Judith Baenen is a speaker, author, and consultant who focuses on issues affecting middle grades students and their families. She has been a classroom teacher, an administrator, and is the former director of member and affiliate services for the National Middle School Association. Judith is the author of NMSA's popular publications H.E.L.P., More H.E.L.P., and H.E.L.P for Teachers and is a regular contributor to Middle-E Connections. Judith works with both private and public schools as they transition from a junior high to a middle school philosophy. Her humorous keynote speeches are filled with real-life middle school experiences that provide insights into the lives of young adolescents.