Patrick Bennett is a lead speech instructor in the Humanities Department at Midlands Technical College. He is the chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee as MTC. Patrick has a B.S from Georgia Southern University, a M.A from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a certificate of higher education leadership from the University of South Carolina. Patrick views teaching as a space, where students can explore the concepts presented, but also their identities in relation to what is being presented in the classroom. Specifically, students’ learning should come from where there are as individuals, not merely what the instructor wants. Patrick believes the classroom should be an exciting, dynamic, and intellectually curious space, as opposed to being impersonal, traditional, and repetitive. This philosophy is ingrained throughout not only his teaching but also in leadership and training sessions.

Danielle Donaldson currently is the co-founder of Bennett-Donaldson Consulting Group and the founder of Hotmess Teaching LLC. Danielle has been involved in education for the last decade. Danielle worked previously in creating change in school districts in Georgia and South Carolina. Danielle has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and M.Ed in from Valdosta State University. One of Danielle's life goals is to transform the education system into a more equitable system for Black and Brown students through innovative practices. Danielle is an advocate for changing how teachers are viewed and helps school districts create a culture where retention and morale are high each year.