Emory & Henry College will host its 34th annual B.G. Raines Education Forum on March 22, starting at 3:30 p.m. at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. This year, the speakers include keynote speaker, Valerie Ellery, and Fabiana Parker. The forum is free and open to the public, however, registration for the event is required.
“For 34 years the B.G Raines Education Forum has brought exemplary educators and leaders from all regions of our nation to Southwest Virginia,” says Dr. Sandra Frederick, Education Department Chair. “These guests provide our local educators and community partners with insights into student learning, current educational research, and sound teaching pedagogy that can immediately be taken back into our regional schools to benefit the children of Southwest Virginia.”
The B. G. Raines Forum is an annual event held to bring together individuals from Emory & Henry, surrounding schools, businesses, and industry to establish an ongoing dialogue regarding educational needs and opportunities in our region. This year’s keynote speaker Valerie Ellery, international educational consultant and best-selling author, will present on the topic, “Equipped and Empowered: Standing Strong Together.”
Valerie Ellery has dedicated 33 years to the field of education in various roles. Her educational resources have been used internationally in classrooms and universities in over a dozen countries in literacy, self-worth, and human trafficking prevention education. Ellery helped align a global Human Trafficking Primary Prevention Program piloted with over 6,000 students in Thailand and worked with the Ministry of Education in South Africa to help bring human trafficking awareness to over a million students. Additionally, Ellery served as the first K-12 Human Trafficking Education Specialist for the Florida Department of Education and currently serves as A21’s Global Human Trafficking Education Specialist, where she has helped author and launch K-12 curriculum covering human trafficking to over 300,000 students.
In addition to Ellery’s address, Fabiana Parker, 2023 Virginia Teacher of the Year, will also present at the forum.
School teachers and officials, education students, and civic leaders interested in education are encouraged to attend.
Valerie Ellery:
Valerie Ellery has dedicated 33 years to the field of education in various roles as a National Board-Certified Teacher, Curriculum Specialist, Mentor/Coach, International Educational Consultant and Best-Selling Author. Her resources have been used internationally in classrooms and universities in over a dozen countries in the areas of literacy, self-worth, and human trafficking prevention education. In addition, she helped align a global Human Trafficking Primary Prevention Program that was piloted with over 6,000 students in Thailand. She worked with the Ministry of Education in South Africa to help bring human trafficking awareness to over a million students. Valerie was also honored to serve as the first K-12 Human Trafficking Education Specialist for the Florida Department of Education. Currently, she is A21’s Global Human Trafficking Education Specialist and helped author and recently launch the K-12 Human Trafficking Curriculum for A21.org to over 300,000 students in Florida, Texas, and Michigan.
Valerie lives in Bradenton, Florida, with her husband Gregg. Together, they have four adult children and five grandchildren. Valerie loves traveling the globe to inspire, encourage, and transform lives. It is her life’s goal to help others be confident, dedicated, and determined to fulfill their purpose and finish strong.
Fabiana Parker:
Fabiana Parker is a sixth- through twelfth-grade English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at Thornburg Middle School and Spotsylvania High School in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Growing up as an English language learner who experienced firsthand the accompanying challenges and triumphs alike, Mrs. Parker traces the beginnings of her education career to her childhood experience of teaching her grandmother to read.
Parker’s attendance in institutions of higher education spams vast geographical regions. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Foreign Language and Education at King’s College London in 2001 and earned a Master of Arts degree in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction at Boise State University in 2003. Furthermore, Mrs. Parker has completed coursework at the University of Virginia, The University of Phoenix, the University of Granada, and Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
A diverse community and civic involvement seem a natural extension of the mission of a seasoned, global-minded educator like Parker. She received a Congressional Record in 2015 for having proudly served the adult literacy needs of the Northern Virginia community. Furthermore, in 2019 she received a Virginia Department of Health Certificate of Appreciation for “her outstanding commitment and translation services to the Virginia Department of Health during the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic response efforts.”
Seeing her students achieve their educational goals and become productive members of society is one of Mrs. Parker’s most significant achievements. Using her personal and professional experiences to promote cultural diversity, build bridges of trust, respect, and understanding across cultures will always be Parker’s greatest life accomplishments.
