From immigrant daughter to hospital CEO, Helen Arteaga Landaverde shares her remarkable journey from translating her father’s leukemia diagnosis as a young girl to leading one of New York’s most vital hospitals with courage, purpose, and heart.
In this deeply personal and inspiring conversation, Helen joins host Ron to reminisce about their NYU days in the 1990s, when two first-generation college students bonded over late nights, campus activism, and dreams that felt far beyond their reach. Today, Helen stands as the CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst as the first woman and first Latina to lead the 192-year-old institution. Her story begins in an Ecuadorian immigrant household in Queens, where ten family members shared one bathroom but never felt poor, surrounded by love and determination.
A defining moment came when Helen’s father fell gravely ill, and a young Helen found herself translating life-altering medical news for her mother — an experience that exposed the inequities of healthcare and ignited her lifelong mission. Decades later, she leads the very hospital where her father passed away, transforming it from a symbol of loss into a beacon of healing and equity. During the pandemic, Elmhurst became a global emblem of resilience, developing protocols adopted worldwide. Under Helen’s leadership, the hospital has raised over $140 million, expanded women’s and pediatric services, and redefined what compassionate, community-centered healthcare looks like.
Helen’s insights extend far beyond medicine, touching on leadership, cultural identity, and perseverance. She speaks candidly about facing bias as a Latina leader, about turning pain into purpose, and about the quiet power of everyday acts of kindness. For Helen, success means staying rooted in community and using every challenge as fuel to make life better for someone else.
Tune in to hear how Helen Arteaga Landaverde transformed hardship into healing, proving that true leadership begins where compassion meets conviction.
Chapters
👋 00:40 Meet Helen Arteaga Landaverde and Her Journey from Ecuador to CEO
📚 01:20 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/
🗣️ 01:21 Ron Shares His Publishing Journey
👩👧 02:14 Helen’s Early Life and Family Struggles
💪 04:09 Overcoming Adversity and Helen’s Path to Leadership
✍️ 20:22 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org
🏥 24:55 Pride in Transforming Elmhurst Hospital
🌎 25:43 Leadership and Transformation During the Pandemic
💡 27:27 Fundraising Success and Technological Advancements
❤️ 29:10 Community Connections and Personal Stories
⚕️ 35:22 Challenges in Modern Healthcare
🚀 45:27 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org
🎙️ 50:52 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.org
Links
Website: https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/locations/elmhurst/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-arteaga-landaverde/
Check out Helen Arteaga Landaverde’s work at Elmhurst Hospital and connect with her on LinkedIn to follow her mission of building healthier, more equitable communities for all.
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Books That Matter: http://booksthatmatter.org
Genius Discovery: http://geniusdiscovery.org
Podcasts Matter: http://podcastsmatter.org
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
For more podcasts that matter, check out https://podcaststhatmatter.org/
From science classrooms to the C-suite, Shakira Petit’s journey embodies what it means to lead with purpose, humility, and strategy.
A former educator turned CEO of SKP Consultants, Shakira joins Ron to unpack how organizations can identify and develop the leaders already within their walls, before crisis forces their hand. Her story bridges the worlds of education, operations, and executive leadership, proving that the best leadership pipelines are grown, not hired.
Shakira shares how divine timing redirected her from a pre-med track to a transformative teaching career at Newark Public Schools, Harlem Children’s Zone, and beyond. What began as a temporary substitute assignment turned into a lifelong calling to develop others. From teaching middle school science to leading district turnarounds, and raising graduation rates from 39% to 95%, her path reflects a deep belief in the potential of people when given structure, trust, and stretch opportunities.
Through her leadership journey, Shakira experienced firsthand how mentorship and intentional development shape strong teams. Drawing from mentors like Geoffrey Canada and Shavar Jeffries, she learned that effective leaders multiply their impact by reproducing excellence in others. Her Antarctica research expedition, corporate leadership at Democrats for Education Reform, and tenure as Chief of Staff at the KIPP Foundation all reinforced a single truth: leadership is both art and discipline, cultivated through reflection, accountability, and courage.
In this conversation, Shakira breaks down her succession planning framework: how organizations can proactively prepare for change, assess internal depth, and strengthen team dynamics. Her “positionless leadership” philosophy, inspired by basketball greats, encourages fluid collaboration and cross-functional strength. Listeners will walk away with a renewed understanding that true leadership is not about titles or tenure, but about nurturing talent and building legacy.
Tune in to hear Shakira’s inspiring perspective on leadership, legacy, and the power of investing in the people you already have.
Chapters
👋 00:51 Meet Shakira Petit and Her Unexpected Journey into Education
📘 01:26 The Power of Publishing and Personal Growth
🔗 01:32 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/
🎓 02:16 From Substitute Teacher to Educational Leader
🏫 06:55 Leadership Lessons and Challenges in Education Today
🌐 23:10 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org
🧭 32:26 The Importance of Succession Planning
⚖️ 33:44 Challenges of External Leadership
🤝 34:29 Building a Strong and Aligned Team
🏀 39:12 Leadership Lessons Inspired by Sports
📚 43:31 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org
💡 49:45 Creating an Effective Leadership Development Program
🎙️ 59:04 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.org
Links
Website: https://skpconsultants.com/
Check out Shakira Petit’s website to explore her leadership development programs, connect with her consulting firm, and learn how to build strong, sustainable teams from within your organization.
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Books That Matter: http://booksthatmatter.org
Genius Discovery: http://geniusdiscovery.org
Podcasts Matter: http://podcastsmatter.org
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
From hospitality manager to leadership coach, Leslie Wade shares her extraordinary journey of transforming lessons from the classroom into a people-centered framework that redefines how leaders grow, communicate, and connect.
Leslie Wade’s story begins in Brooklyn’s "Bed-Stuy" neighborhood, where an early love of learning and a fearless curiosity set her on a path of self-discovery. From being the student who always raised her hand to attending Brooklyn Tech, one of New York’s most prestigious specialized high schools, she found both challenge and belonging among equally driven peers. Her experiences there, and her mother’s fierce intellectual curiosity, sparked a lifelong belief in the transformative power of education.
After studying food service administration at the University of Maryland and working in high-end hospitality and event production in Los Angeles, Leslie found herself unfulfilled by work that dazzled but left no lasting impact. The aftermath of 9/11 became a turning point, prompting her to seek purpose-driven work. Her next chapter in nonprofit and educational leadership, including a pivotal tenure with KIPP New Jersey, immersed her in environments where she could see, firsthand, the profound difference caring adults make in young lives.
Leslie’s evolution into a leadership coach emerged from those classroom observations and her years guiding school leaders. She developed the “What Would A Teacher Do?” framework, revealing that great educational leaders already possess the empathy, structure, and feedback systems needed to manage adults effectively—they simply need to reconnect with their teacher instincts. Her approach challenges conventional leadership training by bridging head and heart, theory and practice.
