Keynote Speakers
Fareedah Shaheed
Thursday, November 6, 2025
Opening Keynote
Protecting Students in a Hyper-Connected World
In a world where students’ lives are shaped by their experiences online, school counselors stand at the intersection of mental health, digital safety, and real-world connection. Today’s students are growing up with smartphones as an integral part of their daily lives—constantly connected to social media, online communities, and digital entertainment. Their friendships, identity, and self-worth are increasingly influenced by apps designed to keep them engaged, often at the cost of their well-being.
In this keynote, internet safety expert and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Fareedah Shaheed, takes counselors on a deep dive into how students’ phones shape their behavior, emotions, and risk-taking online. Through her personal journey and expertise, she reveals the hidden challenges students face—from algorithm-driven pressures to online predators—and how counselors can equip them with the critical thinking and digital resilience needed to navigate their world safely.
Students’ online experiences are not one-size-fits-all. Access to technology, cultural backgrounds, and individual circumstances shape the way they engage with digital spaces. This session will provide counselors with practical strategies to meet students where they are, foster safer online environments, and build trust-based conversations that empower them to make informed decisions.
Attendees will leave with actionable insights on:
- The role of social media, online gaming, and messaging apps in shaping student identity and risk-taking.
- How counselors can foster digital resilience and support students in navigating online challenges.
- Equitable approaches to addressing online safety concerns across diverse student populations.
By the end of this keynote, counselors will be equipped with strategies to help students move beyond the screen—balancing their online and offline lives with confidence and care.
Fareedah Shaheed is an Award-Winning Internet Safety Expert and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. She founded Sekuva & the Protect Kids Online (PKO) Membership with the mission of helping parents protect their children online.
Drawing from her background in cybersecurity awareness, threat intelligence, and formative experiences as a young gamer navigating close calls with predators and online grooming, she developed the SAFE Method—a unique approach to teaching internet safety that emphasizes safe spaces and connection as the foundation of protecting kids online.
Her work has been featured in NBC, CNN, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, NASDAQ, FOX, AfroTech, Ebony Magazine, Yahoo!, Worth Magazine, and many more. In 2022, she was selected by Worth as one of the Worthy 100, recognized for making a significant impact on the world and as a changemaker “rewriting industry standards” and “leading us into a brighter future.”
She has worked with companies such as Meta, H&M, FedEx, NASA, Mozilla, LinkedIn, Common Sense Networks, Wellness Together, and Love146 to help educate parents on internet safety and security.
She is currently serving on the Forbes board for the Under 30 community. And has been named LinkedIn Top Voices in Cybersecurity.
Gerry Brooks
Friday, November 7, 2025
Closing Keynote
Personal Climate and Culture … It’s Up to You
Gerry uses his videos to develop a strategy for making the workplace a pleasant place where faculty, administrators, and support staff all maintain mutual respect, regardless of personal differences, resulting in more efficient and fulfilled workers. Gerry will share policies that he has incorporated that promote a healthy respectful working relationship even when opinions differ. He will also share ideas that maximize opportunities to get to know staff members and create camaraderie, taking advantage of 15 seconds here and there throughout the day.
Gerry Brooks has been an educator for 20 years, beginning as a third-grade teacher in Palm Bay, FL. He earned his master’s in administration and has been an elementary principal for 12 years. Originally using humorous videos to encourage his staff, Gerry has become a national encourager for teachers through social media and speaking events. He is a voice for teachers, but his passion is leading others to be responsible for their own personal climate and culture in the workplace. His book, “Go See the Principal,” outlines strategies for taking on this responsibility. Gerry and his wife, Kelly, have 3 adult children and live in Lexington, KY.
