Episodes

  • Authentic Connection in an AI World: ADHD at 50, Leadership, and Human Networking with Dave Delaney

    Authentic Connection in an AI World: ADHD at 50, Leadership, and Human Networking with Dave Delaney
    Feb 4 2026

    From broadcaster to ADHD advocate: Dave Delaney shares his journey of turning lifelong curiosity, comedy, and communication expertise into a mission to help others understand and manage ADHD. With over two decades of podcasting experience, Dave has explored everything from parenting with his wife on Two Boobs and a Baby to solo musings on Walking with Dave, and now educates audiences through his podcast ADHD Wise Squirrels. His storytelling blends humor, empathy, and insight, making complex topics approachable while celebrating authentic human connection.

    Dave’s path was shaped by discovery and adaptability. Majoring in radio and television broadcasting, his hyperactive, class-clown personality led him to study improv at Second City in Toronto, honing skills that would inform his podcasting, public speaking, and networking work. Recently diagnosed with ADHD at fifty, Dave reframed decades of personal and professional experience, realizing that his innate curiosity and energy could empower others. Along the way, he navigated the evolving landscape of social media, podcasting, and live performance, learning to balance technology’s benefits with its potential to dilute human connection.

    Based on his knowledge and experiences, Dave shares practical strategies drawn from improv, communication theory, and ADHD research. He emphasizes the “yes and” mindset for authentic leadership and networking, the importance of mastering material to allow genuine improvisation, and how long-term, empathetic engagement outweighs transactional connections online. He also addresses ADHD management, offering resources like free screenings on wisesquirrels.com and insights into coaching oneself to stay focused and productive.

    Listeners will gain a nuanced perspective on leadership, creativity, and resilience. Dave highlights how embracing neurodiversity can enhance collaboration and innovation, and why in-person relationships remain irreplaceable even in a digital-first world. His reflections on humor, storytelling, and human connection invite audiences to see both personal challenges and professional opportunities in a new light.

    Tune in for a conversation filled with laughter, insight, and actionable advice, and discover how Dave Delaney transforms curiosity and creativity into tools for connection and understanding.

    Chapters

    00:49 🎙️ Meet Dave Delaney the Podcasting Pioneer

    01:45 📚 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com

    02:39 🎧 Explore Dave Delaney’s Podcasting Adventures

    06:44 🎭 Discover the Power of Improv and Networking

    19:45 💡 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org

    29:05 📝 Dave’s Struggles with ADHD and Writing

    30:15 🌐 Tracing the Evolution of Social Media

    32:21 ⚠️ Understanding the Dark Side of Social Media

    42:34 🤖 AI and the Future of Networking

    00:46:17 🌟 Leaders and Changemakers Can Get Support at geniusdiscovery.org

    47:01 🧠 Understanding ADHD through Personal Insights

    01:03:06 🎙️ Want a Podcast Like This One? Check out podcastsmatter.org

    Links

    Website: https://davedelaneyspeaks.com
    Social Media: https://davedelaney.me/linkage
    Connect with Dave Delaney to explore his ADHD resources, follow his podcast ADHD Wise Squirrels, and learn how improv, storytelling, and authentic networking can transform your communication and leadership skills.

    Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
    Check Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473

    Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
    Publish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.org
    Start a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.com
    Go from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org


    For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • When Your Value Is Overlooked: Finding Your Worth and Creating Impact in Education with Nautrie Jones

    When Your Value Is Overlooked: Finding Your Worth and Creating Impact in Education with Nautrie Jones
    Jan 28 2026

    From classroom teacher to leadership architect, Nautrie Jones shares her journey of transforming educational systems and workplaces by helping people recognize their value, develop their potential, and create meaningful impact.


    Nautrie Jones, co-founder of Empact Work, has spent over two decades shaping people-centered leadership across education and organizational consulting. Beginning her career in Atlanta Public Schools, Nautrie quickly distinguished herself as a thoughtful educator and mentor, known for her empathetic approach with middle school students and her ability to create structured, engaging classrooms. Her dedication extended beyond academics, providing students with basic needs and fostering a sense of belonging, which became a cornerstone of her professional philosophy.

