Speaker Biography: Lorna Cameron

Lorna has been with The Learning Bar now for 7 years now and was an administrator and teacher for over 20 years before joining The Learning Bar. As a member of the Customer Success team she works with school districts across Canada to support and build their skills and knowledge in the areas of data-driven planning and decision making. She comes from within the school system and has seen first hand many of the challenges that you face and has a clear understanding of what schools are doing to overcome these.

Speaker Biography: Gail Markin

Gail’s distinguished career in education and mental health spans roles as a social worker, family counsellor, teacher, and school counsellor, culminating in her current work as an educational consultant and mental health and wellness coach. Her leadership roles in networks like Social Emotional Learning BC and BC School Centred Mental Health Coalition, along with her involvement in the EdCan Staff Well-being Network and Compassionate Systems Leadership Network, reflect her deep commitment to well-being in educational settings.

Gail holds two bachelor’s and two master’s degrees in psychology and education and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Leadership and Policy. Her experience includes keynote presentations, workshops on workplace well-being and a TEDx talk on the power of belonging. She is the author of ‘Beyond Self-Care: Leading a Systemic Approach to Well-being for Educators’ where she combines learning from both research and practice to support leaders with practical ideas to create well-being in their schools and districts.

Speaker Biography:

Lori Bryden, Instructional Literacy Consultant, The Learning Bar

Dr. Lori Bryden is a retired teacher, coordinator of special education, and principal of 38 years. She holds a Doctorate in Education in Curriculum and Special Education; a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instructional Technology from Acadia University; a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University; and a Bachelor of Arts from McMaster University. In addition to her principal qualifications, Dr. Bryden has also earned her Supervisory Officer’s Qualifications.

Throughout her career in education, she has effectively applied trauma-informed leadership practices, creating an inclusive atmosphere for all school community members.

Her areas of research include trauma-informed practices, inclusion, and equity. She strongly believes that all children can achieve at a high level when provided with appropriate support. She is passionate about assisting school teams to create safe and supportive learning environments.

An executive member of the Ontario Council of Special Educators, Dr. Bryden has also worked with the Ontario Ministry of Education, developing a comprehensive model for Collaboration in Special Education. She co-wrote the application to the Ontario Ministry of Education for a classroom for students with attachment disorder.

Dr. Bryden’s professional development on trauma, includes Level 1 Training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Trauma-Informed Certification from the Community Resilience Initiative.

Speaker Biography:

Karen Power, Leadership Development Consultant, The Learning Bar

Karen Power is a consultant and former teacher, principal, superintendent, and senior advisor for professional learning and leadership. She has won multiple awards and authored books related to her work which focuses on leadership coaching in schools and districts, building collaborative practices through professional learning community (PLC) implementation, district strategic planning, and developing effective instruction, assessment and evidence-based decisions for long-term sustainability. Karen is now working as a consultant with The Learning Bar to support leadership development within schools and districts.

Speaker Biography: Lorna Cameron

Lorna has been with The Learning Bar now for 7 years now and was an administrator and teacher for over 20 years before joining The Learning Bar. As a member of the Customer Success team she works with school districts across Canada to support and build their skills and knowledge in the areas of data-driven planning and decision making. She comes from within the school system and has seen first hand many of the challenges that you face and has a clear understanding of what schools are doing to overcome these.

Speaker Biography

Joel Henderson is a Research Associate at The Learning Bar. As a member of the research team, he works closely with school districts across Canada to support their needs, with a particular focus on assisting school leaders as they understand and explore their OurSCHOOL data. Joel holds a master’s degree in education and his expertise extends to the areas of instructional design, e-learning, and curriculum development.

Speaker Biography: Gail Markin

Gail Markin is a counsellor, consultant and coach who supports school districts with health and well-being.
She has a particular focus on embedding well-being into the education workplace.  Gail is the author of Beyond Self-Care: Leading a Systemic Approach to Well-being for Educators where she combines learning from both research and practice to support leaders with practical ideas to create well-being in their schools and districts.  When she is not writing and speaking or podcasting about well-being, Gail is working on an Ed. D. in Leadership and Policy at UBC.

You can find out more about Gail on her website: https://www.gailmarkin.ca/