Thursday, May 28 | 8-9:15 a.m.
Opening General Session & Keynote
Mike Massimino
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Mike Massimino is a former NASA Astronaut, a New York Times bestselling author, a Columbia University professor, an advisor at The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, and a television personality.
A spacewalker on the final two Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions, Mike and his crews traveled faster (Mach 26) and higher (350 miles) than any other astronauts in the 21st century while increasing the discovery capabilities of arguably the greatest scientific instrument ever built by a factor of 100.
During the final Hubble servicing mission, Mike was faced with both success and life-threatening challenges as he performed the most intricate repair ever attempted in space. Mike set a team record for cumulative spacewalking time on a single space shuttle mission, was the last person to work inside of the Hubble Space Telescope, and was the first person to tweet from space. He persisted through three rejections over 7 years on his way to becoming an astronaut, including overcoming a medical disqualification by training his eyes and brain to see better.
Mike has made numerous television appearances and movie cameos, including a recurring role as himself on the CBS comedy The Big Bang Theory. He was featured in National Geographic Television’s One Strange Rock and in the Netflix series Worn Stories. Mike is a frequent guest on morning shows and late-night television including The Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Daily Show, and a guest expert on network and cable news including NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and CNBC.
Mike’s first book, Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe, has received rave reviews and is a New York Times best-seller. His second book, Spaceman: The True Story of a Young Boy’s Journey to Becoming an Astronaut (for young readers) is a National Science Teachers Association 2021 Best STEM Book Winner.
In Mike’s new book, Moonshot: A NASA Astronaut’s Guide to Achieving the Impossible, he distills stories and insights from NASA into an actionable guide to accomplish your biggest goals. Mike reveals how to make possible the seemingly impossible—on Earth. Written with characteristic wit and a big heart, Mike identifies ten hard-earned lessons of spaceflight and his other life experiences.
Mike uses humor and his unique storytelling ability to inspire audiences to identify the passion in their work, to use teamwork and innovation to solve problems, to provide leadership in the face of adversity and crisis, and to never give up when pursuing a goal.
Thursday, May 28 | 4-5 p.m.
General Session & Keynote
Missy Dodds
On Monday, March 21, 2005, Missy Dodds’ life was forever changed. A former student shot his way into her classroom at Red Lake High School in Northwest Minnesota. He killed a teacher and five of her students before taking his own life. Since that day, Missy has worked hard on her healing journey. This journey has taken her down many roads: learning to live with PTSD, the difference between being a victim and being a survivor and learning to allow her own children to experience and love school as much as she did. These paths have led Missy to becoming a school safety and mental health advocate. While Missy no longer teaches high school math, she is passionate about sharing what she has learned to help schools, parents and communities understand the importance of a comprehensive approach to school safety and recovery.
Missy’s court case, Dodds vs Red Lake School District Workman’s Comp, helped to change the law in Minnesota to include PTSD as a viable workman’s comp claim. In 2015, Missy shared her story of recovery in the award-winning documentary, Red Lake, produced by Billy Luther. In 2018, Missy joined Safe and Sound Schools as a National Parent Ambassador and now serves as a regular speaker and outreach and training specialist for the national school safety non-profit. In 2022, Missy received the Outstanding Service Award from the Mu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma for her work in school safety. She also serves as a parent representative for her local school district’s Emergency Operation Planning Committee and on her local Boys and Girls Club’s Program and Safety Committee.
Born and raised in Arkansas, she lives in Northwest Minnesota with her husband and three children. Missy holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master of Science in Mathematics Education from Bemidji State University.
Gerald "Jerry" S. Heppes Sr., CAE
Gerald “Jerry” S. Heppes Sr., CAE, is an accomplished association CEO and nonprofit leader with more than three decades of experience transforming mission‑driven organizations. Known for his strategic vision, financial stewardship, and ability to strengthen member value, Jerry has led major turnarounds, driven multimillion‑dollar revenue growth, and built award‑winning advocacy and education programs across the door security, safety, and small business sectors.
As past CEO of DHI, he stabilized finances, rebuilt member trust, and doubled revenues to more than $5 million. He revitalized the organization’s 501(c)(3) foundation — raising over $4.5 million — and secured a major regulatory change that resulted in a new industry credential and an estimated $700 million in new business opportunities for members. His leadership also guided the association through the Great Recession while maintaining budget discipline within 2%.
Jerry’s career includes founding and leading successful coalitions, spearheading industrywide education reforms, and serving in national leadership roles such as Chair of the Small Business Legislative Council. He currently leads 501 C Elevate, a consulting firm dedicated to strengthening nonprofits, and continues his long-standing entrepreneurial work as a Juice Plus+ franchise owner.
A Certified Association Executive, Jerry holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with a business administration minor from the University of Maryland.