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Part storytelling, part personal discovery, this interactive journal takes readers on an introspective journey, as they find what they can Awaken, Unfold, Illuminate, Ignite, and Howl about in their lives. A deeply personal experience of discovery, this book is for anyone starting a new path, stuck in a rut, enjoying a sunny afternoon by the pool, or simply waking up to another day. It will get your mind going, your heart glowing, and fill you with you wings of inspiration and the whimsy of laughter. Take flight!

Meet our 2025 Headliners

ERIKA PETRELLI

2025 Key Note Presenter

https://www.tlpnyc.com

https://youtu.be/nHzP9aXRKSg?si=GHUYGEGilFWLMuqb

The LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Erika, of "The Extraordinary In You," is an inspirational coach, trainer, and facilitator with robust expertise in igniting the personal and professional growth in individuals, fostering high-performing teams, driving innovative strategic planning, and cultivating vibrant organizational culture. Whether engaging a small group or a crowd of thousands, Erika's authentic, humorous, and playful approach ignites the possibilities in those around her.  

Erika is also an innovative curriculum designer and content creator, proven effective in designing engaging program curriculum, culture & teambuilding training and retreat agendas, inspirational and thought-provoking articles, and other content designed to empower individuals to excel as leaders.

 Erika is the author of the interactive personal growth journal, “On Wings & Whimsy: Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary,” as well as the “52 Ways to Connect” deck, both available on Amazon.

Erika Petrelli is the Senior Vice President of Leadership Development (and self-declared Minister of Mischief) for The Leadership Program, a New York City-based organization. With a Masters degree in Secondary Education, Erika has been in the field of teaching and training for decades, and has been with The Leadership Program since 1999. There she has the opportunity to nurture the individual leadership spirit in both students and adults across the country, through training, coaching, keynotes, and writing. The legacy Erika strives daily to create is to be the runway upon which others take flight. If you enjoy these blogs, you should check out her interactive journal, On Wings & Whimsy: Finding the Extraordinary Within the Ordinary, now available for sale on Amazon. While her work takes her all around the country, Erika calls Indiana home.

AboutThe Leadership Program: 

The Leadership Program is your ideal source for student leadership. We provide assemblies, weekend retreats, and social/emotional leadership trainings. Specializing in human-centered engagement, our services are tailored to the needs of your campus and students, giving them the skills necessary to become effective leaders. Playful, joyful, and impactful-- our program is sure to make a difference.

Built by Dreamers in New York City

The Leadership Program has deep roots in New York City, and our people embody its hope, diversity and transformative culture. Here, members of The Leadership Program have taught in classrooms, worked with young people in the community and chased their own dreams of art, music, theater and film.

Actor Ted Otis and our other founders envisioned The Leadership Program on a walk through Central Park. From the start, they’ve had two goals: to teach educators to use NYC’s cultural institutions and communities as an educational resource, and to provide effective leadership training in both educational and greater social contexts.

We’re a women-owned business that celebrates diversity and differences. We believe in curiosity, open-mindedness and lifelong learning. We apply those beliefs to our methodology in the classroom and the boardroom to inspire and invigorate schools, communities and businesses.

Our mission is to teach, and our programs are designed to engage your students, teachers or employees and create a transformative experience that empowers them to become the best leaders they can be.

TYLER J SUMMERS

2025 Closing Key Note Presenter

https://tylerjsummerseducation.com/

TYLER J SUMMERS EDUCATION

Educator / Content Creator & Designer / Copy Writer / Actor / Dad Who Still Skates Speaker | Facilitator | Author

With over 30 years of experience in leadership roles across both public and private sectors, Tyler Summers has established a reputation as an Administrator, Educator, and Skilled Facilitator. Currently, Tyler serves as the Co-Founder and Principal of The Summers Life Creative Inc., a marketing and social media firm specializing in the education sector. His commitment to championing the rights of early and middle-years children and their families drives his passion for promoting access to affordable, high-quality child care.

Most recently, Tyler created "Nurturing Play and Beyond: Middle Years Child Care Fundamentals, Principles and Practices.," a holistic, comprehensive 9-module hybrid course funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of BC. This initiative addresses a critical training gap for early childhood educators (ECEs), early childhood education assistants (ECEAs), and school-age educators, further underscoring his dedication to developing educational opportunities. The course is currently enrolling on the BC Early Years Professional Development Hub in partnership with The School Age Child Care Association of BC.

