Keynote Speakers
Drew Dudley 
CEO, Day One Leadership
Welcome and Keynote - "The Leadership Test and the Untaught Lessons"
Fifteen years ago, Drew Dudley was the head of Canada’s largest leadership program at the University of Toronto when a group of his students secretly nominated him to deliver a TED Talk that went on to be voted one of the “15 Most Inspirational TED Talks of All Time” and gave Drew the opportunity to travel the world trying to redefine leadership for as many people as possible.
Now a Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, speaker and educator, Drew is on a mission to help people unlearn some dangerous lessons about leadership. With clients that have included some of the worlds most dynamic organizations--including the United Nations and over 100 colleges and universities--Drew draws on over two decades of experience to blend humor, storytelling and easy- to-implement strategies into some of the most engaging and practical leadership presentations in the world. Both TIME and Business Insider have identified his work as “one of the ten speeches that will make you a better leader.” Drew taught the first personal leadership course at the University of California Irvine, acts as co-host of the “Good Company” podcast and splits his time between Toronto, Canada and New York City.
Dr. Joshua Cole 
CEO, A NEW Angle: Coaching in Organizational Leadership for Educators
Welcome and Keynote - "Own Your Growth: Keys to Turning Potential into Progress at VCU"
Joshua Cole, Ph.D., is a recipient of the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award for Excellence in Education and a purpose-driven educational leader committed to strengthening schools, organizations, and communities through inclusive leadership, teamwork, and meaningful dialogue. Born in Michigan and raised in a working-class home, Joshua learned early the value of hard work, resilience, and collaboration—lessons that continue to shape his leadership approach today. His professional journey spans rural Michigan, inner-city Detroit, suburban Richmond, and international teaching in Australia, providing him with a local-to-global perspective on how people learn, live, and thrive in community.
With more than 25 years of experience across PreK–12, higher education, and nonprofit settings, Joshua has served as a teacher, principal, professor, and executive leader. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2009 and has served as Adjunct and Affiliate Graduate Faculty at VCU since 2018. He also previously served as Executive Director of the Office of Strategic Engagement at VCU, providing entrepreneurial leadership to implement university-driven initiatives such as the Career Switcher Program and professional learning opportunities across PreK–20.
Joshua recently served as Director of Organizational Development at Reynolds Community College, supporting professional development and organizational culture-building for faculty and staff. He is also the founder of A NEW Angle, an educational resource and coaching platform designed to help educational leaders live out their purpose and reach their full potential. Joshua is the author of The Character Club: It’s Time to Power Up, a children’s book focused on social-emotional learning strategies, and Clearing Your Road: A Parable of Educational Leadership, which shares seven leadership lessons inspired by his grandfather to help leaders become the best version of themselves.