Matthew Portell
Keynote: "In the Midst of Opportunity: A Paradigm Shift"
Mathew Portell has dedicated a decade and a half to education in his role as a teacher, instructional coach, teacher mentor, and school administrator in all three tiers of elementary, middle, and high school. In his sixth year as principal of Fall-Hamilton Elementary, he is an internationally recognized innovative model school for trauma-informed practices in Metro Nashville Public Schools. The school’s work has been featured on National Public Radio, PBS, the documentary “#Enough,” and the Edutopia website, with over 7 million views. He is the founder of the Trauma Informed Educators Network, with an active Facebook group and a podcast where educators and practitioners from around the globe share their own trauma-informed journeys, including some of the world’s top experts, including Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. Ross Greene, Dr. Mona Delahooke and many more. Mr. Portell has appeared at national and international conferences, acting as a featured speaker, expert panelist, keynote speaker, and facilitator. Just this year, he was named the Nashville Public School’s Elementary Principal of the Year! Mr. Portell holds a B.S. in elementary education and an M.Ed in curriculum from Tennessee State University, and completed his administration requirements at Trevecca Nazarene University.