    Her path wasn’t without challenges. After over a decade of teaching, Nautrie recognized her contributions were undervalued when a modest raise was denied, prompting her to reassess her career trajectory. Mentorship, reflective practice, and a pivotal recommendation from a former colleague eventually led her to Teach For America, where she honed her skills in teacher coaching, leadership development, and team strategy. Each transition, from educator to instructional coach to organizational consultant, was marked by courage, curiosity, and a commitment to seeing potential in others.

    Through Empact Work, Nautrie and co-founder Travonnie Mackey address systemic gaps in talent development and workplace alignment. They equip managers with the tools to support teams effectively, clarify value propositions so employees understand their path to success, and ensure strategic plans translate into measurable performance. Nautrie emphasizes that leadership is as much about understanding people’s motivations as it is about strategy, and she encourages reflection, curiosity, and deliberate practice as keys to lasting impact.

    Nautrie discusses recognizing opportunity, cultivating empathy, and translating experience into scalable frameworks for growth. Listeners will walk away inspired to embrace persistent callings, build compassionate communities, and lead with clarity. Tune in to hear Nautrie’s insights and discover how cultivating human-centered leadership can transform both organizations and lives.

    Chapters

    00:38 👋 Meet Nautrie Jones, From Classroom to Co-Founder

    01:29 📚 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com

    02:20 🏫 Nautrie’s Early Career and Teaching Philosophy

    23:35 ✍️ Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org

    24:24 💼 Transitioning to Talent Strategy and Empathy in Leadership

    30:59 💖 Spiritual Currency and Abundance

    31:59 🎓 Navigating Challenges in Education

    35:38 🚀 Transition to Teach For America

    47:20 🌟 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org

    48:07 🤝 Founding Empact Work

    54:26 🔮 Final Reflections and Future Plans

    01:00:06 🎧 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.com


    Links

    Website: www.empact.work
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nautrie-jones
    Connect with Nautrie Jones to explore her approach to leadership, discover Empact Work’s professional development offerings, and learn how to create workplaces where people feel valued, empowered, and clear about their contribution.

    Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
    Check Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473

    Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
    Publish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.org
    Start a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.com
    Go from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org


    For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Transforming Broken Systems: Designing Justice Systems That Help Young People Thrive with Dr. Gisele Castro

    Transforming Broken Systems: Designing Justice Systems That Help Young People Thrive with Dr. Gisele Castro
    Jan 21 2026
    From a childhood shaped by crisis in the Bronx to leading one of New York’s most influential juvenile justice organizations, Dr. Gisele Castro shares how lived experience became the foundation for systemic change and courageous leadership.In this episode, Ron welcomes Gisele Castro, CEO of Exalt, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to supporting court-involved youth through education, paid internships, and cross-sector collaboration. Recently earning her Distinguished Doctoral Degree from NYU Steinhardt, Dr. Castro reflects on her journey as a scholar-practitioner who bridges research, policy, and on-the-ground impact. With more than two decades in the juvenile justice field, she is widely respected for building ecosystems that center young people while transforming how institutions work together.Dr. Castro traces her purpose back to a defining moment at age fourteen, when her older brother was shot and became entangled in the juvenile justice system. Witnessing her family navigate a broken system without adequate resources reshaped how she understood inequality, poverty, and opportunity. Though she once imagined a career in journalism, that same curiosity evolved into a deeper question: what could she build to change outcomes for young people facing the same barriers her family did?Throughout the conversation, Dr. Castro unpacks the philosophy behind Exalt’s success, from cultivating internal self-reflection and coaching to uniting judges, prosecutors, educators, nonprofits, and youth who rarely sit at the same table. She shares insights from her doctoral research, Innovation Versus Incarceration, and introduces the emerging 2030 Project for Juvenile Justice—a blueprint designed to close the gap between scholarship and practice while centering youth voice. Listeners will also hear how Exalt approaches leadership development, talent mobility, and intentional scaling as it expands from New York City to Syracuse.At its core, Dr. Castro’s journey is a powerful example of legacy, environment, and responsibility. She challenges leaders to reject scarcity mindsets, invest deeply in people, and model wellbeing so young people can truly thrive. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on how proximity to adversity, paired with disciplined leadership, can reshape systems and create lasting impact.Chapters🌱 00:39 Meet Dr. Gisele Castro and Her Journey of Resilience📘 01:53 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/ ✨ 01:53 The Spark Behind a Lifelong Mission🏛️ 02:46 Building Exalt and Transforming Systems and Lives🔮 04:43 Personal Reflections and Future Aspirations✍️ 17:12 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org 🧠 26:25 Intellectual Inspiration and Family Legacy📍 29:45 Exalt Expands Its Impact to Syracuse📈 32:16 A Methodical and Strategic Approach to Scaling🏙️ 35:09 Building the Next Generation of Leadership in New York City🚀 38:24 Inside Exalt’s Leadership Development Model🌐 40:52 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org 🎙️ 52:29 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.com LinksWebsite: www.exaltyouth.orgExalt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/exalt_2/Socials: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisele-castro-9860b8b/ Connect with Dr. Gisele Castro’s work through Exalt and follow her journey as she continues to reimagine juvenile justice, leadership development, and systems built to help young people and communities thrive.Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapataloCheck Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473 Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.comPublish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.orgStart a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.comGo from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org
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    54 mins
  • Rest as Infrastructure: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Break the Burnout Cycle with Josh Feldman

