Dr. Teresa Arpin
President, Transformation Systems
Dr. Teresa Arpin is President of Transformation Systems, working with educational organizations both nationally and internationally since 1996. She specializes in leadership development, strategic planning and organizational transformation. In her role with Transformation Systems, Dr. Arpin has conducted leadership development programs, facilitated strategic planning processes and helped schools measure the impact of their strategic plans. She has worked with boards of education, schools and school districts large and small, across the United States and internationally, including: China, Poland, France, Czech Republic, Malaysia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Puerto Rico, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Her work has also included facilitating strategic planning processes for three international regional education associations, which include NESA, CEESA and EARCOS. She has collaborated with the NESA Board for many years in the evolution of a strategic planning approach that is now being modeled in several international schools and other regional associations. Dr. Arpin is the 2013 recipient of NESA’s Finis Engleman Award, recognizing “outstanding dedication and service to schools in the NESA region reflecting the meritorious contributions of a man whose memory will always be special in the annals of NESA.” Dr. Arpin earned a Bachelor of Philosophy from Thomas Jefferson College and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Michigan State University. Her doctorate is in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University. She is also certified by Newfield Network, an international program for the development of ontological coaches.
Dr. Derrick Gay
International Diversity and Inclusion Strategist
Dr. Derrick Gay currently consults with organizations, both domestically and abroad, on issues of Intercultural Competency, Global Citizenship, Diversity, and Inclusion. Over the past 23 years, he has partnered with over 600 organizations across numerous sectors to deepen DEI capacity; enhance inclusion and engagement; attract, hire, and retain the best talent; and design strategy to maximize business goals. Prior to consulting fulltime, Dr. Gay taught Spanish, French, and music in a number of independent schools in the United States and abroad. His work has been featured in the New York Times, The Washington Post, El Tiempo Latino, NPR, 60 Minutes, and others. He has also produced two TEDx Talks, exploring the challenges around the word diversity and the nature of racial discourse. A frequent keynote at national and international conferences, Dr. Gay is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and proficient in Portuguese-- and currently consults around the world in these languages. His clients range from schools- independent, international, public, and faith based-- financial services, law, fashion, foundations, business schools, conservatories and orchestras, and global travel companies. Currently, Dr. Gay lectures at Columbia Business School and the International Fashion Academy in Paris, France, in addition to serving as a senior consultant at Sesame Street. Previously, he taught doctoral students at the University of Pennsylvania. Current and former international school clients include Colegio Nueva Granada, The Pan American School of Porto Alegre, Colegio Nacional de Guatemala, Lower Canada College, Canadian International School of Hong Kong, Lycée Français de New York, Enrolment Management Association, CASE, and the International Boys’ School Coalition, among others. Global business clients include Clarins, Puig, Barilla, Tom Ford, Business of Fashion, Grosvenor GCM, and others.
Jennifer Abrahams
Author, Communications Consultant
Formerly a high school English teacher and new teacher coach, Jennifer Abrams is currently a communications consultant who works with educators on building collaboration skills, having hard conversations and creating healthy, professional school cultures. Jennifer’s publications include Having Hard Conversations, The Multigenerational Workplace: Communicate, Collaborate & Create Community and Hard Conversations Unpacked - the Whos, Whens and What Ifs, Swimming in the Deep End: Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives and Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work. Jennifer has written a featured column for Learning Forward's The Learning Professional on growth and change and is a contributor to The International Educator focusing on adult development and collaboration. Jennifer has been invited to keynote, facilitate and coach worldwide from the USA to Africa, from Asia to Europe, from Australia to South America, and she is honored to have been named one of the “18 Women All K-12 Educators Should Know,” by Education Week’s ‘Finding Common Ground’’ blog. More about Jennifer’s work can be found at her website, www.jenniferabrams.com, and on Twitter @jenniferabrams.