Dana Mortenson
(she/her)
Dana is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of World Savvy and a recognized expert in the field of global education. She inspires education leaders and drives K-12 systems change to help young people thrive.
For over 20 years, Dana Mortenson—Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of World Savvy—has been changing the conversation about education with educators, administrators, parents, and community members. World Savvy supports change agents in K-12 education to create more inclusive, adaptive schools that ensure all young people can develop the skills and dispositions needed to thrive in a more diverse, interconnected world.
World Savvy programs provide support at three critical levels to deeply integrate global competence into teaching, learning, and culture: student engagement, educator capacity, and school and district leadership support. Since 2002, Dana has led the organization through significant national expansion, reaching more than 904,000 students and 7,300 teachers across 45 US states and 32 countries, from offices based in Minneapolis, San Francisco, and New York.
Awards and Recognition
Dana's dedication to education has earned her numerous accolades, including:
- 2011 Ashoka Fellow
- 2014 Tides Foundation’s Jane Bagley Lehman Award for Excellence in Public Advocacy
- The New Leaders Council’s 40 under 40 Progressive American Leaders
- 2022 “Rising Star” by Voyage Minnesota
Dana is a frequent speaker on global education and social entrepreneurship at high profile convenings and has been featured on a range of local and national media outlets covering education and innovation including:
- Project Zero’s Future of Learning Institute (Instructor)
- Harvard University School of Education 21st Century Schools Consortium
- Nebraska Global Education Consortium
- ASCD Global Leadership Forum
- TABS/NAIS Global Symposium
- TEDx Fargo
- 2022 CASE Convention (Colorado Asociation of School Executives)
- NYSCOSS Fall leadership Summit (New York State Council of School Superintendents)
- Ashoka Future Forum
- SXSWedu
- PBS Newshour
- The New York Times
- Edutopia
- EdWeek
- EF Annual Global Symposium
- Boys and Girls Clubs of America (National Keynote)
- GLOW (Global Learning for an Open World) Conference, opening and closing keynote speaker
Speech Topics
As our world becomes more interconnected, changing demographics make communities across the U.S. more diverse and the future workplace demands a completely different set of skills to succeed in a global economy, schools must change how they educate young, digital learners. The immediacy of global issues such as climate change, food security, and global health crises make global learning essential preparation for a changing world. All students should have the opportunity to develop skills essential for future success, including: an appreciation for cultural differences, critical and comparative thinking skills, comfort with ambiguity, and an understanding of globally significant issues. Take a look with Dana into how some schools are doing this well.
Sixty-five percent of today’s grade-school students will hold jobs that don’t exist today. How should that influence the way we’re preparing the workforce of the future? There’s a lot we do know about what the U.S.—and the world—will be like in 20 or 30 years. Guided by compelling demographic and social trends, Dana shares a road map for how we can begin to prepare for the changing roles that will be shaping our world decades in the future.
One need not look far to see troubling cracks in our democratic institutions. These cracks are now routinely visible in our legislatures, statehouses, media, and even our schools, evidenced by a spike in book bans, tense school board meetings, anti-LGBTQ legislation, and strict limits on how teachers can talk about race and racism. In light of these challenges, explore with Dana what schools CAN and MUST do to prepare young people to support and thrive in a multi-ethnic democracy.
Today's youth face a crisis of isolation and belonging, exacerbated by the digital age and societal pressures. Concurrently, there's a concerning mental health crisis among young people, with many grappling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. These alarming trends underline the urgent need to foster a sense of belonging and support for today’s youth. And for World Savvy, this starts in schools. Learn how, by focusing on embedding global competence in K-12 education, World Savvy co-creates learning environments where students experience connection - to each other, to adults in their lives, and to academic content - and where learning is inquiry-based, experiential, and relevant for our rapidly changing world.
Book Dana as a Speaker
Dana Mortenson's unparalleled expertise in education and global competence make her an ideal speaker for any event focused on empowering young people and transforming the educational landscape. Don't miss the opportunity to bring her insights and experience to your audience.