As a key council member of the Provincial Child Care Council, Tyler offers valuable insights on policies and programs that impact the affordability, quality, stability, and accessibility of child care in the province. He represents the interests of parents, children, caregivers, and communities, contributing his expertise to shape effective child care policies. Known as the "squeaky wheel," he advocates for improved governmental recognition and support for the school age child care sector.

As the Master Facilitator at Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre, Tyler was instrumental in developing and implementing a province-wide pilot for the Administration and Management in Child Care course. He successfully delivered the curriculum through digital platforms to a diverse audience of instructors, training 17 trainers across the province. Tyler has facilitated the 40-hour accredited course over a dozen times, positively impacting educators throughout the region.

As the former Executive Director of Jericho Kids’ Club Child Care Society, Tyler drove organizational success while upholding its philosophy and statutory mandates. He effectively managed budgets and secured diverse government grants, facilitating the expansion of child care facilities and program relocations. Tyler fostered vital partnerships that strengthened community ties and enhanced service provision, all while ensuring compliance with the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, leading to notable operational improvements and community engagement.

Tyler has also served as an Early Childhood Care and Education Instructor at Vancouver Community College and Douglas College, contributing to the certification of future educators. In addition, he was the VCC ECCE Board Chair for several years, collaborating with the college Dean and program coordinator to enhance course programming and secure the first 'practice lab' at the college. His diverse background includes co-founding Like Vancouver Magazine, where he leveraged his expertise in marketing, writing, and digital content creation.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Tyler is a devoted husband to his wonderful spouse, Justine. Together, they endeavor to raise their children in a world enriched by travel, commercial acting, and the principles he has learned as an Early Childhood Educator.

Throughout his career, Tyler’s unwavering dedication to advancing the well-being and education of children has established him as a prominent voice in the field of early and school-age childhood education.

Meet the 2025 SACDA Conference Ensemble

Session 1A, 2A & 3C: ERIKA PETRELLI

Erika, of "The Extraordinary In You," is an inspirational coach, trainer, and facilitator with robust expertise in igniting the personal and professional growth in individuals, fostering high-performing teams, driving innovative strategic planning, and cultivating vibrant organizational culture. Whether engaging a small group or a crowd of thousands, Erika's authentic, humorous, and playful approach ignites the possibilities in those around her.  

Erika is also an innovative curriculum designer and content creator, proven effective in designing engaging program curriculum, culture & teambuilding training and retreat agendas, inspirational and thought-provoking articles, and other content designed to empower individuals to excel as leaders.

 Erika is the author of the interactive personal growth journal, “On Wings & Whimsy: Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary,” as well as the “52 Ways to Connect” deck, both available on Amazon.

Erika Petrelli is the Senior Vice President of Leadership Development (and self-declared Minister of Mischief) for The Leadership Program, a New York City-based organization. With a Masters degree in Secondary Education, Erika has been in the field of teaching and training for decades, and has been with The Leadership Program since 1999. There she has the opportunity to nurture the individual leadership spirit in both students and adults across the country, through training, coaching, keynotes, and writing. The legacy Erika strives daily to create is to be the runway upon which others take flight. If you enjoy these blogs, you should check out her interactive journal, On Wings & Whimsy: Finding the Extraordinary Within the Ordinary, now available for sale on Amazon. While her work takes her all around the country, Erika calls Indiana home.

Session 1B: SUSAN TO

Susan is the embodiment of passion for health, fitness, and, most importantly, children. With over two decades of experience, she's been a dedicated educator, teaching the Fit Kids fitness program throughout Calgary. Susan firmly believes that establishing a foundation of health and fitness in a child's early years sets the stage for a prosperous future.

Susan took the initiative to create a weekend fitness program for children, birthing the renowned Fit Kids program. This endeavor has inspired countless kids to explore their potential through physical activity. Susan's passion for teaching eventually led her to establish the Fit Kids day home, dedicating herself to children and fitness full-time.

