Summit Session Descriptions & Speakers

• Parent & Alumni presentations are open and do not require pre-registration. You are able to choose which topics are most valuable and exciting to you!
• Each speaker will be presenting on two topics. As we have three time slots for presentations, one of each speaker's topics will be repeated, while the other will only be offered once. Details will be provided in the Information Booklet released in DMC and to attendees prior to the Summit. 
• Parents must sign their Current Davidson Youth into their Youth Workshops prior to heading to Parent & Alumni Presentations. 
• Guests of Alumni who are 18+ are eligible to attend these presentations. 
• Minors, including Current Davidson Youth and all Non-member Siblings, are not permitted entry.

Like it or not, we are raising kids in the digital age. Between technology in school and the appeal of gaming, kids are surrounded by screens. All of this leads caregivers to wonder: How much screen time is too much? Which games are beneficial, and which are potentially harmful? Is it true that gaming will lead to violent behavior? How can we raise kids to have a healthy relationship with gaming and their other responsibilities? In this session, we'll answer all those questions and more, including how to implement and enforce a healthy balance, and how to set your child up for success as they move toward adulthood. Led by a teacher who is also a parent and a gamer, you'll learn how to support your gamer as they grow, while still allowing them to be their gamer self.

Ash Brandin: Ash Brandin, EdS, has been a public school educator for over a decade. In that time they found innovative ways of using student interests- including video games- to increase engagement and make learning more fun and effective. Since February 2021, their Instagram page- TheGamerEducator- has helped tens of thousands of families make screen time beneficial for the whole family. Ash believes screens should be part of our lives, not the center of our lives, and helps caregivers navigate the world of tech using consistent, loving boundaries. In their free time, Ash loves to hike, bake, play video games, and spend time with their family.

We all have a game we love because we learned something, yet public perception is that games are the antithesis of education. The solution isn’t edutainment- it’s hiding in the entertainment games we love. What do we learn from video games and how do we integrate entertainment games into school without parental uproar or a loss in test scores? Attendees will leave with specific examples of games to integrate in the classroom and home environments as well as broad criteria for determining how and whether to incorporate games into a learning environment.

Ash Brandin: Ash Brandin, EdS, has been a public school educator for over a decade. In that time they found innovative ways of using student interests- including video games- to increase engagement and make learning more fun and effective. Since February 2021, their Instagram page- TheGamerEducator- has helped tens of thousands of families make screen time beneficial for the whole family. Ash believes screens should be part of our lives, not the center of our lives, and helps caregivers navigate the world of tech using consistent, loving boundaries. In their free time, Ash loves to hike, bake, play video games, and spend time with their family.

Transform your gifted student's education through design thinking rather than traditional engineering approaches. Instead of focusing on fixing deficits or meeting standardized benchmarks, build on your child's natural strengths and unique qualities. Create an environment where they can develop authentically and thrive by embracing their individual talents and true self.

Kathy Cordeiro: Kathy joined Art of Problem Solving in 2020, bringing two decades of mathematics education expertise. Her experience includes coaching MATHCOUNTS teams, running math circles, managing competitions at UT Dallas, and supporting International Mathematics Olympiad training programs. As a mother of two AoPS and DYS alumni who experienced various educational paths, she excels at helping students and families optimize their learning journeys.

Discover how math competitions inspire students beyond traditional classroom learning. These challenges offer opportunities to tackle puzzles, explore advanced concepts, and connect with fellow problem-solvers. Learn to select appropriate contests across different levels and fields, and explore training strategies to help students excel in these enriching academic challenges.

Kathy Cordeiro: Kathy joined Art of Problem Solving in 2020, bringing two decades of mathematics education expertise. Her experience includes coaching MATHCOUNTS teams, running math circles, managing competitions at UT Dallas, and supporting International Mathematics Olympiad training programs. As a mother of two AoPS and DYS alumni who experienced various educational paths, she excels at helping students and families optimize their learning journeys.

Uncover and learn how to address the cognitive, emotional, and identity-based reasons why some gifted and 2e learners struggle to produce writing. Learn about the many causes of writing reluctance –– anxiety and depression, perfectionism, neurodiversity, executive functioning challenges, and other factors –– and discover strategies to nurture and empower even the most avoidant writer. Leave with writing prompts, and other hands-on scaffolds and tools.

Ashley Sarver: Ashley Sarver is the founder and Head of School at Eclipse Academy, an accredited online school for profoundly gifted and 2e learners, ages 8 - 18. Enroll full-time or part-time, and attend live Zoom class sessions (1-to-1 and small group) on a schedule you choose, from anywhere in the world. We believe that all students deserve academic challenge and a full, unhurried, and playful childhood. Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ashleysarver

Is your gifted or 2e learner afraid to make mistakes or ask for help when needed? Learn about the causes of perfectionism, how it manifests, and how to discuss it as a family in order to diminish shame and boost confidence. Learn how discovery-based and play-based learning activities can diffuse perfectionism and ignite creative thinking, healthy academic risk taking, and joy.

