With over twenty years of experience in education, Dr. Katie Egan Cunningham is a former elementary classroom teacher and instructional coach who now supports teachers as a college professor and literacy consultant. Katie has a Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood and Childhood Education from New York University. She holds a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the author or co-author of several professional texts, including Start with Joy: Designing Literacy Learning for Student Happiness, Story: Still the Heart of Literacy Learning, Literacy Leadership in Changing Schools, and she most recently co-authored Shifting the Balance: Bringing the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom, Grades 3-5.

EKC Founder Erin Kent taught literacy for many years in urban, independent, and international schools before becoming a literacy coach and then P–12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction. She knows how important it is for professional development to be tailored to a school's specific needs and context, and that is why EKC specializes in creating bespoke professional learning plans for schools around the world. This work allows EKC, and its team of more than 50 literacy strategists, to identify current global trends and needs and to continually develop resources and materials to meet the moment. Or as Erin likes to say, "We use the world to lift the world." In recent years, EKC has grown to offer more opportunities for this global collaboration through the addition of global chats, regional literacy retreats, and the expansion of bespoke projects to  include the curation of custom text sets.

Jenny Killion is an experienced teacher, K–12 instructional coach, and literacy consultant. She has worked at the American School of Barcelona for over a decade as an elementary, middle school, and most recently as an IB DP teacher and HS Instructional Coach. She has extensive experience working with teachers from a variety of international schools on implementing inquiry-rich literacy frameworks, developing integrated curriculum, connecting instruction across languages, and literacy coaching.

Cailin Minor is an internationally experienced educator, literacy coach, and curriculum specialist. She has worked with schools around the world in creating customized approaches to teaching literacy and designing curriculum. Cailin holds an advanced certificate in Cognitive Coaching. She currently serves as a senior strategist for Erin Kent Consulting where she specializes in supporting schools in creating a tailored literacy vision and model that supports the specific ELL and cultural needs of a student population, the host country's language, and the time and structures of the school. Cailin also works with schools to create a dynamic coaching program and collaborative practices that foster the literacy growth and goals.

Meredith is an experienced international early years educator and coordinator. She has a passion for creating literacy rich learning environments that encourage and prioritize play and inquiry. She is committed to working alongside educators to cultivate class communities that foster student agency and provide meaningful and authentic learning experiences. She is a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University studying the learning sciences and their application in educational contexts. Meredith is currently serving as the Early Years Coordinator at MYIS International School in Bangkok where she works closely with students, teachers and families to empower a community of life-long learners.

Erin is a globally-minded school leader, educational consultant, and advocate for learning environments where well-being, global citizenship, and purpose thrive. Currently Principal at Panyaden International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Erin’s leadership journey spans impactful roles in Ghana, South Korea, Togo, Bali, New York, and Switzerland.

As the founder of Happiness 101: Cultivating Ecosystems for Happiness, Erin designs programs that emphasize social-emotional learning, resilience, and student empowerment, using the United Nations’ 9 Domains for Happiness as a lens to embed well-being in every aspect of school culture. Her collaborations with the United Nations and CBK Associates have produced concept-based curriculum frameworks that integrate social-emotional learning, the Sustainable Development Goals, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles, and environmental stewardship.

In addition to the featured speakers, we're bringing in some other fantastic EKC strategists to host additional sessions.

Molly Ball
Ceci Gomez-Galvez
Lauren Hateley-Crowe
Jane Lobsey
Erika Olson
Andrea Rees
Katie Vis