Summer Summit 2025

Meet your Summer Summit 2025 keynote speakers!

Ron Clark

Ron Clark’s outstanding success with students from low-wealth areas of North Carolina and New York City led him to be named Disney’s American Teacher of the Year. He is a New York Times Best Selling author, and his classes have been honored at the White House on three separate occasions. Ron’s teaching experiences in New York City are the subject of the uplifting film, The Ron Clark Story, starring Matthew Perry. Currently, Mr. Clark serves as a teacher and administrator at the Ron Clark Academy, an award winning and internationally acclaimed middle school in Atlanta, GA. The school serves as a training site for educators, and each year thousands of teachers and administrators from around the world visit the school to be trained in their methods for helping all students achieve success.

Leslie Rob

Leslie Rob is an Award-Winning, International, Comedic Motivational Speaker, Teacher & Professional Development Presenter. She brings comedy, encouragement & professional development sessions to stages, conferences & social media worldwide. Her videos have brought laughter to millions across her social media platforms, which prompted an article about her in The Washington Post. Leslie Rob travels all over the country and abroad. She’s been seen on the Bored Teachers Comedy Tour, Teachers Do Standup Tour, The Unknown Tour, Spirit FM’s Night of Love & Laughter, ABC’s The Tamron Hall Show, Dry Bar Comedy, Teachers Off Duty Podcast, ABC’s Good Morning America as well as solo performances. Leslie Rob has also interviewed celebrity guests, like Melissa Joan Hart, for the LA Cancer Support Program. Her most recent accomplishment was playing the role of Mindy in the film “Steal the Naughty List”.

Shannon Olsen

Shannon Olsen is the #1 best-selling author of 5 picture books, all geared toward building community and positive relationships at school: Our Class is a Family, both books in the A Letter From Your Teacher series, Our School is a Family, and Collaboration Station. Her first book made the #1 spot for children’s books on Publisher’s Weekly, and several of her titles have reached the overall Top 20 on the Amazon Charts.

Shannon earned her B.A. in English and M.A. in Teaching from the University of California Irvine, and is a wife and a mom of two girls. Through her fifteen years of experience as a second grade teacher, she found a strong passion in creating books and engaging materials for the classroom. She especially enjoys making book companions, hands-on math and literacy center games, and activities that integrate writing. Shannon now does in-person and virtual Author Visits on a regular basis with classes all across the country, and continues to share elementary teaching ideas and resources through her website and TPT store, Life Between Summers.