individuals have atypical metaphysical (brain/body) development due to an increased capacity for sensory information (epigenetics) that may lead to ‘hyper brain-hyper body’ characteristics. But is that really ADD/ADHD? Or just giftedness? Interestingly, there have been many reporting’s of misdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD in the gifted and twice-exceptional populations so it is important to truly understand these differences. This session is designed to unravel the mysteries of this question.

Speaker's Bio:

Dr. Michael Postma is a teacher, administrator, consultant, speaker, and author dedicated to the holistic development of both gifted and twice-exceptional children through his company Gifted & Thriving, LLC. Over the last two decades, Dr. Postma has worked in the field of gifted/talented education as both a teacher and administrator in the public and charter school system in Minnesota and North Carolina, and was the architect of the Minnetonka Navigator Program, a magnet school specifically designed for highly gifted and twice-exceptional students. Dr. Postma was also the Executive Director of SENG from 2017-2019 and Director of Programming until 2022. Dr. Postma has published a number of articles and two books, the latest titled The Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of Twice Exceptional Students. He travels and speaks nationally and internationally on a variety of topics such as: the social/emotional development of the gifted, understanding twice-exceptional learners, gifted/talented programming, neuroscience and the gifted/2e brain, and school related topics from understanding assessment to quality instruction for gifted/2e learners. He currently lives in Bellingham, WA and is the father of four children, three of whom are twice-exceptional.

Bonus Pre-Recorded Presentation

Pre-Recorded Gifted & Thriving Signature Series Webinar (2020)

Twice-exceptional (2e) children experience atypical brain development that affects how they interact within different situational contexts (i.e. school, relationships, communications, home, work, etc.). Experts refer to this as asynchrony given the difference in growth rates between intellectual and social/emotional maturity.  In order to truly understand the twice-exceptional person, one must understand this atypical brain development and how it impacts the development of schema (the understanding of self and how one fits into the world). This webinar will examine this atypical neurodevelopment and illuminate strategies on how to better understand and serve the twice-exeptional child/student at home and in the classroom.  Join Dr. Michael Postma and special guest Dr. Matt Zakreski as they explore the intricacies of the 2e brain.

Speakers' Bios:

Dr. Michael Postma

Dr. Michael Postma is a teacher, administrator, consultant, speaker, and author dedicated to the holistic development of both gifted and twice-exceptional children through his company Gifted & Thriving, LLC. Over the last two decades, Dr. Postma has worked in the field of gifted/talented education as both a teacher and administrator in the public and charter school system in Minnesota and North Carolina, and was the architect of the Minnetonka Navigator Program, a magnet school specifically designed for highly gifted and twice-exceptional students. Dr. Postma was also the Executive Director of SENG from 2017-2019 and Director of Programming until 2022. Dr. Postma has published a number of articles and two books, the latest titled The Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of Twice Exceptional Students. He travels and speaks nationally and internationally on a variety of topics such as: the social/emotional development of the gifted, understanding twice-exceptional learners, gifted/talented programming, neuroscience and the gifted/2e brain, and school related topics from understanding assessment to quality instruction for gifted/2e learners. He currently lives in Bellingham, WA and is the father of four children, three of whom are twice-exceptional.

Dr. Matthew Zakreski

Matthew “Dr. Matt” Zakreski, PsyD is a high energy, creative clinical psychologist and professional speaker who utilizes an eclectic approach to meet the specific needs of his neurodivergent clients. He is proud to serve the Gifted community as a consultant, a professor, an author, and a researcher. He has spoken over 400 times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent kids. Dr. Zakreski is a member of Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC), and Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE). Dr. Zakreski graduated from Widener University’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (IGCP) in 2016. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective: https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/

Bonus Pre-Recorded Presentation

The objective of this presentation is to empower parents, educators and professionals to bring out the best and raise self-confidence in twice exceptional kids through an understanding of the 2e person's inner experience, through strategies that are immediately applicable for parents and educators, and through advocacy tips necessary to encourage the adults in 2e kids' lives to implement best practices. In order to accomplish this, we will take a deep dive into the 2e profile looking at definitions of giftedness, myths surrounding the profile, discussing 2e characteristics: asynchronous development, perfectionism/anxiety and OEs. We will discuss how gifted brains differ from neuro-typical brains and will introduce the idea of responsive parenting and teaching rather than reactive parenting and teaching. Participants will learn specific strategies that are particularly impactful for the 2e population including strategies to forge and maintain personal connections, strategies for positively reframing typical 2e characteristics and behaviors and maintaining a strengths-based approach, how to anticipate challenging behavior by identifying lagging skills and unsolved problems, how to give meaningful choices that allow the child to take control, and the importance of sense of humor and exercise for this population. Finally, we will discuss best approaches for collaborative advocacy on behalf of 2e learners. The overarching message is that all kids want to do well and that 2e kids come with incredible potential because, not despite, their differences. We must circle the wagons of the adults in 2e kids' lives in order to support them in a way that strengthens their self-confidence so they can thrive

Speaker's Bio:

Julie F. Rosenbaum Skolnick, M.A., J.D., Founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, LLC, passionately guides parents of gifted and distractible children, mentors 2e adults, trains educators and advises professionals on how to bring out the best and raise self-confidence in their 2e students and clients.