    Rest as Infrastructure: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Break the Burnout Cycle with Josh Feldman
    Jan 14 2026
    From learning differently to leading differently, Josh Feldman shares how a childhood shaped by learning disabilities became the foundation for redesigning work culture around rest, humanity, and sustainable impact.Josh Feldman is the Founder and CEO of R&R: The Rest of Our Lives, a practice dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations build cultures where people can actually thrive. With over 20 years of experience as a master facilitator, coach, and community builder, Josh has worked across nonprofits and social impact spaces, bringing deep empathy, creativity, and systems thinking to leadership development. His work challenges the assumption that productivity and exhaustion must go hand in hand, especially for changemakers doing meaningful work.Josh traces this philosophy back to his childhood, sharing a formative fourth-grade memory of seeing beauty in New York City buildings while struggling to read. Navigating a learning disability with the support of thoughtful parents and teachers taught him early on that there are many valid paths to success. Those experiences shaped his belief that differences can become superpowers—building collaboration, empathy, and inclusive leadership skills that would later define his career.The conversation explores why so many leadership programs fail to create real change: people are simply too burned out to absorb what’s being offered. Josh explains how this realization led to founding R&R and advancing practices like sabbaticals, Break Weeks, and redefining rest as organizational infrastructure rather than individual self-care. He emphasizes that leaders must model rest themselves, normalize practices like naps and meeting-free time, and reject false urgency that keeps teams trapped in constant sprint mode.Josh is calling to redesign work around life, not the other way around. Josh and Ron reflect on hustle culture, nonprofit scarcity narratives, and the opportunity to use this moment of technological change to re-center humanity at work. Listeners will walk away with a more expansive understanding of rest, permission to experiment with what restoration looks like for them, and a vision for building workplaces that can sustain impact for generations to come. Tune in for a thoughtful, restorative conversation that just might change how you think about leadership, productivity, and what really matters.Chapters🎙️ 00:39 Meet Josh Feldman and His Mission to Transform Work and Leadership📚 01:24 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/ 🌱 09:45 Founding R&R the rest of our lives🛌 13:37 Why rest belongs at the center of leadership and work culture✍️ 22:40 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org 🧭 29:26 Reflections on leadership maturity and personal growth⏰ 31:23 Flexibility, autonomy and trusting people at work❤️ 32:55 Redefining rest and well-being beyond self-care🏗️ 39:13 Redesigning work culture for long-term sustainability🤝 47:44 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org ✨ 52:17 Final reflections and an invitation to rethink work🎧 57:09 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.comLinksWebsite: https://restofourlives.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-josh-feldman-4a84297/Explore Josh Feldman’s work at R&R: The Rest of Our Lives to discover research, tools, and practical frameworks, like Break Weeks, sabbaticals, and glimmers, that help organizations and individuals build more humane, sustainable ways of working.Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapataloCheck Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473 Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.comPublish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.orgStart a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.comGo from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org/
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    58 mins
  • Where You’re Born Isn’t Destiny: How Identity, Privilege, and Relationships Shape Real Impact – with Sana Shaikh

    Where You’re Born Isn’t Destiny: How Identity, Privilege, and Relationships Shape Real Impact – with Sana Shaikh
    Jan 7 2026

    From first-generation Pakistani American immigrant to national leader in educational equity, Dr. Sana Shaikh shares her journey of using identity and lived experience to transform communities and advance opportunity for all.

