Episodes

Clarity in leadership starts with visibility—and that’s exactly what DigiCoach delivers. Designed to simplify walkthroughs and feedback, DigiCoach helps school leaders build a culture of coaching rooted in trust, consistency,...

In this special on-location episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with longtime friend and colleague Dr. Daniel Hornick , Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools in Virginia. Together, they ...

Episode summary To celebrate the launch of darrinpeppard.com , Darrin shares six quotes that have shaped his leadership—and how each one connects to clarity, systems, purpose, relationships, and the courage to take the road l...

In this solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard dives deep into one of the hardest challenges leaders face — guiding their teams through circumstances completely outside their control. From district-wide budget cuts to post-COVID un...

Leadership starts with self-awareness—but most assessments only tell part of the story. In this episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with David Kolbe , CEO of Kolbe Corp , to explore the conative side of the human mind—the p...

In this episode, I sit down with Casey Watts—speaker, author, thought leader, and creator of the Clarity Cycle Framework . With over 20 years in education and a decade of coaching experience, Casey has helped countless leader...

In this week’s episode of Leaning Into Leadership , I sit down with Dr. Zac Bauermaster, an elementary principal in Lancaster County, PA, whose fist-bump videos with students recently went viral — one reaching over 382 millio...

In this episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard is joined by Dr. Kacy Shahid and Dr. Kevin Lein , members of NASSP’s Principal Recovery Network . They share their personal journeys through tragedy, the lessons they’ve learned, and the ho...

In this solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard dives into the leadership buzzwords we all hear — and probably use — without stopping to define. Words like collaboration, accountability, engagement, data-driven, and professional dev...

Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Dr. Jason Williamson—speaker, author, and creator of the Second Mile Mentality —to explore how leaders move beyond minimum expectations and build cultures where presence becomes proof. From a...

In Episode 233 of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, Dr. Darrin Peppard welcomes Brad Waid — award-winning Emerging Technology Leader, international keynote speaker, and global futurist. Brad shares insights from his forthc...

In this solo episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Dr. Darrin Peppard dives into the heartbeat of every great school: its culture. Drawing from personal experiences as a principal and superintendent, as well as insights from h...

This week on the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, I sit down with Dr. Jen Schwanke, a seasoned educator, author, and deputy superintendent with nearly three decades of experience. Together, we explore the history of public ed...

What if your approach to leadership could be defined by just six words: Be brave, and care about people ? Julia Bialeski has lived those words throughout her 20+ year career in public education, serving as a teacher, instruct...

The energy of a new school year is electric — but how do you make sure it lasts past the first bell in August? In this solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard shares five intentional leadership moves to keep your momentum alive from...

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Dr. Chad Dumas—PLC expert, consultant, and author of the new book The Teacher Team Leader Handbook . Together, they unpack what it takes to build ...

In this special joint episode of Leaning Into Leadership and Aspire to Lead , Darrin Peppard and Joshua Stamper team up once again for their annual back-to-school leadership conversation. As educators and leaders gear up for ...

Too many school leaders wear burnout like a badge of honor. Dan Stecken was one of them—until he hit a wall. In this episode, Dan, the Superintendent of Seneca Township High School in Illinois, joins Darrin to share his power...

In this solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard shares the framework and mindset behind truly effective leadership teams. Drawing on his work from coast to coast, including a recent workshop at the Innovative Schools Summit in Nashv...

In Episode 224 , Dr. Chris Fuzie joins Darrin for a fascinating conversation on behavior-based leadership and the concept of “liminal space”—the space where individuals lead and follow simultaneously. Drawing from his 28 year...

In episode 223, Darrin wraps up the special six-part NASSP Principal of the Year finalist series with an inspiring conversation with Shauna Haney , Principal of Ogden High School in Ogden, Utah. Shauna shares her journey from...

In this episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, Darrin sits down with fellow high school principal and podcast host Jeff Linden , Principal of Hastings High School in Nebraska. With a shared passion for culture and le...

In this powerful episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Miguel Salazar , principal of Sundown Middle School and NASSP National Middle School Principal of the Year finalist. Miguel shares his deeply personal story—from gro...

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Darrin sits down with Joe LaTorre, a middle school English teacher, team coordinator, and founder of the Bridges program in Long Island, NY. Joe shares how looping, relationship-bu...