Michael McDowell, Ed.D. has been a public school educator for over eighteen years serving in the roles of classroom teacher, academic and athletic coach, school principal, assistant superintendent of personnel and instruction, and superintendent.  During his tenure as a superintendent, his school district received state and national accolades including the National Blue Ribbon Award which recognized their work for student performance and mental health and well-being in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic by the U.S. Department of Education.

Prior to serving as a superintendent, he served as an associate superintendent of instructional and personnel services and as a high school principal of a Title I and California Distinguished School. Before entering administration, Dr. McDowell was a leadership and instructional coach consulting with schools, districts, higher educational institutions, and state departments on educational leadership, teaching leadership, and instruction. Additionally, Dr. McDowell has five years of teaching experience in middle and high school science and mathematics. Dr. McDowell is the Chair to the Advisory Board of 1% for Education, a non-profit serving to allocate funding for public education.  Moreover, Dr. McDowell continues to teach students and work in his community to enhance public education. Previously, Dr. McDowell was a National Faculty member for the Buck Institute of Education and an advisor to educational organizations focused on equity, excellence, and innovation. His practical expertise in schools and systems is complimented by his scholarly approach to leadership, learning, and instruction. He holds a B.S., M.A. and Ed.D

Dr. McDowell is the creator and author of all published works and original professional development programs offered through Hinge Education that support professional learning in educational systems around the world.

Tina H. Boogren, PhD, is a fierce advocate for educators and an award-winning educator, best-selling author, and highly sought-after speaker. Dr. Boogren has proudly served as a classroom teacher, mentor, instructional coach, and building-level leader and has presented for audiences all over the world.

Dr. Boogren is deeply committed to supporting educators so that they can support their students. She conducts highly requested and inspiring keynotes, workshops, and virtual webinars that focus on quality instruction, coaching, mentoring, and educator wellness, and she hosts a weekly podcast, Self-Care for Educators with Dr. Tina H. Boogren. Additionally, she is codirector of Solution Tree’s Wellness Solutions for Educators™ with Dr. Timothy D. Kanold.

Dr. Boogren was a 2007 finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year and was a recipient of her school district’s Outstanding Teacher Award eight years in a row, from 2002 to 2009. She is the author of numerous books, including In the First Few Years: Reflections of a Beginning Teacher; Supporting Beginning Teachers; The Beginning Teacher’s Field Guide: Embarking on Your First Years; 180 Days of Self-Care for Busy Educators; Take Time for You: Self-Care Action Plans for Educators, which was the Independent Publisher’s Gold Award winner in the Education category; and Coaching for Educator Wellness: A Guide to Supporting New and Experienced Teachers. She is a coauthor of Educator Wellness: A Guide for Sustaining Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Social Well-Being with Timothy D. Kanold and Motivating and Inspiring Students: Strategies to Awaken the Learner with Robert J. Marzano, Darrell Scott, and Ming Lee Newcomb and is a contributor to Richard Kellough and Noreen Kellough’s Middle School Teaching: A Guide to Methods and Resources as well as Robert J. Marzano’s Becoming a Reflective Teacher.

Dr. Boogren holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree with an administrative endorsement from the University of Colorado Denver, and a doctorate in educational administration and policy studies from the University of Denver.