Keynote Sessions

On Tuesday, June 25th, all PBL World participants will gather to hear from our 2024 keynote speaker.

Take a look through the schedule below for a sneak peek into each mornings' session as it develops, or visit our Schedule page.

The winners of the PBL Champions Awards and the JL Lifelong Learner Award will also be recognized at PBL World 2024.

Tuesday, June 25

8:00 AM-8:45 PM (PST)

PBL World 2024 Keynote Speaker

We are proud to announce that Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, will be our keynote speaker at PBL World 2024.

Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has previously served as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, school district administrator, curriculum director, and school board president. She studies Black historical excellence in education, intending to reframe curriculum and instruction today. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books. She has also received numerous national awards and is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. She also co-authored Black girls’ literacies: An Edited Volume. Her Culturally and Historically Responsive Education Model has been adopted across thousands of U.S. schools and districts across Canada. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, she was named among the top 1% Edu-Scholar Public Influencers due to her impact on policy and practice. She has also received numerous awards from national organizations and universities. She was named the American Educational Research Association Division K Early Career Award and the 2021 NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator in the English Language Arts. She has led a federal grant with the United States Department of Education to study culturally and historically responsive literacy in STEM classrooms. Her newest book, Unearthing Joy, is the sequel to Cultivating Genius and provides a practical guide for putting culturally and historically responsive education into curricular practice.

Wednesday, June 26

8:00 AM-8:45 PM (PST)

Impact Academy Middle and High School