Katherine currently serves as the Communications Officer and PIO for Seminole County Public Schools. She has a bachelor's degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Michigan and is currently pursuing her master's degree in Strategic Communication and Public Relations from Purdue University. She is accredited in public relations and earned her designation as a Certified Public Relations Counselor through the Florida Public Relations Association.

Katherine is passionate about public education and elevating the profession of communications. She enjoys serving as a mentor and presenter in various capacities.

In her free time, she loves to travel, read and spend time with her family.

Shayla Cannady is the chief communications officer at Chiefs for Change, a national nonprofit advocating for equitable education policies and leadership development for state and district public school leaders.

With an extensive public relations, marketing and branding background, she has led award-winning, high-performing teams and worked alongside C-suite executives to advance strategic communication efforts through impactful storytelling.

Shayla has held key positions at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Orange County Public Schools, where she spearheaded comprehensive communication strategies to foster community support for students and educators. Recognized as a 2023 Power 100 honoree by the Charlotte Business Journal, Shayla serves on the executive boards of the North Carolina and Sunshine State (Florida) school public relations associations.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from Florida A&M University, a Master of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Central Florida and is a doctoral candidate in Strategic Communications at UCF.

Danielle Johnson has served in the Communications Division for Volusia County Schools since February 2023. She enjoys all aspects of school PR, especially media relations, writing, and events.

Danielle has a Bachelor of Science in journalism and environmental science from Northwestern University. (Go 'Cats!) Before joining Volusia County Schools, she covered education for the Daytona Beach News-Journal and several beats for the Ocala Star-Banner.
 

Kevin Christian has strategically communicated critical information for Marion County Public Schools since 2001. During the last 21 years, he has publicly addressed topics with parents, stakeholders, employees, students, and others ranging from student achievement and school grades to natural disasters, hurricane days, student tragedies, employee arrests, and a school shooting. Kevin’s attention to detail and strategic approach to sharing information has earned the district more than 100 local, state, and national honors and led to Kevin being named a local “Communicator of the Year” and “Doris Fleischman Unsung Hero Award” from the Florida Public Relations Association. Kevin has also earned numerous national honors, including Golden Achievement Awards from the National School Public Relations Association.

Kevin previously served as SUNSPRA President for five years (2014-2019), sustaining the organization through key challenges and turnover.

Kevin earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Lee University and holds a Master’s in Journalism from the University of Miami. He also gained his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2012 and holds CPRC status (Certified Public Relations Counselor), the highest credential possible in the Public Relations industry.

Currently, he serves as the Director of Public Relations for the district which includes media relations and media productions.

Chad Oliver is the Chief Communication Officer for the A-rated Collier County Public Schools (CCPS). He serves as a member of the Superintendent’s Senior Leadership in support of initiatives for approximately 50,000 students and nearly 7,000 employees within CCPS. The award-winning CCPS Office of Communications and Community Engagement is responsible for districtwide internal and external mass communication, including media relations, public records requests, graphic design, website design/support, social media support, video production, and engagement with local businesses and non-profits. Mr. Oliver graduated from the University of Georgia with degrees in Broadcast News and Political Science.  Before joining CCPS in 2018, he was a familiar face in the southwest Florida media market.  Chad spent 14 years anchoring and reporting for WBBH-TV NBC2 and WZVN-TV ABC7, winning multiple Emmy® Awards.  Chad and his wife, Lori, live in Naples, FL, and Chad is proud to serve on the Board of Directors for SUNSPRA. As the Vice President of Sponsorship, Recognition and Outreach, Mr. Oliver facilitates sponsorship agreements, assists with the Medallion Awards, and provides information to potential SUNSPRA partners.  Chad Oliver may be reached at oliver@collierschools.com or (239) 377-0185.

Trudi is a graphic designer based in Orange Park, FL. She graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. 

She began her career as an in-house graphic designer and sign artist for Whole Foods Market and has since worked for large companies such as TIAA and The Home Depot. While her career began in corporate design, she is most passionate about how design can make an impact both globally and in small communities. This passion has allowed her to lend her creativity to various non-profit organizations such as Random Acts Org, the Museum of Science and History (MOSH) in Jacksonville FL, and the Clay Education Foundation.  

Currently she is the Graphic Designer for Clay County District Schools where she upholds and maintains the District’s brand integrity, creates engaging graphics for social media, and is on a mission to teach Canva to as many people as possible in her role. 

When not designing, Trudi can be found hanging with her dog, cheering from the sidelines at little league games, or lingering for far too long in the garden section of any store that has a garden section."

Craig Maniglia has served as Sarasota County Schools' Director of Communications & Government Affairs since May 2020. In this role, he is a member of the Superintendent's Cabinet, overseeing the planning, development, and implementation of the district's internal and external communications, public relations, governmental affairs, and outreach programs.

Before joining Sarasota County Schools, Mr. Maniglia led internal communication strategies for Fairfax County Public Schools in Falls Church, Virginia, within the Department of Human Resources. 
His extensive career includes significant roles at MVI Post, a nationally recognized media production facility in Arlington, Virginia. There, he held various positions in production, creative, operations, and management, ultimately serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Throughout his career, Mr. Maniglia has received numerous honors, including Emmy and Telly awards, NSPRA Golden and Excellence awards, and recognition by Advertising Age as Marketer of the Year. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from George Mason University and is an active member of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and the Sunshine State School Public Relations Association (SUNSPRA).