In this inspiring conversation, Leslie and Ron explore authenticity, curiosity, and the art of leading with humanity. Listeners will walk away seeing leadership through a new lens—one where teaching and management share the same foundation: empathy, structure, and belief in human potential. Tune in to discover how Leslie Wade is helping leaders unlock their inner teacher and transform organizational culture from the inside out.
Chapters
🎙️ 00:49 Meet Leslie Wade and Her Journey from Food Service to Education
📚 01:14 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/
💬 02:09 Ron and Leslie Share Personal Stories
🎓 03:36 Leslie’s Educational Journey and Early Challenges
🏫 07:32 Transition into Charter Schools and Leadership
🌐 29:50 If you are a leader or a changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org
🧭 32:29 Steps Toward Effective Leadership
🪞 33:18 The Power and Value of Coaching
🏅 33:57 Building Multi-Sport Leaders
🧩 36:14 Discovering the “What Would A Teacher Do?” Framework
✍️ 42:47 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org
💡 57:50 Embracing Human-Centered Leadership
🎧 01:02:10 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.org
Links
Website: https://lesliedianewade.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliedianewade/
Check out Leslie Wade’s website and connect with her on LinkedIn to explore her coaching work, leadership resources, and practical tools for building stronger, more human-centered organizations.
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Books That Matter: http://booksthatmatter.org
Genius Discovery: http://geniusdiscovery.org
Podcasts Matter: http://podcastsmatter.org
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
From engineer to ethical luxury founder, Lola Banjo shares her extraordinary journey of building Silver & Riley, a purpose-driven brand redefining what it means to lead, create, and give back with integrity.
Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents and raised across three continents, Lola’s path has been shaped by audacity, curiosity, and an unwavering belief in possibility. As a child in Lagos, she witnessed the realities of poverty and privilege side by side, vowing early to use her opportunities for impact. An academic father who pushed her to master calculus as a child and an entrepreneurial mother who modeled empathy and grit set the foundation for her global outlook and relentless drive. Those lessons would later inform both her leadership and the ethos behind Silver & Riley.
After earning degrees in engineering, math, and finance, Lola built a stellar career as a global strategy executive at Salesforce, Deloitte, and Accenture. Yet the spark of entrepreneurship never faded. A freezing flight during business school planted the seed for a new kind of travel company — one that would blend functionality, beauty, and purpose. Today, Silver & Riley stands as a global ethical luxury brand known for Italian craftsmanship, timeless design, and its groundbreaking Buy 1, Give 5 initiative, through which Lola aims to award 1,000 grants to women entrepreneurs by 2030.
Lola opens up about scaling a mission-led company without losing its soul — from learning to delegate and lead with trust, to protecting her energy and well-being amid the pressures of entrepreneurship. She shares the daily practices that keep her grounded, from prayer and exercise to reframing mindset and embracing joy as a discipline.
This episode of Ronderings is a powerful reminder that legacy isn’t built overnight — it’s cultivated through character, courage, and consistent generosity. Tune in to hear how Lola Banjo is shaping the future of ethical luxury and inspiring a new generation of leaders to build with heart.
Chapters
👩🏾💼 00:41 Meet Lola Banjo and Her Entrepreneurial Journey
🎙️ 01:13 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/
🌍 03:15 Early Life and Inspirations That Shaped Lola Banjo
💡 20:42 If you are a leader or a changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org
👜 21:30 The Birth of Silver & Riley
💖 26:49 Living Out Values Through Social Responsibility
✨ 35:00 Authenticity in Branding and Leadership
🤝 36:05 Leveraging Relationships and Social Capital for Success
📈 39:41 Scaling a Business with Strategy and Grit
📚 45:14 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org
🌿 47:41 Finding Joy and Maintaining Wellness
🔥 50:04 Lessons in Entrepreneurship and Sacrifice
🎧 01:05:40 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.org
Links
Website: www.silverandriley.com
Social Media: Instagram @silverandriley
Check out Lola Banjo’s work at Silver & Riley, follow her brand on Instagram, and explore how her Buy 1, Give 5 mission is transforming luxury into lasting impact.
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Books That Matter: http://booksthatmatter.org
Genius Discovery: http://geniusdiscovery.org
Podcasts Matter: http://podcastsmatter.org
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
From uncovering a hidden family history to empowering a new generation of AAPI leaders, Eddie Shiomi shares how reclaiming his past reshaped his purpose and deepened his approach to leadership, storytelling, and civic engagement.
In this heartfelt and historically rich conversation, Eddie joins host Ron to trace a remarkable lineage stretching from Okayama, Japan to the United States and beyond. He reflects on his great-grandfather Kaishi’s immigration in 1883, his family’s harrowing wartime experiences across Manchuria and Tokyo, and the extraordinary Senate bill that eventually reunited them. These revelations, discovered through his grandmother’s autobiography and a decades-old family binder, transformed Eddie’s understanding of identity and reminded him that “who we are is who we were.”
What began as a personal exploration evolved into a professional philosophy. Drawing from years in public service, including work with the California State Assembly Speaker and leadership roles at Coro New York, Venture for America, and Apex for Youth, Eddie learned that effective leadership begins with curiosity and empathy. Now as Chief Operating Officer of AAPI LEAD, he helps cultivate that ethos at scale by spotlighting the stories of local and municipal AAPI officials and reminding listeners that character development is not just for fiction; it is the heart of authentic leadership.
Together, Ron and Eddie reflect on the intersections of ancestry, politics, and creative expression, exploring how storytelling humanizes civic life and strengthens communities. They discuss the growing visibility of Asian Americans in culture and politics, the challenges of sustaining inclusion across diverse identities, and the urgent need for solidarity amid global uncertainty. Through Eddie’s lens, understanding history becomes not an act of nostalgia but a roadmap for resilience and unity.
Tune in to hear an inspiring journey through generations that bridges art, activism, and ancestry, and rediscover why knowing each other’s stories may be the most powerful form of leadership we have.
Chapters
🎙️ 00:38 Meet Eddie Shiomi and His Journey of Resilience and Activism
📘 01:08 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/
🌏 02:54 Eddie’s Family History from Japan to America
🌿 15:26 Discovering Family Roots and Reconnecting
💡 20:32 Lessons in Leadership and Character Development
🖋️ 23:27 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org
🏛️ 25:12 Exploring the World of State Government
✨ 26:07 Spotlighting Local Elected Officials
🤝 27:36 Personal Stories Shaping Political Impact
🌪️ 30:40 A Personal Journey Through Political Turmoil
🌍 40:24 If you are a leader or a changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org
🎧 53:06 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.org
Links
Website: https://www.aapilead.org/
Instagram:@aapi_lead
Instagram: @eddieshowme
Check out AAPI LEAD’s work, follow Eddie Shiomi on Instagram, and explore how his leadership journey continues to shape a more connected, story-driven future for AAPI communities everywhere.
