Episodes

Dr. Cynthia Rapaido, a highly accomplished educator, holds an Ed.D. in International and Multicultural Education and an M.A. in Educational Administration from the University of San Francisco. She earned her B.S. in Applied Arts and Sciences Biology from San Diego State University. With over 30 years of experience in K–12 education, she has served as a high school principal, assistant principal, and teacher, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the educational landscape across various school...

Sarah Wysocki is a longtime educator, child advocate, author, and mom, living in Annandale, Virginia. She is a lifelong learner who has a Bachelor of Science in health psychology, a master's in teaching, and a post-graduate certificate in TESOL. Sarah is driven to support the growth and development of the whole child, with a special interest in social and emotional well-being. When she's not busy sparking the love of learning in her students, she can be found volunteering in her neighborhood or ...

Christopher J. Jochum, Ph.D. currently serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) where he leads a large teacher preparation program, serving on-campus and virtual students across the country. Jochum’s previous professional appointments include the University of Nebraska at Kearney as an Associate Professor of Foreign Language Education and Spanish, the University of Central Missouri as an Assistant Professor of Secondary Education, ...

Alyssa Gallagher is the Head of BTS Spark, America (West & Central), Speaker & Facilitator in Leadership Development, Multipliers, Design Thinking and co-author of MESSY Leadership . She is a passionate and experienced education leader, author, speaker, and consultant. She has over 20 years of leadership experience in various educational settings, from district administration to non-profit management. She is currently the Head of BTS Spark, America (West/Central), a global education non-profit...

Roni Habib author of Happy & Resilient: The Complete Guide to Joyful Teaching, Learning & Living . He is an expert in helping leaders, educators, and parents become happier, more resilient, more connected to their purpose, and more playful. The founder of EQ Schools, he leads workshops and speaks in organizations nationally and abroad. Follow Roni on FB, X, IG, Bluesky @roninhabib

Matt Sherrill is a Regional Educational Technology Coordinator for the Learning Technology Center, serving Illinois’ East Central region. Always an early adopter, Matt is passionate about utilizing technology to drive impactful learning and supporting fellow educators as they grow fluent in new tech. An educator with 15 years of classroom experience, Matt previously worked as an ELA teacher and department chair in McLean County Unit 5 schools. Matt also holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Le...

Brenda Yoho is the author of Lead with Two Rules: Feeling Good and Feeling Safe. Her career in public education spanned more than 25 years, as a teacher, elementary principal, middle school principal, and director. She provides encouragement and leadership advice. As an educational consultant with over two decades of experience in the education sector, she partners with the Illinois Principals Association to support K-12 principals, educational leaders, and staff members in rural and urban set...

Tom Pesce is an international speaker, educator, emcee, and motivational entertainer. His long client list includes companies such NASA, Amazon, Google, NBC, Nasdaq, Formula 1, and more. He’s been a 4th & 6th teacher for 20 yrs. Tom has toured as a headliner for Princess Cruises and regularly works with professional sports teams and Fortune 500 companies around the world. Recently named “Entertainer of the Year” and honored by the Site Crystal Awards as “Standalone Celebratory Event of the Year”...

Zach Groshell, PhD is a highly distinguished teacher, instructional coach, and education consultant. Zach is based in Seattle, WA and works with schools nationwide and internationally to develop high quality instruction based on the science of how kids learn. Zach hosts the podcast, Progressively Incorrect. Find Zach online: Twitter, Threads, BlueSky (@mrzachg) @scienceofmath He has a FB group. Visit his blog, www.educationrickshaw.com

Dr. Jim Marshall author of Right from the Start: The Essential Guide to Implementing School Initiatives Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University, where he serves as the Senior Director for the Ed.D. program in PK-12 School Leadership. Dr. James Marshall’s life-long work lies at the intersection of people and the organizations in which they work—and optimizing the synergy that fertile convergence holds. His scholarship, teaching, and consulting combine our understanding o...

Dr. Christopher Culver is a proud product of Oklahoma education and has served educational communities since 2013 as a classroom teacher, secondary principal, and most recently as a cabinet-level administrator. Dr. Culver is a product of a divorced family and split time between Tulsa & Wyandotte, OK and Fayetteville, NC during his childhood. Currently, Dr. Culver serves as a consultant with expertise in kindness, culture and understanding Gen Z/Gen A, and as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City...

Special episode: Spotlight on Master Scheduling Dr. Laurie Barron is the superintendent of the Evergreen School District in Kalispell, Montana, and was named 2021 Montana Superintendent of the Year. She has been a high school English teacher and coach, a middle school assistant principal, a middle school principal, and a part-time assistant professor. A National Board–certified teacher, she was 2012 Georgia Principal of the Year and 2013 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year....

