Opening the Gateway to Change: A Keynote on Prevention, Purpose, and Possibility

Change often begins at a crossroads—when awareness meets action, and when courage meets responsibility. At the 2026 SSWAA National Conference, Gateway to Change challenges school social workers to consider how they can move beyond reaction and toward prevention, collaboration, and long-term impact. Few voices speak to this charge more powerfully than this year’s keynote speaker, Michele Gay, Founder and Director of Safe and Sound Schools. 

Michele Gay’s journey into school safety advocacy was born from unimaginable loss. After the death of her daughter, Josephine Grace, in the Sandy Hook tragedy on December 14, 2012, Michele chose to channel grief into purpose—transforming pain into a national movement focused on prevention, education, and sustainable approaches to school safety. As a mother, educator, and community member, her work is deeply rooted in both lived experience and evidence-based practice. 

Prevention as a Gateway to Change 

In her keynote, “Perspectives in Prevention: Empowering Social Workers to Change Trajectories on the Pathway to Violence,” Michele Gay will invite school social workers to reflect on the critical role they play in identifying risk, intervening early, and shaping safer school environments. Her message aligns directly with the conference theme: change does not begin at the point of crisis—it begins at the gateway of prevention. 

School social workers are uniquely positioned to recognize early warning signs, build trusting relationships, and collaborate across disciplines. Michele’s work reinforces that prevention is not a single program or checklist—it is a mindset, a shared responsibility, and a commitment to coordinated action. 

Honoring Responsibility Without Fear 

This keynote does not ask social workers to carry the weight of school safety alone. Instead, it emphasizes the power of connection, collaboration, and community-wide responsibility. Michele Gay highlights practical strategies and best practices for disrupting pathways to violence—grounded in compassion, data, and cross-system partnerships. 

Her message is both sobering and hopeful: while violence is complex, trajectories can be changed when caring professionals act with intention and support one another. 

An Invitation to Reflect and Lead 

As attendees gather in St. Louis, this keynote serves as more than an opening session—it is an invitation to reflection. How are we, as school social workers, using our roles to open gateways to change? Where can we strengthen prevention efforts, elevate student voice, and advocate for safer, more connected school communities? 

Michele Gay’s story and scholarship remind us that meaningful change is possible—and that social workers are essential to making it happen. 

We invite you to enter the Gateway to Change with open minds, courageous hearts, and a renewed commitment to prevention, collaboration, and hope. 

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Mother, educator, and co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, Michele Gay chose to take action after losing her daughter Josephine Grace on December 14, 2012. Since that time, Gay has channeled her work as an advocate, improving safety and security in schools and communities across our country. With a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Towson State University, Gay earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from McDaniel College. Prior to the Sandy Hook tragedy, she taught at the elementary level in the Maryland and Virginia public schools. Now a nationally and internationally recognized public speaker and school safety expert, Gay reaches audiences and consults with all levels of community institutions — schools; municipalities; houses of worship; educational and public safety leadership; state and federal governments; law enforcement agencies; and top news media sources. Through her work, and always with a goal of helping others increase the safety within their own communities, Gay shares her personal experiences and the lessons she has learned.

The recipient of numerous national awards, Gay is a regular contributor for print, radio, and television outlets. The primary visionary and author of Safe and Sound’s programs and materials, Gay has served as a stakeholder voice in national legislative discussions. Through these works, Gay continues to build Safe and Sound Schools as a national hub of school safety education, technical assistance, expert content, and best practices. Gay’s impassioned position on school safety hinges on every community taking a comprehensive and sustainable approach to safety. She works diligently to unite stakeholders of all disciplines and perspectives. An educator by training — and fueled by the heart of a mother and community member — Gay is uniquely positioned to help others prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from tragedies of their own. Gay remains inspired by Josephine, every day. She dedicates herself to honoring Josephine’s memory through this work to ensure that every school, every child, and every community is truly safe and sound.