About Cultivated Conference
Understanding Minds. Transforming Learning.
Join us Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, at The Seven Hills School.
Hosted by The Seven Hills School, the CultivatED Conference is a regional gathering designed to foster learning, connection, and conversation for pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade educators and pre-service educators currently attending university.
The theme for our next CultivatED Conference is Understanding Minds. Transforming Learning. Join us as we explore the neuroscience of learning with topics focusing on Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE), motivation, memory, attention, brain development, and more. Learn research-informed methods to transform theory into practice in classrooms.
We are thrilled to have Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D., a leading expert in MBE, join us as this year’s keynote speaker.
Registration
Early bird registration is now open! Click the button below to register.
Early Bird Rates (By Sept. 17, 2026)
Educator/Professional — $99
Student* — $49
*The student code is student26 (case sensitive). In order to use the student code, you must register with your university email address.
Regular Registration (After Sept. 17, 2026)
Educator/Professional — $149
Student — $65
Keynote Speaker
Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D.Educator, Researcher, Author, and Co-Founder Tracey is co-founder of Conexiones: The Learning Sciences Platform, an instructor at the Harvard University Extension School, where she teaches a course called “The Neuroscience of Learning: An Introduction to Mind, Brain, Health and Education,” and an Associate Editor of Nature Partner Journal Science of Learning. She is a former member of the OECD expert panel to redefine Teachers’ New Pedagogical Knowledge due to contributions from Technology and Neuroscience. She has taught kindergarten through university and has more than 35 years’ experience in more than 40 countries around the world. She firmly believes in the power of a single teacher to change many lives. As an interdisciplinary researcher in neuroscience, cognitive psychology and education (cultural and linguistic anthropology), Tracey is author of 15 books and dozens of peer-reviewed articles on themes ranging from improved indicators to measure educational quality; the expansion of the Mind, Brain, and Education field; learning in the digital age and paradigm shifts using appropriate technologies; bilingualism and multilingualism; and the general improvement of teacher education practices. Tracey received her BA in International Relations and BS in Communications from Boston University (magna cum laude), her Master’s in Education from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, and her Ph.D. from Capella University and is a member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA); the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Founding Member of the Global Learning Sciences Network (GSoLEN); International, Mind, Brain, and Education Society (IMBES); the Society For Neuroscience (SfN); and World Educational Research Association (WERA). |
|
Session Leaders
Molly Bernosky, Ed.S., M.Ed.
Director of Springer Diagnostic Center
Bernosky is the director of Springer Diagnostic Center, a pillar of Springer School and Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. A founding member of the team that established the Diagnostic Center in 2023, Bernosky provides strategic and clinical leadership for a multidisciplinary team conducting comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations for children and adolescents with ADHD, dyslexia, executive functioning challenges, and other learning differences. Bernosky also leads initiatives that expand access to services, including school-based screening programs, community literacy screenings, and partnerships with educational and healthcare organizations. Prior to joining Springer, she served as an assistant principal in large public school districts, overseeing and supporting special education programming, as well as a school psychologist.
KRYSTAL J. COMBS, M.ED.
Lead Fifth Grade Teacher, The Miami Valley School
Combs is a lead fifth-grade teacher at The Miami Valley School in Dayton, Ohio, with 17 years of experience teaching in independent schools in Los Angeles and Dayton. She holds a Master of Education with dual concentrations in curriculum design and teacher leadership from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles. Throughout her career, Combs has been passionate about translating research on teaching and learning into meaningful, practical classroom experiences. Her approach combines academic rigor with a deep commitment to understanding the individual learner, creating classroom environments in which students are challenged, supported, and empowered to grow. Her professional interests include curriculum design, mathematics instruction, literacy, and the application of Mind, Brain, and Education research to everyday classroom practice.
Shannon Eastep
Teaching Professor and Instructional Technology Coordinator in the College of Education, Northern Kentucky University
Eastep is a teaching professor and instructional technology coordinator in the College of Education at Northern Kentucky University. With 22 years of experience at NKU, she specializes in leveraging technology to enhance teaching and learning. Eastep teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on instructional technology and has been invited to speak at area K-12 schools and university workshops on practical strategies for utilizing AI and technology in the classroom. Shannon has received multiple awards at NKU for her contributions to teaching and technology, including the “Excellence in Online or Technology Enhanced Teaching Award” in 2018 and the “Michael C.C. Adams and Susan S. Adams Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty Member Award” in 2024.
Jennifer Gibson, Ph.D.
Director, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University
Dr. Gibson is a licensed clinical psychologist with interests and expertise in school-aged children, school-based mental health, and prevention and promotion interventions. Dr. Gibson earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Miami University after completing her predoctoral internship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Renée Goff, Psy.D.
Clinical Psychologist, PMH-C
Dr. Goff is a licensed clinical psychologist certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C). She brings over a decade of clinical experience across diverse settings such as community mental health, school-based, inpatient, outpatient, residential, primary care, and OB-GYN. Dr. Goff’s work has been featured in such publications as The Bump, Parents Magazine, Self Magazine, Insider, Psych Central, and other outlets on various topics.
Steven C. Guy, Ph.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Dr. Steven C. Guy & Associates
Dr. Guy is a pediatric neuropsychologist in private practice in Columbus, Ohio, who works with children and adolescents with a wide variety of developmental and acquired conditions. He completed his undergraduate work at Judson College in Elgin, Illinois, and his graduate work at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Guy completed his internship at Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He has worked in both inpatient and outpatient hospital settings as well as in private practice in the Baltimore/Washington DC area. Dr. Guy has completed research in the area of lead poisoning, the effects of chronic illness on family functioning, memory abilities, learning disabilities, and in the area of executive/regulatory functioning. He is also one of the coauthors of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF Parent, Teacher, and Self-report) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Second Edition (BRIEF-2). His current research interests include learning disabilities and ADHD, and he is continuing his research, developing methods designed to assist in the assessment and treatment of executive function.
Yvette R. Harris, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Director of the Center for the Study and Support of Children and Families of the Incarcerated, Department of Psychology, Miami University (Oxford)
Dr. Harris is a professor of psychology at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She received her doctorate degree in psychology from the University of Florida with a specialization in cognitive development. Dr. Harris has spent more than 25 years focusing on exploring the environmental contributions impacting the cognitive development of preschool and school-aged adolescents. She has published four books, two of which focus specifically on African American children (“The African American Child Development and Challenges: 2nd edition”) and children of African origin. As a result of this scholarship, Dr. Harris has appeared twice on National Public Radio and other media programs and participated as a panelist discussing “African America Children and Bullying: What Parents Should Do, for the Black Caucus Annual Legislative Session.”
Kristy High, M.ED.
Children’s Book Author, Literacy Program Manager, and Senior Community Engagement Specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
High is a passionate advocate for early childhood literacy, language development, and the power of books to shape a child’s future. As the literacy program manager at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, High manages the Imagination Library in Cincinnati and leads literacy initiatives that connect young children and families with books and meaningful opportunities to build language and early learning skills. With a career rooted in healthcare, education, and community engagement, High believes reading is more than a skill — it is a pathway to imagination, confidence, connection, and lifelong opportunity. She is committed to making literacy accessible to every child and helping families understand the critical role they play in supporting early brain and language development. High is also an award-winning children’s book author, creating engaging, health-focused stories that help children feel seen, understood, and empowered. Through her work as an educator, literacy advocate, speaker, and author, she inspires professionals and families to recognize the transformative power of reading from the very beginning.
Oksana Komarenko, D.A., M.M.
Interim Executive Director of Teaching Innovation, Ball State University
Dr. Komarenko is interim executive director for teaching innovation in the Division of Online and Strategic Learning at Ball State University. A researcher and educator with 20 years of experience across K–12 and higher education, her work focuses on performance psychology, emotion regulation, belonging, and evidence-based supports for learning under pressure. Her research on pre-performance rituals has been published in Psychology of Music, the International Journal of Music Education, and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, and presented at national and international conferences. Dr. Komarenko has led professional development for educators in Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Drawing on her background in music education, gifted education, teaching innovation, and performance, she translates research into practical strategies that help students access confidence, focus, and effective learning behaviors when the stakes feel high.
Kellina Lupas, Ph.D.
Clinical Director of the Center for ADHD, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Dr. Lupas currently serves as the clinical director of the Center for ADHD in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s. Her clinical work focuses on children and families, and includes diagnostic evaluations, group treatments, and family intervention. She also regularly collaborates with schools to provide professional development and consultation concerning ADHD.
Breanna Lynch & Kristen Brokamp
Occupational Therapists and Founders of Holding Space Collaborative
Lynch and Brokamp are two Cincinnati-based occupational therapists who founded Holding Space Collaborative. Together, they utilize principles of sensory integration throughout practice in early intervention, outpatient pediatrics, school services, and adult inpatient rehabilitation. In their partnership, Lynch and Brokamp continue to advocate for the inclusion of occupational therapy as part of the holistic treatment approach when addressing mental wellness throughout the lifespan.
Gerardo Ramirez, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Ball State University
Dr. Ramirez is an associate professor of educational psychology at Ball State University, where he teaches both undergraduate teacher education courses and advanced classes in our doctoral and master’s programs. His primary areas of research include emotion and math achievement. Dr. Ramirez is interested in understanding how students’ academic struggles, personal narratives, and sense-making processes shape math learning.
Brooke Richart, M.Ed., LPCC
Clinical Mental Health Counselor; Counseling with Brooke. Pediatric Associates
Richart spent the first decade of her career as a middle school teacher, specializing in teaching students with learning disabilities and ADHD. She earned her master’s in education from Hunter College in New York City and taught first in the Bronx and then in Cincinnati. In 2020, she transitioned from teaching to counseling and graduated from Xavier University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program two years later. Richart interned with a behavioral health team within a pediatrician’s office in Northern Kentucky and continues to work there. In 2025, she started a solo private practice in Cincinnati, Counseling with Brooke. She specializes in clients aged 10-25. She has previously presented on the importance of executive function at Springer School and Center’s Empowered Learner Conference. She is a licensed counselor in both Ohio and Kentucky, as well as a certified K-12 intervention specialist in Ohio, and an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider.
Joseph “Beau” Stephens, Ph.D.
Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University
Dr. Stephens is a cognitive neuroscientist who earned his Ph.D. in psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, where he also completed the graduate training program in the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition. He also has a B.A. in Germanic studies from Indiana University. He grew up in southeastern Indiana and is a graduate of St. Xavier High School. Prior to returning to the Cincinnati area, Dr. Stephens was a faculty member for 16 years at North Carolina A&T State University, the nation’s largest historically Black University. Dr. Stephens’s research investigates cognitive and neural mechanisms that underlie auditory and visual perception, speech and language, memory, decision making, and cognitive aging. His research is highly collaborative and has been funded by grants from a variety of sources, including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Air Force Research Laboratory.
Karl William Stukenberg, Ph.D.
Professor, School of Psychology, Xavier University
Dr. Stukenberg has been a faculty member at Xavier for over 25 years. He trained as a clinical psychologist at The Ohio State University, with an Internship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. His three years of post-doctoral training were in psychological assessment and treatment in tertiary care settings at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. Once at Xavier, he trained to become a psychoanalyst at the Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute. Dr. Stukenberg continues to have an interest in psychological assessment, having published on the MMPI and having taught graduate courses in intellectual assessment, personality assessment with “objective” instruments, and also with the Rorschach, and integrative personality assessment. He has also taught intervention courses and is currently teaching the graduate course in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Dr. Stukenberg has taught general psychology, abnormal psychology, senior comprehensive review, and history and systems of psychology at the undergraduate level. He has also served the university as the director of psychological services and as the chair of the School of Psychology.
Suzie White, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Education, University of Cincinnati
Dr. White is an assistant professor educator at the University of Cincinnati, where her work focuses on student well-being, thriving, and the neuroscience of social connection and belonging. She developed and teaches Happiness in Action, an evidence-based course integrating positive psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science. Dr. White also presents to educators and school leaders on translating the science of connection into practical strategies for schools. She earned her Ph.D. from New York University and master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her work has been featured in TIME, Newsweek, Upworthy, and other media.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026
All sessions take place at The Seven Hills School, 5400 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227.
8 – 8:30 A.M.
Registration & Breakfast
The Schiff Center
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Keynote Speaker: Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D.
The Schiff Center
9:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Break
9:45 – 10:35 A.M.
Session 1*
10:45 – 11:35 a.m.
Session 2*
11:35 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.
Lunch
12:45 – 1:35 p.m.
Session 3*
1:45 – 2:35 p.m.
Session 4 – Activation Groups
2:35 p.m.
End of Programming
Location
The conference will be held at The Seven Hills School, 5400 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227.
Hotel
More information coming soon.
Questions?
Reach out to cultivatedconference@7hills.org with questions.