Agenda at a Glance
Keynote Speakers
Margo Gross
Dr. Tanya Manning-Yarde
Daily Schedule
(subject to change)
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Opening Remarks
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Day 1- March 2, 2027: Margo Gross
Day 2- March 3, 2027: Dr. Tanya Manning- Yarde
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More information coming soon!
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More information coming soon!
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More information coming soon!
About Margo
Margo Gross is an award-winning educational leader, national speaker, author, and advocate whose work focuses on inclusion, belonging, educational equity, and student success. With experience as a teacher, dean, special education leader, equity leader, adjunct professor, instructional coach, and principal, she has dedicated her career to helping educators create environments where all students feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Margo was named both Calvert Elementary Teacher of the Year and Calvert County Public Schools Teacher of the Year and has received numerous honors recognizing her contributions to education, leadership, and advocacy. She is a certified Gallup Strengths Coach, Life Coach, and the bestselling author of The PUSH. She has presented nationally and internationally on inclusion, leadership, equity, culturally responsive practices, and student success.
As someone whose own life was transformed by educators who chose belief over limitation, Margo brings both professional expertise and personal experience to her work, challenging audiences to consider not only what students need, but who educators must be to ensure every child truly belongs.
About Tanya
Dr. Tanya Manning-Yarde is an educator, disability advocate, author, and literacy expert whose work sits at the intersection of language, learning, and liberation. With more than two decades of experience in education, she has served as a high school English teacher, Assistant Professor at the City College of New York, national instructional coach, and professional learning leader. She is currently a Senior Specialist on WestEd’s Communications team, translating research into accessible resources for educators, leaders, and families.
A former Board President of the PEAL Center, Pennsylvania’s leading disability advocacy organization, Tanya is deeply committed to helping families and self-advocates build confidence and voice in educational systems. Her perspective is also deeply personal: her son, Maceo, has autism, an experience that has shaped her advocacy and writing around autism, race, safety, and inclusion. She is the creator and host of Who Needs Shoes?, a podcast and YouTube channel exploring autism, disability, and what meaningful support looks like.
Tanya is also a poet and author of Every Watering Word, with writing featured in HuffPost and other publications. She holds a PhD in Education and an M.A.T. from the University at Albany and a B.A. from Rutgers University.