{"id":20,"date":"2015-10-29T22:38:46","date_gmt":"2015-10-29T22:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tedxrexburg.com\/?p=20"},"modified":"2021-12-30T03:14:35","modified_gmt":"2021-12-30T03:14:35","slug":"speakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tedxrexburg.com\/speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Speakers"},"content":{"rendered":"
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] Andra strongly believes that what is taught in the classroom is primarily valuable to the degree that it meets needs and provides insights applicable to everyday living. Her natural interests in people and language have led her to seek out a diverse range of professional experiences, including as a consultant and trainer for the Transatlantic Negotiation School of Business in Lagos, Nigeria; as a writing instructor for Native American students on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation; and as a legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill. Andra has an acute understanding of strategic communication within business, political, and social contexts.<\/p>\n Because she is passionate about learning, Andra pursues opportunities to gain further understanding of the relationship between communication, people, and problem solving. She has recently completed a Harvard Law School negotiation training and attended educational conferences focused on experiential learning and on critical thinking.<\/p>\n Andra is devoted to using communication skills to foster meaningful dialogue, promote peaceful resolutions to conflicts, maximize value for all parties involved in an exchange, and create safe, positive environments within which individuals in organizational and family contexts have the opportunity to thrive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Dr. Geoff Thomas<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Dr. Geoff Thomas is a life long educator serving as classroom teacher, coach and mentor before assuming administrative responsibilities. He has worked as a Superintendent for nearly 20 years. In 2015, Dr. Thomas was selected by his peers as the Idaho Superintendent of the Year.<\/p>\n Dr. Thomas is a passionate advocate for public education and an outspoken critic of excessive standardized testing, high stakes testing and other so called “Reforms.” He is married to Janalee his wife of 32 years. They are the proud of parents of five children and two amazingly talented and precocious grandchildren.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Thomas will be talking on the topic of Restoration not Reformation. To restore greatness in pubic education we need to return and restore those principles which are truly effective and not engage in pseudo reforms that have proven to be unworkable.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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\nAndra Hansen<\/strong><\/em>
\nAndra is a faculty member in the Communication Department at Brigham Young University-Idaho, where she has been teaching for eight years. Andra has\u00a0designed persuasion, media law, moral reasoning and advocacy classes and have received an excellence in teaching award. Prior to coming to BYU-I, Andra spent 13 years teaching writing, business and professional communication and literature classes at Idaho State University. Her areas of expertise include political rhetoric, persuasion, mediation, negotiation, advocacy, and critical thinking. She is\u00a0currently a lead faculty member of the Organizational Communication and Advocacy emphasis within the Communication Department at BYU-I.<\/p>\n
\nHere is a highlight about what he will be talking about.<\/p>\n