Meet Your Facilitators!

Presenter Expertise:

Vishodana Thamotharan, EdD is the Director of STEM at the National College of Education at National Louis University. She is a former high school chemistry teacher and district science leader with extensive experience in STEM education. Throughout her career, she has supported educators through curriculum development and professional development programs, helping them integrate innovative teaching practices. Her work has expanded into AI, where she has developed professional development programs that focus on how AI can enhance teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms.

Dr. Neal Green has played an important role in promoting the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) at National Louis University (NLU), including in elementary, early childhood, and university settings. In December 2024, he presented "Demystifying Artificial Intelligence (AI): Practical Tools for ECE Administrators" at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership and focused on the ability of AI to enhance administrative workflows and assist the teaching faculty. His research explores the practical applications of AI and prompting techniques in educational settings and identifies tools like ChatGPT to empower the teaching staff.

Dr. Green's portfolio includes grant acquisition and projects related to professional development. He successfully acquired the 2024-2025 NLU Scholarship of Teaching & Learning grant to fund his project, "Teachers of Tomorrow: Using ChatGPT to Teach Pre-Service Teachers." Moreover, in collaboration with Dr. Vishodana Thamotharan and Dr. Eun Kyung Ko, he co-planned NLU’s 2025 AI Professional Development Series, thereby establishing his leadership in the adoption of artificial intelligence in educational settings. His credentials are supplemented with Auburn University's "AI in Education Explorer Badge," thus establishing his expertise in the fast-growing area.