Educator · Leader · Author · Speaker

Meet Tom.

Educator · Leader · Author · Speaker

Thomas C. Murray is a nationally recognized and highly sought-after keynote speaker known for blending clarity, authenticity, and practical insight to help leaders strengthen culture, communication, and learning design.

He serves as Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools®, a project of All4Ed based in Washington, D.C., where he works at the intersection of leadership, policy, and practice to support learner-centered transformation at scale.

National Impact

Murray has testified before the United States Congress and collaborated with the U.S. Senate, the White House, the U.S. Department of Education, state departments of education, corporations, and school systems nationwide. His work helps leaders move from intention to action by building trust, aligning systems, and designing experiences that actually impact people.

As a keynote speaker, Tom is known for engaging, story-driven sessions that challenge thinking, spark reflection, and leave audiences with ideas they can use the next day.

Best-Selling Author

A USA Today and ASCD best-selling author, Murray has written three recognized best-sellers:

How You Show Up: Change the Belief. Change the Outcome.
Author · 2026

Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime.
Author · 2019

Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow’s Schools, Today.
Co-author · ASCD · 2017

Best-Selling Author

2024

2024

2024

Top 100 Influencers in Education, District Administration

2024

Top 100 Influencers in Education, District Administration

2024

Top 100 Influencers in Education, District Administration

Top 100 Influencers in Education, District Administration

Top 100 Influencers in Education, District Administration

As an author, Murray has released, or been a part of, seven books:

  • Book cover titled “How You Show Up” by Thomas C. Murray, featuring a shark fin above water connected to a goldfish underwater.

    How You Show Up: Change the Belief. Change the Outcome

    (ConnectedEDD, 2026)

  • Book cover titled 'Personal & Authentic' with a heart-shaped fingerprint graphic in blue, orange, and teal, against a white background, with the subtitle 'Designing Learning Experiences That Impact a Lifetime' and author Thomas C. Murray.

    Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime

    (IMPress, 2019)

  • Book cover titled "Learning Transformed" with an image of open glowing digital box amid several solid-colored boxes on a dark background, authors Eric Sheninger and Thomas C. Murray.

    Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow's Schools, Today

    (ASCD, 2017)

  • Cover of a book titled "Because of a Teacher" with a subtitle "Stories of the Past to Inspire the Future of Education." The cover features an illustration of a tree with green and yellow watercolor leaves against a beige background. The author is George Couros.

    Because of a Teacher: Stories of the Past to Inspire the Future of Education

    (IMPress, 2021)

  • Book cover titled '10 Perspectives on Innovation in Education,' edited by Jimmy Casas, Todd Whitaker, and Jeffrey Zoul, part of the Routledge Great Educators Series, Volume 1, with a black textured background and colorful text listing contributing authors.

    10 Perspectives on Innovation in Education

    (Routledge, 2018)

  • Cover of a book titled 'Education Write Now,' edited by Jeffrey Zoul and Joe Mazza, with authors' names listed on a blue vertical banner. The cover features a yellow background with blue scribbles and lined paper pattern, against a white brick wall.

    Education Write Now

    (Volume 1, Routledge, 2017)

  • Book cover titled 'Leading Professional Learning: Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers'. The cover features a white background with colorful speech bubbles along the right edge. A blue speech bubble at the top contains the text 'Corwin Connected Educators Series'. The authors are Thomas C. Murray and Jeffrey Zoul, with social media handles @thomascmurray and @Jeff_Zoul.

    Leading Professional Learning: Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers

    (Corwin, 2015)

Learn More

You can connect with Tom on various social media channels.

Awards and Recognition

Tom's interview before his ACSA (California) Keynote in 2018.

Check out this Sketchnote from Tom's GAETC (Georgia) 2018 Session!

Tom joins U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, and Superintendent of the Year, Mark Edwards, for the Opening National PTA Keynote Panel.