HomeConferences & Think Tanks2026 Conference on Engaged Learning Keynote Speakers Share: Section NavigationSkip section navigationIn this section2026 Conference on Engaged Learning Keynote Speakers Schedule Pre-Conference Workshops Presenter Guidelines Conference Location Registration Conference Grant Lodging Call for Proposals (Closed) The 2026 Conference on Engaged Learning will feature two keynote presentations. Monday Keynote Speakers Caroline Ketcham, Associate Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Exercise Science Kaz Kelly, Psychology and English: Creative Writing Double-Major at Elon University Kira Campagna, Elementary Education Major at Elon University Ben Krasnow, Human Service Studies and Outdoor Leadership and Education Double-Major at Elon University Monday’s keynote speakers led the 2024-2026 research seminar on Affirming and Inclusive Engaged Learning for Neurodivergent Students and will preview themes and lingering questions from the research seminar’s international, multi-institutional, and multi-disciplinary research. Seminar teams are presenting throughout the conference, offering attendees an opportunity to learn more about this emerging work. Tuesday Keynote Speaker Dr. Victoria Verlezza (ver-LEZ-uh) is an inclusion, equity, access, belonging strategist, and educator with 20+ years of experience supporting individuals and organizations in building more inclusive, accessible, and equity-driven cultures. As a scholar-practitioner with lived experience, she brings both expertise and empathy to her work, especially around neurodivergence and systemic change. With a PhD in Human Development and master’s degrees in Social Justice Education, Higher Ed Administration, and Human Development, she helps teams grow through reflection, accountability, and action. https://victoriaverlezza.com/ Designing With Every Brain in Mind: Cognitive Equity and Neuroinclusion As workplaces, colleges, and universities evolve through hybrid models, technological acceleration, and increasing cognitive diversity, traditional inclusion frameworks are no longer sufficient. This presentation introduces Cognitive Equity, a research-based framework I developed to address the widening gap between neuronormative workplace design and the actual cognitive experiences of today’s landscape. Drawing on mixed-methods research across industries, including survey data from over 250 neurodivergent professionals from across the globe and qualitative insights from leaders navigating complex organizational systems, this talk reveals how cognitive inequities manifest in everyday practices: unclear feedback, tone policing, conformity pressures, and system-level design mismatches that disproportionately impact neurodivergent, Black, Indigenous, and other non-Black people of the global majority, and gender-expansive folks. My research identifies five core pillars: Awareness, Access, Adaptability, Alignment, and Accountability, that make up the Cognitive Equity Leadership Model™, offering a strategic, scalable framework to design with every brain in mind. Attendees will gain an understanding of how psychological safety, executive functioning support, and universal design principles converge to shape more equitable cultures. Ultimately, this talk challenges the assumption that individuals must fit the system and instead proposes a future of work where systems are intentionally designed to flex for all brains. Cognitive equity is not a niche concept; it is an emerging leadership imperative.
