Emily Hanford
Senior Correspondent & Producer at APM Reports
Emily Hanford is a senior correspondent and producer at APM Reports and host of Sold a Story, the groundbreaking investigative podcast that’s changing how kids are taught to read. Sold a Story was one of the most-shared shows on Apple Podcasts in 2023 and one of Time Magazine’s top podcasts of the year. It has won numerous honors including a duPont, an Edward R. Murrow and a Peabody nomination. Emily’s career in journalism began with an internship at the public radio station in her college town (WFCR-Amherst). She then worked for Ira Glass when he was making the pilots for This American Life.
Emily was a reporter and host at WBEZ-Chicago and news director and senior editor at WUNC-Chapel Hill, where she won her first duPont for a series on poverty in North Carolina. Emily has been at APM since 2008. Her reporting on education has won many honors including the inaugural Public Service Award from the Education Writers Association and the award for excellence in reporting on education research from the American Educational Research Association. Emily is a graduate of Amherst College. She is based in Washington, D.C., where she is journalist-in-residence at Planet Word, the museum of words and language. She lives with her husband, Derek Goldman, a professor at Georgetown University. They have two adult sons.
Kristina Ishmael
Strategic Advisor & Speaker at Ishmael Consulting
Kristina Ishmael is an innovative educator and advocate, leading the charge in promoting digital equity and opportunity in education. With a robust background that spans education policy, professional learning, and classroom instruction, she is deeply committed to empowering educators to effectively leverage technology, including artificial intelligence (AI). Kristina stands out as the lead for AI in education policy, focusing on ensuring AI applications are accessible, equitable, and enhance learning outcomes for all students. Her expertise also encompasses fostering inclusive learning environments where diverse voices are heard and amplified.
As a thought leader and speaker, Kristina champions digital inclusion, edtech best practices, and meaningful professional learning. Her work, characterized by a passion for advancing education through technology and open educational resources, has made a significant impact on educators and learners alike, driving forward conversations on ethical AI use, digital equity, and the future of learning in a technology-driven world.
Planning for the Future
When K–12 leaders, mission-driven organizations, and innovative thought leaders convene to tackle public education’s most pressing issues, their community approach to problem-solving results in practical, sustainable solutions.
The last two years have been transformative. Still, the Institute for Education Innovation is looking ahead to a bright future with the rest of the IEI Family, including our valued Members and Partners.
.jpeg?width=800&height=600&name=full_paulareed_1658180814_3%20(1).jpeg)
Workshops and Discussions
To make meaningful and sustainable change in the K–12 industry, we need novel ideas, investors to help bring the ideas to life, and school leaders to implement the ideas in classrooms. When an idea lacks the support of any one of these groups, it is destined to fail in the K–12 space.
Yet these three groups rarely have an opportunity to collaborate and fuel educational innovation together, exchanging keen insight from their respective domains that may boost the overall success of the idea.
Participate in productive conversations regarding issues facing K-12 schools specific to your area. Panel discussions will focus on topics such as equity, attendance, and testing.
-1.png?width=100&height=100&name=Untitled%20design%20(1)-1.png)
"IEI is all about the connections. The One-on-one time with colleagues and partners makes IEI unique.