Ashley Sarver: Ashley Sarver is the founder and Head of School at Eclipse Academy, an accredited online school for profoundly gifted and 2e learners, ages 8 - 18. Enroll full-time or part-time, and attend live Zoom class sessions (1-to-1 and small group) on a schedule you choose, from anywhere in the world. We believe that all students deserve academic challenge and a full, unhurried, and playful childhood. Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ashleysarver

Overview of gifted multipotentiality, its characteristic patterns, strengths and weaknesses. Quick view of typical situational challenges and dilemmas (at school, in the workplace, in relationships and the family) and approaches to counter them. Care and feeding of gifted multipotentialites through the life cycle; planning and setting priorities for the needed resources. The crucial value of gifted multipotentiality to human societies historically. Creating a balanced and meaningful gifted multipotentialite life.

Marion R. Kee: Marion R. Kee is a gifted life coach practicing through the InterGifted network since 2018. A former research computer scientist, she trained as a coach with Jen Salllin at InterGifted. She is PG and a realized multipotentialite (polymath.) Marion coaches and teaches in gifted multipotentiality, giftedness integration, and meaningful lives for gifted adults. She holds an A.B. from Ohio University and an M.S. from Carnegie Mellon.

Typical challenges faced by gifted multipotentialites in non-gifted settings that prefer specialization and pigeonholing. Identifying, preventing, solving and circumventing problems and recurrent issues resulting from this mismatch. Bridging brain differences and perceptual gaps to lay groundwork for understanding; repairing relationships; negotiating about needs; communicating with respect. Practicing resilience and discerning when to move on. Opportunity to ask questions, share information, suggestions, advice. Practical inspiration for supporting multipotentialites to live into their potential.

Marion R. Kee: Marion R. Kee is a gifted life coach practicing through the InterGifted network since 2018. A former research computer scientist, she trained as a coach with Jen Salllin at InterGifted. She is PG and a realized multipotentialite (polymath.) Marion coaches and teaches in gifted multipotentiality, giftedness integration, and meaningful lives for gifted adults. She holds an A.B. from Ohio University and an M.S. from Carnegie Mellon.

Do you have a perfectionist in your life? High expectations and optimal performance are not bad things of course, yet it can be hard to know how to help when making mistakes and imperfections become painful and dysregulating to our kids. Join this session to learn fresh ideas around how to think about and approach imperfections with your child, so that the idea of “good enough for now” can feel manageable to them when perfection is not possible or realistic.

Linda K. Murphy MS, CCC-SLP: Linda Murphy MS, CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist and RDI® Consultant. She founded Peer Projects, a clinic in Beverly, MA dedicated to helping kids and families by using a positive, thoughtful communication style that emphasizes understanding, patience, respect, and kindness. Linda has been working with individuals with social learning differences for over 30 years. She leads trainings on the topic of supporting communication and learning across social learning styles, and authored Declarative Language Handbook and Co-Regulation Handbook. She is a Certified Early Intervention Specialist, trained in Natural Language Acquisition (NLA)/Gestalt Language Processing, and holds Level 1 and Level 2 Certificates in Training from PDA North America. Linda lives north of Boston with her husband and their two busy lovable boys, who are now in their teenage years.

Does anyone talk about your child this way, including maybe you? Although it can feel hard and frustrating when our kids won’t engage in what we hope they will, this statement is not helpful because it can imply there is a line in the sand that we must make them cross. Shifting the way we think about "non-preferred tasks", to instead explore what may be going on for the child in these moments, can better guide us what to do next. In this session, we'll discuss some of the ways we can meet our kids where they are, while thoughtfully guiding them towards learning opportunities that may not feel as familiar or comfortable to them. 

Linda K. Murphy MS, CCC-SLP: Linda Murphy MS, CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist and RDI® Consultant. She founded Peer Projects, a clinic in Beverly, MA dedicated to helping kids and families by using a positive, thoughtful communication style that emphasizes understanding, patience, respect, and kindness. Linda has been working with individuals with social learning differences for over 30 years. She leads trainings on the topic of supporting communication and learning across social learning styles, and authored Declarative Language Handbook and Co-Regulation Handbook. She is a Certified Early Intervention Specialist, trained in Natural Language Acquisition (NLA)/Gestalt Language Processing, and holds Level 1 and Level 2 Certificates in Training from PDA North America. Linda lives north of Boston with her husband and their two busy lovable boys, who are now in their teenage years.