Tom Manning is an education consultant and former Senior Vice President of Professional Services for Learning Forward. For Learning Forward, he led the strategy, management, and business development for consulting and technical assistance services. He advanced Learning Forward’s vision by establishing and maintaining professional service partnerships with states, districts, and schools, and managed a cadre of more than 40 education consultants working across North America. He previously served as Learning Forward’s Associate Director of E-Learning, leading the design and implementation of the association’s online courses, webinars, and virtual learning communities. Prior to joining Learning Forward in 2009, he covered education as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and Austin American-Statesman. He authored a chapter in the book Powerful Designs for Professional Learning (3^rd ed.), and has been published in the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership. Originally from Boston, Tom received a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from Texas Christian University.

Leslie Hirsh Ceballos is an accomplished educator and leader based in Dallas, Texas, currently in her eighth year as an assistant principal, with experience at Brentfield Elementary in Richardson ISD and Boon Elementary in Allen ISD. Previously, she served as a district instructional specialist in Allen ISD, focusing on elementary science and instructional technology, and has also been a campus instructional coach and classroom teacher for 3rd and 6th grades. In addition to her school-based work, Leslie is a senior consultant with Learning Forward, supporting districts across Texas, Kentucky, and Guam in mentoring and teacher development. She is co-authoring a book on mentoring new teachers, expected to be published later this year. Leslie has been married to her husband, Santiago, for 12 years, and they have three children: Emma, 8; Mia, 6; and Luka, 3.