2025 PANELISTS
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Make Them Think! Asking Questions That Drive Learn.
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Pillars & Practices: An Ungrading Framework to Foster Identity, Agency, and Joy.
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Empathy Mapping.
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Commitment To Active Engagement W/Black Families & Black Students In Math.
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Cultural Competency: Providing Equitable Math Instruction Through Cultural Relevance.
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Using Entry Points for Equity.
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Exploring and Reflecting on the Impact of Number Sense on Developing Math Thought.
2024 SESSION TOPICS
Casandra Licari
Casandra has worked in Learning & Development in the tech industry for 15+ years and has a passion for seeing people learn new skills. Her greatest joys in her career come from helping others grow in theirs. She started her journey in L&D with Apple as a Trainer and grew with Apple to support launching L&D programs for new products and services. She helped expand and manage the continued education program for North America and Asia Pacific regions, helping thousands of Apple employees continue their education journey after their initial onboarding. In 2020 she joined Amazon in their Robotics Development Department to help design, develop, and evaluate training material for proprietary robotics systems. Casandra completely revamped their robotics department training delivery methodology to introduce virtual delivery for robotics engineers and technicians. In 2022 she joined Samsung Semiconductor US as a Learning & Development Manager. She focuses on functional learning programs for Sales & Marketing and R&D Engineers to support their continued development as well as leading the research and implementation of AI tools and workflow for the Learning & Development team.
Krithika Jagannath, Ph.D
Krithika Jagannath is an Assistant Professor of AI and Emerging Technologies in Education at the Lurie College of Education, San José State University. Her research lies at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Learning Sciences, and Developmental Science, with a focus on designing developmentally appropriate and socially responsible technologies for young adolescents. Drawing on her interdisciplinary background, Krithika investigates how AI and emerging technologies can be leveraged to empower educators and learners in equitable, ethical, and context-sensitive ways. She earned her PhD in Informatics from the University of California, Irvine, and a Master’s in the Learning Sciences from Harvard University.
Ferdie Rivera, Ph.D.
Ferdie Rivera is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Director of the Ed.D. Leadership Program at the Connie L. Lurie College of Education at San José State University. His research centers on school-based mathematics cognition, improvement science, and implementation research. Dr. Rivera’s current work explores virtual reality tools for math instruction, models for justice-centered teacher preparation, and teacher retention among CSU credential program graduates. He is also examining the 2023 California Mathematics Framework, particularly in relation to data science and AI in early math education. He has published widely in top-tier journals and contributed to numerous academic books and special issues.
Gianna Shields, Ed.D. Candidate
Gianna Shields is the ITEP Math Coordinator, Noyce Director, and Teacher Supervisor for the Department of Teacher Education at San José State University. Originally from Santa Cruz, California, she earned her undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science and Spanish from UC Berkeley and went on to complete her Master’s in Education at San Francisco State University. Gianna is an experienced educator with a strong background in elementary teaching and over six years of experience in higher education. Her work is grounded in a deep commitment to mathematics education and social justice. Her research focuses on equipping preservice teachers with the tools and strategies to integrate social justice into math instruction, with the goal of fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments through innovative, culturally responsive teaching practices. At San Francisco State University, she teaches methods courses in the Elementary Education Department, bringing a practical, student-centered approach to teacher preparation informed by years of hands-on experience in K-8 classrooms.
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Sandra Zuniga Ruiz, Ph.D.
Sandra Zuñiga Ruiz, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of K-12 Emancipatory Education in the Teacher Education Department at San José State University. Drawing from her experiences, Chicana/Latina feminist perspectives, and critical approaches to learning, Dr. Zuniga Ruiz's research work aims to understand how teachers of color develop understandings about race and justice with and of mathematics. She recently received the 2025 Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Dissertation Award and was recognized as a 2024 ISLS Emerging Scholar. Her work is inspired by two tiny humans who call her mamá and aims to honor the hopes and dreams of immigrants who come to the US in search of a better life.
David Whitenack
David Whitenack is Interim Dean of the Lurie College of Education at San José State University, where he has long championed equitable education for emergent multilingual students. A respected educator and scholar, he has led teacher preparation programs, supervised preservice teachers, and coordinated the graduate program in Teacher Education. His research focuses on bilingual, multilingual, and multicultural education, as well as professional development for K–12 educators. Dr. Whitenack has played a key role in advancing school-university partnerships, including co-leading the U.S. Department of Education-funded ELLISA Project and co-directing SJSU’s Teacher Residency Partnerships. His work integrates research and practice to prepare diverse, equity-minded educators and foster inclusive learning environments across high-need schools and districts.
THE 5TH ANNUAL NORCAL MATH SUMMIT IS THE LAUNCH OF SV[e]F'S MATH INSTITUTE!
The Math Institute is a comprehensive, six-month series of professional learning opportunities designed to support Math Educators in elevating their instructional methods. By attending the Math Summit, you will secure your membership in this pioneering institute, which includes:
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Monthly Workshops: Interactive sessions focusing on practical applications and innovative techniques.
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Peer Collaboration: Opportunities to share experiences and strategies with fellow educators.
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Expert Guidance: Ongoing support and mentorship from renowned educational leaders.
This area welcomes practices, tools, research and insights that speak to creating cultures of inclusion by design lessons, projects, activities and methods that pique students' intellectual curiosity and inspire connections that are personally and culturally relevant, envisioning the power of mathematics in their own lives and communities.
Cultural and Personal Relevance
This area of focus centers around practices, tools, research, and insights that invite students' questions and conjectures, prioritize reasoning and justification, and promote deep curiosity. We invite presentations that highlight Instruction that incorporates these components to enable a diverse group of students to see themselves as mathematically capable individuals whose curiosity and a love of mathematics learning will be sustained throughout their schooling.
Active Engagement through Investigation and Connection
An assets based approach to instruction focuses on the diverse strengths every student and teacher brings to a classroom. This area focuses on the tools, practices and resources educators and educational leaders have developed to highlight student and teacher
An Assets-Based Approach to Instruction
2024 AREAS OF FOCUS
Our areas of focus are organized around the three dimensions of Systemic Change that Support Math Instruction; An Assets-Based Approach to Instruction, Active Engagement through investigation and Connection, and Cultural and Personal Relevance. In order to support equity and engaging mathematics instruction, these systemic characteristics must be in place for each and every student to have access and experience success in our math classrooms.
2025 SPONSORS
For any questions, please contact Jasmin Flores at jasmin.flores@svefoundation.org
