Three compelling voices will take the stage at ACSA’s 2026 Leadership Summit, bringing powerful perspectives on community empowerment, immigration and transformational school leadership.

Get to know keynote speakers Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin (Thursday), Jose Antonio Vargas (Friday) and Dr. Luis Cruz (Saturday), who will challenge attendees to think boldly about the future of education.

Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin is a powerhouse in education — a transformational leader, author, and international keynote speaker with over three decades of impact in some of the most underserved communities. She’s built more than 350 partnerships across the country, been featured on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and helped inspire NBC’s “School Pride.” She has graced main stages for organizations including Amazon and Microsoft, and previously served as the National K–12 Education Leadership Executive at Apple. She has served over 30 years in the field of education as a teacher, principal, and an executive director of school and community engagement in Compton USD and Inglewood USD. She is also the author of “The Why Not Challenge: Say Yes to Success with School-Community Partnerships,” a book that reflects her commitment to fostering meaningful collaboration between schools and communities.

On community engagement vs. empowerment: “Think of it like this: When we engage, it is like getting a lease. When we empower, it is ownership! See the difference? When we empower our community, we are offering an opportunity to share in ownership. And ownership, my friend, translates into investment.” — Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin

Jose Antonio Vargas Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and Tony-nominated theatrical producer.

A leading voice for the human rights of immigrants, he founded the non-profit immigrant storytelling organization Define American, twice named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, and explored all facets of immigration as host of its YouTube show and podcast “Define American with Jose Antonio Vargas.” His best-selling memoir, “Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen,” was published by HarperCollins in 2018. An updated edition with new material for living in President Donald Trump’s America was released in 2025.

On immigration: “Yes, we are here because we believe in the promise of the American Dream — the search for a better life, the challenge of dreaming big. But we are also here because you were there — the cost of American imperialism and globalization, the impact of economic policies and political decisions.” — Jose Antonio Vargas, from “Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen”

Dr. Luis Cruz Raised as an English learner in a low-income Los Angeles community by immigrant parents, Dr. Luis Cruz advocates for redesigning public schools to ensure high levels of learning for all students. He is a sought-after consultant, coach, author, and keynote speaker with over 35 years as a teacher and administrator.

He’s a best-selling author — including “Time for Change: Four Essential Skills for Transformational School and District Leaders” co-authored with Dr. Anthony Muhammad — and a trusted voice on Professional Learning Community at Work and Response to Intervention at Work.

His keynote addresses compel educators to change the way they lead with real strategies for transforming school culture.

On the soundtrack of your school: “If you hear, ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ — I want my kids going to that school. But if you hear Guns N’ Roses ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ I don’t want my kids anywhere near that school.” — Dr. Luis Cruz