Hannah Birney, School Within School @Goding, Harvard Project Zero. USA
Hannah Birney is an Early Childhood educator and ECE LEAP Leader in her 18th year at School-Within-School@Goding, a Reggio Inspired Washington DC Public school. She juggles classroom research with school leadership ensuring school system demands are met in an authentic and thoughtful way. Hannah received her MA in Early Childhood Education from Goddard College in Vermont. She received her BA in English from Washington and Lee University in Virginia.
Working in a constructivist classroom Hannah studies how children connect to learning through emergent project work. These projects that are emergent follow a volley between teachers and students that reveals shared values and glimpses of individual and collective identity. Each project has used a different medium with which to experience and spread empathy.
Through the last decade Hannah has collaborated as a Research Associate with Harvard Project Zero, researching the dispositions needed to foster global thinking among very young children. She had the honor of presenting her research on impulse control and empathy building at the University of Tokyo in 2019.
Tharrenos Bratitsis, Professor at the Early Childhood Education Department, University of Western Macedonia
Tharrenos Bratitsis is a Full Professor at the Early Childhood Education Department, University of Western Macedonia, Greece and a director of the Creativity, Innovation and Technology in Education (CrInTE) Laboratory.
His teaching and research is related to Digital and Global Competences, Innovative actions in the Educational sector through technology, in all levels and types of Education (formal, non-formal, informal).
He is a member of many scientific associations, a member of the steering committee of the Hellenic Association for ICTs in Education since 2014. He has participated in over 400 international conferences’ scientific committees; is a member of the reviewers’ board of 47 scientific journals (3 as an associate editor) and publishes regularly, having over 260 scientific papers with over 1500 citations on his work. He has participated in over 55 research funded projects, 22 as a coordinator (global or for UOWM). He has significant expertise in Project Management, Quality Assurance Management (having served as a QAM in over 15 EU funded projects).
He has several international collaborations with European countries but also with the USA and OECD, working towards a collective research effort at the moment. He has been selected as an Expert to contribute to the adaptation of SELFIE to Early Childhood Education within 2022.
His research interests include Technology Enhanced Learning, Game-based Learning, Digital Storytelling, STEAM Education, Educational Robotics, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, Game-based Learning, Gamification and Learning Analytics. Having served in an Early Childhood Education Department, a significant focus of his work has been that educational level. Specifically regarding Digital Storytelling and Education, he has developed a theoretical framework and designed unique appropriate tools for combining Digital Storytelling with Design Thinking, but also other pedagogical approaches, through various funded research projects. Lately he is focusing on the integration of societal issues in teaching via Digital Storytelling and Design Thinking in a playful manner.
Gina C. Duarte-Romero, Biltmore School, Florida International University. USA
Gina C. Duarte-Romero is a two time proud FIU graduate, she attained her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education in 1991 and a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood in 2008. She has been involved in Harvard University’s Project Zero for many years and has been invited to present at numerous conferences around the country and the world. Some of her presentations include:
- National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association for Bilingual Education - 2008
- Project Zero/Harvard University conference, Educating for the 21st Century - 2011
- Project Zero Perspectives: Building a Culture of Thinking conference in Clarkston, Michigan with Ana V. Seoane - 2012
- First Asian Preschool Conference, Play is the Work of Children in Wuhan, China - 2016
- International Conference of Thinking (ICOT2018)2018
- Understanding for a Complex World (PZC) – Pamplona, Spain - 2018
Gina is also an adjunct faculty member at FIU and MDC where she teaches Early Childhood and Special Education classes. She is the secretary for the Association of Independent Schools (AISF) and also the secretary for the National Independent Private School Association (NIPSA). She is also the past president of the FIU Board Alumni Association Board. Gina was hired in 2022 and 2023 to be an expert witness in two legal cases. For the past few years, Gina has continued to be involved in Project Zero initiatives in collaboration with Visible Thinking Miami and Florida International University presenting in various conferences and workshops.
Corina Febres Cordero, CAIT (Connecting Assessment with Intentional Teaching). USA
Corina Febres holds a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from FIU and brings over 35 years of experience to her work. She currently serves as the Director of the CAIT (Connecting Assessment with Intentional Teaching) initiative, funded by The Children’s Trust and managed by United Way Miami, in addition to being a Teachstone CLASS/MMCI Instructor. Corina has extensive experience in facilitating professional development for early childhood educators, directors, and administrators, as well as providing social-emotional support services to families and children in the Miami-Dade area. Throughout her career, she has been influenced by programs such as Visualization in Participatory Programs (VIPP), the Reggio Emilia Approach, the Project Zero Foundation's Visible Thinking and Cultural Forces, and the Habits of Mind framework. These influences have shaped her instructional style, enabling her to create learning experiences that are practical and aligned with current trends.
