RIT's Annual Connectology Leadership Advancement Conference

2010 Speakers

Derek Greenfield - Keynote Speaker
Dr. Derek Greenfield currently serves as Assistant Professor of Sociology at Shaw University and as an adjunct faculty member at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. As a testament to his talents as an educator and dedication to students, Derek has been named six times to the list of Who's Who Among America's Teachers. His innovative course, "Hip-Hop and American Society," has been featured twice in Source magazine. He also spent seven years as an award-winning youth worker in inner-city Chicago. Derek has published several academic papers and is author of the widely acclaimed motivational book, The Answer is in Your Hands.

With his energetic style, innovative ideas, and sense of humor, Derek has become a highly requested speaker, addressing enthusiastic audiences from Texas to Tonga. His keynote presentations and workshops have been featured at events such as the International Conference on Cultural Diversity, National Dropout Prevention Network Conference, Black Issues in Higher Education Conference, National Youth Professionals Institute, National Association of Campus Activities National Conference, and Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference, as well as dozens of colleges and universities including MIT, University of Washington, and Michigan State University. He has also served as motivational consultant for organizations such as McDonald's Corporation, Hilton Hotels, Progress Energy, United Airlines, and the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.

Derek received his bachelor's and master's degrees in Sociology from Northwestern University, earned his Doctor of Education degree from Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa, and is currently conducting research towards his PhD in Cultural Studies at the University of Washington.

Derek remains deeply committed to social justice efforts here and around the globe. His passion is most specifically seen in his work to develop, direct, and sponsor youth programs in the townships of South Africa.

Past Speakers

Dion Jordan
A native of Palm Springs, California, Dion is regarded as one of the most powerful and engaging professional speakers on the speaking circuit today. He has appeared in USA Today, local and national broadcasting around the nation, and has even appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Dion has been the recipient of many awards including Educator of the Year by Blooming Board of Educators. In addition Dion received the Alpha Kappa Alpha Emerald Award for his outstanding community and youth services.

In 1999, Dion launched Dion Jordan Enterprises, a company that provides personal and professional development programs and presentations aimed at individuals, companies, and organizations to help them reach their goals and improve their performance. In addtion, Dion is the founder of the Young Speaker's Society. The Young Speaker's Society is an organization that helps youth and adults to build confidence through public speaking.

Dion is also a highly acclaimed author of four books, including his best seller All That It Takes Is All That You’ve Got (And All That You've Got Is All It Takes. A book that motivates and educates people to realize their own potential and achieve greatness. Quite simply, Dion Jordan is that best at what he does and is regarded by meeting planners and coordinators nationwide to be their Speaker of the Year.

Dave Kelly
A professional speaker, motivator, team builder and trainer. An expert on goal attainment, he has addressed groups across the United States, the Caribbean, and in Europe. A former stand-up comedian, he brings humor, energy, and fun to all of his presentations.

Dave has been a professional mortgage broker since 1986, including ten years as founder and owner of a multi-state mortgage company. He served on the board of directors of the Georgia Mortgage Association from 1993 to 2003, including two years as president.

A native of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Dave is a graduate of University Wisconsin-Oshkosh (UW-Oshkosh). While there, he was involved in student government as a member of the student assembly, three terms in the student senate, and was Vice President Pro-Tempore of the Oshkosh Student Association (OSA). He also was Legislative Affairs Director for OSA and the state-wide association, the United Council of UW-System Student Governments. Additionally, he is a member of the Alpha Lamda Delta honor society and served as chapter secretary.

Dave is an associate member of the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) and was a 2006 finalist for APCA Campus Speaker of the Year. He is also an associate member of the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) and the American Student Government Association (ASGA). Dave served as a Cluster Facilitator for a national session of the LeaderShape Institute in July 2007.

Dave is a Lead Facilitator for the Kiwanis International Key Leader program and is a certified trainer for both Circle K and Kiwanis International. Dave’s experiences with students, in business, and through civic involvement give him a unique perspective and allow him to offer practical examples in his presentations.