Join Leaders in SEL and Education
for Live or On-demand Webinars
These engaging webinars help inform educators about social and emotional learning (SEL) and provide practical SEL strategies that can be used in schools and organizations across the world. When implemented consistently and effectively, benefits such as improving communication and understanding between boys and girls, increasing empathy and decreasing aggression, and improving academic achievement are carried through adolescence into adulthood.
View the collection of Harmony Academy webinars* below. Harmony Academy webinars* are free of charge to all registrants.
*Opinions and content in these presentations are that of the featured guest speakers and may not necessarily be a direct representation of Harmony Academy.
Upcoming Webinars
On-Demand Webinars

Connecting SEL to Support Student Academic Success
Presented By:
- Dr. Douglas Fisher, Esteemed Researcher and Author
- Dr. Christina Cipriano, Director of the Education Collaboratory, Yale University
- Dr. Deborah Bergeron, Deputy Director of Community Engagement and Innovation at National Head Start Association
- Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, Executive Director of the UC-CSU California Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning
Join us for this insightful webinar, where our distinguished panel of experts, Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, Dr. Cipriano, and Dr. Bergeron, will be joined by Dr. Doug Fisher for a discussion on the intersection of research-based strategies to nurture students’ social and emotional growth and their impact on academic success.
Discover practical strategies and insights on how fostering students’ social and emotional development can positively influence their holistic growth inside and outside the classroom. Don’t miss this engaging discussion!
Participants will see value in the following:
- Learning about the research and science behind the interconnectedness of social and emotional development and academics.
- Understanding how schools across the country are working to support their students’ academic success through relationship-driven strategies.
- Discovering strategies to support academic success through the implementation of social and emotional programs and practice.
To access our Harmony Curriculum resources that can be easily integrated into your school day, check out Harmony Strong Start, our enhanced on-demand training highlighting Everyday Practices, Buddy Up, and more!
Presenters:
Dr. Douglas Fisher, Esteemed Researcher and Author
Dr. Fisher is a professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University. He is also a teacher leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College, an award-winning, open-enrollment public school in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego that he co-founded in 2007. Dr. Fisher’s areas of interest include instructional design, curriculum development, and professional learning.
Dr. Christina Cipriano, Director of the Education Collaboratory, Yale University
Dr. Cipriano’s research focuses on the systematic examination of social and emotional learning (SEL) assessment and interventions with marginalized student and teacher populations. Dr. Cipriano has extensive experience working in classrooms and schools, providing training to teachers and support staff, and direct instruction to students. A national expert in SEL, Dr. Cipriano is the PI and Director of numerous major federal and foundation grants supporting the development and validation of novel SEL assessments, classroom observation practices, and SEL evaluation and efficacy trials.
Dr. Deborah Bergeron, Deputy Director of Community Engagement and Innovation at National Head Start Association
Dr. Deborah Bergeron is the former director of the Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and also represented the Office of Head Start (OHS) as its director. She has spent three decades in Pre–K/12 public education as a classroom teacher and school administrator.
Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, Executive Director of the UC-CSU California Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning
Ms. Yoshimoto-Towery is an educator and administrator who has served in various roles in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) for over 28 years. In her new role as executive director, she will oversee and coordinate a statewide hub of activities and resources developed by leading researchers, UC and CSU teacher education programs, and partnering districts and schools to advance learning for neurodiverse students. California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Ms. Towery to the California State Board of Education.
If you are not able to join live, you can still register and receive a copy of the recording.