    Sana Shaikh is a nationally recognized expert in education, policy, and economic development, currently serving as a Business Development Specialist at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. With over 14 years of experience spanning K–12 education, nonprofit leadership, and public policy, she has dedicated her career to building systems that center equity, inclusion, and authentic human connection. Her journey began as a Teach For America corps member teaching high school in Baltimore, where the realities of systemic barriers reshaped her understanding of opportunity and inspired her to pursue a PhD at Brandeis University.

    Sana’s path has been marked by pivotal turning points, from teaching in under-resourced schools to leading cross-sector initiatives in economic development. She reflects candidly on the challenges of navigating higher education, professional spaces, and personal life as a mother and immigrant. These experiences highlighted that meaningful change is not just about credentials but about authentic relationships, curiosity, and connecting deeply with others to understand their real needs.

    Throughout the conversation, Sana shares practical insights on fostering trust, cultivating empathy, and leveraging personal and professional privileges to create systemic impact. Her frameworks emphasize authentic engagement, cross-cultural understanding, and the power of intentional collaboration. She also explores how exposure to diverse communities and perspectives strengthens leadership, broadens empathy, and equips individuals to address inequities thoughtfully.

    Listeners will leave inspired by Sana’s message that impactful work requires both courage and vulnerability, and that each person can use their unique identity and experiences to make a difference. Tune in to hear her stories, lessons, and actionable advice on turning lived experience into leadership and lasting community impact.

    Chapters

    👋 00:38 Meet Dr. Sana Shaikh and Her Journey of Sacred Synthesis

    🔗 01:32 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/

    🌍 02:27 Dr. Sana Shaikh’s Immigrant Experience and Career Path

    🤝 06:14 Building Authentic Connections and Impactful Policy

    🎓 24:08 Balancing Life While Pursuing a PhD

    💪 26:24 The Emotional and Physical Labor of Academia

    🗣️ 27:01 Navigating Relationships and Negotiations During Doctoral Work

    📖 28:43 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org

    💼 30:30 The Art of Building Connections

    🚀 36:17 Empowering Entrepreneurs and Strengthening Communities

    🌟 38:41 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org

    🎧 44:24 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.com


    Links
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sananaeemshaikh/
    Check out Dr. Sana Shaikh’s LinkedIn to explore her work in educational equity, economic development, and cross-sector collaboration, and discover how she turns lived experience into meaningful impact.

    Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
    Check Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473

    Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
    Publish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.org
    Start a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.com
    Go from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org


    For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org/
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    47 mins
  • Leadership Lives in the Body: What Endurance Sports Teaches Us About Sustainable Leadership – with Jessica Sutter