A prolific write and beloved speaker, Julie hosts "The Haystack 2e Adult Membership Group" which welcomes all ‘2e adult needles,’ hosts Let’s Talk 2e! Parent Empowerment Groups, produces virtual conferences, and publishes “Gifted & Distractible,” a free weekly newsletter. Her book, Gifted and Distractible: Understanding, Supporting, and Advocating for Your Twice Exceptional Child, published October 2023.

Located in Maryland, USA, Julie's clients and audience hale from all four corners of the globe.

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 2A: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

Almost 20 years after sustaining a TBI, I talk about my experience navigating academic and social life after being told I was "fine." I was not fine. I struggled with emotional and impulse control as well as lack of long term memory for many years. I was continually told that I was "fine" and given very little support outside of this. As part of my recovery I have made a goal to focus on solutions rather than problems, and with first hand experience navigating life as a twice-exceptional student, I ask how we can help students build resilience and self-advocacy when our first reaction is to reassure them that they are fine?

Speaker's Bio:

Kasey Suitor, M.Ed. has a master's degree in Inclusive Education which, along with her experience as a twice-exceptional learner, allows her to design meaningful and engaging curricula for her students. Kasey's love for alternative education began in her childhood where she grew up on the campus of a summer camp and witnessed the incredible social and emotional growth in the campers who attended. Outside of teaching, Kasey runs a small work-to-ride program on her farm where children come to learn about and participate in caring for her horses in trade for riding lessons.

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Session 2B: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

They're bright. They're capable. But are your older teens and young adults less engaged in their lives than you’d like? Whether they're living at home or on their own, are you still doing too much for them? Are you worried they're not interested enough in their own future? This workshop will provide clear, actionable strategies for parents and educators who are supporting bright, complex teens and young adults. Learn techniques to improve the dynamic so that you know how to help these amazing young adults take ownership of their lives. As you improve communication patterns you can avoid power struggles and create a lasting, trusting, connected relationship that will empower them to see their own future and want to do something about it!

Speakers' Bio:

Elaine Taylor-Klaus

Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster are the co-founders of ImpactParents.com, an online training, coaching, and support resource for parents of complex children, teens, and young adults. Internationally recognized parent educators and certified coaches, they help parents worldwide reduce the stress of raising children with ADHD, anxiety, LD and more. The creators of the Sanity School® behavior training programs, they are the authors of Parenting ADHD Now: Easy Intervention Strategies to Empower Kids with ADHD (2016) and The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety and More (2020).

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 2B: 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm EST

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Increase awareness of physiological impact of emotional intensity, over-excitabilities as well as existential depression and perfectionism
2. Gain effective emotion regulation strategies of physiological soothing, including diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation, visualization, etc
3. Examine Socratic reasoning, cognitive restructuring, presupposition, and growth mindset in order to increase confidence of emotion regulation strategies

ABSTRACT
From generalized worry to heart-pounding panic attacks to raging outbursts, these emotional struggles can range from bothersome to debilitating. This workshop highlights experiential techniques to manage the emotional intensity of gifted children, teens and adults. Agitation and relaxation cannot physiologically exist in the body at the same time. Create confidence in your children, students and in yourself by tapping strengths and tools to impose a relaxed body posture by over-riding mental agitation, over-excitabilities and existential depression. These strategies successfully benefit children and adults for managing emotional distress related to anxiety, anger and angst.

Speaker's Bio:

Christine Turo-Shields, LCSW, LCAC is EMDR certified and has a personal and professional passion for working in the world of the gifted. . . raising two 2e children (one gifted and one profoundly gifted). She is the owner of Kenosis Counseling Center and has worked with a plethora of gifted children, teens, and adults, and has facilitated a gifted women’s anxiety group. She knows the blessings and burdens of the minds of our brightest! With specialty in the GT/HA world, she consults with school districts on case consultations regarding gifted students as well as conducts and coordinates trainings and presentations for educators and parents. She coaches gifted parents, introducing them to resources which will aid in navigating their children’s world emotionally, socially and behaviorally.

