Fairfield, Conn. – The Fairfield Emerging Leaders Organization (FELO), a professional group within the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, is hosting its annual CEO Breakfast at the Fairfield Theatre Company (FTC), 70 Sanford Street, Fairfield, CT, on October 19, 2016 at 7:30am-9:30am.
The guest CEO speaker is Dr. Brian Davis. Dr. Davis joined The Maritime Aquarium as President and CEO in December of 2014, leaving his position at the Georgia Aquarium, where he was Vice President of education and training. In that capacity, he was involved in the operations and strategy of one of the world’s largest aquariums.
During his time at the Georgia Aquarium, Dr. Davis developed educational programs for students, aquarium guests and employees. Working with local universities, he developed teacher training programs to enhance their knowledge of training at informal educational institutions as part of their teacher science content. Dr. Davis was integral in the Aquarium’s design and the development of its guest experience.
Graduating from Rutgers University in 1992 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Environmental Science, Dr. Davis began his career at the New York Aquarium as an educator in 1992. Several years later, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where he joined the Education Department at Zoo Atlanta. While at the zoo, he worked to bring education programs into alignment with state and national curriculum standards, directed advertising to achieve the revenue goals for the department, and designed science-related professional development programs for grades K-12.
He later earned his Master’s of Education degree in Secondary Science Education from Georgia State University. As a graduate student, he created a student/teacher curriculum for – and organized local implementation of – GenScope, a computer-based genetics program for high school students.
After earning his Master’s degree, Dr. Davis joined the formal realm of education as a science teacher in Georgia’s Cobb County school district. As a first-year teacher, Dr. Davis was the recipient of the Sallie Mae Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award in 1998. He soon became Director of the high school magnet program for Advanced Mathematics and Science Academy at Kennesaw Mountain High School. In that position, Dr. Davis developed a rigorous academic program to ensure students were adequately prepared for postsecondary pursuits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This required fostering and maintaining collaborative partnerships with businesses, universities and technical institutions.
In 2003, Dr. Davis was invited to join the Georgia Aquarium team as the Director of Education. In his role, he created educational content, designed the education level, served as an Aquarium spokesperson and launched all education programs. He eventually returned to Cobb County’s school system, serving as an Assistant Principal/Magnet Coordinator while completing his Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Secondary Science Education (Teaching and Learning) at Georgia State University.
He returned to the Georgia Aquarium in 2010 as Vice President of Education and Training, serving as a member of the senior executive team. He represented the organization as spokesperson at community meetings and professional conferences, as well as served on a variety of national and local boards. He was responsible for building and maintaining working relationships and partnerships with educational institutions throughout the state. He played an integral role in the strategic initiatives of the organization, long-term strategic planning and charting the course for the overall direction of the facility. These experiences served him well as he joins The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk team in December of 2014.
Dr. Davis has published papers on science and aquarium education. He is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Dr. Davis and his wife, Dr. Andrea Davis, have three children.
The Maritime Aquarium's educational programs bring science alive for 125,000 students and nearly 500,000 visitors per year. They connect students with living nature, help close the achievement gap in Connecticut schools, and inspire students to pursue science careers.
One of FELO’s annual goals is to provide its members with the opportunity of meeting a successful CEO … to listen to their story of achievement and accomplishment, while also gaining the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be successful.
Please join FELO members for its upcoming CEO breakfast, and discover lessons on building relationships, developing leadership skills and keeping your edge.
To attend, please RSVP and reserve your ticket for this very informative CEO speaker series event by calling the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce office: 203-255-1011 or register online at: www.FairfieldCTChamber.com. Light continental breakfast will be served.
Date: October 19, 2016, Wednesday
Time: 7:30am-9:30am
Location: Fairfield Theatre Company, Stage 1
70 Sanford Street
Fairfield, CT 06824
RSVP: October 17, 2016
Tickets: Complimentary for current FELO members
$30 for future FELO members
Walk-in’s: additional $5.00
Lite Continental Breakfast will be served.
For more information on this event, please call the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce: 203-255-1011 or register online: www.FairfieldCTChamber.com.