When the Future of Education Technology Conference takes the stage in Orlando this January, the people shaping that conversation won’t just be veteran administrators and industry veterans — they’ll include a college founder, a high school senior, and a longtime classroom strategist. The trio’s selection signals a deliberate shift: those most affected by classroom technology are finally being positioned as leaders in deciding how it gets used.
The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) has unveiled the lineup for its 2027 opening keynote, “Power Players: The Next Generation Is Already in the Game.” The session features a college student entrepreneur, a high school innovator, and a globally recognized educator with three decades of experience working to make technology accessible to every learner. The announcement lands at a moment when 86 percent of students say they already use AI — even though the policies governing its presence in classrooms are largely being written without their input.
Scheduled for January 26, the opening keynote deliberately brings together perspectives from three distinct points in the education journey: the university campus, the high school hallway, and the global classroom.
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“Some of the most influential voices in education are students who use technology to serve others and shape the future of learning. Imagine what education could become if every child and educator had the knowledge, encouragement, relationships, and technology skills they need. When we nurture student talent to lead, the future is built by the people who will live in it. That is what this keynote is about,” said Jennifer Womble, Conference Chair, FETC.
The 2027 FETC opening keynote speakers are:
Crystal Yang, a college entrepreneur, AI in education expert, and founder and CEO of Audemy, will discuss how AI can expand access, personalize learning, foster creativity, reduce administrative burdens, and empower both students and educators. Drawing on her experience building AI products at scale, she’ll offer practical strategies for using AI responsibly to help every learner thrive.
Yash Maheshwari, a high school senior at Mountain View High School and an advocate for student voice in shaping the future of AI in education, will challenge educators and education leaders to keep student involvement at the forefront of innovation and to give students a seat at the table to help shape their own learning experience.
Holly Clark, a globally recognized Learning Strategist and founder of The Infused Classroom, which helps educators integrate AI and technology with intention and purpose, will share her message that, through every trend, tool, and headline, what matters most has never changed: keeping students at the center of their own learning and ensuring that neurodivergent learners are never left behind.
The opening keynote sets the tone for a conference that has never been more expansive. For the first time, FETC 2027 will be co-located with the inaugural UB Executive Leadership Summit, bringing college and university presidents, provosts, and chief academic officers into the same building, signaling that preparing students for what comes next is a K-20 challenge, not a K-12 one.
“When a college student entrepreneur, a high school student, and a globally recognized educator share the same stage, they tell us something important. That is the through-line connecting the FETC 2027 opening keynote to the broader K-20 conversation we are convening for the first time this January,” said Amy Dujon, Vice President of Education at Arc Network.
FETC 2027 runs January 26-29 in Orlando, FL. Full speaker bios and session details are available at fetc.org.
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About FETC
The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) is the premier gathering and year-round professional learning network for education technology leaders, innovators, and educators dedicated to achieving measurable results. Through deep-dive seminars, collaborative roundtables, hands-on workshops, and rigorously vetted sessions, FETC equips K-12 leaders and educators with proven strategies and tools for immediate implementation. The event’s expansive exhibit hall showcases more than 450 leading solution providers, while FETC’s collaborations with industry partners and state education technology associations amplify diverse perspectives and foster grassroots innovation.
About the University Business Executive Leadership Summit
Hosted by University Business, an online publication focused on higher education, the Summit is a three-day, invitation-only convening for college and university presidents, provosts, and chief academic officers. The Summit extends the conversations at FETC into higher education, where leaders convene to build for workforce demands and redefine education.
Arc
Arc is a B2B events, data, and media platform, backed by investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital. Founded to redefine business networking, Arc organizes over 120 events a year and operates critical content platforms in HR technology, agriculture and food, financial services, investing, and education technology. Arc has over 300 talented colleagues in the U.S., U.K., Netherlands, and Singapore, who create new ways to connect communities, wherever, whenever, or however people need to come together to grow their businesses. Its education brands include District Administration, University Business, District Administration Leadership Institute, Leadhership Network for Women, the Future of Education Technology Conference, and the UB Executive Leadership Summit.
Jodie E Buenning
Buenning Strategies
+1 804-986-6911
Why it matters: By placing a student, a recent graduate, and a veteran educator on the same stage, FETC is making a statement about who owns the future of learning. The co-location with the higher-ed leadership summit reinforces that the conversation about technology in schools can no longer stop at the K-12 boundary — it now spans the entire educational continuum.