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Books That Matter: http://booksthatmatter.org
Genius Discovery: http://geniusdiscovery.org
Podcasts Matter: http://podcastsmatter.org
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
From education reformer to grassroots organizer, Justin Cohen shares how his journey from privilege to protest shaped his mission of mobilizing fathers for social change.
Justin Cohen grew up in New Jersey surrounded by educators, with a teacher for a mother and a superintendent grandfather who exposed him early to the inequities baked into the school system. After building a successful career in education leadership and policy, Justin faced a turning point during the national reckoning on race and policing following the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. What began as technical policy work evolved into a deeper calling toward community organizing, where Justin sought to pair grassroots energy with clear demands for justice.
That shift led him to work with Campaign Zero and New York’s abolitionist movement, including the No New Jails campaign, experiences that reshaped how he viewed the balance between movements and policy. In 2024, while helping organize support for Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, Justin launched Dads for Kamala, an experiment in organizing fathers around political engagement with authenticity, humor, and vulnerability. That effort has since grown into Dads for All, an apolitical organization dedicated to tackling universal challenges like childcare, housing, and family economic security.
In this conversation, Justin unpacks the role of masculinity in social change, arguing that fathers represent an untapped force for collective action. He discusses why men often struggle with vulnerability and communication, and how simple practices like side-by-side connection or small acts of organizing can help combat isolation. With honesty and humor, Justin shares how his own fatherhood journey grounds his activism, from advocating for universal childcare to modeling gentler, more restorative ways of being a man.
Listeners will walk away inspired by Justin’s clarity, authenticity, and determination to build a culture where fathers are not only present in their families but also powerful agents of community transformation. Tune in to hear his story and learn how Dads for All is reframing what leadership and care can look like.
Chapters
🎙️ 00:38 Meet Justin Cohen, Co-Founder of Dads for All
📚 01:07 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/
👨🏫 02:52 Justin’s background and early career
⚖️ 05:01 From education to social justice
👨👩👦 08:35 The birth of the Dads for All movement
🏠 14:05 Universal childcare and family economic security
✍️ 23:54 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org
🌸 28:58 Honoring generations of women’s work
👩💼 29:13 The modern family workforce
🌞 30:51 Finding joy and rest in daily life
🧘 34:00 The power of meditation
💬 37:50 Emotional vulnerability in men
🚀 40:58 If you are a leader or a changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org
🎧 53:44 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.org
Links
JustinCcohen.com
Instagram - @juscohen
Homepage: https://dadsforall.com/
Bluesky: @dadsforall.bsky.social
Threads: @dadsforall
Instagram: @dadsforall
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dads-for-all/
Dads for All: https://dadsforall.substack.com/
Spinning Plates: https://spinningplate.substack.com/
Check out Justin Cohen’s work at Dads for All, connect with him on Instagram, and explore his writing on Substack to engage with his vision for family, community, and social change.
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Books That Matter: http://booksthatmatter.org
Genius Discovery: http://geniusdiscovery.org
Podcasts Matter: http://podcastsmatter.org
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
From immigrant to bestselling author and global keynote speaker, Sheena Yap Chan shares her journey of reclaiming identity, building confidence, and amplifying Asian women’s voices through media, leadership, and visibility.
Growing up Chinese-Filipino and moving to Toronto at just seven years old, Sheena faced cultural shame and a painful lack of representation in the media. For years she tried to conform to Western standards, only to realize that denying her heritage kept her small. By reclaiming her identity, she found the courage to launch The Tao of Self-Confidence podcast, which has since become a top-ranked show with over 1.3 million downloads and 800+ interviews.
Her story is one of bold pivots and transformative resilience. Leaving behind a 12-year office job, Sheena followed a calling to create meaningful work, even when that meant challenging cultural and family expectations. The pandemic became another turning point, when she co-created Asian Women Who Boss Up and landed a Wiley book deal, despite battling imposter syndrome. The result was The Tao of Self-Confidence and later Bridging the Confidence Gap, both written against the odds and now widely recognized for their impact.
In this conversation, Sheena offers practical wisdom on confidence-building, from reframing failure to embracing her “ready, fire, aim” approach. She dives into the cultural conditioning and gender norms that often silence women, and explains why visibility is not vanity but necessity, especially for those navigating leadership and entrepreneurship. Her insights on healing intergenerational trauma, saying yes to opportunities, and using AI as a tool for growth provide a roadmap for women to reclaim agency and step into their own power.
Listeners will walk away inspired to challenge outdated narratives, embrace visibility, and start taking bold steps toward their own version of leadership. Tune in to hear Sheena’s remarkable story and gain the tools to bridge your own confidence gap.
Chapters
👋 00:39 Meet Sheena Yap Chan Empowerment Leader and Author
📚 01:26 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/
🌏 03:20 Sheena’s Journey Embracing Identity and Overcoming Challenges
🌟 05:54 The Power of Representation and Visibility
✍️ 07:03 Writing and Publishing Sheena’s Book Journey
💡 08:48 The Importance of Confidence and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
🎤 11:21 Sheena’s Career Arc From Office Job to Public Speaker
🌱 12:52 Cultural Challenges and Personal Growth
🧒 16:18 The Impact of Early Experiences on Confidence
🔑 21:09 Bridging the Confidence Gap Key Takeaways
👩💼 26:28 Empowering Women Leaders
📖 26:45 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org
🚺 27:31 Cultural Challenges for Female Leaders
🤝 31:32 Women Supporting Women in the Workplace
🌐 35:02 Support for Leaders and Changemakers at geniusdiscovery.org
📝 35:43 The Book Writing Process
🤖 39:28 Embracing AI and Technology
⚖️ 46:01 Finding Joy and Balance
✈️ 47:29 Travel and Culinary Adventures
🎙️ 53:25 Start your own podcast with podcastsmatter.org
Links
Website: sheenayapchan.com
Social Media & Resources: All Sheena’s links
Check out Sheena Yap Chan’s website, explore her books The Tao of Self-Confidence and Bridging the Confidence Gap, and connect with her across platforms to start building your confidence through visibility today.
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Books That Matter: http://booksthatmatter.org
Genius Discovery: http://geniusdiscovery.org
Podcasts Matter: http://podcastsmatter.org
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
True leadership is the ability to bridge gaps, translate perspectives, and foster respect, ensuring that every voice—from the visible to the unseen—is valued and heard.
