The Interview Chair

Episode 82: Cultivating a Thriving Community

In this episode, Texas Principal of the Year, David Arencibia shares his journey from humble beginnings, overcoming situational poverty and dyslexia to becoming a nationally recognized leader in education. David discusses the essential components that transformed his school campus into a thriving school community.

Episode 81: The Power of Mentorship

In this episode, Jennifer Womble shares her journey from a law school dropout to a leader in educational technology.  Jimmy and Jen discuss the challenges and opportunities in education, focusing on the importance of understanding resistance to change, adapting professional development to meet the needs of adult learners, and the role of mentorship and modeling in teaching for all educators. 
 

Episode 80: Finding Purpose Through Adversity

In this episode, Jimmy interviews Jordan Montgomery, a USA Today bestselling author and renowned performance coach. They discuss Jordan's journey from financial services to coaching, the challenges he faced during a difficult season in his life, and the importance of aligning values with goals. Jordan shares practical advice for navigating adversity, the power of vulnerability in leadership, and how to build meaningful relationships through thoughtful questioning. The conversation emphasizes the significance of personal growth and finding purpose in both professional and personal life.

Episode 79: The Power of Support Systems

In this episode, Beth Houf shares her journey as principal, discussing the challenges and triumphs she has faced in her career. She emphasizes the importance of support systems, personal growth, and leading authentically. The discussion serves as a reminder that even the most accomplished leaders can face struggles and that reaching out for help is crucial in navigating the complexities of educational leadership.

Episode 78: We All Need People to Lean On

In this episode, Illinois Superintendent Mike Lubelfeld, shares his experiences in dealing with the trauma of COVID-19, the impact of non-person vs. in-person learning, and the challenges of scaling e-learning with limited resources - all amid a mass shooting in his community.  Mike opens up about how all of this took a toll on him both mentally and physically. 

Episode 77: Every Teacher Is Great at Something

In this episode, Jimmy is joined by teacher Nick Ferroni, who reminds us that there is no such thing as a perfect teacher. However, every teacher is great at something—and even greater when they stop comparing themselves to others.
 

Episode 76: Making an Impact Beyond Your Walls

In this episode, Jimmy sits down with current practitioner and Teacher Librarian Shannon Miller. Shannon shares how she lost her sparkle after she felt boxed in and not given the opportunities to lead or contribute in meaningful ways.

Episode 75: Empathy is the Antidote to Burnout

In this episode, Dr. Jody Carrington reminds us that to best serve our students and families the biggest investment we can make is on ourselves first and that our job as educators and caretakers is to do the next best, right, kind thing.

Episode 74: ROI: Return on Impact

In episode 74, we sit down with Dr. Stephen Peters who reflects on his role as a leader as he shares what he did to honor and be faithful to the work in order to make the greatest impact possible.

Episode 73: You Can Change the Narrative

In this episode, Jimmy sits down with Salinas, CA Superintendent and 2023 ALAS National Superintendent of the Year Zandra Jo Galván who shares how educators can change the narrative and help break the cycle of generational poverty for all kids!