Conference
June 2, 2026
INnovatED 2026
Doermer School of Business Building
INnovatED 2026:
A PFW Virtual Summit for Northeast Indiana Educators
INnovatED 2026 is a free, one-day summit designed to spark meaningful connections and inspire real-world innovation in classrooms across the region. This year's summit features keynote speakers Dr. Shannon Bischoff and Mary Encabo Bischoff, both UNESCO Chairs and faculty at Purdue University Fort Wayne, who will share how intentional relationships can strengthen resilience, deepen learning, and reconnect educators to their purpose.
Attendees will gain practical strategies to build meaningful connections and reenergize their work in the classroom and beyond, while also earning Professional Growth Plan (PGP) points. The summit will be held in person at the Doermer School of Business and virtually via Zoom, and registrants can select their preferred participation option when registering. INnovatED 2026 is your launchpad for connection-driven, forward-thinking education. Join us as we shape the future of teaching together.
Learn more about INnovatED 2026's keynote speakers and presentations below.
Keynote speakers — UNESCO CHAIRS
Dr. Shannon Bischoff
Dr. Shannon Bischoff is a UNESCO Chair, Purdue University Named Professor, and Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at PFW. He is also the President of the Endangered Language Fund and Assistant Editor of the Journal Indigenous Languages Rights and Realities. His research spans computational linguistics, linguistic anthropology, language rights, and human rights. He has secured over $2 million in funding, published widely with leading presses, and collaborates globally with Indigenous and non-dominant language communities, as well as, with governments, the United Nations, and the United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization (UNESCO).
Mary Encabo Bischoff
Mary Encabo Bischoff is a UNESCO Chair, Clinical Assistant Professor of Linguistics, and Director of the Teaching English as a New Language program at Purdue University Fort Wayne. At PFW, she not only teaches college students, but also works with local ELL teachers and international colleagues. She created and continues to direct the English Language Partners (ELP) Program, which has served over 2,000 individuals, including indigenous communities, from Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, the Philippines, Ecuador, India, Japan, and members of our local immigrant and refugee communities. She previously served on the board of Fort Wayne Sister Cities, which led to exchanges and partnerships with universities and high schools in Myanmar and Japan. She has advised Ministers of Education and been invited to speak at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the United Nations in New York City, and at the 2024 UN Global Education Meeting.
Read the PFW news release about their UNESCO Chair recognition. Learn about UNESCO Chairs on the UNESCO website.
AI, budget cuts, conflicts, and safety concerns, among other disruptors, often destabilize educators and school leaders and their passion for their craft. In the process, many lose sight of the mission of education: to provide quality education through quality teachers and ethical leadership. In this keynote presentation, we share our candid story as educators and how we stay committed to innovation and our mission in uncertain times. Further, we discuss how the power and purpose of intentional relationships led us to become UNESCO Chairs. Come with curiosity and leave with action steps that will reinvigorate you and how you work.