Arthur L. Costa is emeritus professor of education at California State University, Sacramento, and cofounder/codirector of the Institute for Habits of Mind. He has devoted his career to improving education through more "thought-full" instruction and assessment.

Costa has served as a classroom teacher, a curriculum consultant, an assistant superintendent for instruction, and the director of educational programs for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He is recipient of the Malcolm Knowles Award for Self-Directed Learning from the International Society for Self-Directed Learning. He has made presentations and conducted workshops in all 50 states and internationally.

Bena Kallick is the cofounder/codirector of the Institute for Habits of Mind and cofounder for Eduplanet21. Her areas of focus include group dynamics, creative and critical thinking, personalized learning, and alternative assessment strategies in the classroom.

Kallick also created a children's museum based on problem solving and invention. She taught at Yale University School of Organization and Management, University of Massachusetts Center for Creative and Critical Thinking, and Union Graduate School. She served on the board of Jobs for the Future and was a cofounder of Performance Pathways. She provides consulting services for school districts, state departments of education, professional organizations, and public agencies internationally.