Qatar Foundation International - 2017 Global Education Conference Keynote
Channel: The Global Education Conference Network
Date: 2017-12-02

Maggie Mitchell Salem
Executive Director, QFI
@magsmitchell

As Executive Director of Qatar Foundation International (QFI), Maggie champions K-12 Arabic language & Arab culture education and engagement between young people across geographic, cultural and social boundaries. QFI supports program activities in the Americas, UK, and Qatar. Prior to joining QFI, Maggie was Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), a leading democracy and governance NGO, where she implemented innovative programs in Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen. Maggie was also an independent communications consultant to leading U.S., European and Middle Eastern companies, NGOs and academic groups. From 2001-2004, she was Director of Communications and External Relations at the Middle East Institute. Maggie's career began as a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. State Department where she served as a Special Assistant to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and as a Special Assistant to Ambassador Martin S. Indyk at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. She also served at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, India.
http://www.qfi.org/

Alan Mather
Chief, Office of College + Career Success
@matheroccs

Alan Mather is the Chief Officer of the Office of College and Career Success, overseeing six departments for the Chicago Public Schools: Student Support and Engagement; Social & Emotional Learning; School Counseling & Postsecondary Advising; Computer Science; Early College and Career Education; and STEM High Schools. Born and raised in rural Southern Indiana, Alan hitchhiked up to Chicago after graduating from the University of Evansville in 1986 and has been working in the Chicago public schools ever since. Alan worked for 12 years as an English teacher, track and cross country coach before moving into administration after joining LAUNCH (Leadership and Urban Network for Chicago), the first principal preparation program in Chicago. His first administrative position was as the assistant principal at a new high school, Northside College Prep, which--in three years--became the top ranked high school in Illinois. In 2005, Alan was given the opportunity to open Lindblom Math & Science Academy, a school that had once been top-tier but had declined. With the freedom, flexibility and support to create a high school, Alan hired all teachers, built a culture of excellence, and created an empowering climate. Since Alan opened Lindblom, it has become, according to the Sun-Times rankings, the top-performing majority African-American school in Illinois and the only top 20-ranked school that has over 60% of its students on free/reduced lunch.
http://cps.edu/Pages/CollegeCareerSuccess.aspx