2008 Keynote Speaker

Mark Elgart

Mark Elgart currently serves as the chief executive officer for AdvancED, the parent organization for the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).

Prior to his appointment to lead AdvancED, Dr. Elgart served as CEO for SACS CASI. Additionally, Elgart has led the architectural design and deployment of the next generation of accreditation and school improvement including the nationally acclaimed District Accreditation protocol. Elgart is also a national and international trainer and presenter on the topics of accreditation, school improvement, leadership and accountability. Before his work with SACS, Elgart had nine years experience as a classroom teacher and building administrator at the middle and high school levels and six years as a middle school principal.

2008 Luncheon Speaker

Marcia Tate

Marcia L. Tate, Ed.D. is currently an educational consultant and has taught over 125,000 administrators, teachers, parents, and business and community leaders throughout the world. She is the author of the following three best sellers: Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies that Engage the Brain; Sit & Get Won't Grow Dendrites: 20 Professional Learning Strategies that Engage the Adult Brain; and Reading and Language Arts Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites: 20 Literacy Strategies the Engage the Brain.

Marcia is the former Executive Director of Professional Development for the DeKalb County School System, Decatur, Georgia. During her 30-year career with the district, she has been a classroom teacher, reading specialist, language arts coordinator, and staff development director. She received the 2001 Distinguished Staff Developer Award for the State of Georgia and her department was chosen to receive the Exemplary Program Award for the state.