Featured Speakers…

Thursday Opening Session (9:30 -11 a.m.)

Kurt Bestor’s film scores, television themes, compositions and carols have provided an indelible soundtrack for American life for more than three decades. Perhaps best known for his seasonal carols, the Utah-educated composer’s credits include more than 30 film scores and 40 themes for national TV programs and commercials. His mother is a long-time Utah public school educator.

Robert Kirby is a columnist for The Salt Lake Tribune. His specialty is lampooning Utah culture. Before becoming a writer, Kirby was a police officer. He is the author of six humor books, two novels and a history book on Utah's murdered police officers.

“Superstars in Education” Awards Celebration (Thursday, 4-5:30 p.m.)

Pat Bagley is an award-winning editorial cartoonist from Utah, a state he describes as “that little metal thingy on the buckle of the Bible Belt.” He is the daily cartoonist for The Salt Lake Tribune and is syndicated in over 450 newspapers around the country.

Friday Keynote Speaker (8-9:30 a.m.)

Alan M. Blankstein is founder and president of the HOPE (Harnessing Optimism and Potential through Education) Foundation. He is author of the award winning “Failure is Not an Option™: Six Principles That Guide Student Achievement in High-Performing Schools” and has provided keynote presentations and workshops for virtually every major educational organization. A former “high risk” youth, Blankstein began his career in education as a music teacher and has worked in youth-serving organizations since 1983.