Matt Kirkpatrick is an educator, AP Research teacher, and synthetic biology club sponsor at Oak Park & River Forest High School, a large comprehensive high school in suburban Chicago. He facilitates a diverse range of student research projects that involve engineering design, scientific experiments, surveys, and even content analysis.

Emmalyn Green is the Director of Learning Design at JA Worldwide, where she leads the design of global learning experiences and outcomes measurement systems that help evaluate the impact of entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial health programs across more than 100 countries. She oversees the development of research-informed frameworks, global surveys, and impact reporting that enable JA offices worldwide to measure and improve learner outcomes

Howard co-leads the JA Institute, the global research and innovation arm of JA Worldwide, a non-profit delivering 23.8 million student learning experiences across 120 countries annually. An expert in economic strategy and advanced data, he has consulted for the City of Calgary on AI policy and previously served as Head of Sponsorship for YYC DataCon 2025.

Wendy is a researcher and strategist with Kamehameha Schools with 20 years of experience advancing Indigenous well-being through research, strategic planning, and community engagement. She oversees enterprise-level, cross-functional research initiatives grounded in Indigenous knowledge to inform organizational strategic planning, performance, and learning. She has authored numerous publications and her work across Hawaiʻi and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific has been featured in local and national media and supported state and federal advocacy efforts.

Dacey Mayhoff is an insights leader with more than a decade of experience, including nearly five years in the edtech sector. At Stride, a leader in online K–12 education, she sits at the intersection of innovation, acquisition, customer experience, and retention. She is passionate about connecting signals across the learner journey to enable more personalized experiences and drive better outcomes.

Dr. Nick Kohn brings over 20 years of experience in education, having served as a teacher, principal, district administrator, researcher, consultant, and Qualtrics implementer. His expertise spans strategic planning, program evaluation, human resources, and operations. In his current role, Dr. Kohn focuses on scaling listening programs, transforming stakeholder feedback and data into impactful actions.

K'la Watts is Manager of Research Operations at Stride, leading the systems, processes, and governance that power the Voice of the Customer program. Research Operations specializes in transforming research and feedback into scalable, decision-ready insights through technology, automation, and operational excellence. The team's mission is to collect, manage, and activate research and feedback at scale to help the organization better serve students and families.