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Keynote Speakers

General Session

Wednesday, January 20, 10 a.m.

To Be Announced
Keynote Speaker

General Session

Thursday, January 21, 3 p.m.

Dr. Adolph Brown
Keynote Speaker

Born in the heart of the inner city, while spending summers in rural Virginia with his grandfather, Adolph was reared to be extremely hardworking and reflective. Having had a single parent mother in the housing projects, having been a Head Start student, having been the first of his family of five to graduate high school, and having had his oldest sibling and only brother murdered when he was only 11, Adolph’s life and work have been a voyage of discovery beyond anything he could imagine.

Adolph is a recovering middle school special education teacher, distinguished university professor, graduate college dean and business owner. He is an educational and clinical psychologist, master teacher, humorist, author and philanthropist, donating one-third of his consultation fees to support a scholarship endowment for hardworking young people.

He brings his experience, focus and sense of humor to each of his endeavors. Adolph is a deep thinker, active listener and engaging presenter who was once the youngest tenured full university professor in the United States.

Adolph often gives talks to today’s youth on yesterday’s life lessons; as well as instructs master classes to teachers on how to reach EVERY student. He has a “head” for adults and a “heart” for kids as he facilitates over 100 ALL grade levels student assemblies a year.

Adolph now lives in Virginia with his lovely wife, Marla. They have eight kindhearted children. Adolph describes himself as “just an ordinary all-around nice guy.”

See for yourself by chatting with him during his book signing following the Jan. 21 keynote.

Learn more about Dr. Brown's presentation

WASB Breakfast

Thursday, January 21, 7 a.m.

Scott Levy
Keynote Speaker

Join Scott Levy, author of “Why School Boards Matter” and a member of a public school board in New York, for a sit-down breakfast before listening in on his keynote exploring how boards are in a unique position to solve pressing educational challenges. He’ll discuss avoiding initiative fatigue, fostering a positive district climate, engaging productively with the community and driving local accountability. He will also remind attendees of the essential role school boards play, empower them to tackle challenges together, and share why every K-12 stakeholder has a vested interest in understanding how school boards shape education.

Along with his local school board service, Levy has served as president of a regional school boards association, chairman of a children’s hospital, investment banker, adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and executive director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

Following his keynote, Levy will hold a book signing outside the Crystal Ballroom at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center.

 

Learn more about Scott's presentation

General Session

Friday, January 22, 10:30 a.m.

Jeff Utecht
Keynote Speaker
Jeff Utecht will give the Friday General Session keynote at the 2027 Wisconsin State Education Convention on Jan. 22, 2027, in Milwaukee. The author, keynote speaker and consultant is a recognized thought leader on the future of work, artificial intelligence and human-centered leadership.
 
Over the past 25 years, Utecht has worked as a classroom teacher, instructional leader, international school administrator, consultant and entrepreneur. His career has taken him from public schools in Washington to international schools across Asia and the Middle East, and into leadership conversations with school systems, government agencies and organizations around the world.
 
Today, Utecht works with educational leaders, business executives and organizational teams navigating one of the most significant shifts in modern history: the convergence of artificial intelligence and changing human expectations about work, learning, leadership and culture.
 
Utecht is the author of “Human Still Required: Leading Schools—The Work Machines Can’t Do” and “The Next Turn: Work, AI, and Human Expectations.” His work focuses on helping leaders understand what remains uniquely human in an increasingly automated world and how organizations can build trust, judgment, creativity and adaptability into their cultures.
 
Utecht has supported hundreds of organizations, presented to audiences around the globe, contributed to AI guidance initiatives at the state level, and continues to help leaders make sense of rapid change through practical strategies and meaningful conversations.
 
Based in Seattle, Wash., Jeff believes the future belongs to organizations that learn how to combine technological capability with human wisdom.
 
Utecht‘s keynote is just the beginning. You’ll have additional opportunities to engage with him throughout the convention, including breakout sessions. Immediately following his keynote, step outside Ballroom A/B from 12-12:30 p.m. to meet Utecht and have copies of his book signed.
Governor of Wisconsin (Invited)

The governor of Wisconsin will be invited to address the Friday general session.

Wisconsin State Education Convention
122 W. Washington Ave., Suite 400 · Madison, WI 53703
toll-free 833-320-5333 · phone 608-257-2622 · fax 608-257-8386
convention@wasb.org

 

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