Introducing our 2026 FAME Conference Keynotes

Kwame Alexander
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Children's Fiction
Speaking October 28th

Kwame Alexander is #1 New York Times bestselling author of 45 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, Black Star, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor book, J vs K, an illustrated novel he penned with Jerry Craft, the motivational primer for graduates, creatives, and professionals, entitled Say Yes, and The Crossover, his Newbery-Medal winning novel-turned Emmy® Award-winning Disney+ TV series. He is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Emmy®-nominated Acoustic Rooster and his Barnyard Band and Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams, a PBS KIDS special and series of shorts produced by GBH Kids based on his beloved children’s book of the same name. He regularly shares his passion for literacy, books and the craft of writing around the world, including Ghana, West Africa, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic. A recipient of the 2025 NAACP Image Award, Alexander is a 2026 Sine 250+ Fellow at American University and the founder of the literacy non-profit, One Word at a Time.

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Liliana Villarreal
Artemis II Landing and Recovery Director
Speaking October 29th

Liliana Villarreal currently serves as the Artemis II landing and recovery director in Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She is responsible for leading NASA’s efforts for nominal and contingency recovery of astronauts and Orion hardware for Artemis crew missions. Prior to her current position, she was operations flow manager in EGS, responsible for the overall management, planning, integration, and execution of all operational ground and flight hardware activities required to support Orion and Space Launch System human space flight missions. She moved into the position in March 2021.

Villarreal also served as the Mission Operations Branch chief under the Operations Test and Management Division of EGS for two years. Prior to the branch chief role, she served as manager of the spacecraft and offline operations team, responsible for the offline operations of the Orion spacecraft and the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage.

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Martha Bongiorno
Creative Learning Strategist
Speaking October 30th

Martha Bongiorno is a nationally recognized library leader, creativity advocate, and past president of the Georgia Library Media Association. A former award-winning school librarian, she pioneered Georgia’s first all-student-run Makerspace. Martha leads professional learning programs that empower librarians and educators to foster creativity, student voice, and well-being through digital storytelling and making. Her work bridges local advocacy and global impact, championing school librarians as essential leaders in reimagining learning. She leads with creativity and heart, building spaces where all learners feel seen, heard, and inspired to thrive.