Hear from exciting and powerful keynote speakers and special guests during the annual convention in all our action-packed general meetings including:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer, New York Times Best-Selling Author and Community Activist
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a global icon that changed the game of professional basketball and went on to become a New York Times best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker and ambassador of education. As one of the NBA’s all-time greatest players, the 7-foot-2 Hall of Fame center, famous for his indefensible skyhook, dominated the NBA for 20 years and is the NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer.
In 2012, Abdul-Jabbar was named California’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Afterschool Ambassador by California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. He is an inspirational leader and passionate advocate for health.
In addition to serving as a columnist for ESPN and Huffington Post, Abdul-Jabbar has written seven New York Times best-sellers including the children’s book, What Color is My World, which earned him two 2013 NAACP Image Awards.
opens IMAGE file Daniel Puder
Martial Arts Fighter, Author, Anti-Bullying Advocate
Daniel Puder is an undefeated mixed martial arts fighter, the champion of WWE’s Tough Enough Competition, an author and founder of a national anti-bullying program, My Life My Power!
In 2010, Puder decided something needed to be done to change the mindset of our youth. He created a complete interactive program and book which were implemented in schools and after-school programs across the nation. While My Life My Power began with an emphasis on anti-bullying, Daniel has since adapted it to address other critical issues among youth including suicide and self-mutilation, dropout rates and truancy, drug and alcohol abuse, as well as childhood obesity and eating disorders. Through My Life My Power, Puder strives to provide guidance and direction in the lives of children, teenagers, parents and school staff. In a fun, positive and proactive way, he teaches the importance of goal setting, mentoring, character building, leadership, financial literacy and personal branding. opens in a new windowLearn more about Daniel Puder and My Life My Power.
opens IMAGE file Brent Poppen
Author and Motivational Speaker
Brent Poppen is an author, substitute teacher, counselor and an international motivational speaker. A sports accident at age 16 caused a spinal-cord injury leaving him paralyzed for life. Brent became a paraplegic, losing complete use of his legs with some paralysis in his upper extremities. This was an ending in many ways, but also a beginning to a journey he never dreamed of!
Poppen’s spinal-cord injury did not paralyze his athletic dreams and he has since become one of the top disabled athletes in the world. Poppen competed in two consecutive Paralympics, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, in wheelchair rugby and tennis. He earned a bronze medal in wheelchair rugby and has received numerous gold medals and world titles in both sports. Brent is also an avid water skier, teaching other disabled persons either at his home lake, or through his water ski programs with Children’s Hospital in Fresno, California. opens in a new windowLearn more about Brent Poppen.
opens IMAGE file I’Asha Warfield
2013 California Teacher of the Year
I’Asha Warfield is a seventh grade teacher at Frick Middle School in the Oakland Unified School District and has been honored as one of five 2013 California Teachers of the Year. Warfield is also the California nominee for the National Teacher of Year program.
Warfield developed an innovative system to ensure her students are learning called “daily learning targets.” Warfield believes clarity happens during the struggle a student has to go through just to articulate what he or she has learned in writing. Among the students, she is famous for requiring students to try again if she didn’t think an essay was up to snuff. If a student’s homework is missing, she gives that student another chance to get it done by the end of the day. Her students report that she helps them do better by making learning fun, helping them understand their work and just by caring about them. opens in a new windowLearn more about I’Asha Warfield and the other 2013 California Teachers of the Year.