Keynotes


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Isabelle Hau

Opening Keynote Session
June 10, 8:30-10:00 AM

Isabelle Hau is the inaugural executive director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, a Stanford-wide initiative to connect researchers across disciplines, and bridge research, practice, and policy, to bring quality, scalable and equitable learning experiences for all learners and throughout the lifespan.

Prior, she was a founding partner at Imaginable Futures, a venture of the Omidyar Group, the philanthropic investment firm of eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam. She led the U.S. education initiative, portfolio and team. Her work has directly impacted millions of learners and families.

Isabelle writes a popular weekly newsletter Small Talks. She currently serves on the board of EDC and Sonen, and on the steering committee of the EdSAFE AI Alliance and the Brookings Institute Global AI Taskforce. She is the author of the book “Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education” to be published in February 2025.

Isabelle was awarded the 2024 ASU-GSV Women in AI, the 2021 Global MindED Inclusive Leader Award in Early Childhood Education. She was honored as 100 Inspiring Women at Harvard Business School. She also co-starred with Grover of Sesame Street on early childhood innovation.

Luis Hernandez

Closing Keynote Session
June 12, 2025 12:30-1:30 PM

Luis A. Hernandez, Early Childhood Education Specialist, holds an M.A. in Bilingual/Multicultural education from the University of San Francisco. Luis brings solid expertise based on his work history in Head Start, child care, Pre-K programs, college and universities, and professional development design and administration.

Mr. Hernandez work focuses in a wide range of early childhood education and professional development topics. His expertise includes early literacy, dual language learning, adult learning practices, family engagement, and ECE management and leadership topics. As a regular presenter and keynote speaker at national, state, and local conferences, Luis is highly regarded for his motivational and energizing presentations.

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