Bio+Page

=Leadership Symposium Presenter Bios= toc

**Peggy Sheehy**
After a twenty-five year career as a professional vocalist, Peggy Sheehy received a BS in Musical Performance and Education from Empire State University. She began teaching in 1997 at Mt. Sinai Elementary School in Mt. Sinai, New York and was also a district technology trainer. After receiving her Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from Stony Brook University, she became an advocate for the authentic use of technology in education, and presented her ideas and experiences at conferences and workshops throughout the North East. She received the Technology Teacher of the Year for two consecutive years from ASSET, (Association of Suffolk County Supervisors for Educational Technology) where 1999 - 2001 she presented "Tomorrow's Classroom Today". In 2001, Peggy moved to Greenville, SC where she taught at Stone Academy of Communication Arts. There she attended the University of South Carolina at Columbia to begin her MLIS. Ms. Sheehy is currently concluding her studies in the MLS program at Southern Connecticut State University. While in Greenville, she served as a district technology curriculum developer and teacher trainer and continued to facilitate workshops and give presentations on technology in education and 21st century literacy. Sheehy helped design Greenville County’s Technology Plan. In 2002 she was named Teacher of the Year at Stone Academy. In 2003, she returned to the New York area and serves as ITF/ Media Specialist at Suffern Middle School. She is a fierce advocate for the meaningful infusion of technology in education and in 2006 established the first middle school educational presence in Teen Second Life: Ramapo Islands. Well into their second year of learning in Second Life, Ramapo Islands now hosts over 1000 students and their teachers. Ms. Sheehy has presented her work with education in Teen Second Life at the Tech Expo, NYSCATE, NECC, EdNet, and the Tech Forum NY. She attended the Virtual Worlds Conference in San Jose where she made a strong case for the blending of the gaming industry with educational enterprises. This year, she will be presenting at NMC, NECC, Alan November’s BLC Conference 2008, and will be a Keynote Speaker at the California League of Middle Schools (CLMS) Annual Technology Conference. As a true pioneer in virtual world education, she is sought out for advice, curriculum direction and professional development for those that would follow in the footsteps of Ramapo Islands. Her vision encompasses a globally collaborative 3-D virtual world campus where learning is student-centered, product-based, playful, and creative. Her latest venture, MetaVersEd Consulting Ltd., supports the proposal, design, acquisition, and implementation of education in MUVEs. Ms. Sheehy believes that engagement, edutainment, and the authentic application of 21st Century collaborative tools in education is paramount to preparing our students for success.

Kim Caise
Kim Caise is currently a campus instructional technologist and guest speaker at several national and local conferences. In 2006 she achieved the pinnacle of educator certification and became a National Board Certified Teacher with a specialty in Technology Education. Throughout her educational career, Kim has worked with students of all ages, ethnicities and abilities and has a proven track record of student test scores demonstrating consistent outstanding achievement. She has devoted the past 18 years to enriching the lives of the students and staff members she encounters and hopes to continue to foster a passion for life long learning and the adventures of education. Throughout the majority of Kim’s career she was using and introducing technology to her students at every grade level that she taught. This ingenuity and initiative enabled her to be a successful instructional technologist for the past three years and integrate technology in an official capacity with other teachers and students. Sharing Kim’s passion of technology integration with students, parents, and colleagues enables her opportunities to interact with professionals of all levels, backgrounds and ranks. Kim believes that If everyone works together to foster an enthusiasm for tech integration then these types of educational adventures will become the status quo. Kim is married and has a Maltese named Max and an orange tabby cat named Napster.

Julie Lindsay
Julie Lindsay, currently Head of Information Technology and E-Learning at Qatar Academy, Doha, State of Qatar, is an enthusiastic, global-minded education leader and innovator. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, over the past few years she has been teaching and leading the use of technology in schools in Zambia, Kuwait, Bangladesh and Qatar. Her wealth of diverse work experience is complemented by Masters of Arts degrees from La Trobe University in Melbourne (Music) and George Washington University in Washington, DC (Educational Technology Leadership). Julie is a member of ISTE’s International Committee and contributor to ISTE's Learning and Leading magazine as an ICT specialist and for Bloggers Café column. Recent awards include co-winning an Edublog Award for best Wiki 2006, ISTE's SIGTEL's Online Learning Award 2007 and Taking IT Global Best Online Learning Project 2007 for the Flat Classroom Project.

As co-founder of the [|Flat Classroom Project], [|Horizon Project] and [|Digiteens], Julie is recognized worldwide for her innovative programs using a wide array of Web 2.0 tools to transform learning for the emerging digital, "world-is-flat" educational landscape. From ubiquitous mobile technology programs to online global collaboration, Julie brings front line experiences to share with teachers, school leaders and policy makers alike. She is a frequent presenter on the world stage, a tireless volunteer leader for professional associations, and an inspiration to colleagues and collaborators demonstrating just how different world-class education will be in this 21st Century. More information can be found on Julie’s digital portfolio and her [|presentations wiki]. Julie blogs at ‘[|E-Learning Journeys]’.

Telannia Norfar
There are four words that describe Telannia Norfar-flexible, leader, risk-taker and blunt. Within a few conversations, you will find that she says some of the same things frequently. “If I ever say anything that offends you, let me know because I don’t mean to hurt you.” Another statement is “How can I serve you?” And she loves to say, “Try it. The worst that could happen is it doesn’t work.”

Telannia Norfar is a jack of many trades and a master of one--learner. Currently, she is an Algebra I instructor at Northwest Classen High School in Oklahoma City Public School District. She is the sponsor of the Black History Club and will assist the Student Council in the 2008-2009 school year. In addition to teaching Algebra I, she tutors every math subject and helps teachers integrate web 2.0 tools into their classroom. Telannia has been a mathematics teacher for three years. She received Teacher of the Year in 2007 at ASTEC Charter High School. There are two driving forces in her teaching-students will learn math in practical ways and they will be prepared for the real world.

Before teaching, Telannia worked in telecommunications, publishing, financial services and Internet for over 10 years. Telannia has reported for various newspapers and magazines, sold advertisement, helped middle class families with finances, taught health club employees how to maintain a website, sold cell phones and managed phone services for Fortunate 500 companies.

Telannia has a bachelor's in journalism with a minor in business from the University of Central Oklahoma. At the end of June, she will complete her master’s in teaching with technology from Ashford University. She is currently checking out other learning opportunities in the area of distance learning and assessments.

When she is not wrapped up in how to get a student to understand y = mx + b, Telannia is wrapped up in her husband. In October 2008, they will celebrate 5 years of marriage. They have no children but shower two nieces, one great niece, one great nephew and a host of friends and family with love. She is active in People’s Church which focuses on connecting people to God and each other. She has lead community groups and teaches the Bible. If Telannia could be remembered for anything, she would want to be known for loving God, people and helping everyone she meets surpass their potential.