2027 GSTA Conference (01 Aug 2026)

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

2027 GSTA Annual Conference

February 11 - February 12
AmericasMart

240 Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303

Registration Rates:

Early Bird (Register and Pay by 11/19/26): $200

Conference Registration & On-Site: $250

Pre-Service (Must Use a School Issued Email for Registration): $50

One Day Thursday: $150

One Day Friday: $150

Payment Options:

Online via credit card: Master Card, VISA and Discover

Or by Check (Payable to GSTA)

Mail to:

GSTA

860 Johnson Ferry Rd. NE Suite 140-334

Atlanta, GA 30342

Please note: Your registration is not complete until payment is received!

Registration includes membership dues for the next year. Five dollars of your registration fee will be donated to the GSTA Foundation to support teacher mini grants and awards.

If you do not want part of your registration/dues to support the GSTA Foundation, email Zoe Evans, GSTA Registration Chair, zoe.oquinn.evans@gmail.com, to opt out of the GSTA Foundation donation.

Refund Requests must be made to GSTA Treasurer no later than January 11th.

No refunds will be issued after that date.

Effective Strategies for Positive Advocacy with GSTA Strategic Advisor, TJ (Tyler) Kaplan (25 Aug 2026)

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Tyler “T.J.” Kaplan is the founder of MMB Strategies and has built a career applying his education and expertise to public affairs and politics. Since 2011 he has been a strategic advisor to Fortune 500 companies, associations, and nonprofits. He leverages his deep relationships with key state government decision-makers in the areas of technology, healthcare, transportation, education, and utilities to achieve success on behalf of his clients.

TJ’s recent work includes leadership roles in the completion of a multi-year campaign to pass tax-related legislation on behalf of heavy-duty equipment rental companies; comprehensive updates to bicycle lane requirements and electric bicycle statutes in partnership with stakeholders representing varied perspectives; and overcoming stiff opposition to a coalition of data center companies’ efforts to extend industry-related tax incentives. TJ has also led successful campaigns on numerous state budget matters, including expanding school-based mental health services (Apex), Hepatitis C screening, and newborn screening (NBS) for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. In 2025 he led a broad coalition focused on student mental health to secure $2.385M in state dollars to hire school social workers in LEAs that currently do not have one. Over the last decade, he has also leveraged his expertise to assist numerous technology companies in achieving their business development goals. These efforts include passing beneficial legislation and facilitating successful partnerships with state agencies across all state government divisions.

TJ got an initial taste of politics while working in the US Congress, later joining the Georgia Tech Research Institute as a policy analyst where he supported a Georgia Senate committee cataloging the state’s technological assets and developing strategic recommendations for advancing science and technology in Georgia. His work drew the attention of the State Senate President Pro Tempore, who hired him as a legislative aide to manage relations with the governor’s staff and stakeholders seeking to influence legislation in the General Assembly. This experience expanded TJ’s expertise and reputation as a successful strategist and coalition builder.

As an undergraduate at the Georgia Institute of Technology, he was selected as an Eben Tisdale Fellow with the Computing Research Association in Washington, where he also studied at Georgetown University’s Institute on Business and Government Affairs. TJ serves on the Georgia Institute of Technology Alumni Board of Trustees, the board of State Law Resources (an international network of top-tier lobbying firms), and the Exploratory Committee for an Atlanta LGBTQ+ Community Center housed within the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority.

Georgia Science Teachers Association upcoming events

2027 GSTA Conference (01 Aug 2026)

2027 GSTA Annual Conference

February 11 - February 12 AmericasMart

Effective Strategies for Positive Advocacy with GSTA Strategic Advisor, TJ (Tyler) Kaplan (25 Aug 2026)

February 11 - February 12
AmericasMart