Margi Fineran, Fresh Farm / FoodPrints. USA
Margi Fineran began her Pastry career at Johnson and Wales Culinary School in Rhode Island, where she was twice named Outstanding Pastry Arts Student. After graduating she moved to Germany to study and work at Cafe Schubert, a world-renowned confectioner in Saarbrucken. Upon returning to the US she held numerous culinary positions, including at Lespinasse at the Carlton restaurant, and The Four Seasons Hotel, both in Washington DC. Margi then traveled to London, where she served for two years as the Pastry Chef to the American Ambassador to the Court of St James. Over the next 18 years Margi also had the privilege of working as a Pastry Chef at the White House in Washington, where she performed a variety of skills for events such as State Dinners, The Kennedy Center Honors, and Inaugurations. Today, Margi is a Lead Teacher and Senior Culinary Coach with the FoodPrints program in the DC Public School system, in which gardening, nutrition and hands-on kitchen skills are interwoven with standard academic curriculum for students in Pre-K through 5th grade. Throughout the year, Margi also coordinates a variety of hands-on Community Engagement Events at Farmers Markets and various institutions like The Kennedy Center, in which her team educates the public about their role in the local food system.
Geroulanou Eleni, Founding member of the NGO “Library4all”
Eleni Geroulanou was born in Athens, Greece. She studied Early Childhood Education at the University of Athens and subsequently specialized in Children’s Museum Education for K-8 at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Until her retirement in 2023 she was Head of the Kindergarten at the Moraitis School, a private School in Athens. She is an author of several books for children and a founding member of the NGO “Library4all”, committed to the support of lifelong learning and education, accessible to all, by offering books to school libraries. She is a founding member of the Hellenic Children’s Museum in Athens and a member of the Greek section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and Diavazontas Megalono.
Jonathan Levy, Child Rights In Action. FRANCE
Jonathan Levy lives and works in Paris France. He is an experienced educator, teacher trainer and trainer of child professionals. He is educated in Pedagogy and Philosophy of Education and trains/teaches in the education, social, Intergovernmental and NGO sectors. He was the initiator, program, and scientific director of international programmes, CATS (Children as Actors for Transforming Society) and now CRIA (Child Rights in Action). He is also a consultant for UNICEF in pedagogy and children’s rights, Vice-president of the French Korczak Association and member of the High Commission on Children’s Issues created by the French government.
Marla McLean, School Within School @Goding. Harvard Project Zero. USA
Marla McLean is a Reggio Inspired Artist Educator working since 1997 as founding Atelierista at School Within School @Goding, a Public Elementary school in Washington, DC. Daily encounters with art materials, expression, wonder, and children further expand her notions of the artistic process and creativity. Marla received her MA in Studio Art from NYU, her BA in Early Childhood Education and Social Art from Goddard College (VT), and her AA in Photography/Multimedia from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.She speaks and facilitates workshops on Creativity and Young Children and Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning nationally and internationally. She is a Research Associate with Harvard Project Zero, engaged in collaboratively developing Global Competence within Early Childhood Education. She is an ACES Fellow, developing trauma informed/compassionate healing art practices in DC Public Schools. She is a practicing artist at Purple Lines Artists Studios in Riverdale, Maryland. Marla’s current mixed media art seeks to provoke thought about the power of love in the face of racism, trauma, and oppression.
Koula Panagou, Early childhood educator
Koula Panagou is an early childhood educator with extensive experience in innovative learning, play-based education, and literacy promotion. She holds a degree in Education and Early Childhood Care and has completed specialized training in Play Therapy, refugee education, and non-formal learning. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public History. For over 20 years, she has designed and implemented creative educational programs for young children, integrating literature, play, movement, and the arts. She has developed reading promotion initiatives, coordinated cultural and community projects, and organized parent support and teacher training programs. She has also worked extensively on educational programs for refugee children, designing inclusive learning experiences and literacy resources. In addition to her educational work, she facilitates play-based therapy sessions for children and adolescents, designs messy play and storytelling programs, and writes literary reviews. Through her work, she is committed to fostering creativity, emotional well-being, and equal access to education and storytelling for all children.
Ana Pizano, E.d.D. Consultant. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Ana Pizano is an early childhood, curriculum, and planning consultant dedicated to supporting educational practitioners through program design, facilitation, and professional development. She served as Education, Child Development and Women’s Rights Officer with UNICEF in the Dominican Republic and has managed and designed projects supported by UNDP, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Organization of Ibero-American States, and the European Union. She worked at the Early Learning Coalition of Miami as Curriculum, Assessment and Special Projects Director and implemented Curriculum Learning Communities for early childhood practitioners. She has also designed and facilitated early childhood professional development at FIU, the University of Florida, United Way, Teaching Strategies and Acelero. Through her experience in diverse institutional and cultural settings, Ana has developed deep understanding of multiethnic and multilingual contexts and a deep interest in supporting collaborative and empowering learning experiences. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from New York University, an Ed.M. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University, and an Ed.D. in Curriculum, Teaching and Teacher Education from the University of Florida.
Marianna Psychalou
Marianna Psychalou lives and works in Athens. She studied Agricultural Science at the Agricultural University of Athens and has also completed studies in creative writing and painting. Additionally, she has attended e-courses on education through leading universities and museums, focusing on Artful Thinking, Teaching through Art, and How to Teach Migration in Class. With 20 years of experience in publishing, she has worked in translation, editing, and creative direction. For the past seven years, she has been exclusively dedicated to children's literature as the founder of Mikri Selini. She has translated over 30 children's books, facilitated reading promotion workshops, and served as creative director in numerous children's literature projects. Marianna is a member of Greek IBBY, Library4all and Diavazontas Megalono, promoting children's right to reading. She is also an active member of the Network for Children's Rights, with which she co-published the award-winning nonfiction book on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Ana V. Seoane, Biltmore School. USA
