Session Descriptions

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KEYNOTE

Choosing to Stay in Challenging Times: Leading with Resilience, Joy and Belonging

Leadership in education has never been more demanding—or more essential. In this thought-provoking session, Dr. Salome Thomas-EL speaks directly to school and district leaders about how to build cultures of resilience, inclusion, and joy. He’ll share how authentic relationships, culturally responsive practices, and mentoring can support the retention of BIPOC leaders and help teams thrive through adversity and challenging times. Principal EL will explore how to cultivate positive environments and a strong sense of belonging—empowering leaders to take risks, make bold decisions, and challenge the status quo. They will leave with strategies to cultivate cultures where both staff and students feel seen, heard, and motivated to reach their full potential.

About Principal EL:

Dr. Salome Thomas-EL lives in Pennsylvania with his family and has been a teacher and principal since 1987. He is currently a K-8 principal in Wilmington, DE and received national acclaim as a teacher and chess coach at Vaux Middle School in Philadelphia, where his students have gone on to win world recognition as Eight-Time National Chess Champions.

Principal EL is the author of the best-selling books, I Choose to Stay (Movie rights optioned by Disney Films), and The Immortality of Influence, which stresses the importance of leadership, mentoring, parenting and service to others. He is also the co-author of 3 books on leadership and teacher retention. Dr. EL’s newest book, “Meet Their Needs, and They’ll Succeed, was released in April 2025.

He speaks to groups around the country and appeared on C-SPAN, CNN, and NPR Radio. Principal EL has studied school leadership abroad in England and at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He holds a doctorate in Education Leadership from Wilmington University in Delaware. He has received the Marcus A. Foster Award as the outstanding School District Administrator in Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania’s distinguished Martin Luther King Award. Reader’s Digest Magazine recognized Principal EL as an “Inspiring American Icon.” Dr. EL was featured on Good Morning America and appeared on the Oprah Radio Network.

BLOCK 1 BREAKOUTS: Choose one session

Leading con Corazón, Pasión y Equidad: Latina School Leaders on Navigating, Thriving,and Reimagining Educational Leadership

Dr. Alejandra Estrada-Burt (Panel Discussion)

This dynamic panel brings together Latina school administrators to share their leadership journeys, the cultural strengths they bring to their roles, and the unique challenges they face within school systems. As leaders who often serve at the intersection of multiple identities and systemic barriers, Latina administrators offer critical insights on what sustains them, what needs to change, and how district leadership can better support, retain, and elevate leaders of color. Participants will hear stories of resilience, advocacy, and innovation—rooted in community, culture, and conviction. From navigating bias and isolation to building culturally affirming school communities, panelists will speak candidly about their experiences and lessons learned. This session is designed to foster reflection, connection, and action. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas for creating more inclusive leadership pathways and supporting BIPOC educators at every level.

The Ritberger Personality Method: Discovering Me • Understanding You • Bridging Our
Differences

Dr. Khuzana DeVaan

Have you ever wondered why you think, feel, and act the way you do? Why some choices bring you joy while others leave you feeling stuck? The answer lies in personality—the key to understanding your core values, motivations, and relationships.

Renowned behavioral psychologist Carol Ritberger, Ph.D. developed the Ritberger Personality Method, a proven system that identifies four distinct personality types—Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green—to help you gain clarity, improve communication, and achieve personal and professional success.

Why Personality Matters

Personality goes beyond learned behavior; it's hardwired in your genes. It influences:

How you make decisions and define success
The way you interact and communicate with others
Why you're naturally drawn to some people and not others
The level of satisfaction and fulfillment you experience in life

By understanding your personality color, you’ll transform the way you see yourself and those around you. Instead of feeling misunderstood or frustrated, you’ll develop deeper relationships, improve communication, and gain clarity in both your personal and professional life.

Seen, Safe, and Supported: How Leadership Presence Transforms School Culture

Richard Torres Jr.

Every student carries a story into school. For some, that story includes moments of uncertainty, disconnection, or instability. In this session, participants will explore how school leaders can become steady, relational anchors who help students feel safe, seen, and supported. Drawing from both personal experience and school-based leadership, this session examines how presence, consistency, and connection can reshape the student experience. Participants will leave with a renewed understanding of how leadership presence can build trust, foster belonging, and positively influence school culture for all learners.