Christine has been an integral part in the development of the Gifted Family Program for Central Indiana Mensa – a program so successful that it won the American Mensa Gifted Children Program Award for 2010. Her article, "The Rocket Science of Raising Gifted Kids" has been published in the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) newsletter, and she has been a presenter at the NAGC and SENG national conferences, most notably on trauma healing and anxiety management among gifted individuals. She has been a co-facilitator for SENG 2e online parent groups, and is proud to have been named as SENG State Liaison for Indiana. Additionally, she has served as a member of the Behavior Team with PGR as well as a webinar facilitator for the Davidson Institute.

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 4B: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm EST

In a world that often misunderstands the complexities of giftedness, adults who possess these traits face unique psychological challenges. This presentation, led by Dr. Chris Wells and Emma Nicholson, aims to delve into Kazimierz Dąbrowski's theory of positive disintegration as a lens through which the struggles and triumphs of gifted individuals can be understood and navigated.

Key Highlights:

- Understanding Positive Disintegration. Exploring the basics of Dabrowski's theory and its relevance to gifted adults.
- Psychological Tension in Giftedness. Examining the role of overexcitabilities and heightened sensitivities in creating psychological tension.
- Real-Life Applications. Sharing personal experiences and anecdotes to illustrate the journey of positive disintegration.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how positive disintegration manifests in gifted adults and learn strategies to manage the associated psychological tensions effectively. This presentation aims to provide both insight and practical guidance, empowering individuals to navigate their unique psychological journeys.

Speakers' Bios:

Chris Wells, PhD, LSW

Chris Wells, PhD, LSW, is a writer, social worker, co-host of the Positive Disintegration Podcast, and founding president of the Dąbrowski Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the theory of positive disintegration and the psychology of giftedness. Chris knows firsthand the struggles of being multi-exceptional: they are highly gifted and nonbinary with multiple types of neurodivergence. Chris helps others find answers, resources, and community. They offer consulting services in their capacity as a Dąbrowski scholar to educators, academics, and clinicians around the world.

Emma Nicholson

Emma Nicholson is a business analyst who lives in Sydney, Australia. She is the co-host of the Positive Disintegration podcast and creates content for everyday people learning about the theory of positive disintegration and overexcitabilities for her website Tragic Gift, and YouTube channel, Adults With Overexcitabilities.

Friday, February 2, 2024
Session 4B: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm EST

As legendary psychologist, Dr. Joseph Renzulli, once said, “No one cares about Einstein’s ability to paint, or Picasso’s ability to complex math.” Why, then, are we obsessed with focusing on what we can’t do well and doing it better?

Superheroes don’t spend their whole lives focusing on their struggles. If they did they probably wouldn’t be super! They’re super because of the way they use their powers to make the world a better place!

The sad reality is that much of society prescribes to the medical model: a deficit-based way of thinking that focuses on isolating our weaknesses and developing them. There is a better way… The strength-based, talent development model is the answer and it’s changing everything in the field of neurodiversity, psychology, and beyond!

Don’t miss this talk where we will explore how we can empower our kiddos to identify their superpowers and wield them in leading strength-based lives!

Speaker's Bio:

Sam Young, M.Ed., is the founder and director of Young Scholars Academy which is a strength-based, talent-focused virtual enrichment school that supports twice-exceptional, differently-wired, and gifted students to feel seen, nurtured, and happy as heck through strength-based courses, camps, and community!

Sam is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, a TEDx speaker, a former Bridges Academy educator of nearly 10 years, and a Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity graduate. Additionally, Sam is a neurodivergent person himself who has committed his life to supporting differently-wired students to discover, develop, and lead their lives with their strengths, talents, and unique interests!

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Session 4B: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm EST

Gifted and twice-exceptional kids love to learn, but they don't always love school. If your child wants to learn everything they can about astrophysics, or neurosurgery, or the Peloponnesian War, why would we get in the way of that intrinsic motivation and enthusiasm? The education system tends to be resistant to the ideal of Interest-Based Learning (IBL), or layering educational goals through a child’s interests. This session will explore why IBL works, how to adapt it for your neurodivergent child, and how to advocate for it as an educational approach regardless of what school system you’re a part of.

Speaker's Bio:

Matthew “Dr. Matt” Zakreski, PsyD is a high energy, creative clinical psychologist and professional speaker who utilizes an eclectic approach to meet the specific needs of his neurodivergent clients. He is proud to serve the Gifted community as a consultant, a professor, an author, and a researcher. He has spoken over 400 times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent kids. Dr. Zakreski is a member of Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC), and Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE). Dr. Zakreski graduated from Widener University’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (IGCP) in 2016. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective: https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/