The Superintendent’s Roundtable of Northern Illinois is back for the 2024-2025 school year! See below to view our presentations!
2024- 2025
October 18, 2024 – Dr. Lan Nguyen Chaplin
Lan Nguyen Chaplin, Ph.D., is a Full Professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. She is also a member of the Core Faculty at the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab at Kellogg School of Management. She earned her Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Minnesota and her B.A. in neuroscience with a concentration in behavioral medicine from the University of Pennsylvania.
Professor Nguyen Chaplin is a top global expert in marketing, education, psychology, and child development with over 20 years of experience. She has taught brand management and consumer behavior in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to academia, she was named one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors in the world by Poets & Quants. She also won the most prestigious award in consumer research— the Best Article award from the Journal of Consumer Research (for her work on materialism across generations).
Her work blends theoretical depth with practical relevance. She publishes in top-tier academic journals such as the Journal of Consumer Research and Child Development, as well as business and strategic outlets like Harvard Business Review. Additionally, her research has garnered attention from global media outlets, including TIME, Forbes, Fortune, The New York Times, and MSN, highlighting her influence across industries, disciplines, and consumer segments. Together, her diverse publication record and global media attention highlight her trailblazing work in making complex academic concepts accessible to business leaders, policymakers, educators, parents and consumers.
Professor Nguyen Chaplin is the youngest of 14 children from a Vietnamese refugee family. When she was a child, she was so shy, she hid her voice from the world. Today she is a highly sought-after global consultant and speaker, on a mission to leverage her life experiences, academic training, industry knowledge and influence to empower others, inspire change and foster inclusivity in various sectors. She is highly skilled in addressing critical societal issues related to workplace experiences, children’s consumer behavior, branding, and well-being. Her consultancy work encompasses both private and nonprofit sectors, where she anchors on rigorous research to create actionable strategies that drive transformative change.
February 21, 2025 – Katie Watts
Katie Watts has over twenty years of experience working with youth. During her time in public education, she served as a special education teacher, outdoor education teacher, instructional coach for social emotional learning, and principal. She earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a focus on classroom management and a second master’s degree in educational leadership.
Beyond working with youth, Katie has extensive experience supporting adult learning. She partners with leaders to design and facilitate professional development workshops in mindfulness, conflict resolution, equity, trauma informed practices, social emotional learning, and leadership.
Katie consults with organizational leaders to support the vision and strategy for improved culture and wellbeing. She has led collaborative transformation efforts in school districts, nonprofits and other organizations. Coaching is integral to the change process, and Katie has been trained in many coaching approaches and perspectives including Cognitive Coaching, Student Centered Coaching, and Polarity Management.
Katie loves all things outdoors, especially rock climbing and hiking. She is a certified yoga and mindfulness teacher. She believes in people’s potential for transformation and the power of community to bring about change and healing.
April 25, 2025 – Ovi Vasquez
Ovi Vásquez is a National Leadership Keynote Speaker and Author who went from being a farmboy raised in a poor village in the sugarcane fields of Central America to being accepted into Harvard Business School Online. Despite being labeled “at-risk” Ovi learned English in two years, graduated from high school in three years, earned a
B.A. in Management in two years, published six books including a best-seller, and became a TEDx speaker on self-leadership.
He worked for Apple, Tesla, Salesforce, and Uber, and then created a mobile app serving as a hub for $5 million in scholarships for underprivileged youth, unlocking potentially life-changing opportunities for them. As a Social Entrepreneur, he now helps socially responsible organizations develop the next generation of values-centered leaders.
As a father of three, Vásquez brings a unique, culturally attuned perspective to his work, being bilingual, biliterate, and deeply connected to his roots. This rich background enables him to connect with a wide array of audiences, imparting fresh insights that are both profound and accessible.