Opening Keynote
Hamish Brewer
Hamish Brewer known as the relentless, tattooed, skateboarding principal from Northern Virginia isn’t your normal principal. Hamish is high octane, constantly calling on his students to “Be Relentless”. Mr. Brewer has become known as an educational disrupter who transcends the status quo and typical educational norms.
Under his leadership – his elementary school was recognized as a Nationally Distinguished Title 1 School, and Hamish has since gone on to turn around one of the toughest middle schools in the state of Virginia.
Mr. Brewer is an award-winning principal at both the secondary and elementary school levels. He was recognized in 2017 as the NAESP Nationally Distinguished Principal and Virginia Principal of the year. He has also been recognized as the 2016 VAESP School Bell Award and ASCD Virginia Impact Award. In 2018 Hamish was named a Northern Virginian of the year by Northern Virginia Magazine and the 2018 Principal of the Year for the online national publication – Education Dive. In 2019 Prince William County Public Schools named Hamish the school divisions Principal of the Year. In 2020 Hamish was recently recognized by Omega U as the principal of the year. Mr. Brewer previously served at the state level as the Federal Relations Coordinator on the Board of Directors with the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals and is currently the lead fellow of NAESP’s Center for Innovative Leadership. He is a school turnaround and school improvement specialist, working some of the most at-risk students in the United States.
Mr. Brewer is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker – motivating and inspiring audiences everywhere around the world, including being recognized as a TEDx speaker. Hamish is the best selling author of “Relentless – Disrupting The Educational Norm, published in 2019.
Closing Keynote
William Martinez
William Martinez earned his Bachelor Degree in Musical Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles, to pursue his acting/singing career. He is currently touring with his presentation SIGNing the Song: You Have Changed My Life inspiring teachers to remember how incredible their impact is on their students. SIGNing the Song combines American Sign Language (ASL) with song and shares his inspirational story of growing up in a deaf household, discovering music, and celebrating the massive impact that one teacher had on his life. He also introduces how ASL in the classroom can create a new and effective way for teachers to communicate with their students. He is extremely honored to have SIGNing the Song: You Have Changed My Life be the DVD companion to one of the most successful educational books on the market: The First Days of School: How to Become an Effective Teacher (Fifth Edition) by Harry and Rosemary Wong. The DVD has won many awards including two Telly Awards for ‘Motivational Non-Broadcast Video’ and multiple AVA Digital Awards including the platinum award for ‘On- Camera Talent’ award for William as a Motivational Speaker.
William is also a professional actor/singer with many impressive credits and awards under his belt. His theatrical version of SIGNing The Song won a Broadway World award in 2018! He toured Thank You for The Music: A Modern Tribute to ABBA across the nation and sailed the high seas as the Lead Male Singer on Silversea Cruises performing Opera, Broadway, Pop, Jazz, and other musical styles (along with showcasing SIGNing the Song). Previous to those productions, William originated the role of Bean’s Dad in Ivy and Bean at South Coast Repertory and Jason in Ordinary Days at the Victory Theatre in LA. He has also performed in Hunchback of Notre Dame (Sacramento Music Circus, La Mirada Performing Arts Center), Parade, Little Mary Sunshine, No No Nannette, Superman, Street Scene, Blood Brothers, High Fidelity, Titanic (Musical Theatre Guild), Secret Garden, Once Upon a Mattress, City of Angels, 110 in the Shade, Bells Are Ringing, Kismet (Musical Theatre West Reiner), Big River (Taper), Big River and Oliver! (Deaf West Theatre), Back to Bacharach (Sierra Rep), Forever Plaid (Little Theatre of the Rockies), Plaid Tidings (Laguna Playhouse), Sweeney Todd (Gold Coast) and many other musical shows. He has performed for countless award shows, honor galas and charity events (including the Paul Newman’s SeriousFun for children singing with Carol King, Michael Keaton, and Natalie Cole). He has done film, TV, voiceovers, and sings backup for Kristin Chenoweth whenever she is in the Los Angeles Area. He loves to give back to the community by performing for elementary school kids with Musical Theatre West, Musical Theatre Guild, and New West Symphony and is a proud member of Actors Equity.
