FEATURED SPEAKERS
THURSDAY KEYNOTE:
NICK KLINE
UNLOCK YOUR AWESOME!
We often need reminders of just how awesome we are! Working in education is demanding, and it’s easy to forget why you fell in love with teaching in the first place. When you love what you do, your enthusiasm becomes contagious to your students, colleagues, and community. This energizing keynote goes beyond typical self-care tips, providing participants with a fun and interactive experience to unlock personal empowerment. Leave with a renewed sense of optimism and a reignited passion for what you do. When we embrace that passion, we naturally set a positive example and inspire those around us.
The time to unlock your
awesome is now!
FRIDAY KEYNOTE:
DAN MEERS
COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP – LIVING A LIFE OF INFLUENCE
On November 23, 2013, Dan Meers came within inches of losing his life while practicing a bungee jump and zip line stunt at Arrowhead Stadium… home of the Kansas City Chiefs. What Dan anticipated being the thrill of a lifetime ended up being the spill of a lifetime. The stunt went terribly wrong and Dan plummeted 75 feet before crashing into the stadium seats. Miraculously Dan survived. He spent 9 days in the hospital and got some really big scars. Dan smiles when he says, “Scars are just Tattoos that come with a Cool Story”. During this powerful presentation Dan shares his incredible story and the important lessons that he learned during his long road to recovery about leadership and about life.
INVITED SPEAKERS
Mark Friedrich is a veteran health and physical education teacher of 31 years, a National Presenter of Adventure Education / Team Building Activities, a Keynote Speaker and an OPEN National Trainer. Mark has taught both elementary and high school levels but finds his passion in adventure education at Millburn High School in New Jersey. Mark is the recipient of the 2016 New Jersey Secondary Physical Education Teacher of the Year and the 2021 SHAPE America Joy of Effort Award. Mark has previously been at the CTAHPERD Conference as an OPEN PE trainer and as a Keynote Speaker in 2023. Welcome back Mark!
We are excited to welcome back a CTAHPERD favorite, Carrie Flint! Carrie is an award-winning PE specialist (general and adapted) from California with more than 25 years of experience. She is the president-elect for the Western Division of SHAPE America. She has taught in numerous private and public schools and districts, all grade levels, and all populations. In addition to teaching, Carrie has always reached out to help physical educators and classroom teachers required to teach PE with ideas and strategies to provide quality physical education for their students. She started her journey presenting and sharing her expertise beyond the state of California in 2003 and has now presented in 38 states including 6 National SHAPE America conferences.
Brian Devore and OPEN PE are a welcome CTAHPERD Fall Conference fixture. Before accepting his role as Professional Development Manager for OPEN, Brian Devore had over 25 years of exemplary teaching experience at the middle and elementary levels. Additionally, he supervised online HPE programs for the Cobb County school district and served as Fulton County Schools Health and Physical Education Coordinator. In 2013-14, Brian was named Cobb County’s Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year, Georgia AHPERD’s Elementary PE TOY, and Southern District SHAPE America Elementary PE TOY. Most recently, he was the recipient of the first OPEN National Trainer Impact Award for his service and dedication to OPEN. In 2005, Devore was named Georgia’s Middle School PE Teacher of the Year. Along with his current position, Brian is a two-time Georgia AHPERD President, Georgia AHPERD’s Social Media Director/Webmaster, OPEN National Trainer, and SHAPE America Southern District Past President.
Scot McClure, Outdoor Tomorrows Foundation. Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF) began in 1981 as the Dallas Ecological Foundation with the primary purpose of expanding youth outdoor education and furthering wildlife conservation efforts worldwide. In 1998, with a model provided by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, OTF pioneered the first public education curriculum for secondary schools in Texas called Outdoor Trails. Outdoor Trails changed and grew to become what is known today as Outdoor Adventures K-12. Scot McClure has worked for OTF since 2009. As the Director of Education, he oversees Outdoor Adventures’ national growth, as well as overseeing the the curriculum and equipment delivery systems and the teacher training program. We are excited to have Scot, and Outdoor Tomorrows Foundation, with us for their first visit to Connecticut!