Adam Kohlbeck is an award-winning educational leader, researcher, author and speaker, specialising in teacher development, instructional coaching, curriculum design and educational leadership. As Co-Founder of EduPulse, Adam is passionate about connecting research with classroom practice and creating opportunities for meaningful professional dialogue across the education sector.

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Adam is Director of Teacher Quality at Chiltern Learning Trust, where he leads strategic work to develop teaching, learning and professional growth across the trust. Prior to this role, he spent over sixteen years teaching and leading in schools across London, helping to secure exceptional outcomes and building a strong reputation for developing teachers through evidence-informed approaches to decision-making and instructional coaching.

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A Fellow of both the Chartered College of Teaching and the Chartered Management Institute, Adam also holds Chartered Manager status and completed a Master's degree in Educational Leadership with Distinction. He is currently undertaking doctoral research at St Mary's University, investigating teacher decision-making and professional judgement, contributing to the growing international understanding of how teachers make effective decisions in complex classroom environments.

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Adam serves as an elected member of the Council of the Chartered College of Teaching and contributes nationally through advisory and professional leadership roles. He regularly delivers keynote presentations, works with schools, trusts and universities across the UK and internationally, and is widely recognised for his expertise in professional learning, coaching and leadership development.

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Alongside Chris Passey, Adam co-authored Succeeding as a Deputy Head (Bloomsbury, 2026), with further publications exploring professional development, coaching and educational leadership. His writing has appeared in professional journals including the Chartered College of Teaching's Impact, where he has published on instructional coaching, teacher agency and retention.

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Adam also co-hosts the award-winning Coaching Unpacked podcast series and collaborates with leading organisations across education to explore the latest evidence on teaching, leadership and school improvement. His work is driven by a belief that sustainable school improvement begins with developing great teachers, thoughtful leaders and professionally curious organisations.

Chris Passey is an award-winning educational leader, author, speaker and musician, specialising in educational leadership, inclusion, professional development and evidence-informed school improvement.

 

As Co-Founder of EduPulse, Chris is committed to bridging the gap between research and practice, creating opportunities for meaningful professional dialogue and supporting schools to develop sustainable cultures of learning.

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Chris is Headteacher of Kimichi School, an independent music-specialist school in Birmingham, where he leads the strategic direction of the school alongside its work in SEND, safeguarding, curriculum development and professional growth. Throughout his career he has developed a reputation for combining compassionate leadership with high expectations, particularly in the fields of inclusion, leadership development and organisational culture.

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A Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, the Chartered Management Institute, the Institute of Leadership and the Royal Society of Arts, Chris holds Chartered Manager status and gained a Master's degree in Educational Leadership with Distinction. He is a regular contributor to professional publications and conferences, writing and speaking on leadership, coaching, teacher development, SEND, safeguarding and educational improvement.

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Alongside Adam Kohlbeck, Chris co-authored Succeeding as a Deputy Head (Bloomsbury, 2026), with further books including Effective Professional Development for Great Teaching (Routledge, 2027) and other forthcoming publications exploring leadership, professional learning and neurodiversity in education. His work has appeared in the Chartered College of Teaching's Impact journal, Schools Week and other national education publications.

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Beyond education, Chris has enjoyed a distinguished career in the performing arts spanning more than two decades. He is Co-Musical Director of Birmingham Voices, has worked as a musical director, composer and producer across the UK, and co-founded The Musical Theatre Institute, providing high-quality performing arts opportunities for young people. His contributions to education, music and literature were recognised with the Birmingham Civic Society Arts & Culture Award in 2025.

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Chris also serves as Chair of Governors at a large secondary school and works with schools, trusts and organisations across the UK through keynote speaking, consultancy, coaching and leadership development. His work is driven by a simple belief: the greatest improvements in education come from investing in people, fostering professional curiosity and creating cultures where both staff and young people can flourish.