Episodes

Return guest Andrea Bitner is an English Language Learner (ELL) educator, author, and speaker based in Philadelphia, PA. With 25 years in public education, she has taught K–12 students from around the world. Her debut book, Take Me Home (2021), shares the powerful true stories of 11 former EL students navigating bilingualism in America, while her second book, When Niagara Falls, inspires resilience, belonging, and growth for students and educators alike. Andrea also co-authored The Impact of In...

en Otte is an innovative educational leader with over 20 years of experience as both a teacher and an administrator. After teaching high school social studies for 17 years, Jen stepped into her current role as a high school associate principal. In both positions, and as a stepmom of two teenagers for over a decade, Jen began to realize there was a lot that she - and her fellow educators - needed to learn and understand about the teenage brain. She is the founder of The Teenage Brain Thing, a res...

Decoteau J. Irby, PhD's life work focuses on creating and sustaining organizations that contribute to Black people’s self-determined well-being, development, and positive life outcomes. He is Professor at University of Illinois at Chicago in the Department of Educational Policy Studies. He is the author of Stuck Improving: Racial Equity and School Leadership. Dr. Ann M. Ishimaru is an award-winning scholar, writer, educator and the Killinger Endowed Chair and Professor of Educational Foundation...

Josh Tovar is the Principal at Memorial Pathway Academy (6-12) in Garland Independent School District NE of Dallas since 2016 & the Host of the #PGPPODCAST Sundays 5 pm CST. Find Josh online: Twitter/X: @MPA_GOJAGUARS @JTSOTLIGHTS IG: @jtspotlightd FB: @Mpa Jaguars LinkedIn YOUTUBE @ JOSH TOVAR

Brenna Muldoon is in her 23rd year in education. She is currently the K-12 Director for World Languages and ENL in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District in upstate New York and serves as the co-director of the NYCAL Exam Consortium and Chair of the Capital Area Language Leaders. She started her career as a German teacher in the North Colonie School District. She is the recipient of the 2025 NYSAFLT Remunda Cadoux Award for Leadership in World Language Supervision. She has co-presented wi...

Barbara Oakley, PhD is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan; Michigan’s Distinguished Professor of the Year; and Coursera’s inaugural “Innovation Instructor.” Her work focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior. Dr. Oakley’s research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal. She is a New York Times best-selling author who has published in outlets as varied as the Proceedings of the National...

Michelle has taught elementary/middle school students for 27 years, four of those years, she was an administrator. She holds certifications in Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. She's taught in private, public, charter, and magnet school arenas across the country. Although she has retired, her life’s mission is dedicated to Generation Alpha. She wrote "52 Insights for Gen Alpha: A Conscious Curriculum to place in schools" which talks about the tools of Social and Emotional Intelligence needed to nav...

During the live stream of the 400th episode, yours truly was having some connectivity issues so my guests took over and had a great conversation! They were: Dr. Robert A. Martinez, most recently Superintendent/Chief of Human Resources - has retired from the Antioch Unified School District after 38 years in public education. Dr. Martinez has continually focused on improving and expanding educational opportunities for students. He strives to advance understanding of resiliency research for all hi...

Lulu Buck is a children’s Book author who is currently serving as a coordinator for a local school district in Northern CO. Previously, Lulu held the position of English Language Development and World Language Senior Consultant at the Colorado Department of Education, where she also contributed her expertise to the Standards and Instructional Support Office. Notably, she served as a state trainer for cultural responsiveness, impacting thirty-eight Colorado school districts. Lulu's teaching journ...

Dr. James Lane is a dynamic leader in education whose journey—from classroom teacher and band director to state superintendent and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Education—is as inspiring as it is impactful. Now serving as Managing Director of K–16 at ETS, Dr. Lane is at the forefront of transforming how we connect high school, college, and career readiness. His insights span leadership, policy, equity, and innovation—making him an ideal guest for podcasts focused on education, leaders...

Dave Nagel and Bruce Potter are co-founders of The Center for Collaborative Expertise. Dave’s work focuses on helping schools and districts implement Visible Learning research, assessment and feedback, and effective grading reform at both school and classroom levels. He has supported schools in building impactful PLCs and is a thought leader in the PLC+ framework. Dave has authored seven books, 4 of which are best sellers–aligned to the PLC+ Suite of publications, and contributed to publications...

Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh is a National Board Certified Teacher, CEO of LCT-E Learning Solutions®, and founder of Restful Teacher® and Empty2Empowered™. A globally recognized education leader, Michelle champions equity, innovation, and well-being in education. Her EQUAL Methodology™ equips educators and leaders with research-based strategies and emerging technologies to create inclusive and engaging learning environments. Find Michelle online: www.connectwithmichelle.com it will email you all t...

