2026 GACIS Fall Conference
Belief to Impact: Leading with Clarity, Courage, and Collective Efficacy
September 24-25, 2026 | The Classic Center, Athens, GA
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CONFERENCE AGENDA
Register today for the 55th Annual GACIS Fall Conference! Registration for the in person event is limited. A virtual registration option is also available for those who wish to participate remotely.
Registration Cost: $425 (Member Rate) & $525 (Non-member Rate).
Important Note: You are registering for the GACIS Conference only. You must complete a separate registration for the GaDOE Day Conference.
Featuring Keynote Speakers:
Elena Aguilar is a writer, leader, teacher, coach and podcaster. She is the author of eight highly acclaimed books: The Art of Coaching (pub. 2013, retd. 2024), The Art of Coaching Teams (2016), Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators (2018), The Onward Workbook (2018), Coaching for Equity (2020), The Art of Coaching Workbook (pub. 2020, retd. 2024), The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development (2022), and Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching (July 2024). She has also been a frequent contributor to Edutopia, ASCD’s Educational Leadership, and EdWeek Teacher. Elena is the founder and CEO of Bright Morning Consulting, an organization committed to helping individuals and organizations create the conditions for transformation. She has taught tens of thousands of educators how to have conversations that build a more just and equitable world. Elena can be heard demonstrating these conversations on The Bright Morning Podcast.
Dr. Jenni Donohoo, is a professional learning facilitator, author, and researcher with more than 25 years’ experience in leading school improvement. Jenni has multi-year partnerships with numerous organizations and government agencies where she works alongside system and school leaders supporting high-quality professional learning designed to improve outcomes for all students. She is a five-time best-selling author, and her books have been translated into several languages.
Jenni has been recognized internationally as an educational thought leader. She has been a keynote speaker at conferences including WorldEduLead, Raising Student Achievement, Annual Visible Learning, Corwin’s Women in Education, the LEAP Conference in Australia, the Forward Learning Conference Singapore, and the Developing Successful Schools Conference in New Brunswick. She has presented at faculties of education around the globe including Auckland University and the University of Antwerp.
Jeff Utecht is an educational consultant and presenter. He began his career in the Elementary Classroom in Washington State. In 2001, he was the recipient of a Bill and Melinda Gates Grant, the Technology Leadership Program. This started his journey into the world of connecting students and using the world as his curriculum. From 2002 – 2012 Jeff taught at International Schools moving from a classroom teacher into technology roles and administrative positions. He has authored books, worked as a consultant for technology startups, and continues to speak at schools and educational events around the globe. He gave a TEDx talk at the first TEDx event in Bangkok, Thailand focused on education. In 2018, he was invited to the Global Knowledge Summit in Dubai to be part of global conversations about the future of education in this Knowledge Economy. Today, Jeff makes his home in Seattle, WA having worked with and supported over 20 1:1 deployments, both within the US and Internationally. During the COVID-19 pandemic Jeff supported the State of Washington and its educators in shifting through multiple school scenarios.
Cancellation Policy for the 2026 GACIS Fall Conference is as follows and acknowledgement is required during registration:
Due to commitments to our facilities, No cancellations/refunds after September 1, 2026. All cancellations after September 1, 2026 will be charged the full registration fee. No-shows will be charged the full registration fee. All cancellations must be in writing. Please email Dr. Claire Buck to cancel clairebuck@gacis1971.org.