Keynote Speakers (Both Orillia and Thunder Bay Conferences)

Jim Strachan has been working with (and learning from) children for 42 years as a social worker, classroom teacher of grades 2 to 8, instructional leader for information technology, program coordinator for beginning teachers, and as an education officer supporting mentorship and authentic learning for both new and experienced educators across Ontario. By modeling caring, compassion, cooperation, and humour, Jim believes we can contribute to the success of all learners. It is his daily challenge to live these beliefs! Jim starts each day in his kayak watching the sun rise on Lake Ontario. In his current role as an education consultant, he’s finding lingering on the lake is more joyful now than ever. All of Jim’s current Mentoring for Mentors resources (along with several pictures from his kayak) can be accessed at: sites.google.com/view/mentoringforall.

Marlo Beaucage is an Indigenous educator with extensive experience across provincial and First Nations schools throughout Ontario. She currently serves as Systems Principal with the Kinoomadzwin Education Body, operating within the Anishinabek Education System, and as an instructor and Faculty Advisor at Lakehead University. Throughout her career, Marlo has taught at elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels, and she is deeply committed to integrating Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Being, and Doing into classroom practice and across all curriculum areas. In her leadership and teaching roles, she works to align school systems with community values, language revitalization, and culturally grounded pedagogy. Marlo collaborates with educators, students, and communities to support student achievement, well-being, and cultural vitality, while advancing reconciliation and inclusive education. Her work is characterized by mentorship, pedagogical innovation, and a steadfast dedication to creating learning environments that affirm Indigenous identities and worldviews.

Conference Speakers (Orillia)

Dr. Glenda Black is a professor at the Schulich School of Education, Nipissing University. She has worked in the Canadian school system as a teacher, administrator, and teacher educator. Awarded numerous federal, provincial, and national advocacy grants, Glenda has researched and written extensively on teacher education. Her areas of interest are action research, Indigenous education, educational leadership, international teaching, and curriculum development.

Lorelei Bunkowsky is a prominent educational leader based in Manitoba. She is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Student-Centred Services for the Winnipeg School Division (WSD). Lorelei has specific expertise in mentorship for school leaders who, in turn, support teachers and teacher candidates. Lorelei Bunkowsky's contribution is essential because it shifts the mentorship narrative from individual professional development to systemic leadership transformation. By highlighting the reciprocal nature of mentorship, her talk provides a framework for multi-directional knowledge mobilization where teacher candidates are recognized as active contributors to institutional change. Furthermore, her focus on the strategic selection of mentors for marginalized and diverse candidates directly addresses the grant's priority of fostering equity and inclusion, offering a scalable model for building a diverse leadership pipeline within Canadian school systems.

Dr. Finney Cherian is an Associate Professor at the University of Windsor. His research focuses on mentoring, social justice, and teacher education. He leads Professional Development School partnerships that advance collaborative, reflective, and educative mentorship practices supporting teacher candidate learning across practicum contexts.

Noa Daniel is a part-time classroom teacher with the York Region District School Board and an independent educational consultant. She designs and leads personalized projects and initiatives that support schools, boards, and communities. Noa is the Founder and Director of The Mentoree, a mentorship institute for educators, a children’s book author, and the host of OnEdMentors and The Personal Playlist Podcast. A TEDx and keynote speaker, her work amplifies voice and deepens engagement for learners of all ages. Grounded in relational practice, she is always building outside the blocks.

Jennifer Della Mea has been a secondary English teacher, teacher-librarian, and department head for over twenty years with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board. Over her career, Jennifer has enjoyed building a classroom defined by curiosity, compassion, and a deep love of learning. From her earliest days as a new educator to her seasoned years as a mentor, she continues to center human connections as the foundation of her professional role in schools to foster positive relationships and growth. Jennifer lives in Bolton, Ontario with her family and loves reading, writing, nature, and peaceful walks with her dog, Cooper.

Primrose Goss is the Principal of Leadership and Development with the Simcoe County District School Board, bringing 28 years of educational experience as a classroom educator and school administrator. A passionate advocate for equity, leadership, and student success, she has inspired students, staff, and families throughout her career. Primrose leads system-wide initiatives in leadership development, mentorship, coaching, succession planning, administrator eligibility, and professional learning for new teachers and school leaders. She further supports educator growth as a Teacher Leadership AQ instructor with Lakehead University. Known for her coaching expertise, she empowers individuals to realize their potential, embrace feedback, and achieve meaningful professional growth.

Dr. Susan Hopkins is the Executive Director of The MEHRIT Centre, where she’s been leading Self-Reg initiatives across Canada and internationally for the past 10 years. With over 25 years of experience in education and child development, she has worked in diverse settings—from the Tłı̨chǫ region of the Northwest Territories to northern Italy, and across schools, early years programs, and government systems. Susan works with educators, early years professionals, universities, researchers, and policy leaders, always with a focus on improving the well-being of children and youth by supporting the adults who care for and guide them. She is the co-author, with Dr. Stuart Shanker, of Restoring Resilience (2025) and Self-Reg Schools: A Handbook for Educators (2019). Her work brings the science and practice of Shanker Self-Reg® to life through stories, strategies, and strong partnerships.

