by Andrea Meier
Closing Keynote: Tom Vander Ark
Tom
is best known as the former executive director of the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he oversaw more than $3.5
billion in funding programs to improve education in the U.S. He also
served as President of the X PRIZE Foundation, which gives away
millions to individuals who come up with breakthroughs that benefit
humanity. Prior to his role at The Gates Foundation, Vander Ark was the
first business executive to serve as a public school superintendent, leading
one of Washington state’s larger school districts (which today is a Bb Connect
client).
Today, Vander Ark is Managing Partner at Revolution Learning, a private equity firm focused on improving formal and informal learning globally. His company is involved in supporting a number of innovative/entrepreneurial approaches to education that challenge the status quo and leverage technology to create more personalized learning for students.
During his speech, he will share relevant stories and insights from his time at The Gates and X PRIZE Foundation, discussing technology, innovation and the future of learning.
Check out Vander Ark’s blog, EdReformer.com, where he blogs regularly. We hope you’ll join us on Friday, July 16 at 10:30am to learn from Tom Vander Ark.
