Daryl Williams, Jr.
Daryl Williams Jr. is a man of excellence and a shining example of how excellence, when pursued, can be achieved. His career in education has seen him teach, coach, and now administer to those under his watch. His talents go far beyond this as his larger-than-life persona is infectious to anyone he interacts with; motivating them both inside and outside the classroom to achieve excellence. Known not only for his resonating words but also his enthralling energy, Daryl’s style gives his talks an enduring impact, no matter the size or event. He started by teaching middle school math for six years before taking the step forward to become an Instructional Coach. His hard work resulted in him garnering a National Boards Certification, two Teacher of the Year awards, and not one – but two – Master’s Degrees from Johns Hopkins University and The University of North Carolina, respectively. Currently in the role of Assistant Principal, he continues to make strides as he works to support educators in elevating their classroom practices to enhance student growth.
Tweety Yates, PhD
Tweety Yates, Ph.D. is retired from the University of Illinois, Department of Special Education but has continued to work on the Early Intervention Training Program (EITP) grant. She is also part of the Pyramid Model Consortium faculty and has been actively involved with the Pyramid Model for over twenty-five years. She is a Past President of the International Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Through previous grant funded projects, Tweety has developed numerous materials for early interventionists, teachers, childcare providers, parents and early childhood faculty. Her primary interests are parent-child interaction, social emotional development, early literacy and professional development. She has provided consultation and training for over 40 years.
Joy Winchester
Joy Winchester is the Deputy Executive Director of the James Rushton Early Learning Center, where she leads strategic initiatives to promote equitable, high-quality early childhood education. With a strong background in educational neuroscience, trauma-informed practices, and family engagement, Joy has spent her career supporting vulnerable populations—from infants and toddlers to incarcerated parents. Her work bridges research and real-world application, empowering educators and caregivers with tools that support both brain development and behavior. Joy is known for her engaging, science-informed training style and her commitment to systems-level change that centers the needs of children and families.