Joanne Lombardi serves as the Practicum & Community Engagement Coordinator at Western University’s Faculty of Education. In her role within the Teacher Education Office, she supports Bachelor of Education candidates while coordinating field placements, associate teacher relationships, and community partnerships. She plays an active part in celebrating educator excellence, frequently hosting and presenting Western’s annual Awards for Excellence to outstanding community mentors and partner schools. Her dedicated contributions to the university earned her and her team the prestigious Western Award of Excellence in 2021 for exceptional service and commitment to student success.

Laura Lee Millard Smith currently serves as an Instructor and Faculty Advisor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University, where she teaches secondary teacher candidates and contributes to faculty academic committees. With over two decades in public education, she has led diverse learning initiatives, established alternative education programs, and served as a high school administrator across multiple communities in Simcoe County. Laura Lee has presented extensively on educational outreach, student engagement, and leadership at provincial and international conferences, including events hosted by CESBA, ONLEAD, and the Ministry of Education. Her writing on supporting vulnerable learners has also been featured in the OPC Register. Active in governance and professional learning, she has served on the board for Ontario ASCD, held leadership roles with the Ontario Principals Council, and currently sits on the board for Sweet Charity.

Marg Moran is a distinguished instructional leader and retired school principal with 30 years of transformative experience in education. Currently an instructor for Lakehead Faculty of Education, Marg channels her deep expertise into cultivating future educators by actively mentoring new teachers and ensuring high-quality instructional practices.

Dr. Lana Parker is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor. Her primary area of research is in philosophy of education, with a focus on the effects of neoliberalism and capitalism on schooling, and an exploration of alternative possibilities for ethical, responsible, and responsive education. Lana’s nationally funded research currently includes a phenomenological analysis of how capitalism and social media shape youth engagement with information, including mis- and disinformation. She published an edited collection on this topic, Education in the age of Misinformation: Philosophical and Pedagogical Explorations (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023). She is also co-author of the highly acclaimed book, Mentoring Each Other. Dr. Parker is a founding member of the Public Education Exchange and serves as co-editor at Philosophical Inquiry in Education.

Jason Pratt is a Principal in Brampton, Ontario, who believes that the greatest investment we can make in education is in one another. Guided by a passion for mentorship and professional growth, he works to create school communities where educators feel supported, inspired, and empowered to lead. He is in his 17^th year as a secondary school administrator and has led teacher mentorship across five distinct school communities. Throughout his career, Jason has championed collaborative learning cultures that prioritize instructional excellence, student achievement, and staff well-being through leadership on Board and Family of Schools learning teams. He is committed to developing leadership capacity at all levels, encouraging educators to embrace innovation, reflect on their practice, and engage in meaningful professional learning. By fostering strong relationships built on trust, authenticity, and shared purpose, he helps create environments where both students and staff can thrive. Jason is particularly passionate about coaching and mentoring emerging leaders, building high-performing teams, and leveraging data-informed decision-making to improve student outcomes. He believes that sustainable school improvement is achieved when educators are empowered to recognize their strengths, take risks in their learning, and contribute their unique talents to the collective success of the school community. A lifelong learner himself, Jason is dedicated to cultivating inclusive, positive, and future-focused learning environments that prepare students for success while inspiring educators to continue growing in their craft. His leadership is grounded in the belief that when we invest in people, we unlock the potential for extraordinary impact in schools and beyond.

Dr. Tom Russell is Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education, Queen’s University. He retired in 2019 after 42 years at Queen’s, where his teaching focused on secondary school science (physics in particular) and the improvement of teaching. His research focused on reflection-in-action, how individuals learn to teach, learning from experience, and self-study of teacher education practices. He was a co-editor of the 2004 International Handbook of Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices and served as co-editor of the journal Studying Teacher Education during its first 15 years of publication. He has published numerous book chapters and co-edited more than a dozen books.

Domenic Scuglia is an accomplished educational leader with 41 years of experience in education, including eight years as director of education in both Saskatchewan and Ontario. Throughout his career, he has championed equity, diversity, and inclusion, working to ensure that every student is supported to achieve their highest potential. He is deeply committed to maximizing student success while building school communities where all staff, students, and families feel respected, valued, and have a genuine sense of belonging. As a retired director of education in Ontario, he continues to be guided by the belief that when everyone is welcomed and included, entire communities thrive.

Brian Weishar currently teaches in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University Orillia. He is a classroom teacher and professional learning facilitator and coach, and has worked with educators from across Ontario and in other parts of Canada. He has presented at Reading for the Love of It (RFTLOI), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). He is also chair of the English Language Arts Network of Ontario (ELAN), which recently created many resources to support the teachers’ implementation of the new Language and English curriculum.

