Nurtured Inspirations

Rae Pica has been an education consultant (www.raepica.com) specializing in the development and education of the whole child, children’s physical activity, and developmentally appropriate practice since 1980. A former adjunct instructor with the University of New Hampshire, she is the author of 19 books. Rae is known for her lively and informative keynotes and trainings and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, Gymboree, Nike, and state health departments throughout the country. Rae also blogs for Huffington Post, is a member of the executive committee of the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences, and is cofounder of BAM Radio Network (www.bamradionetwork.com), the world’s largest online education radio network, where she hosts programs on Educators Radio, interviewing experts in education, child development, play research, the neurosciences, and more. Rae lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

For over 32 years, Susan Wright has shared a passion with educators and parents who guide, nurture, and inspire children. Working collaboratively with children, she works alongside educators and parents to make visible children’s thinking as a way to honour each child’s human experience and unique ways of being. As a teacher, researcher, author, and pedagogical leader, Susan brings a fresh perspective to education through the relationships she builds with educators and parents. As the Founder of the newest collective in education, Susan created Nurtured Inspirations as a way to connect globally with individuals and teams of educators and parents looking to share together as intellectual partners building learning relationships alongside children. Susan travels internationally and collaborates virtually with those wishing to build lasting learning partnerships that share in rich educational endeavours. Susan has visited schools in Canada, the United States, and Italy to study children’s thinking and learning, and to engage in pedagogical dialogue around educator practise. With plans to return again to the The Loris Malaguzzi International Centre to continue her studies with Reggio Children in the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, Susan looks forward to pursuing her passion for exploring learning encounters that celebrate and honour the child, the educator, and the family as unique human beings, capable, competent, and full of potential and possibility. An Ontario Certified Teacher (O.C.T.), Susan’s commitment to education lives through her encounters with children, families, educators. Through her own continued education including Additional, Specialist, and Principal Qualifications to graduate study work, Susan lives life through a learning lens. As a pedagogical leader, Susan’s current research, as well as her work with the Ministry of Education Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat has her sharing pedagogically through reflection and dialogue with others on local, provincial, and global education platforms.