Amy Carlson MS,RD,LD is a Registered/Licensed Dietitian living in the Houston area. She holds her Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota, where she grew up, and received her Master’s of Science in Nutrition from Texas Women’s University. She has been practicing in her field for over 21 years and has had the privilege of working with girls and women with eating disorders for nearly as long. She has four children that have all “graduated” from a weekday program and she is passionate about affirming preschool teachers in what they do and why it matters. As a passionate follower of Christ and her background, Amy encourages others to take care of one’s self…spiritually, emotionally and physically.
(Trainer Criteria (a.5) of Minimum Standard 746.1317)

Keynote: Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of a Child’s Mother
Breakout: Nutritional Needs of Children

David Thomas is the Director of Family Counseling at Daystar Counseling in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the co-author of eight books, including the best-selling Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys, Are my Kids on Track? and The 12 Emotional, Social and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach. He is a frequent guest on national television and podcasts, including his own with Sissy Goff and Melissa Trevathan called “Raising Boys and Girls”.  David has been featured in publications like USA Today, and speaks across the country. He and his wife, Connie, have a daughter, twin sons and a feisty yellow lab named Owen.

Keynote: Navigating the Emotional World of Children

Breakouts:

1. Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys
2. Being Purposeful: Exploring 5 Basic Concepts for Being Intentional with Kids

Working to assure the miracle and magic of childhood through classroom environments that are intentionally designed to connect children to their community and neighborhoods, Dr. Sandra Duncan is an international consultant, an author of six books focused on the environmental design and layouts of early childhood classrooms. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Western Michigan University, a Master of Science in Elementary Education from Indiana University and a Doctorate of Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Keynote: Lessons from Jellyfish: The Classroom Environment Through a Child’s Eyes

Breakouts:

1. We Are All Connected: Community Through the Eyes of a Child
2. Honeycomb Hypothesis: Classroom Environment and Play for Infants – Twos

Donna Thornton-Roberts is a national keynote speaker, master facilitator, trainer, and inspirational teacher for early care and education. She has owned and developed 30 early childhood centers in her 44 years of entrepreneurial leadership. Having served as an adjunct profess at Radford (VA) University, an accreditation commissioner for the National Accreditation Commission and a contribution writer to the Association of Christian Schools International and Child Care Information Exchange, Donna delivers functional, timely and inspirational training. She is a graduate of Bluefield College with a Bachelor of Science, Management of Human Resources and Averett University, Masters of Business Administration. She also serves as President and CEO of the Child Development Education Alliance (CDEA), the owners of WEELearn Curriculum.