Conferences and Meetings
NBEA 2012 Annual Convention
Keynote Speakers
Wednesday, April 4
Opening General Session: Peter Meade
From Education to the Kennedy's: A Life of Public Service
Peter Meade has dedicated his career to serving the needs of Boston and the State of Massachusetts. Before becoming the director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Meade was the President and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
Meade has been an influential voice in the regional and state political and business worlds for decades. He worked in the administrations of former Boston Mayor Kevin White, as well as serving a term as the Commissioner of Parks and Creation. Meade also served for 12 years as Executive Vice President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, where he was part of the senior management team that turned BCBSMA from a failing enterprise to a robust, responsible and profitable business.
Meade was also the chair of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy and was the chair of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Emerson College. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League of New England and the New England Council, and on the Executive Council of WBUR, Boston's National Public Radio station.
Thursday, April 5
Second General Session: Richard A. Wainio
Importance of a Global Mindset
Richard A. Wainio was appointed Tampa Port Director and Chief Executive Officer in January 2005. He has indepth knowledge about the maritime industry, international trade, and global transportation gained from over 30 years of high-level public and private sector experience that includes work in many countries around the world.
Prior to arriving in Tampa, Wainio served as Executive Director of the Port of Palm Beach, Florida, and worked 23 years in executive positions with the Panama Canal. Wainio’s responsibilities with the Panama Canal included strategic and treaty planning, economic research and marketing, and serving as the primary advisor to the Canal’s bi-national Board of Directors.
Mr. Wainio earned a Master of Arts degree in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in psychology from Davidson College. He speaks Spanish and is active in various international trade organizations and associations. He has also taught business courses in Panama and in the United States.
Friday, April 6
Featured Speaker Session: Ira Fader
The Perils of Social Networking and Online Activities
Ira Fader has been an attorney in the Legal Division of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) for over 21 years, representing the MTA and its local affiliates and individual members on diverse labor and educational issues in many legal forums. Prior to that, he was staff counsel at the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission. He has been engaged by the evolving legal and social ramifications of email and the Internet in the workplace and has made numerous presentations on these issues for over twelve years within the MTA community.
Saturday, April 7
Closing General Session: Jeanne Robertson
A Strategy for Success in Education
Jeanne Robertson is a funny speaker, and she utilizes her positively funny style to illustrate how a sense of humor can be an integral part of a strategy for success for every educator. Her message is that sense of humor is an attitude; an approach toward working with people. She believes that this attitude can be developed and improved, and she suggests ways to do so. Using original hilarious stories from everyday life, she will show us how to laugh at ourselves and accept the things that cannot be changed about us and the people around us. Six-foot-two Jeanne is a former teacher and is the recipient of every top honor in the speaking profession. You’ll learn why audiences across the nation say, “The meeting ain’t over ‘til the tall lady speaks.”