2026 Keynote Speakers

Headshot of Sarah Silverman: White woman with brown and blond hair, wearing a black shirt and brown glasses frames.

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman, Ph.D., is an independent faculty developer and instructor of Disability Studies. Sarah's work focuses on bringing neurodiversity perspectives to the world of college teaching and instructional design. As an autistic educator, she has a personal stake in neurodiversity as well as extensive college teaching and faculty development experience. Her work includes consulting, guest speaking, and teaching on the topics of accessibility, UDL, and neurodivergence. Her writings appear in To Improve the Academy, the Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy, the blog Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online, New Directions for Teaching and Learning, on her website and on her newsletter Beyond the Scope. Her book Classroom Mindscapes: An Introduction to Neurodiversity for Educators is forthcoming from the University of Oklahoma Press.

Headshot of Brie Tripp: White woman with brown hair, wearing a black shirt and glasses.

Brie Tripp

Brie Tripp, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Teaching in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at the University of California, Davis. She leads a team of undergraduate researchers dedicated to creating more equitable and justice-centered STEM classrooms. Together, they explore how teaching practices and course design can support diverse learners, uplift underserved student voices, and promote social and racial justice in STEM education.

Dr. Tripp’s work focuses on developing science curricula that connect biological concepts to real-world contexts and community experiences, as well as rethinking traditional grading systems to better reflect student growth, learning, and well-being. Her commitment to student-centered and justice-focused teaching aims to support the next generation of scientists and healthcare professionals in becoming thoughtful, socially conscious leaders.

Headshot of Jesse Stommel: White man with brown hair and a beard.

Jesse Stommel

Jesse Stommel, Ph.D., is a faculty member in the Writing Program at University of Denver. He is co-founder of Digital Pedagogy Lab and Hybrid Pedagogy: the journal of critical digital pedagogy, and he earned his Ph.D. from University of Colorado Boulder. Stommel is co-author of An Urgency of Teachers: The Work of Critical Digital Pedagogy, co-editor of Disrupting the Digital Humanities, and co-editor of Critical Digital Pedagogy: a Collection. He is best known for his work as a champion of teachers and students in higher education. He is Executive Director of Hybrid Pedagogy: the journal of critical digital pedagogy, and he earned his Ph.D. from University of Colorado Boulder. Stommel is a documentary filmmaker and teaches courses about pedagogy, film, and new media. He experiments relentlessly with learning interfaces, both digital and analog, and his research focuses on higher education pedagogy, critical digital pedagogy, and assessment. Stommel was most previously a faculty member at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has a rascal pup, Emily, a clever cat, Loki, and a badass daughter, Hazel.