General Sessions & Keynote Speakers
Opening General Session
Wednesday, October 20, 2021 • 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. • Palms Ballroom
Jeb Bush
Chairman, ExcelinEd
Jeb Bush is the 43rd governor of the State of Florida, serving from 1999 through 2007. He was the third Republican elected to the state’s highest office and the first Republican in the state’s history to be reelected. He was most recently a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.
Governor Bush remained true to his conservative principles throughout his two terms in office – cutting nearly $20 billion in taxes, vetoing more than $2.3 billion in earmarks and reducing the state government workforce by more than 13,000. His limited government approach helped unleash one of the most robust and dynamic economies in the nation, creating 1.3 million net new jobs and improving the state’s credit ratings, including achieving the first ever triple-A bond rating for Florida.
During his two terms, Governor Bush championed major reform of government, in areas ranging from health care and environmental protection to civil service and tax reform. His top priority was the overhaul of the state’s failing education system. Under Governor Bush’s leadership, Florida established a bold accountability system in public schools and created the most ambitious school choice programs in the nation. Today, Florida remains a national leader in education and is one of the only states in the nation to significantly narrow the achievement gap.
Governor Bush is also known for his leadership during two unprecedented back-to-back hurricane seasons, which brought eight hurricanes and four tropical storms to the state of Florida in less than two years. To protect the state from loss of life and damage caused by catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, Bush worked tirelessly to improve the state’s ability to respond quickly and compassionately during emergencies, while also instilling a ‘culture of preparedness’ in the state’s citizenry.
Governor Bush joined the University of Pennsylvania as a non-resident Presidential Professor of Practice for the 2018-19 academic year. He has previously served as a visiting professor and fellow at Harvard University, an executive professor at Texas A&M University, and has been awarded several honorary doctorates from collegiate institutions across the country. Governor Bush has been recognized for his contributions to public policy by national organizations including the Manhattan Institute, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the Jack Kemp Foundation. Governor Bush earned his bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.
Governor Bush currently serves as Chairman of Finback Investments Partners LLC and Dock Square Capital LLC, both merchant banks headquartered in Coral Gables.
Governor Bush maintains his passion for improving the quality of education for students across the country by serving as the Chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a national nonprofit education reform organization he founded to transform education in America.
He has written three books, Profiles in Character; Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution; and Reply All: A Governor’s Story 1999-2007.
Governor Bush lives in Miami with his wife Columba. They have three children and five grandchildren.
Morning General Session
Thursday, October 21, 2021 • 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.• Palms Ballroom
Jacob Oliva
Senior Chancellor, Division of Public Schools, Florida Department of Education
Mr. Oliva began his career as a special education teacher and, over the last 20 years, has served in a variety of positions, including principal and superintendent. Currently, as the Senior Chancellor, he supports the teaching and learning of Florida's over 2.9 million students in approximately 3,600 public schools, promoting student achievement and closing the achievement gaps. Additionally, Senior Chancellor Oliva provides statewide leadership and communication between the Florida Department of Education and Florida's school districts.
Sarah Painter
2022 Florida Teacher of the Year
Sarah Painter, a fifth-grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School in Pinellas County, was selected as the 2022 Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year from among nearly 185,000 Florida public school educators. As the 2022 Florida Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Painter will serve as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, working to create greater public awareness of Florida’s outstanding teachers and elevating the education profession.
Mrs. Painter began her teaching career in Pinellas County in 2003 after completing a Bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida. In her classroom, Mrs. Painter focuses on creating a culture of teamwork and developing deep and lasting connections with her students and families. Through her commitment to excellence, high expectations and instructional expertise, Mrs. Painter’s students have soared academically. She has been inspired by the moments when her students find joy, whether that be learning through a global pandemic, engaging with rigorous standards or completing complex tasks as a second language learner. Collectively, she and her students choose to find joy in each circumstance.
Closing General Session
Friday, October 22, 2021 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.• Palms Ballroom
Dr. Dakeyan C. Graham
Executive Director, Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, Florida Department of Education
Dr. Dakeyan Cha’ Dre’ Graham, the 2019 Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year, was selected in July 2019 as the 2020 Florida Teacher of the Year, representing 74 school districts and more than 195,000 teachers. During the 2019-2020 school year, Dr. Graham was on sabbatical from teaching and serves as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education. In this role, he toured the state delivering motivational speeches and workshops focused on empowering teachers to create the most impactful learning experience possible for their students.
A product of Hillsborough County Public Schools, Dr. Dakeyan Cha’ Dre’ Graham recently served as the Director of Instrumental Studies at his alma mater, C. Leon King High School in Tampa. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Education (University of Florida), a Master’s in Educational Leadership (Concordia University), a Ph.D. in Music Education (University of South Florida), and is currently working on his Ed.D. in Learning Design and Information Technology (Florida State University). During his 10 years in HCPS, his students consistently demonstrated determination, focus and tenacity as they earned a performance position in the prestigious Carnegie Hall.
While serving as the president of the Hillsborough Secondary Music Council and founder of the Eastern Coalition of Music Directors, Dr. Graham travels around the state as an adjudicator for both the Florida Bandmasters and Orchestra Associations. In 2012, Dr. Graham was a finalist for Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year and a semi-finalist for Grammy Music Educator of the Year in 2013. He was also selected as a quarter-finalist for Grammy Music Educator of the Year in 2020. He serves as president of the non-profit organization, Instruments of Change, which brings band programs into Title 1 eligible elementary schools.
Dr. Graham assisted in leading worship at CityLife Church and taught youth and adult martial arts throughout the Brandon area before moving into his new position as Executive Director for Independent Education and Parental Choice at the Florida Department of Education. He is blessed to share life with his wife, Casey (also a former HCPS educator), and daughter, Aaliyah. His passion is to continue positively impacting the next generation of world changers while empowering those around him to become the best versions of themselves.