Dr. Amany Saleh is Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Comparative Education at the Center of Excellence in Education at Arkansas State University. Dr. Saleh is an Oxford Fellow Scholar. She is the founder of the Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education (JISE). Saleh also serves on the editorial boards of nine national and global journals. She has over sixty peer-reviewed articles and ten book chapters published. In 2023, she co-edited a volume titled, “Online teaching and learning in Asian Higher Education: Pedagogical approaches to classroom practices” published by Palgrave MacMillan. Additionally, she co-edited “The French Education Handbook” published by STARSCOLARS Press in 2024. Her research interests include curriculum modeling, reflective practices, online teaching methods, and comparative education policies.

Dr. Ashley Brandon is the Assistant Director for the Canyon Center for Character Education at Grand Canyon University, where she supports leaders, educators, and students in fostering a flourishing society through virtue formation and practical wisdom. She earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction and holds multiple degrees, including a Master’s in Leadership and Teaching English as a Second Language, and a second Master’s in Character Education from the University of Birmingham. With years of experience teaching K-6 and higher education, Ashley is deeply passionate about transforming lives through education.

Cristy Guleserian is the Executive Director of Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University. A distinguished leader in the field of character education, she most recently served as the Executive Director of Principled Innovation at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, where she helped to foster a focus on character and principled innovation across one of the country’s largest public universities. Prior to her success at ASU, Guleserian worked as Director of Social Emotional Learning and Character Development Programs at Casa Center for Positive Social Change. Guleserian graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science degree in interpersonal communication. She earned a Master of Science in Management from New England College and a Master of Arts in Character Education from the University of Birmingham.

Dr. Kara Chism is an Associate Professor, Director of the Master of Science in Instructional Leadership program, and Educational Leadership Department Chair for Samford University’s Orlean Beeson School of Education, and a consultant for the character education non-profit, The Hope Institute. She spent 21 years in public education as a teacher and administrator at the elementary, middle school, high school, and district office levels prior to her current position. Her professional interests include character development in schools, preparing future administrators and supporting schools in their character education work.

Dr. Kiana Smith is a dedicated educator and leader with over 20 years of experience supporting economically and racially marginalized youth, including justice-involved students. As the Director of Character and Culture at the Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF), she partners with schools and K-12 organizations to develop systems that promote human flourishing and organizational vitality. Leading the character practice at CSGF, she identifies, invests in, and scales promising character development practices across the education sector. Previously, Kiana served as the executive director of a PK-8 charter school, a middle school principal for six years, and began her career as a Teach For America teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has participated in prestigious fellowships, including Cambiar Catalyst, Fuerza, Mine, Restorative Justice Institute of Oklahoma, and the Confucius Institute. Kiana holds a B.A. from Savannah State University and both an M.Ed. and Ed.D. from the University of Oklahoma. Her commitment to equity and justice drives her efforts to build sustainable systems that empower marginalized communities and foster individual and organizational growth.

Dr. Melodie Wyttenbach is a faculty member for the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. Prior to coming to Boston College, Melodie served as an assistant professor and academic director of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program for the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. She has served as president of Nativity Jesuit Academy in Milwaukee, WI and director of mission effectiveness for the Nativity Miguel Network of Schools in Washington, DC. Melodie’s current research and scholarship focuses on urban Catholic education, system-level leadership, effective governance practices, character formation across networks of schools, and the intersection of immigration and education. Melodie has a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and master’s degrees in educational administration from Marquette University and education from Mount Mary College.