Leveraging SEL to Elevate Student Voice and Family Engagement
In this webinar, participants will:
- Hear first-hand experiences and receive guidance from administration focus on giving a voice to students in the service of inclusion
- Value the importance of building relationships with students and families, rooted in sharing their stories and authentically allowing all students to share in their experiences
- Gain deeper insight into implementing Harmony
- Learn new strategies that can be immediately applied in the classroom.
- Denise Diaz, Director of the Family Engagement Department, Clark County School District, Nevada
- Mary Gilbert, Elementary School Principal, Tullahoma City Schools, Tennessee
Mary Gilbert is an educator from Tennessee with 40 years of experience in the field. Mary Gilbert is more passionate and excited today than when she began as a first-year teacher. She brings a message of HOPE and sees it through different lenses as a former music teacher, school counselor, teacher and now administrator. Through her experiences, Mary Gilbert has devoted time to understanding the importance of social and emotional learning to better meet the unique needs of the whole child for success now and in the future.
Harmony Third Edition Connection: Examples shared of how Everyday Practices can elevate student voices through our Meet Ups and Student Goal Setting.

Being My Best Self: Mattering is the Agenda
Presented By:
- Angela Maiers, Author. Entrepreneur. Change Maker
- Develop strategies to help make people feel noticed, valued and needed every single day.
- Hear from a Harmony SEL partner who exemplifies the practice of mattering in our lives and with their work.
- Connect to the lessons in our new Harmony Third Edition unit Being My Best Self to continue to support the focus on students as unique individuals.

Communicating with Each Other Through a Healthy Digital Culture
Presented By:
- Richard Culatta, CEO, International Society for Technology in Education (ITSE)
- Learn practical examples and conversation starters from Richard Culatta’s book Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in the Online World.
- Hear from a Harmony SEL partner who has successfully incorporated healthy online practices into their daily instruction.
- Connect this topic with the Lessons and Activities in our new unit, Communicating with Each Other in Harmony Third Edition.

The True Value of Learning From Others: Prepare to Celebrate #SEL Day!
Presented By:
- Kim Mitchell, Senior Vice President for Military and Government Affairs, National University System (NUS)
- Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin, Educator, Speaker, Author, and CEO of the Why Not? Incubator.
- Hear how sharing your story contributes to valuing different perspectives and strengthens the power of one diverse community
- Gain a deeper insight on how to cultivate and elevate community voices
- Identify strategies to engage in outreach to other leaders on strategies to help others feel empowered, including those from National University System and SEL4CA, and other non-profits.
- Appreciate how compassionate outreach can make a tremendous difference for all communities

The Power of Listening With Compassion and Mindfulness
Presented By:
- Carolyn McKanders, Director Emeritus for Thinking Collaborative
- Understand the power of listening with compassion and mindfulness in daily communications in the classroom and community.
- Reflect on how an awareness of diversity and difference influences understanding in conversations.
- Increase awareness of how reflective paraphrasing conveys empathy and enhances understanding.

An Inspirational Journey With Our Award-Winning Teachers: Classroom Leaders to SEL Graduate Students
Presented By:
- Dr. Robert Lee, Dean of the Sanford College of Education at National University

Emotions Matter for All Learners: SEL for Traditionally Underserved Students and Educators
Presented By:
- Dr. Christina Cipriano, Assistant Professor at the Yale Child Study Center and Director of Research at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
- Learn how we can best support all learners by shaping the needs and strengths of students and educators who are often marginalized by typical educational models
- Hear the practical significance of embedding SEL principles that attend to learner variability and diversity in all classrooms
- Explore evidence-based practices that can be adopted to optimize SEL implementation and evaluation in all classrooms

Cultivating Joyous and Just Educational Spaces for All
Presented By:
- Ms. Juliana Urtubey, 2021 CCSSO National Teacher of the Year
- Hear strategies to understand if learning spaces are inclusive and equity for all students.
- Learn how to apply different lenses for healthy relationship building with students, families, and communities.
- Determine which strategies are best suited to meet students where they are in terms of academic learning and social and emotional development.

Supporting School and Teacher Leaders to Rebuild Community Through Harmony
Presented By:
- Dr. Doug Fisher, Esteemed Author
Panelists:
- Ms. Larryelle Phillips, Harmony SEL Strategic Accounts Advisor
- Mr. Josh Pauly, Harmony SEL Ambassador
- Identify research-based strategies to rebuild your school community impacted by school disruptions, COVID-19, and social unrest over the past year.
- Understand how district partners leverage the power of Harmony and SEL to rebuild communities.
- Review Harmony SEL and Inspire Teaching & Learning resources that are highlighted in our Back-to-School Resource Toolkits, aligning with the research-based practices.
- Get a sneak peek of Harmony SEL Third Edition, highlighting our new features rolling out this school year to continue to support community, equity, and inclusion in our communities.

