Featured Speakers
We are excited to bring you an incredible lineup of speakers who are at the forefront of education and child development for the 2024 RULER Implementation Conference. Our keynote speakers are passionate thought leaders who will inspire ways to enhance student engagement and well-being with innovative strategies, practical tools, and a deep understanding of the evolving educational landscape.
David Adams
CEO of Urban Assembly and Education Innovator
David is the Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Assembly. He started with the UA in 2014 as the Director of Social-Emotional Learning, where he created the Resilient Scholars Program (RSP), a unique approach to integrating SEL into curriculum and classroom practices across the UA network. RSP has grown into a national program, serving schools and districts in Los Angeles, Houston, Syracuse, and other cities.
As the Senior Director of Strategy, David led the expansion of the organization into a model provider of school support, with an emphasis on innovation and equity in public education. In 2022, David was named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 honorees and in 2021 he received the Champion of Equity Award from the American Consortium for Equity in Education. David sits on the board of CASEL and is an author of The Educator’s Practical Guide to Emotional Intelligence, and a co-author of the textbook Challenges to Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs in Organizations.
Dr. Marc Brackett
Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Marc Brackett, Ph.D., is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a professor at the Child Study Center at the Yale School of Medicine. He is renowned for developing RULER, a prominent approach to emotional intelligence education, and conducts research on its impact on various life domains, including wellness, performance, and climate.
A prolific scholar, Marc has penned the widely acclaimed book Permission to Feel and over 150 academic articles, earning accolades such as the Joseph E. Zins Award. Brackett’s influence extends through his board positions at CASEL and the Mental Health Coalition, among others. As a tech entrepreneur, he co-founded Oji Life Lab and co-created the award-winning HowWeFeel app with Pinterest’s Ben Silbermann, further showcasing his commitment to enhancing emotional well-being.
Dr. Lisa Damour
New York Times Best-Selling Author and Renowned Psychologist
Dr. Lisa Damour is the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, which have been translated into twenty-three languages. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Dr. Damour is also a regular contributor to The New York Times and CBS News.
Dr. Damour serves as a Senior Advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University and has written numerous academic papers, chapters, and books related to education and child development. She maintains a clinical practice and also speaks to schools, professional organizations, and corporate groups around the world on the topics of child and adolescent development, family mental health, and adult well-being.
Karen Niemi
Executive Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Karen Niemi is the executive director at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. With a distinguished career in the field of social and emotional learning (SEL), Karen has been instrumental in shaping the landscape of SEL both nationally and globally. She served as the President and CEO of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), where she played a pivotal role in establishing SEL as a critical component of education reform, enhancing CASEL’s operational strategies, and fostering impactful collaborations.
Karen held diverse roles in the education and social-emotional learning sector, notably serving as a distinguished CEO and President for SEL and education publishing enterprises. Additionally, she garnered respect as an advisor to school districts, schools, educational publishing companies, and non-profit organizations.