Photowalk in New Orleans

Jessie Erickson is the District Assessment Coordinator for Grand Forks Public Schools. Jessie holds Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a Specialist Diploma in Educational Leadership. She has had the opportunity to work with the students and staff as a teacher, Building Resource Coordinator, Instructional Coach and Curriculum Technology Partner within the Grand Forks Public Schools and Grand Forks Air Force Base School Districts. She loves facilitating opportunities that ignite all learners to become passionate about leading and learning.

Cathy Houchin has been teaching for over 40 years. As an elementary music teacher, Cathy loves infusing technology into her classes. She has presented at many conferences including ISTE, FETC, SLATE, TEAC,MACUL and WMEA. For many years, Cathy volunteered with ISTE'S Art and Technology PLN and served in many capacities including president. Currently, she is semi-retired and teaching part-time for the district's eCampus as a special coordinator.

Rita is the Educational Technology Coach for Verona Area High School. She is an Apple Distinguished Educator and has been a member of several ADE Global Institutes including Ireland, Germany and Austin, TX. She also has several books published in Apple books. She has been actively working with a variety of teachers as they develop content for their 1:1 iPad environment. As a District Personalized Learning Coach she helps transform classrooms to meet the needs of all learners. She serves on the Discovery Education Network Leadership Council, is a Google Innovator and Trainer, an ISTE Certified Educator, and is a National Board Certified teacher.

Tim Needles is an art, media and STEAM teacher, the author of STEAM Power: Infusing Art Into Your STEM Curriculum and an artist. An educator for over two decades, Needles has taught AP art, digital media, filmmaking, photography, drawing, screenwriting, animation, game design, 3D printing, coding, animation, and augmented and virtual reality. He has also taught mass communication and emerging media at Five Towns College and Adelphi University. Needles trains teachers and students in edtech, creative and media arts integration curriculum, social-emotional learning, and provides professional development for the Lincoln Public Schools, Brigantine Schools, Cape May Schools, NYSCATE, School Library Journal, StoryCorps, Mid East Suffolk Teacher Center, Suffolk's Edge Teacher Center, Project Presence and Digital Media Academy. He’s an Adobe Education Leader and Master Teacher with the Adobe Youth Voices program, and a frequent conference presenter. Needles is the chair of the NAEA ArtEdTech interest group and an ISTE Community Leader. He’s a NASA Solar System Ambassador, a DEN Star and an Adobe Creative Educator, and is a certified educator for National Geographic, Adobe, Formative, PBS, Discovery, Kami, GoGuardian and Clever. He is the recipient of the 2021 NAEA Eastern Region Art Educator Award, 2019 ISTE Teacher Education Network's Technology In Action Award, 2018 ISTE Arts and Technology PLN Network Creativity Award, 2016 NAEA Art Education Technology Outstanding Teacher Award and the Robert Rauschenberg Power of Art award at The National Gallery of Art. As an artist and writer, Needles’ work has been featured on NPR, in The New York Times and at the Norman Rockwell Museum, Columbus Museum of Art, Photographer’s Forum, French Photo and SVA Gallery. He also writes for McGraw Hill’s The Art of Teaching, School Arts, NYSCATE’s News, TEAE’s Trends and Short and Sweet NYC.