Russell Van Broklen- aka the Dyslexia Professor, shifts daily reading frustrations into confident academic wins for students facing dyslexia.Dyslexia touches as many as 15–20 % of all learners, yet most families still hear “wait and see.” He flips that script. As the Dyslexia Professor, he translates structured-literacy methods proven most effective for struggling readers into bite-size actions parents can use right away. Find Russell online: website: www.dyslexiaclasses.com https://www.faceboo...

Dr. Anthony Muhammad is a highly sought-after educational speaker and presenter. With nearly 20 years of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, he has transformed school cultures and student proficiency globally. He was named the Michigan Middle School Principal of the Year in 2005. Dr. Muhammad has also been honored by the Global Gurus organization as one of the 30 Most Influential Educators in the world in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. His most recent books include The Way...

Jackie Pelegrin is an Instructional Designer and Adjunct Instructor. Jackie leverages decades of experience as an instructional designer within both higher education and the corporate world. She holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology, both acquired through online learning. In addition to her full-time role as a curriculum writer, Jackie serves as an adjunct instructor, teaching online courses at Grand Canyon University. Find Jackie online: https://designingw...

Dr. Janet Patti wrote Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders a former school leader, is CEO of Star Factor Coaching, a founding member of CASEL, and professor emeritus at Hunter College School of Education at City University of New York, where her teaching and research concentrated on educational leadership. Dr. Robin Stern is the cofounder and senior advisor to the director at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, a licensed psychoanalyst with 30 years of experience, and the author of...

Shira Wolff Cohen brings 25 years of experience in youth workforce development and education. Over a decade of her career was spent in school leadership at a Philadelphia charter school. As a Teacher, Program Director, Dean, Vice Principal, and Principal, she championed student engagement, innovative instruction, and strong community partnerships to create impactful learning experiences. Shira is the co-founder of Innovageous, where she focuses on building partnerships, designing programs, and ...

Josh See is a former teacher, academic advisor, and principal of 13 years. With the average cost of college more than six figures, he has set out to show families how to save tens of thousands of dollars in future college costs by starting college early, in high school. He has helped over 3,000 families create their own college-in-high-school strategy using resources readily available to them, such as earning college credit and graduating with a college degree before graduating from high school....

Glenn Forbes is a school principal and school improvement coach in Queensland, Australia. Forbes has been an educator since 2000 moving from classroom teaching to principalship over the span of his career. His principal experience ranges from small, one-teacher rural schools through to leading large, diverse and complex metropolitan schools. Glenn’s strong belief in cultivating collective teacher efficacy and establishing a culture of high expectations has resulted in marked improvement in vari...

Return guest Dr. Chad M.V. Dumas is a Solution Tree PLC at Work®, RTI at Work®, Assessment, and Priority Schools associate and international consultant, presenter and award-winning researcher whose primary focus is collaborating to develop capacity for continuous improvement. Having been a successful teacher, principal, central office administrator, professional developer and consultant in a variety of school districts, he brings his passion, expertise, and skills to his writing and speaking as ...

Jeff Linden brings energy, real-world experience, and actionable strategies that can inspire educational leaders at all levels. Whether discussing school improvement, leadership development, or the challenges facing modern educators, his insights are engaging and impactful. From experiences working in a variety of school settings such as small rural schools, urban districts, and suburban schools, he's found one universal truth: everyone in education is working toward the same goal to help studen...

Michelle Seijas, Ed.D. is a Latina leader on a mission to honor the generations before her and to liberate the generations to come. Her passions and values led her to begin her career as a bilingual education teacher. Over her 15 years in K-12 schools, she was an instructional coach, elementary school vice principal, district coordinator, and high school principal. Eventually, she moved into the non-profit world as the Founding Executive Director of the Surge Institute in Oakland. There, she est...

Dr. Clay Cook is the Chief Development Officer at CharacterStrong and is an implementation scientist, psychologist, and former paraprofessional and middle school math teacher. He has spent the past 15 years working in partnership with school systems across the country to support the implementation of effective practices that promote better and more equitable outcomes for students. He has been a professor and researcher at three universities (Louisiana State University, University of Washington a...

Mr. Todd Bloomer, with 29 years in public education and 18 in administration, recently retired from a high school principal leading a campus of over 2,500 students. His extensive experience across middle and high school levels, talent for building positive campus cultures, and exceptional hiring practices set him apart. As an author and coach, he offers valuable insights on educational leadership and effective communication. Mr. Bloomer's commitment to creating a supportive, family-like atmosphe...