The educator, advocate, author, and director of innovation for Future Ready Schools will receive his award during TCEA 2017
(Minneapolis, MN) January 18, 2017 – At its fifth annual Thought Leadership Soirée, PR with Panache!, modern-day storytellers for the education marketplace, will honor K-12 digital education trailblazer Tom Murray as 2017’s Thought Leader of the Year.
The Soirée, to be held on February 8, 2017, in conjunction with the TCEA 2017 Convention & Exposition, will honor Murray’s extraordinary dedication to connecting teachers and students through technology. Murray currently serves as the director of innovation for Future Ready Schools, a Project of the Alliance for Excellent Education, and is a former technology director, principal, and teacher.
“Tom Murray is a tireless and eloquent advocate for the power of student-centered, personalized learning,” said Sue Hanson, the founder and managing partner of PR with Panache!. “It’s one thing to imagine the future of education, but true thought leaders like Tom show the rest of us how to get there from the present.”
Murray has been named one of “20 to Watch” by the National School Boards Association, the “Education Policy Person of the Year” by the Academy of Arts and Sciences, and one of the top 16 “forward thinking EdTech leaders in the country” by Tech & Learning.
In 2015, Murray co-authored and released Leading Professional Learning; Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers. His second book is due from ASCD in 2017. He is also the cofounder of #edtechchat, a weekly educational technology Twitter forum, where hundreds of educators from around the world discuss digital learning.
“It’s an amazing honor to be named Thought Leader of the Year,” said Murray. “Working across the nation, I’ve had the honor to work alongside countless educators who dedicate their lives to serving kids. This award recognizes the collective dedication and innovation of so many who are doing whatever it takes to help students succeed and experience a better tomorrow. With the incredible diligence and transformation that we’ve seen, there is still work to be done. Every kid, regardless of the zip code they call home, needs and deserves a world class education, and I will continue to work alongside so many dynamic people to help bring that to fruition.”
PR with Panache! launched its Thought Leadership Series (which culminates with a Soirée) at the annual TCEA conference four years ago to honor the individuals who inspire their peers with their determination to transform education through technology and 21st-century pedagogy.
Previous Thought Leader of the Year honorees include:
- Ron Reed, the executive producer SXSWedu;
- Kathy Hurley, ed tech consultant and former executive vice president at the Pearson Foundation;
- Karen Billings, former managing director of ETIN, a Division at SIIA; and
- Carl Hooker, the creator of iPadpalooza and director of innovation and digital learning at Eanes ISD (TX).
About PR with Panache!
Recently named the Best PR firm in Education by EdTech Digest for the second year in a row, PR with Panache! (PRP) is the premiere modern-day storytelling firm for the education marketplace. PRP has successfully connected companies and educators for more than 20 years, focusing solely on the PK-12 marketplace. We have worked with hundreds of companies to ensure their story is heard and repeated. Our deep knowledge of the industry and strong relationships with educational media, industry stakeholders, and thought leaders allow us to open doors and generate the awareness our clients need to become household names. A certified Hubspot Agency Partner, PRP speaks the right language as it expands client brands, supports integrated and inbound marketing campaigns, or launches new products. To learn more, please visit PRwithPanache.com.