    Leadership Lives in the Body: What Endurance Sports Teaches Us About Sustainable Leadership – with Jessica Sutter
    Dec 31 2025
    From middle school teacher to Ironman athlete and DC State Board of Education president, Jessica Sutter shares how endurance, youth voice, and values-aligned leadership can transform both systems and lives.Jessica Sutter is the founder of EdPro Consulting and a longtime education leader whose career spans classrooms, state policy, nonprofit consulting, and elected office. Beginning as a middle school teacher in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, she built a reputation for thoughtful systems design and deep respect for young people as civic actors. Her work has included serving as the elected Ward 6 Representative, and later President, of the DC State Board of Education, alongside advising organizations nationwide through EdPro Consulting. Across every role, Jessica brings a rare blend of policy expertise, community listening, and whole-person leadership.A defining throughline in Jessica’s journey has been endurance athletics, which began unexpectedly when her students invited her to join Girls on the Run. What started as road running grew into triathlons and Ironman training, providing mental clarity, resilience, and structure during demanding seasons of leadership. She credits athletic discipline along with friendships and communities outside of work for helping her complete her doctorate, run for office, and navigate public leadership without burnout. The conversation also highlights how coaching in sports reshaped her belief that no meaningful challenge is solved alone.Throughout the episode, Jessica shares practical insights on authentic youth engagement, emphasizing that young people immediately sense inauthenticity. Drawing from Jesuit principles of working “for and with others,” she describes how real change happens when adults listen first and create structures where youth voices genuinely matter, including on decision-making committees. She also challenges assumptions in education leadership by reframing organizational mergers as opportunities for resilience, growth, and legacy rather than failure.At its core, Jessica discusses alignment between body and mind, values and work, service and sustainability. Jessica reflects on what she calls “sacred syncretism,” the integration of personal, professional, and spiritual dimensions that allows leaders to show up fully for others. Listeners will walk away inspired to rethink leadership, community, and the many ways their unique gifts can serve the world. Tune in for a grounded, hopeful conversation on building resilient systems, and a resilient self.Chapters🎙️ 00:39 Meet Jessica Sutter educator and policy leader📘 01:27 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/ 🛤️ 03:11 Jessica Sutter’s journey from accidental educator to policy leader🏃‍♀️ 09:16 How athletics shaped professional growth and resilience✍️ 14:49 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org 🤝 19:16 Why community and coaching matter for leadership🗳️ 27:25 Engaging young people in the political process🎓 29:23 Lessons on authentic youth engagement from classrooms to school boards⚖️ 31:10 Challenges and opportunities in youth civic engagement🌱 34:50 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org 🏫 37:22 Consulting work and mergers in the education sector🧭 46:54 Aligning personal values with professional life🎧 54:14 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.com LinksWebsite: https://www.edproconsultingllc.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicasutter/Explore Jessica Sutter’s work through EdPro Consulting, connect with her on LinkedIn, and dive deeper into her writing and leadership to see how values-driven systems change can take root in communities.Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapataloCheck Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473 Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.comPublish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.orgStart a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.comGo from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org/
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    55 mins
  • From Comfort to Conviction: Leading Education Systems through Identity and Truth – with Jenai Emmel

    From Comfort to Conviction: Leading Education Systems through Identity and Truth – with Jenai Emmel
    Dec 24 2025

    From educator to organizational designer and education advocate, Jenai Emmel shares how a life shaped by service, spirituality, and public education led her to reimagine leadership, storytelling, and systemic change in schools.

    Jenai Emmel is the founder of Byrd and the Center for Education News, where she works at the intersection of organizational design, culture, and public education advocacy. With a 25-year career spanning roles as a teacher, school and district leader, and consultant, Jenai brings a rare blend of lived experience and strategic insight to the education sector. Her work centers on listening deeply to stakeholders, including students, educators, families, and communities, to design systems that truly serve those closest to the work.

    Throughout the conversation, Jenai reflects on formative influences that shaped her leadership, including her military family heritage, multicultural background, and Buddhist upbringing. She shares how these experiences instilled a strong sense of service, growth, and accountability, and how adversity has consistently served as fuel rather than a barrier. Rather than chasing endless achievement, she emphasizes integration by aligning personal, professional, and spiritual dimensions to create sustainable impact.

    Jenai also discusses her transition into independent consulting and media work, including merging her ventures under one organization and launching the Center for Education News after discovering how little and how negatively K–12 education is covered in the media. Drawing from Buddhist principles of cause and effect and continuous improvement, she explains how personal transformation and community change are inseparable. Her leadership approach prioritizes reflection, feedback, and the courage to engage complexity instead of oversimplifying it.

    This episode offers a thoughtful reflection on purpose-driven leadership, the responsibility that comes with independence, and the importance of amplifying underrepresented voices in education. Tune in and get inspired to ground your work in values, and care for yourself while serving others.