Rebuilding Our Communities: Harmony and Inspire Resources for Student and Educator Support
Presented By:
- Nick Yoder, Ph.D., Sr. Director of Research and Professional Learning
- Jakotora Tjoutuku, Harmony SEL Ambassador
- Veronica Calvo, Sr. Manager of Partnerships

Stronger Together: Affirming and Reconnecting with Our Students, Families, and Communities
Presented By:
- Dr. Susan Green, Senior Administrator of SEL and Design, New York City Department of Education
- Jessy Cuddy, Senior Director, Learning & Practice, Communities in Schools
- Jacqueline Stedman, Senior Program Manager, Learning and Development, Communities in Schools
Host:
- Lauren Puzen, National Director, Harmony SEL
- Rethink and refine strategies for connecting with students, families, and communities, particularly after the trauma so many have experienced as a result of COVID-19 and the disruptive schooling for many students this past year.
- Discover strategies to move from a deficit model to a strengths model in our interactions with students and families.
- Understand the positive impact of cultural humility and power sharing.

Tell Your Story Before They Do
Presented By:
- Nate Howard, Inspirational Speaker, Poet and Social Entrepreneur
- Gain a deeper understanding of Transformative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for Educators.
- Be introduced to new strategies for EdTech and gamification to engage students at a deeper level.
- Learn how poetry and narrative therapy can support issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

It’s Time to Celebrate What We’ve Accomplished and Be Inspired for the School Year Ahead!
Presented By:
- Dr. Sara Rimm-Kaufman, Commonwealth Professor of Education at the University of Virginia
Panelists:
- Sarah Frayer an award-winning teacher, education consultant, and public speaker with over 10 years of experience as a teacher
- Whitney Green an award-winning school counselor in Maryland
- Alejandro Diasgranados a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in Washington DC. And recently the 2020 National University Teacher of the Year
- Dr. Monica Loyce, principal of Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Chula Vista, CA

Bridging SEL Assessments and Programs: Educators Speak on Using Harmony and Panorama
Presented By:
- John A. Pickens, III, Interim Program Manager, Harmony SEL
- Tanya Thompson, Project Coordinator, Broward County Public Schools
- Vivianne Jenkins, SEL Specialist, Broward County Public Schools
- Juany Valdespino-Gaytán, Executive Director of Engagement Services, Dallas ISD
- Aileen Mokuria, SEL Professional Development Manager, Dallas ISD
- Dr. Susan M. Green, Senior Administrator of SEL and Design, New York City Department of Education

Intersection of Greatness: How SEL Can Improve Climate and Mitigate the Effects of Trauma
Presented By:
- Dr. Barzanna White, District School Psychologist and School Climate Transformation Grant Director, Caddo Parish Schools, Louisiana

Building Student Friendships Across the Racial Divide
Presented By:
- Dr. Melissa Collins, 2nd grade teacher, Memphis, Tennessee
- Mr. Michael Dunlea, 3rd grade teacher, Tabernacle, New Jersey

Shining a Bright Light on Educator SEL
Presented By:
- Dr. Patricia (Tish) Jennings, Professor of Education, University of Virginia
Panelists:
- Tom Whisinnand, National University Grand Prize Teacher Award Winner 2019
- Alejandro Diasgranados, DC Teacher of the Year 2020, Top 4 NTOY 2021 Finalist
- Dr. Lori Piowlski, Acting Dean and Chair of the Teacher Education Department at National University

Applied Improv for SEL and Trauma-Informed Practices
Presented By:
- Christiana Frank, Consultant, Trainer, Speaker