In addition to her Early Childhood Certificate, Susan boasts a diverse range of fitness certifications and actively participates in the Toastmasters Club. As if that's not enough, she also coaches community soccer, badminton, track and field, and basketball, bringing her boundless enthusiasm to even more young athletes.

Session 1C, 2C, & 3A: TYLER SUMMER

Administrator, Educator, and Skilled Facilitator

With over 30 years of experience in leadership roles across both public and private sectors, Tyler Summers has established a reputation as an Administrator, Educator, and Skilled Facilitator. Currently, Tyler serves as the Co-Founder and Principal of The Summers Life Creative Inc., a marketing and social media firm specializing in the education sector. His commitment to championing the rights of early and middle-years children and their families drives his passion for promoting access to affordable, high-quality child care.

Most recently, Tyler created "Nurturing Play and Beyond: Middle Years Child Care Fundamentals, Principles and Practices.," a holistic, comprehensive 9-module hybrid course funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of BC. This initiative addresses a critical training gap for early childhood educators (ECEs), early childhood education assistants (ECEAs), and school-age educators, further underscoring his dedication to developing educational opportunities. The course is currently enrolling on the BC Early Years Professional Development Hub in partnership with The School Age Child Care Association of BC.

As a key council member of the Provincial Child Care Council, Tyler offers valuable insights on policies and programs that impact the affordability, quality, stability, and accessibility of child care in the province. He represents the interests of parents, children, caregivers, and communities, contributing his expertise to shape effective child care policies. Known as the "squeaky wheel," he advocates for improved governmental recognition and support for the school age child care sector.

As the Master Facilitator at Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre, Tyler was instrumental in developing and implementing a province-wide pilot for the Administration and Management in Child Care course. He successfully delivered the curriculum through digital platforms to a diverse audience of instructors, training 17 trainers across the province. Tyler has facilitated the 40-hour accredited course over a dozen times, positively impacting educators throughout the region.

As the former Executive Director of Jericho Kids’ Club Child Care Society, Tyler drove organizational success while upholding its philosophy and statutory mandates. He effectively managed budgets and secured diverse government grants, facilitating the expansion of child care facilities and program relocations. Tyler fostered vital partnerships that strengthened community ties and enhanced service provision, all while ensuring compliance with the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, leading to notable operational improvements and community engagement.

Tyler has also served as an Early Childhood Care and Education Instructor at Vancouver Community College and Douglas College, contributing to the certification of future educators. In addition, he was the VCC ECCE Board Chair for several years, collaborating with the college Dean and program coordinator to enhance course programming and secure the first 'practice lab' at the college. His diverse background includes co-founding Like Vancouver Magazine, where he leveraged his expertise in marketing, writing, and digital content creation.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Tyler is a devoted husband to his wonderful spouse, Justine. Together, they endeavor to raise their children in a world enriched by travel, commercial acting, and the principles he has learned as an Early Childhood Educator.

Throughout his career, Tyler’s unwavering dedication to advancing the well-being and education of children has established him as a prominent voice in the field of early and school-age childhood education.

Conference Schedule

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I am so extremely excited to offer you ‘Nurturing Play and Beyond’. It is intentionally designed to address a significant gap in accessible, high-quality, and regularly recurring school-age child care training in British Columbia and beyond.

I’m sure you can agree — IT’S ABOUT TIME!

Enroll here: Nurturing Play & Beyond

Session 1D & 2D : KATY BIGSBY

Katy is the founder and lead adult educator of REiL Learning, an educational consultancy that supports organizations integrate social emotional learning and build creative ways to engage all learners.  Katy is known as an expert on creating inclusive and caring learning environments where all learners - and leaders and educators can thrive. Katy holds a master’s degree in educational leadership, specializing in adult education and brings a wealth of experience as a teacher, social worker, and adult educator.

Session 1E & 2E: TINA GEERS

I’m Tina Geers, owner of Inspired Minds ECC Consulting Inc. I’m a Protector of Play and an Advocate for Early Childhood Educators! With 20 years of experience as an educator, coach, mentor, facilitator, and pedagogical leader in childcare, my goal is to inspire early childhood educators to ignite their passion for play and connection.  My educational background includes a diploma in Early Learning and Child Care from GPRC, and I am currently completing my BA in Educational Studies in Early Learning at Ontario Tech University.  I’m also the founder and president of the non-profit organization, Alberta Early Childhood Play Connection Network (AECPCN), a member of the World Forum Working Group on Play, and a member of IPA Canada and CCCF. 

