Keynote & Plenary Biographies

 

Keynote

 

Real-World Problem Solving in the Age of Influencers

Moderator:  Tiffany Benson, Superintendent, Travis Unified School District

Smiling professional headshot of a woman in a blue blazer against blurred greenery

Ellen Barger is the Associate Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction for the Santa Barbara County Education Office.  Chair of the CISC mathematics subcommittee for more than a decade, Ellen also leads mathematics for the California Math, Science, and Computer Science Statewide Partnership (CAL-MSCS), and serves on the steering team for the California Mathematics Alignment (CMAP) project, as well as the advisory committees for the Quantitative Reasoning Center (QR Center) at the CSU Chancellor’s Office and Count-Play-Explore (CPE). Ellen’s interests and expertise expand beyond mathematics to all areas of the instructional program, LCAP, data and assessment, inclusive practices, policy, leadership, systems improvement, and the arts. Outside of work, she is on the board of directors for The Music Academy of the West, loves classical music, and is  a shameless consumer of all things pop culture.       

 

CA Department of Education Luncheon Address
 

The State of Education in 2026

Moderator:  Barbara Nemko, Retired Superintendent, Napa County Office of Education

Mary Nicely

Mary Nicely is the Deputy Superintendent of Information & Technology at the California Department of Education (CDE), a role she has held since January 2025, overseeing divisions such as Technology Services, Education Data Management, Accountability, Measurement and Reporting, and Assessments. She also serves as Deputy Superintendent of Technology and previously as Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2021 to 2025, leading the Superintendent Thurmond’s Initiatives Office and focused on recruitment and retention of teachers of color, community schools, and educator housing and public/private partnerships with philanthropy and industry. Before joining the CDE, Nicely served as Chief of Staff and District Director to then-Assembly Member Thurmond, representing California’s 15th Assembly District. Prior to her legislative career, she was President and CEO of Nicely Done Solutions, Inc. a custom database development company headquartered in Berkeley, California founded in 1994. She also served as the Western US K–12 Service and Support Manager for seven of her 13 years at Apple. Nicely is a first generation Burmese American and holds a bachelor’s degree in political economy of industrial societies from the University of California, Berkeley, and a business administration degree from Monterey Peninsula Community College in Monterey.  Mary Nicely brings a unique blend of technology expertise, education leadership, and community engagement to her role at the CDE, driving innovation, equity, and modernization in California’s education system.