Keynote Speakers

Michael Horn is an award-winning author, educator, and leading voice on the future of education and work. He teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and is the co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, a nonprofit think tank dedicated to improving the world through innovation.

Horn is the author of several influential books, including the national bestseller Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career, where he explores how individuals can navigate change and build meaningful, purpose-driven careers. Through his writing, speaking, and work with education organizations, he focuses on helping people unlock their potential, pursue their passions, and create lasting impact in a rapidly evolving world.

Keynote Synopsis - What if AI could give educators more time to focus on what matters most? In this fireside chat with Instructure Chief Academic Officer, Melissa Loble, Michael Horn will explore how AI can move beyond efficiency to become a catalyst for connection, curiosity, and purpose-driven learning. Discover how rethinking technology can help students graduate with more than a credential, and how educators can reclaim their time to truly engage.

Dr. Anne-Laure Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist, author, and entrepreneur whose work explores how curiosity shapes the way we learn, adapt, and grow. A researcher at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, she studies the brain’s role in curiosity across areas including ADHD, AI, mental health, and lifelong learning.

She’s the founder of Ness Labs, a science-based learning platform that helps individuals and teams apply experimental thinking to their work and lives. Her bestselling book, Tiny Experiments, offers a practical approach to navigating uncertainty through small, intentional actions that lead to meaningful change.

Blending rigorous research with real-world application, Dr. Le Cunff brings a fresh perspective on how curiosity can fuel innovation, resilience, and continuous learning in a rapidly changing world.

Keynote synopsis: Anne-Laure Le Cunff will examine how cultivating an experimental mindset can help educators and students thrive in an AI-driven world. Her keynote focuses on building resilience, adaptability, and lifelong learning through small, intentional experimentation, and emphasizes curiosity over certainty, encouraging learners to treat challenges as opportunities for discovery rather than failure.

Heather E. McGowan is a globally recognized future-of-work strategist, keynote speaker, and two-time bestselling author known for helping organizations and individuals navigate constant change. Named one of Forbes’ Top Futurists, she works with leaders across industries to rethink how people learn, adapt, and lead in an evolving world.

Her clients include Fortune 500 companies such as Google, JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard, and Kaiser Permanente, where she delivers data-driven insights and practical frameworks that turn human capabilities like adaptability, empathy, and curiosity into strategic advantage.

A frequent contributor to major media outlets, including The New York Times, McGowan is the co-author of The Adaptation Advantage and The Empathy Advantage, a Top 10 Business Book of 2023. Her work empowers people to ask better questions, embrace change, and build what comes next.

Keynote synopsis: The future of work isn’t about competing with AI, but rather, it’s about working alongside it. Heather E. McGowan breaks down what to automate, what to amplify, and how to build a mindset rooted in curiosity and continuous learning. This keynote will challenge how you think about education, leadership, and what it takes to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving world