Fall 2025 Conference Iowa Featured Speakers
Jeff Glade
Jeff Glade is an Instructional Technology Coordinator with Des Moines Public Schools, where he leads efforts to integrate technology that supports creativity, well-being, and equity. An ISTE 20 to Watch Award Winner, ISTE Certified Educator, and Adobe Creative Educator Innovator, Jeff helps teachers and students use digital tools, artificial intelligence, and modern media – like video, podcasts, and visual design – to deepen learning and build the critical, creative, and connected skills today’s world demands. He has presented at conferences across the country and shares ideas regularly on X (@GladeJeff) and Instagram (@JeffGladeEdu).
Chad Sussex
Chad Sussex currently serves as the 7 – 12 Assistant Principal and AI Task Force Leader in the Winterset Community School District (Iowa). Chad has been an educator since 2008, he previously served as a Technology Instructor and Technology Coach. Servant leadership is central to the various roles and positions Chad has held: restaurant management, U.S. Army Non-commissioned Officer, and education. Chad holds a B.S. degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management from Iowa State University, Secondary Teaching certificate from Morningside University; a M.S.E. degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Wayne State College, and a K – 12 School Administration certificate from the Iowa Principal Leadership Academy. He excels in supporting others to be innovative and willing to fail forward, iterate, and be perseverant.
Melissa Wicklund
Melissa Wicklund is a passionate educator turned instructional designer who brings real-world classroom experience to every project she touches. With over a decade as an elementary teacher and technology director in a small rural district in Northeast Iowa, Melissa now serves as an Instructional Designer for AEA Learning Online, where she’s been helping educators thrive since 2014.
Melissa leads the design of innovative, teacher-friendly online learning experiences—including Blended Learning v2.0, a fully online course built to support modern classrooms. She has interviewed brain-based learning expert Dr. Lori Desautels and created a companion course inspired by Intentional Neuroplasticity. Her latest project, AI Ninja: Level Up Your Teaching with Powerful AI Tools, is designed to help educators explore the power of AI in the classroom.
Known for her approachable style and creative energy, Melissa connects with teachers through her biweekly Elementary EdTech Newsletter, offering a mix of online and offline tools and strategies to make learning stick.
About her work at AEA Learning Online, Melissa says, “It’s exciting and rewarding to connect with educators and create new learning opportunities that truly enhance instruction and impact students across Iowa.”
Sioux City Community Schools
The Sioux City Community School District exists to educate students to believe in their talents and skills, achieve academic excellence, and succeed in reaching their full potential. As the fourth largest school district in Iowa, Sioux City Community Schools includes over 14,000 remarkable students and nearly 2,500 dedicated staff.
The District serves students in three high schools, three middle schools, 13 elementary schools, and an early childhood center plus a career academy for career and technical education. A majority-minority district, Sioux City Community Schools has over 50 home
languages spoken by families throughout the District. Nearly 70% of the District’s students qualify for free and reduced meals every year.
The District prides itself on high student achievement while maintaining one of the lowest cost-per-student rates among urban Iowa schools. Approximately 81% of students district-wide are enrolled in advanced placement courses, and the District’s four-year graduation rate is higher than the state average.
Every student in the Sioux City Community School District has access to technology with a 1:1 ratio of iPads for students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade and Windows 11 laptops for students in grades fifth through twelfth. The District was one of the first large Iowa districts to implement Canvas as its learning management system across all grade levels. Team members have access to internal Canvas courses for building and district-level communication, providing an interactive hub for all staff.
The District’s Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment team actively integrates instructional technology tools aligned to district resources. Technology integration is further supported by a team of digital learning leaders and Canvas champions across the District, ensuring teachers have access to tech-savvy peer mentors and timely support.