Jerri Kemble

We need your glow, Firefly friends!
Hanna and I are thrilled our session, "The Badass Firefly Effect," is up on SXSW EDU PanelPicker — and now it’s time to VOTE!
Please watch the video and click the QR code to vote for us.
youtu.be/sDY8p7mWETM

Some evenings refill your battery in all the right ways.

Last night I had the chance to spend the evening with @HollyClarkEdu Holly Clark, and it was one of those conversations that reminds you why lifelong learners seek out other lifelong learners.

What I admire most about Holly isn’t just her expertise in AI or the stages she stands on around the world. It’s that she never loses sight of the classroom. She continues to stay connected to educators, students, and the daily realities of teaching and learning. That connection keeps her work authentic, practical, and deeply relevant.

And let’s give a shout out to Holly as a true San Diego local—she knows how to find the best spots. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend The Baby Grand on Coronado Island. Trust her on that one.

The brightest fireflies don’t shine because they’re the loudest. They shine because they never lose sight of why they started.

As AI continues to reshape education, we need voices that don’t just chase the newest tool—we need leaders who stay grounded in people, curiosity, and learning.

Thank you, Holly, for an evening filled with laughter, thoughtful conversation, and big ideas. I left energized, inspired, and even more convinced that the future belongs to leaders who keep one foot in innovation and the other firmly planted in classrooms.

Here’s to staying curious, staying connected, and never dimming your light.

#BadassFirefly #Leadership #AIinEducation #FutureReady #EdTech #WomenWhoLead

43 years… and what a ride it’s been. ❤️✨

The other day we were visiting with our friends, Sheryl Abshire and her husband, and he said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“I loved her when we were young… but I love her even more now.”

Now that is relationship goals.

Kurt, 43 years later, I can honestly say the same. We’ve built a life that’s been anything but ordinary. We’ve chased sunsets, wandered through new cities, survived the hard seasons, celebrated the great ones, cheered each other on, and somehow managed to keep laughing through it all.

We’ve learned that the best adventures aren’t always found on a map. Sometimes they’re in a spontaneous road trip, an airport gate, a kitchen dance, a long conversation, or simply having your best friend by your side.

And speaking of adventures… ours have been made even brighter by the incredible people we’ve met along the way. Our friends have become family, our family has been our greatest blessing, and together they’ve filled our lives with more laughter, love, encouragement, and unforgettable memories than we could have ever imagined.

Forty-three years later, we’re still collecting passport stamps, inside jokes, and stories we’ll be telling for decades. We’re still choosing each other. We’re still finding reasons to laugh. We’re still lighting each other’s fire.

Here’s to the next adventure, the next dream, the next laugh-until-we-snort moment, and the next chapter.

Happy 43rd Anniversary to us. ❤️

The best is still ahead… and this Badass Firefly can’t imagine a better adventure buddy.

🚨 Dear Betsey Johnson… we need to talk! 💖✨
I carried my Betsey Johnson phone purse all week at ISTE, one of the biggest education technology conferences in the world, and I am not kidding… I could have sold 200 of them!
Every few minutes someone stopped me to ask:�💕 “Where did you get that?”�📱 “Wait… it does WHAT?!”�🎶 “It Bluetooths to your phone?!”
It’s not just adorable—it’s functional. It keeps my phone close, looks fabulous, and actually makes conference life easier.
So here’s my pitch…
Hey Betsey, give my Badass Firefly community a discount code! 🦋✨
I’ll gladly spread the sparkle because educators, women leaders, and conference-goers absolutely LOVE this purse. They don’t just notice it—they want one.
I think we’d make a pretty fabulous team. 💗
Who’s with me? Drop a 🦋 if you think Betsey should hook up the Badass Firefly community with a special discount!
#BetseyJohnson #BadassFirefly #ConferenceStyle #EdTechFashion #WomenWhoLead #FashionMeetsFunction #ISTE

There is something magical about a room full of women who choose to light the way for others.

Today wasn’t about competition. It was about connection.

It was about women sharing ideas, opening doors, cheering each other on, and reminding one another that when one of us shines brighter, we all see a little more clearly.

These are the leaders who are working every day to create better opportunities, greater access, and brighter futures for children in our schools. They’re asking hard questions, building meaningful partnerships, and refusing to settle for “good enough” when it comes to kids.

That’s the Badass Firefly Effect.

One firefly can light up the darkness. Thousands of fireflies? They transform the entire landscape.

If you’re ready to shine a little brighter and help others do the same, I’d love for you to join the movement. ✨

📖 The Badass Firefly Effect is now available at Barnes & Noble:
The Badass Firefly Effect by Jerri Kemble⁠

Keep glowing. Keep connecting. Keep empowering. The children who are counting on us deserve nothing less. 💛🐞

#BadassFireflyEffect #WomenWhoLead #EdTech #Leadership #BetterTogether #LightTheWay