William (Bill) Murphy is the Chief Operations Officer for Indianapolis Public Schools, where he drives operational excellence to support academic success in one of Indiana’s largest districts. He previously led Enroll Indy, served as Vice President of Louisiana Schools for IDEA Public Schools, and was Chief School Support Officer for Jefferson Parish Public Schools, where he helped raise the district's state rating from a D to a B. With experience as a school principal, teacher, and consultant, Bill has shaped educational systems and founded programs like the Center for Resilience, supporting children with severe mental health needs in New Orleans.
Bill shares his journey from upstate New York, his transition to Indiana during the pandemic, and his upbringing in a loud Irish Catholic family, which shaped his direct, loving communication style in both his work and family life. He shares the happiness of being the dad of three Black boys and how his wife’s quieter Southern upbringing contrasts with his. He notes that being in a biracial marriage means constant learning and adapting.
Bill is grateful for the loving people in his community because they are crucial for the support he receives in raising his sons, particularly Black male mentors who step in to guide his children in areas he cannot. Learning humility and navigating the challenges of interracial marriage is crucial for his family, and they foster open communication about everything. His story about adopting his middle son is a miracle in itself.
In work, Bill is a universal translator between departments, so all can have a mutual understanding. Cultural and professional differences between teams can be huge, but decency, respect, and appreciation for each other—especially in silent roles—work like a charm. K-12 education reform, in his opinion, has challenges on the ground versus rhetorical lobbyists and commentators’ way of doing things rather than taking care of students and systemic solutions.
The heart of justice is truth-telling—justice on the smallest or largest scale can’t happen without truth. Let’s be more truthful in our relationships and societal progress.
Show notes:
🇮🇪 Loud dynamics within Irish Catholic families: love language is conflict – protecting and moving each other forward. 01:02
👰🏽♀️ Living in New Orleans and learning between spouses in biracial families: the loving group of Black men who helped his sons. 08:55
😤 Important conversations and strategic planning in a multicultural marriage: comments on the streets and bad experiences. 15:40
😅 Bill’s unusual “Why Teach for America” story: being split 50/50 between charter schools and district schools. 25:03
🤩 The value of invisible roles: treating all people with respect. 31:32
🧞♂️ Communication across departments and being a universal translator: preventing chaos and being a strategic fixer. 36:29
😩 Education and career pathways in K-12 reform: is the same thing happening in education as it is in the working class? 40:37
😇 The Anam Cara – spirit friend: Bill’s adopted son Kiran and the miraculous flow of events. 47:08
💎 Bill’s RONdering: The heart of justice is truth-telling – go to therapy and find what is thriving for you. 51:52
🎨 Bill’s love for tattoos: Black and Irish culture, pop culture, and Game of Thrones tattoos.
💙 Show love for people in operations work: make someone’s day. 57:10
Links
Web: www.myips.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/william-murphy-edd-64857390
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
It’s not about perfection out of the box—it’s about learning to learn and growing through the process.
Dr. Donnell Butler is the Founder and President of Prelude, a nonprofit that partners with employers and schools to create work-based learning experiences, helping students from lower-income backgrounds gain professional skills, explore careers, and achieve economic freedom through paid internships. With over 20 years of experience, he has focused on improving college and career outcomes for underserved communities, previously serving as a dean at Franklin & Marshall College, where he co-led initiatives that significantly increased diversity and graduation rates. A first-generation college graduate from the South Bronx, Dr. Butler holds a B.A. from Franklin & Marshall and a Ph.D. from Princeton University. He serves on the board of the Relay Graduate School of Education and is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow.
Growing up in the South Bronx, combined with a love for learning and academic success, shaped Donnell’s path into the K-12 education world. Living abroad as an "army brat" (thanks to his stepfather's military service) exposed him to different cultures and educational systems. Donnell embraced his love for learning and was determined to create a better life. His mentors—teachers and other adults—guided him and his passion for education and mentorship eventually led him to shift from accounting to working in higher education, particularly at Franklin & Marshall College, where he focused on helping students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.
One challenge newer generations face is the lack of early work experiences, and for both Ron and Donnell, many of the skills needed for success came from on-the-job experiences rather than formal education. That’s why Donnell is so passionate about teaching both employees and young people the value of combining education with real-world experience. He believes in the transformative power of this combination, which is why he founded Prelude—a nonprofit that provides paid work opportunities to high school students.
Skills like interpersonal communication, time management, and problem-solving can only truly be learned in a real-world context. Building supportive environments where students can learn, make mistakes, and grow is essential for their development and confidence. Let’s keep moving forward—let’s show them they have the power to change the world.
Show notes
🗽 EdLoc members and friends: Ron and Donnell share the same passion for sports. 02:20
🪖 Donnell is originally from the South Bronx: He moved frequently and traveled the world until he was 10 years old. 04:55
🏫 Learning in Department of Defense schools: being different but not shy to put in extra effort. 08:10
👦🏾 His first beating was due to his success in school: building a path that would be different from working for the army. 11:00
🏆 Being drawn to mentors and adults: double majoring in college in sociology and accounting. 14:30
🧠 College access and success guru: all the amazing people who changed his mindset. 23:20
🥅 Two-thirds of teenagers had a paid job in the eighties: today, most internships are unpaid, and there’s a lack of work-based learning experiences. 27:24
💰 Ron’s experience as a pharmacy assistant for $4 an hour in 1988: The superpower of learning through trial and error. 32:54
🤑 Structure and regime of working and learning: the power of a paycheck and developing young people. 43:40
💎 RONdering: Understand kids and encourage mistakes—keep moving forward, just like babies learning to walk. Celebrate all the wins. 48:00
Links:
Web: www.joinprelude.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/school/connectwithprelude
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
Well-being isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Lea Crusey is the co-founder and Head of U.S. Expansion for WOOF, a well-being tool for students and teachers. With a career in public policy, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement, she works to expand opportunities for marginalized communities. A former Teach For America corps member, Lea has focused on improving public education, founding Allies for Educational Equity, and designing an innovative pooled giving model. She has also held leadership roles at Democrats for Education Reform, StudentsFirst, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Chicago Transit Authority.
Mathias Probst is the co-founder and CEO of WOOF, a Denmark-based startup providing digital tools to enhance student and teacher well-being in classrooms. He was always part of innovative projects, including launching Detroit's first full-circle aquaponic system, creating a biodiversity-focused business for Danish farmers, and founding CePI. Inspired by their experience as Teach First Denmark educators, Mathias and his co-founder, Amalie Dankert, developed WOOF to promote effective and meaningful student wellbeing solutions.
