The STEAM Leadership Conference is proud to announce our 2026 keynote speaker, Darryl Thomas.

Darryl Thomas is a Professor of Dance at Western Oregon University and the founder of Code Can Dance, an equity-driven STEAM initiative that fuses choreography, wearable LED technology, and computer-science learning to expand who gets to see themselves, and succeed, in coding. His work is a direct response to the Lost Einsteins phenomenon: the untapped innovators our society loses when brilliant young people, often girls, students of color, and youth from under-resourced communities, lack early access, encouragement, and culturally relevant on-ramps to STEM.

As the Emmy Award–winning Artistic Director of Rainbow Dance Theatre who has performed globally, Thomas brings decades of experience creating movement-based learning experiences and community performances that build belonging and agency. He leads development of the iLumaCap/iLumaVest Coder platforms and a companion, student-friendly dance-avatar coding app that supports block coding and JavaScript on iPad and Chromebook—designed to meet youth where they are and make computational thinking feel personal, social, and creative.

Thomas has piloted programs with Oregon STEM Hubs and school districts, aligning curricula to CSTA, NGSS, and Oregon’s 2027 CS integration mandate, and has partnered with educators in Nairobi to expand coding access for rural communities in Kenya. A recipient of a U.S. Department of Education SBIR award, he collaborates with industry partners including Pitsco Education and Mastery Coding, with technical interest from Apple to scale grassroots equity in STEM, not as a pipeline for a select few, but as a platform for many.  So the next generation of inventors reflects the full diversity of our classrooms, and the solutions that shape our future reflect the full complexity of our world.

CONFERENCE THEME

STEAM Without Walls: Bridging Classrooms, Communities, and Careers

This year marks a milestone: the 10th Annual STEAM Leadership Conference! For a decade, this learning experience has brought together bold thinkers and passionate educators who believe in the power of STEAM to transform lives. Our 2026 theme, “STEAM Without Walls: Bridging Classrooms, Communities, and Careers,” invites educators, leaders, researchers, policymakers, artists, and industry professionals to break down barriers and imagine what’s possible when learning extends beyond traditional walls.

AUDIENCE

Superintendents, curriculum coordinators, principals, academic coaches, content specialists, teacher leaders, artists, after-school coordinators, informal educators, researchers, curriculum developers, policymakers, industry professionals, and like-minded individuals who want to take STEAM teaching and learning to the next level. Faculty engaged in broader impacts or other research-based efforts that include K-12 and/or higher education teaching innovations are encouraged to participate.