Let Them: Sustaining Joy, Focus, and Transformation as Principals of Color

Dr. Salma Hussein

To remind school leaders of color to lead with clarity, joy, and resilience using the “Let Them” theory as a mindset shift—and to share lessons from Dr. Salma Hussein’s leadership journey as a principal, mother, Somali American, and educator committed to equity.

Experiences of Two Indigenous Women in Leadership

Jamie Barton and Estelle Sukhu

In Indigenous communities it is important to share our stories so that others can learn from them. That is how elders share the information of the past. It is also how Indigenous communities learn--experiential learning. By doing, we are better equipped to work out the bumps when things do not go as expected. While sharing her story, Jamie will do so in circle. Another way of being from Indigenous cultures around the world. The participants will leave with some artifacts and ideas on how to have courageous conversations with others as well the main items to facilitate a circle.

Jame Barton will share her story of being a Mayan adoptee who was brought to the US when she was 6 months. She was raised in a white community that reminded her everyday that she did not fit in. She will share some pinnacle moments in her life that helped shaped who she is today.

Estelle Sukhu will share her experience navigating her diverse upbringing being an Indian Guyanese female leader who grew up in an all-white community. This unique upbringing presented her with the challenge of balancing the expectations and norms of her peers with the deeply ingrained family beliefs on life, education and cultural traditions.

BLOCK 2 BREAKOUTS: Choose one session

Supporting Diverse Learners: Strategies for Inclusive Education: Addressing the Needs of Vulnerable Students in Diverse School Communities

Robert Ware

Addressing the needs of vulnerable students in diverse school communities involves creating inclusive, supportive, and equitable learning environments where all students feel valued and empowered. This includes recognizing the unique challenges faced by students from varied cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and ability backgrounds and implementing targeted strategies to promote their academic success and well-being.

Vulnerable students may face barriers such as language difficulties, economic hardship, discrimination, trauma, learning disabilities, or lack of access to resources. In diverse school communities, these challenges are often compounded by cultural or systemic inequities. By proactively addressing these needs, schools can help all students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.

Resilience & Innovation – Leading Through Challenges

Dr. Fatma Lawson

Leadership in education is both a privilege and a challenge, especially for BIPOC school principals navigating systemic obstacles while striving for student-centered success. This session will explore how resilient leadership, paired with innovative strategies, can drive transformative change in schools—ensuring equity, excellence, and sustainable growth despite adversity. We will look at the case of Highwood Hills Elementary: A Polytechnic Program School. participant will do the following:

Examine the impact of adversity in school leadership and how resilience fosters success.
Explore innovative approaches to overcoming challenges in equity, student engagement, and systemic change.
Identify actionable strategies to sustain personal and professional well-being while leading transformative efforts.

Advancing Equity in Education: The Work of the Coalition to Increase Teachers of Color: Framework for Leaders and American Indian Teachers MN

Sandra Saucedo-Falagan

This session is designed for BIPOC educational leaders to deepen their understanding of the mission, impact, and current initiatives of the Coalition to Increase Teachers of Color and American Indian Teachers in Minnesota (TOCAIT). Participants will explore how the Coalition advocates for systemic change through policy, community engagement, and legislative action to increase and retain teachers who reflect the racial and cultural diversity of Minnesota students. The session will also highlight ways leaders can partner with the Coalition to promote racially equitable hiring practices, support affinity spaces, and champion culturally affirming school environments. Attendees will leave with practical strategies and a renewed sense of collective purpose in advancing racial equity in education.

Men of Color in Educational Leadership (MCEL) Resilient Representative Leadership

Akram Osman and Harrison Peters

MCEL believes that prioritizing the personal and professional development of leaders of color is among the most powerful investments we can make in our students, schools, and society at large. Anchored by the 10 Essential Competencies for Educational Leaders of Color, MCEL's Resilient, Representative Leadership Framework and Toolkit includes guides, tools, and other resources to help educators of color grow and thrive along our leadership journeys, including with the support of equity-minded allies and system-level officials.

PANEL DISCUSSION

Dr. Carlondrea Hines

Superintendent

St. Louis Park Public Schools

From SLP: Intro Video

Dr. Stacie Stanley

Superintendent

St. Paul Public Schools

From SSPS: Intro Video

Dr. Kim Hiel

Superintendent

Osseo Area Schools

From OAS: Intro Video

MESPA is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization

1970 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 204
Roseville, Minnesota, 55113
952.297.8670