Looking into the 2021 SEL Telescope
Presented By:
- Dr. Nick Yoder, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Harmony SEL
Panelists:
- Janna Moyer, SEL Specialist, Washoe
- Dr. Simyka Carlton SEL Coordinator, Nashville

The Neuroscience of Stress
Presented By:
- Dr. Victor Carrion, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford
- Chi Kim, CEO of Pure Edge, Inc, and CASEL Board of Directors

Engaging in SEL Through Visual Arts Exploration
Presented By:
- Jonathan Juravich

Starting Again: Parent Connections After School Closures
Presented By:
- Dr. Mary Conage, Director of Special Projects, University of Florida

Reopening Schools with a Focus on SEL and Equity Webinar Series

The Contrasting Realities of Reopening Schools: Understanding Inequities to Support the Whole Child
Presented By:
- Linda Darling Hammond, Doug Fisher and Tyrone Howard
Moderator: Jackie Jodl
How to be an inspiring educator while facing challenges related to historic and current inequity, new procedures required for the reopening of schools, and the need for distance and blended instruction.
SEL and STEM: Building Empathy to Help Solve World Problems
Presented By:
- Michael Soskil, Author, Teacher, Speaker, 2016 Global Teacher Prize Top 10

Emotional Intelligence and Resiliency: Teaching during Covid-19
Presented By:
- Dorina Sackman-Ebuwa, 2014 Florida Teacher of the Year and Top-4 Finalist, National Teacher of the Year

Supporting the Whole Child in a Time of Crisis
Presented By:
- Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond

Strategies for Supporting Diverse Learners in a Digital World
Presented By:
- Leah Juelke, 2019 North Dakota Teacher Award State Winner

Mindfulness for Educators
Presented By:
- Christopher S. Reina, Ph.D. President and Founder Leading Without Ego, LLC

Permission To Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive
Presented By:
- Dr. Marc Brackett, Founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

A Teacher’s Purpose: What the World Needs Now
Presented By:
- Tom Whisinnand, 2019 Grand Prize Teacher Award Winner

Caring Beyond Expectations
Presented By:
- Dr. Brian McDaniel, 2018 California Teacher of the Year and 2019 Global Teacher Prize Top Finalist

Culturally Responsive Learning Environments
Presented By:
- Dr. Mary Conage, Director of Special Projects, University of Florida

Filling Your Cup: Comprehensive Self-Care Strategies for the Educator
Presented By:
- Elizabeth Cook, Senior National Advisor for Social Emotional Health, Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Summer Video Series: Kicking Off an Inspirational School Year – Part 3
Presented By:
- Chelonnda Seroyer, International Teacher Award winner and president of Seroyer Educational Consulting Service.

Summer Video Series: Kicking Off an Inspirational School Year – Part 2
Presented By:
- Chelonnda Seroyer, International Teacher Award winner and president of Seroyer Educational Consulting Service.

Summer Video Series: Kicking Off an Inspirational School Year – Part 1
Presented By:
- Chelonnda Seroyer, International Teacher Award winner and president of Seroyer Educational Consulting Service.

Combating Trauma Through Student Connections
Presented By:
- Mandy Manning, 2018 National Teacher of the Year and English Language Development Teacher, Newcomer Center at Joel E. Ferris High School

EI Over IQ: Emotional Intelligence and The Resilient Teacher Webinar
Presented By:
- Dorina Sackman-Ebuwa, Florida Teacher of the Year, National Teacher of the Year Finalist, Boss of B.E.L.I.E.V.E.!®, but a teacher first!

Owning It – Proven Strategies to Ace and Embrace Inspirational Teaching
Presented By:
- Alex Kajitani 2009 California Teacher of the Year

Expanding the Vision for Inspirational Teaching
Presented By:
- Veronica Calvo, Strategic Accounts Advisor for Inspire Teaching & Learning

Building Student Voice Through SEL
Presented By:
- Angela Karem, M.A. Ed., transitional kindergarten teacher at Thurgood Marshall

State of the Organization Address
Presented By:
- Richie Ressel, Director, Harmony SEL