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Opening Keynote Speaker - David Chalk
David has often been called an anomaly, not for what he achieved, but for where he began. As a child, he was labeled unable to learn. Despite this, David founded and scaled multiple companies, building ventures worth hundreds of millions and working with Fortune 500 organizations—while hiding one truth: he could not read.
At sixty-two, David decided to face it. His literacy journey was documented in The Truth About Reading, showing that reading failure stems from flawed instruction, not intelligence. David is now the co-founder of Reading Road, a personalized AI tutor designed to transform reading education. When people learn to read, they regain belief in themselves. And that belief becomes a superpower. |
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Closing Keynote Speaker - Talia R. Cotton
Talia R. Cotton turned a high school setback into a lifelong commitment to learning. After earning her GED through Leon County Schools adult education, she went on to complete her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Florida A&M University and, in 2026, her Doctorate in Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies from Florida State University.
As an experienced high school and adult educator, Talia will share her journey from GED to EdD, challenging audiences to rethink what success looks like and to recognize that, with the right support, effort, and belief, any adult learner can transform their future.
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