WSCA ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEB. 20-22, 2018
Wednesday and Thursday Conference Keynote Presentations
Keynote Speaker Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Michele Borba
Internationally Renowned Educator, Best-selling Author, Parenting, Child Development and Bullying Expert
Dr. Borba is an internationally- recognized educational psychologist and parenting, bullying and character expert whose aim is to strengthen children’s empathy and resilience, and create safe, compassionate school cultures. A sought-after motivational speaker, she has presented keynotes throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific and served as a consultant to hundreds of schools and corporations including the Pentagon and 18 US Army bases in Europe and the Asian-Pacific.
In our hyper-connected, social-media-saturated society, many of us (especially young people) are so obsessed with snapping “Selfies” and living a virtual life online that we’re forgetting how to care for the people right in front of us IRL (that’s “in real life”). That resulting Selfie Syndrome is leading to an Empathy Crisis in youth—teens today are 40% less empathetic than just a generation ago; narcissism has increased 58%.
But there is a solution: studies show that the antidote to Selfie Syndrome is empathy. And the good news is that empathy can be cultivated in children, starting even before they can talk. In UnSelfie, esteemed educator Dr. Borba presents new and compelling research that explains how to impart this key skill to kids—whether it’s teaching toddlers how to comfort one another or giving teens the tools to stand up to bullying—and why empathy paves the way for future happiness and success, and offers audiences practical ways to activate empathy to raise kids with compassion, courage, conviction to become social Changemakers and make a difference in our world.
Caring about others isn’t just about playing nice; it’s a skill that’s vital for children’s mental health, leadership skills, and continued well-being, today and tomorrow. Dr. Borba’s 9-step plan for raising successful, happy kids who also are kind, moral, courageous, and resilient provides a revolutionary new framework for learning empathy and is culled from 30 years of research and traveling the world to find the best solutions. Her findings show that empathetic kids will thrive in the future, but the seeds of success can be planted today—one habit at a time.
Dr. Borba is the award-winning author of 22 books translated into 14 languages including Nobody Likes Me, No More Misbehavin’, Don’t Give Me that Attitude!, 12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know, Building Moral Intelligence, Esteem Builders, Parents Do Make A Difference, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, The 6 Rs of Bullying Prevention, and UNSELFIE: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed In Our All-About Me World.
She is a regular NBC contributor appearing 135 times on the TODAY show, featured on three Dateline specials as well as Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Dr. Drew, The View, NBC Nightly News, The Doctors, Fox News, The Early Show, CNN and others. Dr. Borba has had a wide range of teaching experience, including work in regular education and private practice with children with learning, physical, behavioral and emotional disabilities She received a Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Counseling from the University of San Francisco, an M.A. in Learning Disabilities and B.A. from the University of Santa Clara, and earned a Life Teaching Credential from San Jose State University. She lives in California with her husband and has three grown sons.
Keynote Sponsored by:
Brunch Keynote Thursday, February 22, 2018
Rosalind Wiseman
Wiseman has had only one job since graduating from college—to help communities shift the way we think about children and teens’ emotional and physical wellbeing. As a teacher, thought leader, author, and media spokesperson on bullying, ethical leadership, the use of social media, and media literacy, she is in constant dialogue and collaboration with educators, parents, children, and teens.
Most famously the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World—the groundbreaking, best-selling book that was the basis for the movie Mean Girls, Wiseman has fully revised the third edition which will be published in August 2016.
Wiseman’s other publications include Masterminds & Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World, which addresses the social hierarchies and conflicts among parents and was awarded Best Parenting Book by Books for a Better Life. In addition, she wrote a free companion e-book for high school boys, The Guide: Managing Jerks, Recruiting Wingmen, and Attracting Who You Want. She is the author of Owning Up Curriculum, a comprehensive social justice program for grades 6-12 which is in widespread use across the country and a regular curriculum contributor to the Anti-Defamation League.
Each year Wiseman works with tens of thousands of students, educators, parents, counselors, coaches, and administrators to create communities based on the belief that each person has a responsibility to treat themselves and others with dignity.
In addition to participating as the principal speakers at the White House Summit on Bullying, Wiseman has also headlined the SXSW summit on Online Harassment. Other audiences have included the American School Counselors Association, South By Southwest EDU, the Game Developers Conference, the International Boys’ Schools Coalition, the American Association of School Administrators, and countless schools throughout the US and abroad. She was a consultant for Cartoon Network’s Speak Up, Stop Bullying Campaign, and is an advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.
National media regularly depends on Wiseman as the expert on ethical leadership, media literacy, and bullying prevention. She has been a consultant for Cartoon Network’s Speak Up, Stop Bullying campaign and has been profiled in The New York Times, People, Los Angeles One Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and USA Today. Wiseman is a frequent guest on national media like The Today Show, CNN, and NPR affiliates throughout the country.
A sought-after speaker on bullying, parenting, ethical leadership, and the use of social media, Wiseman’s presentations transcend cultural and economic boundaries in her appeal to ensure children’s and teenagers’ wellbeing. Her engaging and forthright delivery promises to capture audiences and inspire them to build positive relationships among each other.
Keynote Sponsored by:
