Speakers

DAN THURMON

Dan Thurmon began his entrepreneurial career when he was eleven years old after learning to juggle at a Renaissance Festival. That one event uncovered a passion for inspiring audiences that has only grown over time. As an entertainer, Dan has appeared at thousands of events across the country and overseas. His performing credits include national television appearances and collaborations with major musical artists. He has also traveled to the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan to entertain and encourage US Armed Forces.

Dan’s performing experience taught him the essentials to consistently deliver superior performances on and off the stage. Those lessons, combined with a business education and thirst for motivational influences, led him to develop an original communication style as he built a successful company.

Dan is author of the book Success in Action and President of Motivation Works, Inc., an international speaking and entertainment firm. He teaches audiences how to manage the demands of their busy lives with increased focus and decisive action. His unique programs always blend meaningful content with emotionally charged performances.

Dan is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Marketing.  He has also studied business management, music, theater, acting, dance, gymnastics, and aviation. Dan has achieved the highest earned award of the National Speakers Association, receiving the elite designation of “Certified Speaking Professional.” He currently lives in the Atlanta area with his wife, Sheilia, and their children, Eddie and Maggie.

DR. BARBARA CHAMBERLIN

My current interests include educational game design, implementation of technology into informal learning programs (such as after-school programs and 4-H), use of digital images in education, and the use of technology in the Cooperative Extension Service.

Though my faculty appointment does not specifically include teaching, I've developed two special topics classes: Educational Game Development and Applied Technology in the Workplace -- both of which are tied to my outreach objectives.

I'm leading an interdisciplinary group in the Learning Games Initiative and Learning Games Lab. The Lab is a research space where we can test our own games, analyze and observe kids playing other games, and better understand what makes games fun to each audience and how we can integrate those elements into our own educational games. We're currently researching our own assessment strategies, including using kids as blog authors, giving them time in the "video closet", and helping them develop their own documentaries or tv shows on games.

I'm working with NMSU's Creative Media Institute to add a major in game and interactive design to their programs in documentary film production and animation.

My professional experience is in multimedia development: creating games, CD-ROMs, web sites and touch screen kiosks at New Mexico State University.  Our development studio has been developing interactive media and games for 20 years... even before the Web was common place and before school computers had CD-ROM drives.

My doctorate is in Instructional Technology through the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education. While at UVA, I worked on several projects, including educational games. One of the sites served as the basis for my dissertation on creating entertaining games with educational content.  At school, I continued my work in integrating technology into K-12 and informal education through my work with schools in Bermuda, and with the Virginia Discovery Museum\

DAN CLARK

DAN CLARK is CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation, an internationally recognized Speaker, Songwriter/ Recording Artist and New York Times Best Selling Author. Dan is the primary contributing author to the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series and author of twenty of his own books, including the highly acclaimed, "Forgotten Fundamentals" and the inspirational "Puppies for Sale" which was made into a film at Paramount Studios starring Jack Lemmon. As a master storyteller, Dan has been published in more than 30 million books in 30 languages worldwide!

Dan's speaking career began when he fought his way back from a paralyzing injury that cut short his football career. Since then, Dan has been the keynote speaker at the United Nations World Congress and has conducted UN leadership training in Europe, Asia and throughout the former Soviet Union. He has flown in fighter jets twice the speed of sound, raced automobiles in Germany, carried the Olympic Torch in the 2002 Winter Games and has spoken for over half of the Fortune 500 companies, NASA, Super Bowl champions, Mayo Clinic, Million Dollar Round Table and to our combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the last 25 years, Dan has spoken to over 4,000 audiences, to more than 3½ million people, in all 50 states and 35 countries. In 2005 Dan was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame!

In addition to speaking and writing, Dan serves on the International Board of Governors of Operation Smile and on the National Advisory Board for OK Kids Charities