About the Presenters

Sue Thotz is the Director of Education Outreach for Common Sense Education and Co-founder of Equity in Action CA. In 2011, Sue began working for Common Sense by providing support and training for educators and administrators on issues of digital culture and wellness. As a co-founder of Equity in Action CA, she has facilitated conferences that emphasize the importance of identity and belonging and strive to amplify marginalized voices in the education technology space. Sue is the winner of the 2023 CUE Making IT Happen Award. Prior to Common Sense, Sue was a researcher and educator. She holds a master’s degree in public health and an undergraduate degree in zoology and chemistry.

Paul Valente has been with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for 23+ years. He has held many roles over the years including Technology Coordinator, Managed Services Team Lead, Client Services Team Lead, Windows/Chromebook Engineer, and currently is the Facility Automation Architect. In his current role, Paul manages intercom and audio-visual systems, HVAC building automation systems, and indoor air quality systems. Paul and his teams have brought CPS into the 21st century with the organization and planning over the multiple verticals that he manages. Together, they are always looking to see how new and emerging technologies can be applied in a cost-effective way to modernize operations within the district to ensure students, teachers, and school staff have the best possible experience.

Madeleine Mortimore is the Global Education Innovation Lead for Logitech, where she leads research on EdTech hardware to create products that holistically optimize learning and teaching. She holds a Master of Education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, where she launched an EdTech startup at the Harvard Innovation Lab.