East London and Essex Education Conference and Exhibition 2024

Dan Fitzpatrick

The author of the acclaimed book, The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education, Dan imparts invaluable insights and strategies for harnessing AI in education. His work in the industry earned him the esteemed accolade of Tech Champion Award at the Digital Industry Dynamite Awards. Dan is a prominent contributor in the media on all things AI and education, having recently been featured in Time Magazine and on CNN, Good Morning Britain, BBC Radio 4 and ITV News. His former roles include serving as Director for Digital Strategy at Education Partnership North East, and as a senior leader at a secondary school. Presently, he assumes the role of founder of The AI Educator and Director at Thirdbox.org With an impressive educational background, Dan holds an M.A. from Durham University, a PGCE from UCL, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking & Innovation from MIT. This robust foundation in academia has endowed him with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the ever-evolving world of AI and education. In 2023 alone, Dan has trained approximately 15,000 educators worldwide, guiding them in the integration of AI into education. Additionally, he has partnered with hundreds of small business leaders and marketing professionals, such as those from Welsh Water and Cleanspec, to enhance their practices using artificial intelligence. Dan Fitzpatrick's unwavering commitment to the advancement of AI in education and his passion for fostering innovation in the field render him a highly sought-after expert, strategist, and thought leader. Dan's extensive knowledge and hands-on experience continue to inspire educators, professionals, and organisations worldwide as they grapple with the challenges and prospects presented by the AI revolution.

Samantha Garner

Mental Health and Inclusion Consultant, Founder Balanced People Ltd Sam is a renowned speaker, trainer and author specialising in Mental Health and Inclusion. She has worked in the education sector as a SENCo and the corporate sector in a variety or roles. She is a qualified Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, Counsellor and Master Mindset Coach. Sam has also founded a company, Balanced People Ltd, providing mental wellbeing and support to individuals and companies. She is in high demand to speak at conferences and events and provides in-house training for schools and companies, nationally and internationally. Lauded for her humour and ‘telling it like it is’ approach to mental health, Sam has had her book Mental Health in Education published by Routledge, and regularly writes for several publications with more books in the pipeline for publication.

Simon Weston CBE

When the RFA Sir Galahad was destroyed in the Bluff Cove Air Attack during the Falklands War, in 1982, on board was Simon Weston, Welsh Guardsman. Simon was severely injured, sustaining serious burns to 46% of his body. He has become well-known across the United Kingdom and abroad for his struggle to overcome his injuries and redefine his role in life, and his message is one of achievement, of triumph in the face of adversity, and of seizing the moment and succeeding. Following his injuries, Simon's road to physical, spiritual and mental recovery saw him active in a number of highly successful ventures and his charitable work earned him an OBE in the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours. Since then he has received numerous awards, including the CBE in 2016 for his charitable work, presented reports for television, written a number of books, been the subject of many documentaries and is a successful businessman, Patron of several organisations, an Ambassador for Changing Faces and an inspiring motivational speaker.