    Chapters
    👋 00:39 Meet Dr. Jenai Emmel and her vision for reimagining education

    📘 01:19 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/

    🌍 02:09 Dr. Jenai Emmel’s story of identity values and multiculturalism

    🧘 05:18 How Buddhism shapes Dr. Jenai Emmel’s leadership approach

    ✨ 11:20 Exploring spirituality and personal belief systems

    ✍️ 29:04 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org

    ❤️ 30:49 Empathy and learning how to manage emotional weight

    🌱 34:23 Balancing self-care with professional growth

    🚀 45:04 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org

    🎓 45:39 Advocacy work and the future of compulsory education

    🎙️ 51:23 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.com


    Links
    Explore Jenai's work through Byrd and the Center for Education News to engage more deeply with thoughtful, inclusive conversations shaping the future of public education.

    Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo
    Check Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473

    Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com
    Publish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.org
    Start a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.com
    Go from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org


    For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org/

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    53 mins
  • When Being “Cool” Isn’t Enough: The Leadership Shift from Popular Ideas to Real Impact – with Oscar Wang

    When Being “Cool” Isn’t Enough: The Leadership Shift from Popular Ideas to Real Impact – with Oscar Wang
    Dec 17 2025
    From first-generation student to transformative education leader, Oscar Wang shares his journey of reshaping college access in Philadelphia while building a life defined by curiosity, empathy, and impact.Oscar Wang, the founder of College Together, is an Asian-American social entrepreneur dedicated to creating flexible, student-centered pathways to higher education. A graduate of Haverford College, he has spent over a decade addressing systemic barriers faced by first-generation students, blending mentorship, advocacy, and innovative programming to make college attainable for learners of all ages and backgrounds. Known for his humor, candor, and thoughtfulness, Oscar also embraces the small joys of life, from playful wordplay to discovering the city’s best cheesesteaks.His journey wasn’t linear. Initially choosing a college based on proximity to the White House, Oscar realized the importance of aligning decisions with purpose rather than appearances. As the sole transfer student at Haverford, he navigated isolation and self-doubt, eventually founding Mentor for Philly to connect college students with high school mentees. Early nonprofit ventures highlighted a gap between popular programs and real-world outcomes, leading him to pivot repeatedly until founding College Together, an institution that combines project-based learning, flexible credit pathways, and personalized student support.Oscar shares frameworks and principles that guided his leadership: prioritizing mission over ego, embracing collaboration, and learning from “happy hour” conversations to uncover authentic problems. He emphasizes that ideas can evolve, but values remain constant, and that meaningful change comes from empathy, listening, and proximity to the communities served. Through College Together, students earn credits, gain work experience, and complete degrees on timelines that reflect real-world constraints, challenging traditional notions of the college experience.Listeners will take away insights into leadership, innovation, and the power of culturally attuned mentorship. Oscar’s story underscores the need for representation, persistence, and adaptability in creating educational models that meet learners where they are. Tune in to hear how one leader is redefining college, bridging gaps between aspiration and access, and inspiring a new generation of students and social entrepreneurs.Chapters👋 00:38 Meet Oscar Wang on Resilience and Innovation📚 01:14 Publish your book at https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/ 🌎 05:08 Oscar's Journey from California to Philadelphia🏫 06:59 Founding College Together with Challenges and Triumphs💡 17:54 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at booksthatmatter.org 🤝 27:18 Reflecting on the Mentorship Program🍹 31:39 Learning from the Happy Hour Principle🔄 32:41 Pivoting to a New College Model🎓 38:02 Adapting Education to Modern Students' Needs🌟 43:38 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out geniusdiscovery.org 🚀 45:41 Advice for Aspiring Social Entrepreneurs🎧 51:54 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out podcastsmatter.com LinksWebsite: collegetogether.org Instagram: @collegetogetherInstagram: @oscarkirschwangCheck out Oscar Wang’s website, follow him on Instagram, and explore his innovative approaches to higher education and mentorship to see how students of all ages can access meaningful, flexible learning opportunities. Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapataloCheck Out Ron's Book: www.amazon.com/dp/1613431473 Leverage Publishing Group: www.leveragepublishinggroup.comPublish a Book That Matters: http://booksthatmatter.orgStart a Podcast That Matters: http://podcastsmatter.comGo from Expert to Thought Leader: http://geniusdiscovery.org For more great podcasts like this one, visit: https://podcaststhatmatter.org/
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    55 mins