Lea Crusey and Mathias Probst share their personal and professional journeys that led to the creation of WOOF, tools for students and teachers. Mathias reflects on his early life from being a competitive gymnast in Denmark, his career in philosophy and consulting, and his pivotal experience as a Teach For Denmark educator, where he recognized the urgent need for tools to address student well-being. Lea shares how her upbringing was shaped by her mixed-race heritage and her family's dedication to service, her time as a Teach For America corps member, and her transition into education advocacy.
WOOF has started innovation in education and demonstrated measurable improvements in student outcomes, such as increased attendance and engagement. There is a huge importance of staying connected to the needs of educators and students while normalizing emotional awareness in schools cannot be overstated.
Let’s transform education in the best possible way, using perseverance, humility, and prioritizing human impact over numbers!
Show Notes:
🇩🇰 Mathias grew up in Denmark and he was a purpose-driven person his whole life: from business and eco-consulting to teaching. 03:38
👨🏫 Having no tool for teaching children in need: founding WOOF and supporting the well-being of his students. 07:20
👩🏫 Lea’s experience with the power of community and serving: Teach For America and teaching in Singapore. 11:27
🤯 Working in StudentsFirst: state-level advocacy – decentralization issues and seeing many districts are K-8, not K-12. 15:53
🐘 Allies for Educational Equity work: the elephant analogy and WOOF work. 18:44
🧠 We learn from opportunities to make mistakes: anonymous input of 70,000 kids globally is an important asset for learning. 25:24
🏆 Growing and scaling of the product is sometimes not easy to predict: Allies for Educational Equity and Innovation of 2025. 29:03
💊 Well-being as a ‘means to an end’ in the US: students are reporting anonymously how they are doing and the results are shocking. 34:05
😇 Lack of meaning in our life: finding a deeper connection and what drives your classroom. 39:54
🫂 Emotions need to be validated. 43:51
🤓 Preventing the loss of new generations: create space for safe learning. 47:03
💎 Episode Ronderings: Find a way or make one: it is possible with the right tools. 50:43
Links:
Website: www.planetwoof.io
LinkedIn, Lea: www.linkedin.com/in/leacrusey
LinkedIn, Mathias: www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-probst-25510b12
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
Mohan Sivaloganathan is a founder of Harmonious Leadership, a keynote speaker, consultant, and coach. He is also known as the “Batman of Social Impact” and at night he is a hip-hop artist. Throughout his career, Mohan has supported local and national organizations in orchestrating sustainable transformation and systems change across corporate social responsibility, education, civic engagement, and philanthropy. He is passionate about breaking down the false choice between well-being and performance - an antiquated leadership ideology that inhibits people and organizations from advancing their boldest social impact ideas.
Mohan shares his incredible journey from a fierce, driven leader to a "kingmaker" who uplifts others. Rooted in his Sri Lankan parents' immigrant story and legacy of service, Mohan realized that maturity, humility, and joy in seeing others succeed are pathways to becoming a mature leader and overcoming his anxiety.
For Mohan, traditional notions of masculinity require deep conversations. Vulnerability and empathy are essential to redefining what it means to be a man today. His concept of Harmonious Leadership is different. For him, true impact comes from balancing self-care, purpose, and performance.
Don’t wait for others to create opportunities for you; instead, take the initiative to create your own spaces—places where you can be authentic, connect with others, and express yourself fully.
Show notes timestamps:
🇱🇰 Growing up in Sri Lankan immigrant family: finding success through service but not forgetting their roots. 02:06
🦸🏽♂️ The journey from becoming “a hero” and “king” and becoming a “kingmaker”. 10:01
🏀 Basketball and leadership: I’m not only here to score - alpha males and shifting his view. 14:29
🏆 Archetypes of people to learn from for Mohan: Justin Cohen and solidarity in “Dads for Kamala” campaign. 24:11
💪🏽 Redefining masculinity and challenging traditional stereotypes of masculinity: Silly Sensitive Men playing Uno event. 31:14
⚖️ Balance of self-care, purpose, and performance to survive or to thrive: the concept of harmony in Harmonious Leadership. 38:10
🫂 Reflecting on wisdom and consciousness: important keynotes, coaching, and acts of love with people. 44:64
💎 Mohan’s Rondering: Being in the rooms where everything happens and creating your own spaces for connection and expression. 48:23
Links
Connect: www.linkedin.com/in/msivaloganathan
Website: www.harmoniousleaders.com
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Niloy Gangopadhyay, is a passionate educator, and leader who for over 20 years has been addressing inequities in public education as a systems, school, and nonprofit leader. He began his career as a 2002 Teach For America corps member in San Jose, California, and now serves as TFA’s Vice President for the 35th Anniversary Summit. Previously, he led state-level initiatives for at-risk students at the Texas Education Agency and co-founded Success Preparatory Academy, a K-8 charter school in New Orleans.
His upbringing rooted in his parents' immigrant values of education and service—shaped Niloy’s commitment to becoming a leader in public service.
Sports taught Niloy the importance of teamwork, culture, and data-driven decision-making. Our education system expects first-year teachers to perform at the same level as seasoned educators, and feedback compared to other professions is minimal. Feedback is essential to help teachers grow and improve, and Niloy shares how a strong culture in schools is directly connected with student success.
How to redesign feedback systems in education to better support teachers? Technology, such as AI and video analysis, to provide asynchronous feedback and help educators reflect on their practice might be the key. Niloy is passionate about the importance of ensuring people feel appreciated, supported, and valued (ASV) in their work, and how understanding what motivates individuals can unlock their potential. Let’s connect with our team members on much deeper levels to discover the hidden powers.
Show notes timestamps:
☃️ The impact of trauma and the feeling of not having a home: holidays are challenging for educators. 01:56
🇮🇳 Niloy immigrant parents who placed a premium on education. 04:51
👨🏽🏫 He knew he wanted to work in public service early on: gaining experience with Teach For America. 07:08
🏫 Moving to New Orleans: facing the initial challenges of taking over a failing school. 12:27
😍 His parents were very focused on community service and education. 21:15
🏈 Sports teams and leadership are similar: starting quarterback and first-grade teacher. 27:51
👂🏽 Coaching and feedback are critical in life, sports, and education. 30:24
📈 The importance of using exemplars to showcase the impact of coaching and feedback on teacher growth. 40:11
🆒 The positive impact technology can have on culture, organizational success, and individual growth in education. 48:03
🌸 Teach For America’s Summit: a well of inspiration for K-12 education. 49:21
💎 Niloy’s Ronderings: Making sure people are appreciated, supported, and valued to unlock the potential of individuals by understanding and addressing their unique challenges. 55:21
Links:
Connect: www.linkedin.com/in/niloy-gangopadhyay-76a438159
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Ron’s book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473
We need to create a high bar where the bar is to care about both people and performance. They are not dichotomies; they support each other.
