2025 Speakers
Professional Keynote Speakers
Kimm Khagram
Keynote date: 8:25 PM CDT Friday, March 21, 2025
Keynote title: TBA
Kimm Khagram (he/him) is a Learning Specialist and SI supervisor at the University of Guelph in Canada, and Director of the Canadian National Centre for Supplemental Instruction. He has held a number of roles in adult education and postsecondary academic support roles for 20 years, all of which involve peer-to-peer, student-centred, experiential learning. Kimm lives by the Eramosa River on the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First nation with his partner, 2 kids, and a Husky-mix dog named Otter.
William Carey SFHEA
Keynote date: 1:25 PM CDT Saturday, March 22, 2025
Keynote title: TBA
William Carey (Will) credits SI-PASS as one of the two things that kept him from dropping out of university. The principles, values and practices of SI-PASS have since encouraged him to utilise the power of partnerships as a positive disruptor for educational change. After 15 years working at The University of Manchester, a 6-month sabbatical in Ireland turned into almost five years, falling in love with such an awesome country and people. He’s now UK-based again, focussing on enhancing pedagogical practices of those who teach and/or support learning – supporting student and staff colleagues to think about curriculum design; course evaluation, assessment and feedback; active learning; and decolonisation. His role as a Certified Trainer at the European Centre for SI-PASS provides him the opportunity to support the growth of SI-PASS across Europe, remaining curious about how the model can apply to diverse contexts, education systems and learners.
Student Keynote Speakers
Annie Blanks
Keynote date: Friday, March 21, 2025
Annie Blanks is currently a third year Public Relations student at The University of Georgia. She has been a SI Facilitator for 3 semesters for HIST 2112, and has now become a Full-Time Mentor, with a goal to encourage and empower her colleagues every single day. Go Dawgs!
Ross Dare
Keynote date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
Ross Dare (he/him) has held a variety of roles within the SI program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) since 2021 and recently began serving as an SI Leader for the International Center for Supplemental Instruction. He is a current fifth-year student in the combined six-year BA/MD program at UMKC as well as an SI leader for medicine-based courses. He is passionate about the elimination of social disparities, the promotion of kindness, and the success and empowerment of students.
Shekhar Gugnani
Keynote date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
Shekhar Gugnani is a current third-year student in the combined six-year BA/MD program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). This is his fifth semester working with Supplemental Instruction for School of Medicine courses, such as biochemistry and anatomy. Outside of classes, he likes to do medical research, participate in student organizations, and play the electric guitar!
