Laura Beltran is the Principal of St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Windsor, Ontario.  She has worked for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School board for the past 31 years.  She started her career at Holy Names High School and then moved to a permanent position at St. Joseph’s for the next 12 years.  She moved into administration as a vice principal in 2010 and was appointed principal of St. Thomas of Villanova High School in 2021.

She strives to meet the board’s vision of “empowering, inspiring, and knowing her students”.   Being kind to one another is a regular part of her daily announcements and reminders to students and staff.  She believes that the school can be an example for the larger community of what peace and kindness can do to show young people a world where they are valued and cared for.  She coaches a Hockey4Youth program for young women who face the financial challenge of not being able to play hockey or learn to skate.  She also loves every opportunity to hold her benevolence cafe where she treats the students to hot chocolate or lemonade while getting to know them.  She has a passion for creating a school environment that focuses on equity and inclusion where all students can meet success.

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Sam Demma is a best-selling author and one of the most in-demand keynote speakers in the Education and Association sectors. He co-founded the volunteer organization PickWaste, delivered two TEDx talks, and—as a result of his exceptional contributions to Canada—was awarded the prestigious Queens Platinum Jubilee Award.

His work is often featured on national news shows like Marilyn Dennis, Breakfast Television, and most notably, his mom’s Facebook profile. Sam delivers hundreds of programs across North America annually, and his entertaining presentations address the topics of Mental Health, Leadership and Kindness. www.samdemma.com

Want to join the High Performing Educator Network: www.highperformingeducator.com