Session 1F & 2F: Sharon Ness

Sharon Ness is a Level Three Early Childhood Educator who has been part of the western Canadian child care community since 1989 and been involved with the Alberta community since 2001. Her background is in Early Childhood Education. Sharon is a recognized member of the Alberta early childhood community having been involved in both local and provincial associations. Sharon is a global Virtues Project Facilitator and is also trained in delivering Positive Discipline for Parents. She is passionate about leadership development and child guidance.

Session 1G: MELISSA BENTLY

A kid at heart, Melissa grew up always knowing she was meant to be in an industry related to children that satisfied her need to be challenged and continuously learning. Her passion for creating environments that positively impact young children's lives and helping build strong foundations for children's future success is the driving force behind her career. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Little Steps Childcare Centre and believes in empowering and inspiring others in whatever ways she can to help make a difference in our future.

Session 2B & 3B: LIZ CACCHIONI

My name is Liz and I have been a volunteer facilitator of the Prevent It! workshop  with Little Warriors since 2020. I got involved with Little Warriors when my children's daycare decided to collect donations for them and I looked more into what they did and was so intrigued by the absolute critical work that they do. My house, like many, was affected by child sexual abuse and so it was important for me to get involved to help prevent even one more family from it. In my regular life, I am in management and I have 3 boys 15,13 and 2 which means I have zero free time to do anything else! 

Session 2G: GRIT Program

coming soon….

Session 3D: EMMIE HENDERSON-DEKORT & JEWEL MAY

Dr. Emmie Henderson Dekort is an Assistant Professor at Mount Royal University in the Child Studies Program. Her research interests involve upholding and advocating on behalf of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, with the aim of making the UNCRC a usable and practical document in everyday practice. She is a co-founder of RightsFirst, an educational platform that aims to educate Early Childhood Educators about applying a Children’s Rights-Based approach to practice. She is passionate about advocating for child and youth rights, and empowering the voices of children in all settings. 

Jewel May is a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Child Studies program at Mount Royal University, driven by a passionate commitment to children’s rights. With a focus on advocating for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Jewel strives to ensure these principles are upheld in childcare settings. As a co-founder of RightsFirst, an innovative educational platform, she empowers educators to embrace a Children’s Rights-Based approach in their practice, fostering an environment where every child’s voice is heard and respected.

Session 3E: JASON LAFFERTY

Jason joined EAS in 2024 as a Health and Wellness Consultant in Treaty 6. Prior to joining EAS he had been teaching and coaching at Bellerose High School in St. Albert and was enjoying his 6th year in the position. His focus at the school was primarily Sports Medicine and Physical Education classes and dedicated much of his time to coaching the Bellerose Bulldogs football team. He also had the opportunity to plan and teach the Indigenous Studies 10/20/30 course which is another passion of his. His role also included Indigenous Student Support, this allowed Jason to build and create relationships with many students outside of the Phys Ed and Wellness department and lead different initiatives related to the Indigenous students at the school and throughout the St. Albert Public School district.

Session 3F: YOLANDE DALEY

Yolande Daley, is the Director of Training, at Janus Academy a school for autistic students. Yolande has over two decades of dedicated service developing training that support the education needs of a broad spectrum of learners. With an extensive background in the disability field and a wealth of hands-on experience, her lifelong passion is working with teachers, educational assistants, clinical teams, parents, and the community to make meaningful experiences.

Session 3G: CELESTE MCLLHARGEY

Celeste McIlhargey is a dynamic presenter and leadership coach who has been working with teachers, management and teams for the last 10 years. In addition, she is an executive director for a non-profit child care centre in Calgary, Alberta and also works as a casual instructor in ECED at Bow Valley College. She obtained her Masters in Education from the University of Calgary in 2022, concentrating on educational neuroscience and leadership. She is passionate about working with leaders to create vibrant and supportive workplace communities, while also helping all people see themselves as a leader regardless of their position.