Teacher Empowerment Summit: Recent Episodes
Austin Durr
Sharla Reynolds is committed to best practices in education for all students. She conducts professional development seminars on a variety of topics to teach educators for success in the classroom. With a heart for students and educators she teaches nationally as invited.
Lynmara Colón brings the perspective of a teacher, assistant principal, and principal—positions she has held since joining education in 2003. She is an advocate for all students and believes that no matter what they come from all should have a "Magical" experience.
Dr. Brad Gustafson is an educator, speaker, best-selling author, National School Boards Association “20 to Watch,” Digital Innovation in Learning Award winner, and Minnesota Principal of the Year. He serves on Scholastic's Principal Advisory Board and is a national advisor with Future Ready Schools. His new book, Reclaiming Our Calling, is creating a child-centered ruckus everywhere!
Jennifer Abrams is an international educational and communications consultant for public and independent schools, hospitals, universities and non-profits. Jennifer trains and coaches teachers, administrators, nurses, hospital personnel, and others on new employee support, supervision, being generationally savvy, having hard conversations and collaboration skills. Jennifer considers herself a “voice coach,” helping others learn how to best use their voices – be it collaborating on a team, presenting in front of an audience, coaching a colleague, supervising an employee and in her role as an advisor for Reach Capital, an early stage educational technology fund. She
Dr. Cohn-Vargas is an educator, bullying prevention specialist, author, and speaker focused on inclusion, compassion and belonging. For over 35 years, she worked in public schools as teacher, principal, curriculum director and superintendent. In each of these settings, she focused on implementing effective teaching strategies for diverse student populations. Her book, "Identity Safe Classrooms, Places to Belong and Learn," co-authored with Dorothy Steele, focuses on an equity-focused evidence-based approach for elementary students from all backgrounds. She is currently working on another book, focused on identity safety for secondary classrooms.
Dr. Sanée Bell is the principal of Morton Ranch Junior High in Katy, Texas. She has also served as an elementary principal, assistant principal, teacher, and coach. In 2015, Sanée was recognized as the Katy ISD Elementary Principal of the Year. She earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston Clear Lake. Sanee is passionate about authentic, purposeful learning for students and teachers, and she also has a strong passion for leadership and its impact on teacher engagement, student learning, and school culture. Sanée is co-author and co-editor of the Education Write Series, and she is currently in the production phase of her first book.
Dr. David Franklin is an award winning school administrator, education professor, curriculum designer, and presenter. Dr. Franklin is a Professor of Teacher Education and Education Administration for National University. Dr. Franklin has presented at national and international education conferences and is a sought after presenter in the areas of academic intervention, school leadership, creating a shared vision, creating common assessments, and data analysis.
Jennifer Roy is the award-winning best selling author of books including Yellow Star , Playing Atari with Saddam Hussein, Mindblind, Jars of Hope and the Trading Faces series with her twin sister Julia DeVillers. A former K-6 gifted and talented teacher, Roy loves speaking to students and teachers!
Allyson Apsey has been an educator for over twenty years; a school leader for fifteen of those years. She is passionate about students and staff, and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable, and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the answers.
Michael Matera is a speaker, author, and yes still a teacher. As a gamification guru and moonshot thinker, Michael transforms the traditional classroom into a high-energy environment where active student engagement is paramount. Helping educators learn about the power of a gamified immersive learning environment is Michael’s passion. Additionally, Michael enjoys speaking about the power of intentionality and a joy filled life. Learn more and connect with Michael to come to your school or event on mrmatera.com.
Kevin Leichtman is the director of Academic Mindset. This company was founded in partnership with Z Winning Mindset, which helps athletes to strengthen their mindsets in order to compete at their best, consistently. Kevin, along with his wife, Dr. Anala Leichtman, adapted the Z Winning Mindset model to academic programming in order to help students achieve at their maximum potential in school and life. Their curriculum, professional development, and e-book have been featured in schools across the country and around the world.
Ambrose WB is health and fitness coach and consultant at MISPIBO Fitness. The Director of a local non-profit, SKY Schools, teaching tools for stress-management and emotional regulation. And believes the opportunity for entrepreneurship in education is needed now.
Thousands of educators are exiting the field of education every year, exhausted and burnt out. Frustrated by this crisis that hurts our students, LaVonna set out on a worldwide mission to serve educators, authoring 8 books on brain research and engaging instruction, creating the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® framework, and providing professional development for educators internationally. Her life’s passion is to empower educators like YOU to find the greatness within your students and the greatness within yourself so we can radically change the traditional approach on how to educate in order to best serve our students. As an elementary and secondary educator, keynote speaker, author, consultant and mom, she is here to serve you so you can effectively serve your students through the lens of brain research, social-emotional needs and the whole child!
Daniel Bauer is the founder of Better Leaders Better Schools, a popular blog and most-downloaded podcast for leaders in education. He helps school leaders fight isolation and frustration through his leadership community, “The Mastermind,” in order to gain clarity and find solutions to their greatest challenges. Daniel is also the author of The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap.
Kim Strobel is a teacher, education consultant, motivational speaker, and happiness coach. During her 20-year career, she has partnered with teachers and students at all levels to implement innovative and inspirational practices in the classroom, increase academic achievement, and create positive school-wide climates. As a sought-after presenter and speaker who’s appeared on stages across the country, she emphasizes the importance of professional and personal happiness and motivates her audiences to live empowered lives.
Lisa Flynn is founder of ChildLight Yoga and its school-focused affiliate, Yoga 4 Classrooms, national programs providing evidence and trauma-informed professional development training, curricula, products and support for thousands of educators, counselors, allied health professionals, parents, kids’ yoga teachers and others who support the social, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being of children, youth and families. Lisa is author of several popular books and activity card sets used by school, educators and parents and is sponsor and contributor to the Research Repository: Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness for Children, Adolescents and in Schools, a free resource for schools, program providers, researchers and others interested in the growing body of evidence supporting mindful practices in schools. In addition to leading a team of 20 trainers supporting a diverse group of schools, organizations and individuals in implementing yoga and mindfulness, she serves as a national presenter and passionate advocate for whole child education and youth mental health and well-being. An award-winning entrepreneur, Lisa lives in Southern Maine with her husband and two teenage children, where she also volunteers her time as a School Board Director.
Justin Baeder is Director of The Principal Center, where he helps districts build capacity for instructional leadership by helping school leaders confidently get into classrooms every day, have feedback conversations that change teacher practice, and identify their best opportunities for school improvement. A former principal with Seattle Public Schools, he holds a PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Washington, and is the author of Now We're Talking! 21 Days to High-Performance Instructional Leadership (published by Solution Tree).
Amber Harper is a Google Certified Trainer, and Innovator. She is the founder of www.burnedinteacher.com and The Burned-In Teacher Podcast and creator of Burned-In Teacher Coaching and EdTech Consulting where she has joined her two loves in her career: edtech and innovation in the classroom and her obsession with helping educators who are struggling to find their own passions and their next best step in education and in life.
Leroy Slanzi is an educator who believes all children can become intrinsically motivated to do the right thing. Many kids are naturally motivated but the majority are not due to many different life circumstances. Leroy believes that through play kids can be taught and learn to make the right decision when they hit a crossroads where they need to decide between right and wrong.
Austin welcomes you to the content and shares his top 3 tips for getting the most out of these audio interviews.