The M.A.S.S. Professional Development Committee has announced the featured speakers for the 2026 Paul J. Andrews Summer Executive Institute. District leaders and other conference attendees will hear from a distinguished lineup of speakers who will share their perspectives on leadership, public service, social justice, and some of the critical issues in public education and civic life today.
Tuesday, July 14: Amy Blankson
Amy Blankson is the Co-founder and Chief Evangelist of the Digital Wellness Institute and the bestselling author of The Future of Happiness. A graduate of Harvard and the Yale School of Management, she’s the only person to receive a Point of Light award from two U.S. Presidents.
She is also a member of Harvard’s AI for Human Flourishing Council, a former member of the UN Global Happiness Council, and a featured professor in Oprah’s happiness e-course, and a regular contributor to Forbes. Her current work focuses on how to cultivate happiness and well-being in a hyperconnected world.
Wednesday, July 15: Brad Meltzer
Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are I am Sally Ride, We are the Beatles, and I am Simone Biles. His newest inspirational book is Make Magic, based on his viral commencement address.
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.
Brad supports many worthy causes, including putting mentors in underserved public schools with City Year, fighting breast cancer with Sharsheret, and serving on the Boards of the National Archives, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, and the National Medal of Honor Museum.
Tuesday, July 14: Marlon Styles
Marlon Styles is a recognized inspirational speaker and educational leader. In 2017, he was named a Top 30 Digital Trailblazer by the Center for Digital Education. Under his leadership at Middletown (Ohio) City Schools, the district was awarded the ISTE Distinguished District Award in 2019. He testified before the U.S. Congress in 2020 to advocate for access and opportunity for all students. K-12 Dive recognized him as the Superintendent of the Year in 2020 for his advocacy and leadership on a national stage. In 2025, he was named one of the Top 100 Education Influencers by District Administration.
He is the author of the book Make Your Move. Styles’ mission is to inspire educators to see themselves as empowered unifiers capable of creating the types of learning experiences today’s modern learners need to thrive.
For more information about or to register for the M.A.S.S. Paul J. Andrews Summer Executive Institute, visit the event page. PLEASE NOTE: This is not a public event. Registration is open to M.A.S.S. members and other district leaders.