Dr. Debbie Zacarian is known for her expertise in strengths-based leadership, policy analysis, instructional practices, and partnerships with culturally and linguistically diverse student and family populations. With over three decades of combined experience as a district administrator, university faculty member, and educational service agency leader, she founded Zacarian & Associates and has been providing consulting and professional development throughout the United States. She has written ma...

Joe Davis is the author of The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone’s Gain. Joe is a Managing Director and Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group. He is a former Head of BCG in North America and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He oversaw BCG’s operations in the US, Canada and Mexico and was recognized as one of the Top 25 Consultants of the year in 2011. He has 4 children and 8 grandchildren. Board chair of the Center for Inclusion and Equity. Find Joe onlin...

Debra Armstrong is an Educator, Trainer, and Coach (ETC) dedicated to guiding professionals and small business owners on their journeys to achieve professional growth and business success. With years of experience, she has honed the art of personalized coaching, offering tailored solutions that fit her clients' unique needs, goals, and personalities. Find Debra online: www.nexxtlevelcareers.com LinkedIn: @debraarmstrong

Rick Hess is a scholar, author, and educator. Pens “Rick Hess Straight Up” for Education Week and “Old School with Rick Hess” for Education Next. Senior contributor to Forbes, executive editor of Education Next, contributing editor to National Review, and author of books including A Search for Common Ground and The Great School Rethink. Dr. Hess started his career as a high school social studies teacher. He has taught at the University of Virginia, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown Univ...

For over 20 years as a school principal, educator, author, and coach, Rob Owen has seen the deep impact that stress and burnout have on teachers. After a life-changing car accident at 17, Rob found healing through Tai Chi and Qigong, practices that became central to both his personal and professional life. Now, he shares these mindful practices through Move 2 Focus, helping educators and students—especially those with ADHD and anxiety—find calm, focus, and emotional balance in the classroom and ...

Dr. Shelby Kretz is the creator of Little Justice Leaders, an organization that provides social justice education resources for educators and families. Shelby earned her Ph.D. in Education from UCLA, and her research explores social justice education at the elementary school level. Over the past decade, Shelby has worked with thousands of parents, teachers, and school leaders to bring social justice education to elementary aged kids. Find Shelby online: Get her free guide for talking to kids a...

Scotty Aemis is passionate about helping parents navigate childhood trauma. After he and his wife adopted two children, they found themselves learning everything they could about helping their children thrive. Everything that felt instinctively “right” was actually not helpful for children trying to heal from trauma. That set him on a journey to develop his PSR (Positive Safe Relationships) Approach toparenting. It’s helpful for all children and parents, but especially those navigating childhood...

Renes Lophanor is a multilingual (speaks English, Haitian Creole, French, German, Spanish and Slovak) author and certified teacher (Spanish/French at secondary ages 11-18) with over two decades of experience in education. Has also taught music, drama, art. He is a musician and performs every weekend. He is the author of I Still Love Teaching Despite Having All The Reasons In The World To Quit: Observations Of The Education System. Find Renes online: https://reneslophanor.com/ https://www.faceboo...

Mike Anderson has been an educator for many years. A classroom teacher for 15 years, he has also coached swim teams, worked in preschools, and taught university graduate-level classes. In 2004, Anderson was awarded a national Milken Educator Award, and in 2005, he was a finalist for New Hampshire Teacher of the Year. Now an independent education consultant, Anderson works with schools in rural, urban, and suburban settings across the United States and beyond. A bestselling author, he has written...

Kass Minor is the co-founder of The Minor Collective, which fosters sustainable equity in schools. Author of Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy & Justice in Our Schools (ASCD). Bio: Kass Minor is an inclusive educator and author who is deeply involved in local, inquiry-based teacher research and school community development. She is the author of Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools and the co-founder and Chief Strategist of The Minor Collective, a community-based organizati...

Mark Windschitl is a professor of Science Teaching and Learning at the University of Washington. His research interests deal with the early career development of science teachers—in particular, their trajectories toward ambitious and equitable pedagogy. He is the lead author of Ambitious Science Teaching (Harvard Ed Press), along with Jessica Thompson and Melissa Braaten. His research has appeared in The American Educational Research Journal, Teachers College Record, Cognition and Instruction, P...

Steve Bollar, a.k.a. Stand Tall Steve, is an educational thought leader, former Superintendent of Schools, principal, author and a school culture and motivation expert. He is known for his quick wit, creative thought, and humorous personality. Find Steve online: LinkedIN, FB, Tiktok, YouTube @standtallsteve IG @stevenbollar