De-Lea Deane-Allen is the founder and CEO of Higher Bar Leadership LLC, dedicated to helping organizations create transformational work environments where all people can thrive. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher, school leader, and C-level executive, she specializes in leadership development, change management, and equity, driving significant improvements in representation, engagement, and performance. She is a Pahara Fellow, ICF-certified coach, and adjunct coach with The Management Center.
Raised by her father from Guyana and her mother from Barbados, De-Lea experienced two contrasting approaches to education that shaped her. Her experience in sports and athletic running, helped her find her confidence and shaped her belief that the power of mindset is more than half of the success.
Her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion is huge. She took on roles focused on creating leadership pipelines and systems for advancing leaders of color. Supporting leaders of color and creating the conditions for them is something she is very passionate about. De-Lea advocates for a "higher bar" in leadership: performance with care for people and long-term sustainability. She is urging leaders to trust their intuition and recognize that the environments they create are just as crucial as the results they aim to achieve.
Show notes:
👫🏽 Child of Caribbean immigrants: the influence her parents had on her education is huge. (01:59)
☀️ A high bar and mindset, combined with love, is the perfect combination for good leadership. (04:06)
🏫 Private school education in a diverse community: Her experience as an athlete and the power of mindset on sports results. (05:39)
The power of connections: When she realized her passion lay in education. (10:55)
🌟 De-Lea's changes and results in leadership: The different environments people build. (13:30)
❓ Why people of color are underrepresented in leadership positions: Her DEI work and success in retaining leaders. (18:30)
👩🏽💼 Starting her own company: A combination of executive coaching and supporting leaders in small and large groups. (20:52)
🏃🏽♀️ Motherhood and challenges with the lack of teachers: The level of stress and getting back to running. (22:30)
🧘🏽♀️ Connection between wellness and leadership: Prioritize wellness, even in small ways, and business success will be affected too. (26:35)
⚡ Higher bar and a need to redefine success: Not thinking short-term, but focusing on long-term sustainability and care for people. (32:18)
🎯 Providing space to identify your foundational values from your early years: Leaders need to share vulnerability and find their strength. (40:26)
💎 De-Lea's Rondering: Conditions matter, so pay attention to them just as you do for performance. (49:10)
Links:
Website www.higherbarleadership.com
Subscribe https://dda.kit.com/a0568c379e
Get in touch www.linkedin.com/in/ddeaneallen
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
True success isn’t just about individual achievement; it’s about the collective rise of our communities.
Analiza Quiroz Wolf, CEO of Women of Color Rise, coaches diverse leaders, including social entrepreneurs and C-suite executives. She recently published The Myths of Success: A Woman of Color's Guide to Leadership, drawing on research and stories from her podcast, Women of Color Rise. Analiza is a former non-profit CEO, U.S. Air Force Captain, Fulbright Scholar, and graduate of the Stakeholder Leadership Governance Institute. Analiza has experience serving on nonprofit boards and hopes to serve on a corporate board.
As a daughter of Filipino immigrants, she shares three major phases in her life: assimilation, self-discovery, and healing. Chasing the "American Dream" and facing cultural pressures to fit into a predominantly white society took a toll, causing her to hide her true self. Then, Analiza’s self-discovery led her to deep healing and specific experiences from which she now sees the world.
Her analogy of babies in the river and the value placed on demographics highlights the flaws in our system’s thinking and approach. In K–12 education, Analiza advocates for a system that encourages critical thinking, empathy, and communication, allowing students to explore their identities and beliefs. That is why she is so focused on coaching leaders of color and creating supportive communities.
Collective success, community, and empathy are fundamental for creating equitable and inclusive environments for all of us to thrive in, and Analiza is a great showcase of that.
Show Notes
🇵🇭 Analiza's story is a typical Filipino immigrant story: it was all about assimilation. 04:05
🎭 It was also a traumatic story of hiding behind a mask: she lost herself. 06:18
👧🏻 Growing up, it was all about being seen but not heard: following orders and achieving perfect grades. 09:56
👧🏻 How Analiza got from the number one brand school in the world to working in education. 14:53
🏫 She used her education to work on starting and scaling schools. 19:16
👩🏻🏫 Analiza is a multi-sector leader: education systems need to get stronger. 22:26
👉🏻 The system isn't broken; it's designed to be this way: the K-12 ed system is about exploiting poverty. 27:12
🏷️ When the system sees a person, based on demographics, there's automatically a value placed on them. 30:45
⚠️ When we are enough, it provides critical thinking, communication, and creativity to solve whatever issue we're facing in our community. 34:03
😇 It's much easier to survive when you're in a community. 38:26
🤓 Today, Analiza is in coaching: she approaches it with a cultural lens, as a woman of color and minority. 41:52
📙 She named her book, The Myth of Success: A Woman of Color's Guide to Leadership. 45:04
🌺 Her faith has opened up so much for her, personally, but also as a leader: it allows her to take risks and really go for what she believes. 46:31
💎 Analiza's RONdering: no matter what challenges you face in life, come back to yourself. 52:25
Links:
• Myths of Success Book: bit.ly/mythsbook
• Podcast: analizawolf.com/womenofcolorrise
• Website: analizawolf.com
• LinkedIn (Analiza): www.linkedin.com/in/analizawolf
• LinkedIn (Women of Color Rise): www.linkedin.com/company/bossmamas
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Summary:
Language has the power to connect people, to move hearts, and to do good in the world.
David Nungaray is a co-founder of Gente Empowerment Network but is actually a forever dual language teacher and principal at heart no matter what his current work title is. The children and families he worked with as an educator are one of his guiding forces in the work he continues to do in education. As a son of Mexican immigrants, a native Spanish speaker, a gay educator, and a first-generation college graduate, he felt on his skin the lack of the system.
David’s story begins with his family’s immigration from Tijuana, Mexico, to the U.S., where they faced challenges due to being undocumented. After a car accident at a young age that left David in a coma, his family’s struggles continued. Despite these obstacles, David excelled in school, thanks to the support of key teachers. He is very passionate about the importance of bilingualism as an asset, not just for students like him who grew up speaking Spanish and struggled during Proposition 227. It is very sad to see that nothing changed for generations in the USA and that 92% of our students are still experiencing programs that are not going to help them.
David hopes to continue making an impact on multilingual education policy and practice, advocating for increased access to bilingual education programs and helping students like him thrive.
Language brings cultural exchange, understanding, and power to the community. We should all respect different cultures and the enrichment they are brining to our lives.