Syed Ali Nasir Zaidi is a PhD candidate at the University of Windsor and instructor at St. Clair College for AA&T. His research sits at the intersection of PDS, teacher candidate social psychology, and practicum settings, focusing on collaborative mentorship and writing-based reflective practices that foster self-reflexivity. Syed sees his research through complexity and chaos lenses to understand learning, relationships, and reflective practice in teacher education.

Conference Speakers (Thunder Bay)

Mike Filipetti is a former principal and Special Education teacher from Thunder Bay Catholic Schools and is currently the Intermediate / Senior Division Coordinator at the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University, supporting teacher candidates, associate teachers, and faculty advisors during practicum. Outside of work, he is an active educational consultant focusing on policy, special education, and principal mentoring and still finds opportunities to present on technology and implementing artificial intelligence as a Google for Education Certified Innovator and a Google Champion.

Sarah Gibbon has been an elementary teacher with Lakehead Public Schools for over 25 years. Throughout this time, she has remained dedicated to mentoring and nurturing the next generation of educators. She gives teacher candidates experience working and learning in a responsive and student-centred classroom, which emphasizes a growth mindset, collaboration, critical thinking, and inclusion. Sarah has also been a contract lecturer in language at Lakehead University for the past 10 years, directly sharing her expertise and modelling best practices. Her work in classrooms at the university closely aligns with her beliefs and philosophy of teaching at the elementary level, or at any level or age.

Dr. Julian Kitchen, professor emeritus, was a secondary school teacher for 13 years before becoming a teacher educator (University of Toronto) in 1999 and a professor at Brock University from 2006 to 2025. Dr. Kitchen is the author of Relational Teacher Education and Professionalism, Law and the Ontario Education. He has examined teacher education approaches in several international handbook chapters. Dr. Kitchen edited the journal Studying Teacher Education and numerous books, including the International Handbook of Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices (2nd edition) and two volumes of Initial Teacher Education in Ontario.

Susan Michaud has had two decades of experience in the classroom, supporting learners across a broad developmental spectrum, from birth through age 14. Currently, she serves as the Chair of the Teacher Education Liaison Committee at Lakehead University, where she advocates for strong connections between theory and practice in teacher preparation. As a Master of Education student, Susan's research is focused specifically on initial teacher education, exploring how to best prepare the next generation of educators for the complexities of the modern classroom. Her work is deeply informed by a specialized focus on Special Education, early years Mathematics, and the unique, play-based world of Kindergarten. Susan is passionate about mentorship and the evolution of pedagogy, always seeking new ways to bridge the gap between expertise, research, and the fresh
perspectives of emerging educators.

Dr. Claire Mooney is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Trent University. At heart, she is an educator who strives to build communities of learners, to ensure agency and give voice to students. She is interested in mathematics education and the experience of pre-service teachers as they rediscover and explore this subject. She has written professional texts to support students in their endeavours. She also enjoys music and the creative arts and recognises the importance of creativity in all aspects of learning. Beyond this, Claire is interested in educational leadership and how this impacts the work of faculty within higher education.

Matt Roy is a science teacher with 20 years of experience in Public Education. After attending Queen's University for his B.Sc. in Physics and B.Ed. Matt taught middle school science in Colombia for two years before returning to Canada. Over the next decade, Matt worked for both Lakehead Public Schools as a classroom teacher and Lakehead University as a sessional lecturer and faculty advisor as he navigated a long stint of precarious employment. He has since worked as the Experiential Learning Resource Teacher for Lakehead Public Schools and now happily teaches Physics at Westgate High School, where he spends time with mousetrap cars and rockets. Matt is heavily involved in his union (OSSTF) and wears many hats, including chairing the Lakehead University Faculty of Education Teacher Education Liaison Committee.

Dr. Geri Salinitri is Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor, with a distinguished 40-year career in education. Her professional journey began as a secondary science teacher and counselor, progressing to roles as Associate
Professor and Associate Dean within the Faculty of Education. Throughout her academic tenure, Dr. Salinitri has mentored over 30 graduate students, many of whom have become successful leaders in the field of education. Her research portfolio includes more than 30 publications and presentations focused on mentoring in teacher education, STEM education, at-risk youth, skills development, teacher education, and restorative practices.

Dr. Clayton Smith is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor, with a distinguished 40-year career in higher education. He has engaged in higher education administration and teaching at four post-secondary institutions in Canada and the U.S. and completed two terms as vice-provost at the University of Windsor, where he oversaw a broad portfolio that included academic governance, internationalization, enrolment management, and student affairs. His research areas include international student engagement, open education, promising practices for teaching international learners, student mentoring in higher education, student success, and strategic enrolment management.

Xuan Tai Nguyen is a PhD student at the University of Windsor with research interests in education, student engagement, and educational technology. His work focuses on improving learning experiences and support systems for diverse student populations through research, mentorship, and innovative educational practices.