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.
Martha Bongiorno
Global Education Community Programs Manager for Adobe for Education
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 and now serves as Global Education Community Programs Manager for Adobe for Education. 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.