Show notes:
🪄 David is a magician of LinkedIn: he is destined for big things. 1:11
🧒🏻 He is the first child of an immigrant family from Tijuana, Mexico: a car accident completely changed his life. 03:45
🗣️ Learning English was hard for him: he grew up during Proposition 227. 05:34
😎 Teachers who poured faith, learning, and patience into David. 08:52
⭐ The value of bilingualism and languages other than English: 12:13
🤯 Political nature of language: some people were punished for speaking other languages besides English. 15:41
🏆 Circle of champions around David: his parents, his husband, and various mentors and friends who have supported him throughout his career. 19:27
😇 Learn to be direct with people: help from his amazing family and leveraging direct talk from them. 21:33
🏡 Moving from San Antonio to California: harnessing time with his parents and family. 27:01
👔 David’s coaching work around navigating job searches, interviews, and salary negotiations: Latiné often underestimate themselves. 31:07
⚡ Power in asking for what you need: understanding advocacy for yourself. 35:36
🆚 Job hopping and the negative attitude towards it: blaming the individual rather than looking at the system. 37:36
🤓 Shifted to a leader role at 17, becoming a principal at 25: David took all opportunities given to him. 40:37
🌈 Take that leap: being a queer man in Texas without protection. 46:06
💎 David’s RONdering: You can’t pour from an empty cup – take care of yourself and find balance. 54:48
Links
Connect: www.linkedin.com/in/david-nungaray-a4a47115
Gente Website: www.genteempowerment.com
Gente Instagram: www.instagram.com/genteempowerment
Gente TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@genteempowerment
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Raj Thakkar is the author, Founder & CEO of Charter School Business Management (CSBM) as well as FOREsight Financial Services for Good. He is an expert on nonprofit and charter school finance and has presented countless financial best practices workshops across the country. He poured all his knowledge into the book Fiscally Secure: Prepare, Protect & Propel Your CHARTER SCHOOL with Responsible Financial Management to help people learn all the steps in handling finances properly.
Raj is sharing his story from a helper in a family convenience store to a finance pro and how he transformed his career as an Indian immigrant into something he is passionate about. He is passionate about responsible financial management, both personal and professional, and Raj highlights the importance of surviving audits in the charter school finance landscape. His book is a detailed guide to fixing all the ‘symptoms,’ and he shares some of those in the episode.
Like every entrepreneur with experience through hardships, Raj realized that having your circle of champions, surrounding yourself with smart people, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance is the key. He loves yoga, Orangetheory, running, and being active. The power of great people and his community groups helped him during the most difficult times. Raj says that responsible financial management is possible for everyone and is eager to teach these principles to children from an early age.
Show notes:
👨🏽💼 Raj runs the finance and operations for many charter schools across the country: realizing he is a money guy and he landed in finance. 04:11
👦🏽 He got interested in finance as a kid by helping his father run a convenience store. 05:58
👂🏽 In his journey, he did a lot of listening: his first contract was with the New York City Charter School Center. 08:41
💸 Finances in charter schools: you have to survive your audit. 14:44
📘 Raj wrote a book called "Fiscally Secure: Prepare, Protect, and Propel Your Charter School with Responsible Financial Management." 17:28
⚠️ Merging OPS and Finance departments in charter schools is the #1 symptom of a bad finance organization: Raj’s book is the solution for all symptoms in simple terms. 18:27
⭐ Vision is nothing without execution; Raj has a fantastic leadership team and groups that are helping him. 27:39
💪🏽 Advice Raj would give to young Raj: just keep learning and have huge dreams. 33:41
🏃🏽♂️ Entrepreneurs have to take care of their bodies: Raj ran the NYC marathon four times and goes to Orangetheory regularly. 37:43
💎 Raj's RONdering: responsible financial management is possible in your life if you know the components. 42:39
Links
Connect: www.linkedin.com/in/raj-thakkar-135b172
Get a Book: www.a.co/d/9RkcI4b
Website: www.csbm.com
Fiscally Secure: www.csbm.com/fiscally-secure
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron
We know who we are, but we get away from it.
Kendrick Harris is an NYU alumnus, retired Air Force officer, and former business leader with experience in real estate law, construction, and a former lawyer. He is a business owner of the Distinguished Chef and a top-notch chef.
Kendrick is sharing with us his powerful testament to resilience, self-discovery, and transformation. After time spent at NYU, where Kendrick was deeply involved in student leadership and community service with Ron, he took an unexpected path, joining the Air Force as an officer. His military experience, earning a master's degree at Harvard, brought him to leadership positions. Still, his life took a dramatic turn when a series of poor decisions led to his disbarment and criminal charges. He realized that the only path was forward by confronting his mistakes and rebuilding his life from the ground up by pursuing his long-forgotten passion—cooking.
His story of redemption, perseverance, letting go, and centering shows us that one's mistakes do not define them. During his difficult times, Kendrick found motivation in the stories of others who had faced and overcome their own challenges and hardships while becoming the best versions of themselves. His passion for bringing equity to culinary arts, learning the history of amazing Black chefs of America, and bringing the elegance of the cooking experience to everyone is just amazing.
The recipe for finding the way out of the darkness or despair is waiting for you in this amazing episode.
Notes
🍎 NYU Alumni and CPS: helping kids, students, and serving the community. 02:17
✈️ Starting active duty with the Air Force: Kendrick was sent to Harvard to get a master's degree even though he planned to go to law school. 05:15
😇 We hold onto things we think we want: moments where you need to go in yourself and let go.
11:07
⚖️ After the military, he went to law school: rebuilding life after getting disbarred. 12:53
⚡ Getting back to himself through serving others: his love of culinary arts. 16:41
⭐ Clashing with your parents but pursuing their respect: working in Michelin-starred restaurants and being the only Black man in it. 21:29
☯️ Virtual coaches that affected Kendrick’s change: inspiring stories from people who went through a lot. 25:33
👨🏾🍳 Kendrick created The Distinguished Chef Lifestyle Brand: Hercules Posey and James Hemings were amazing Black chefs in the 1700s. 32:50
☯️ His mission is to capture the elegance of the cooking experience: wanting amazing food to be tasted by minorities as well. 39:54
💎 Kendrick’s RONdering: your identity is not defined by your mistakes or your flaws. 42:53
Links:
Connect with Kendrick: www.linkedin.com/in/kendrickharris
About Kendrick: https://about.me/kendrickharris
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thedistinguishedchef
Facebook www.facebook.com/distinguished.chef.9
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron
Why are we resting on proficiency in education?
Tanji Reed Marshall CEO and Principal Consultant of Liaison Educational Partners. With more than 2 decades of experience in the classroom, district, and organization level, she has a lot of gems to share. The problem of educational inequities, and how certain groups of students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have historically been underserved and misinformed by ineffective teaching methods.
The system has too many pockets and gaps - it has to change so it can serve all students suitably. Dr. Tanji advocates for classroom leaders to have skills and tools, but also a mindset to provide the best possible education for all students. Dr Tanji provides a framework for transformative change in education, emphasizing learning, critical thinking about roles in education, planning, applying, evaluating, and integrating practices.
