In this powerful episode of Behaviorally Speaking: Leadership for Change-Makers, Dr. Esther C. Bubb is joined by Dr. Tessa Barry and Dr. Donnell Thomas for a rich, reflective conversation on behaviorally informed leadership in education and beyond. Drawing from their shared Grenadian roots and diverse professional journeys, including education, agriculture, justice, and policy, the guests explore how early life experiences, cultural values, and intentional behaviors shape effective, sustainable leadership.

Together, they explore leadership through a behaviorally informed and culturally grounded lens, examining how leadership is shaped by lived experience, education, community, and systems. They discuss leadership as influence rather than position, the importance of humility and flexibility, and why creating safe, supportive environments is essential for learning and growth. From classrooms to communities to systems-level change, this episode highlights how consistent values, collaboration, and everyday leadership behaviors—listening, modeling, reinforcing, and adapting—create meaningful impact and drive sustainable change.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How leadership shows up in everyday behaviors—not just formal roles • Why transformative leadership outlasts charisma • How culture and upbringing shape leadership identity and values • The role of behavior in education, agriculture, and social systems • How leaders can build hope, capacity, and equity through action • Why showing up—and staying engaged—matters in creating change

Whether you are an educator, administrator, emerging leader, policymaker, behavior analyst, or change-maker committed to ethical and human-centered leadership, this episode offers powerful insights you can apply immediately, challenge how you think about leadership, and inspire you to lead with intention and purpose.

🎧 Tune in to explore how leadership behaviors—not just authority—drive lasting change.

Dr. Tessa Barry’s Bio

• Grenadian from the community of Birch Grove, St. Andrew.
• Educator for over 20 years at both primary and secondary level in Grenada.
• BSc: Management Studies
• MSc: Development Studies: Economics and Rural Development
• PhD: Agricultural Extension: Food Security, Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Gender
• Current: Part time lecturer UWI St Augustine
• Consultant for a number of organizations including: FAO, World University Services of Canada.
• Research Fellow with the University of Liverpool England
• Serves on the board of the Grenada Food and Nutrition Council
• Managing Director of consultancy firm: JRI consultancy.
• Publisher: number of reputable journals
• Mother to one daughter Zadie Barry…Wife to Mr. Learrie Barry
• Engaged in community development work and youth development in church
• Lover of sports and culture

Dr. Donnell Thomas’s Bio

• Educator for 7 years in Grenada
• High School Teacher in the US for the last 18 years.
• Former head of the Language Other Than English (LOTE) at Hirschi High School and Legacy High school.
• Current International Baccalaureate Spanish teacher for the last 12 years at Hirschi High School and Legacy High School.
• Undergrad in Spanish and Psychology at Midwestern State University (2005).
• Masters in Human Resource Development (Specializing in Training and Development) from Midwestern State University (2011).
• D at Western Illinois University in Educational Leadership concentrating in Organizational Leadership Equity and Inclusion (2025).
• Former Teacher of the Year nominee at Wichita Falls ISD in 2023.
• Father of 3 (Jelani, Jrue, and Jovani Thomas). Husband of one to Dr. Renisha Thomas.

What does leadership look like when it’s grounded in everyday behavior, not titles or authority?

In this episode of Behaviorally Speaking: Leadership for Change Makers, host Esther C. Bubb is joined by Evangelist Dr. Monay Legette, Ed.D., Principal and Building Supervisor at Samuel Everitt, for a powerful conversation on translating leadership vision into daily practice.

Dr. Legette shares her leadership journey and offers candid reflections on building trust, designing systems with purpose, and honoring the whole person in schools and organizations. Together, they explore how behaviorally informed leadership, rooted in clarity, empathy, and intentional environments, can shape culture, support accountability, and create spaces where people thrive.

In this episode, you’ll hear insights on:

• Leading with service, not status
• Designing systems that support people and positive behavior
• Why connection matters more than perfection in building trust
• Balancing accountability with compassion
• Recognizing the power of small, consistent gestures in shaping culture
• Navigating resistance and change with transparency and respect

Whether you’re an educational administrator, emerging leader, or change maker working in complex systems, this episode offers grounded, practical strategies for leading with intention and impact. 🎧

Tune in to discover how leadership behaviors—not titles—create cultures of belonging, trust, and sustainable change.