The importance of literacy and the need for proficiency and mastery in education is a must and if all other industry has it, education should have it too because every student has the potential to achieve high results.
Notes:
📖 RONdering as a word in Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 01:54
👩🏾🏫 Starting in retail and switching to education: 03:02
😃🙍🏾 Why do we get so upset when we talk about numbers and education? 09:49
🤯 Moving to North Carolina: changing the standards that are set so low. 13:23
🏆 Going to a Catholic high school and having amazing teachers - Tanji’s circle of champions. 17:22
😍 Literacy and power of reading is important for advanced math: becoming district literacy coach. 23:51
🆚 Proficiency vs Mastery - proficiency is not enough and we need to put more effort into all kids. 25:00
⭐ The three-queuing system is banned in some countries and literacy has to become a right in Massachusetts. 33:39
⚠️ Tanji’s five strategies and four environmental types: integrating practices and changing the system. 39:37
🤔 We are ok with kids being failed: a value disparity in education. 44:27
⚖️ A nationwide misalignment between values and practices in education. 49:58
💎 Tanji’s RONdering: naming the truth on where we are so we can go the way wa want to be. 51:22
📙 Tanji’s book, free course and newsletter.
😇 Too many pockets in education and we don’t want that. 54:30
Links:
Newsletter: POWERfully Curious (newsletter)
Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1416631453/
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron
Jacquelyn Davis is a nonprofit leader and transformative advisor to philanthropies who dedicated her life to the education sector and social impact. Her life and career are led by constant learning and curiosity. She has launched many organizations and initiatives. EDVolution, a boutique consulting she founded has worked with many national foundations – including the Gates Foundation, the Overdeck Foundation, New Schools Venture Fund, the Wallace Foundation, the Walton Foundation, the Rainwater Foundation, the Alice B and James A Clark Foundation, and the Kern Foundation, among others – and numerous education social impact organizations – including Teach For America, New Leaders, and many more.
Growing up in the South in a segregated community with socially conscious parents who taught her that not every family has the same opportunities, Jacquelyn learned from an early age to stand up for what she believes in and bear the cost of it. She witnessed systemic differences and inequalities, and while the changes her family wanted, began at home, Jacquelyn continued to carry the same passion for diversity in her life and work, moving forward.
Today we are facing a national crisis because 70% of kids can’t read by third grade and over 60% of schools in America are not using curriculum based on science-based research on how the brain learns. Sadly, prison beds in this country are based on reading levels, and still, things are not changing.
A new entrepreneurial journey for Jac started when her dyslexic son learned to read using a board game she created. Clever Noodle as an additional tool, can help kids around the country fix their reading issues.
The public education system must provide education for all kids so they can become high-quality readers and open up the doors to their lives and possibilities for their future. We all have a call in this.
Notes:
🎙️ Being curious about people: learning from many experienced interviewers like Jacquelyn how to talk to people, helped Ron become a podcast host. 01:43
⭐ Born and raised in Texas: her dad was a lighthouse of integrity. 02:45
😍 No strangers - all were welcome in their house: nurturing acceptance, desegregation, and having very progressive parents. 05:00
👎🏾 Growing up in the South: a difference and an inequality that was systemic being created. 11:22
⚡ Don’t complain about it - do something about it: The family volunteered for homelessness and food insecurity. 18:06
👧🏾 Jac’s educational path started with school rehabilitation and college for scholarships: when a girl plans her funeral. 20:11
🤓 Startup is a very ambiguous space: you need to know if you are wired to learn everything about everything. 24:17
🏆 Jac’s circle of champions: parents, English teacher, health teacher, and amazing friends who influenced her. 27:54
🧠 Clever Noodle creation: her son was struggling with learning how to read during COVID so Jacquelyn learned how the sequential process in the brain works and created a board game for reading. 35:26
🔥 National crisis on literacy: finding the sweet spot with supplemental products but also science-based reading curriculums in schools - we need multifaceted solutions. 40:07
😇 “Mama, I know you are teaching me how to read but it is ok, because it is fun.” 46:20
✍️ Summarizing and synthesizing complex brain functions are getting developed when we write. 50:38
🤯 Our prisons are full of people who were not taught to read: they are capable but the system is not interested. 55:11
💎 Jac’s RONdering: Stay clever and stay curious to grow opportunities. 57:54
⚠️ Spread literacy by donating games to families and schools. 58:40
Links:
Website: www.clevernoodle.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleverNoodleGames
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/clever_noodle/
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron
Our belief systems are often perpetuated by the members of our community.
A 1991 Vassar graduate, Diane Robinson is a filmmaker and recognized education leader with over 25 years of experience working in the US and globally, helping start and grow social enterprises. Beginning her career through Teach for America, Diane holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, a Master of Arts in multicultural education from California State University, and a Doctor of Education Leadership from Harvard University.
Diane made her first film, The Young Vote, which follows a group of students and activists through the 2020 election, unprecedented social unrest, and a global pandemic, which is now used for the civic development of young people at schools and colleges. Diane believes that films are a great way to change narratives that come out of beliefs and stories and that there is much power in films being used to cultivate new sets of beliefs.
Everything we want in life - the things we want to achieve, our environment, and our beliefs - they all start with us!
🇯🇲 Diane grew up in Jamaica in the 70's, in a very tumultuous time. 3:52
👧🏽 She went to public school in NY and racial and socioeconomic justice became a part of her DNA. 8:12
👩🏽🏫 Teach For America spoke more to her than the law she was studying. 10:19
🍎 Growing up in NY means you have a very diverse group of friends. 15:56
👉🏽 How important it is to believe in yourself: Diane's school counselor experience. 20:29
⚠️ If you want to learn about America, you should teach in a low-income classroom. 27:12
🤔 Belief is a huge part of change: our belief system is stuck. 30:55
😥 Cultural competence: the available data is very intellectual, and it doesn't feel right. 33:43
💲 Low-income kids oftentimes have to work twice as hard because their parents can't pay for them. 38:42
🙃 Our belief systems are sometimes perpetuated by members of our own community. 40:02
🧠 Diane went to Harvard in her late 30's: the importance of understanding the education systems, business, and government. 45:30
🇨🇳 Her experience in China: the strength of their culture benefits education. 48:17
🎥 Turning to film: creating a documentary about young people and voting. 50:32
🎬 Her film made a big impact in schools and communities: we need engagement, voting is not enough. 55:51
💎 Diane's RONdering: everything starts with us. 58:48
🎯 Anything you want to create in the world, first you have to create it within yourself. 1:00:56
Links:
The Young Vote: www.videoproject.org/the-young-vote.html
Connect with Diane: www.linkedin.com/in/diane-robinson-6417255
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron