Square Pizza: Recent Episodes
SchermCo
The Square Pizza podcast focuses on the intersection of education, innovation, and diversity. We host and interview leaders doing incredible work around the country to ensure all students have access to an equitable education. The Square Pizza podcast is hosted by SchermCo, a social-impact implementation firm that offers strategic implementation and project management services to schools and education-focused organizations across the country.
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
In this episode of the Square Pizza Podcast, host Greg Schermbeck sits down with Rod Banks, long-time community development and philanthropy leader, for a candid conversation on leadership, career growth, and the evolving landscape of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Rod reflects on his journey from economic development in Spartanburg to nearly two decades with Wachovia and Wells Fargo, where he has shaped philanthropic investments across housing, small business growth, and financial health. Along the way, he discusses how his calm leadership style—something inherited from his father—has influenced both his personal and professional life, and why open dialogue with nonprofits is critical for long-term community impact.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Rod’s reflections on family influences, staying grounded, and even his passionate side as a Steelers fan
- The scale of investments in Charlotte and western North Carolina, with a focus on housing, small businesses, and financial mobility
- Lessons from partnering with both established organizations like Gardhouse & Freedom Fighting Missionaries
- Why nonprofit leaders should lean into authenticity and open conversations with funders—even when it means discussing vulnerabilities
- Insights on the growing conversation around nonprofit mergers and acquisitions, and why sustainability must be central to strategic planning
- His hope for Charlotte’s CSR ecosystem: continued collaboration among funders to meet community needs with both rigor and trust
This episode is for nonprofit leaders, funders, and anyone invested in community change. Rod’s steady leadership, deep experience, and practical wisdom offer a grounded perspective on how philanthropy can adapt and thrive in uncertain times.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
In this full-circle episode of the Square Pizza Podcast, host Greg Schermbeck reconnects with Jason Terrell, President of the R. Howard Dobbs Jr. Foundation, for a wide-ranging and insightful conversation on fatherhood, leadership, and the evolving world of philanthropy.
Jason reflects on how his personal and professional journey has shifted since his last appearance in 2020—moving from nonprofit founder to a philanthropic leader with a statewide platform. Along the way, he shares what it means to lead with trust, how his thinking has evolved, and why the future of meaningful giving lies in deeper collaboration and intersectionality.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Jason’s reflections on parenting and how teaching and leadership tools show up at home
- His career shift from Profound Gentlemen to leading a $65M foundation with a two-person team
- Why philanthropy is more fragile than it appears—and what nonprofit leaders need to understand
- The Dobbs Foundation’s approach to funding education, health, and the environment, and how Jason applies a “multi-solving” lens to support holistic change
- The growing role of AI in philanthropy, from data transparency to democratizing access to information
- A call for funders to serve as learning engines, not just check writers, and to prioritize trust and flexibility alongside accountability
This episode is for nonprofit leaders, funders, and anyone navigating the intersections of community work, equity, and innovation. Jason’s honesty and strategic clarity offer a blueprint for how philanthropy can evolve without losing its heart.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
In this episode of the Square Pizza Podcast, Greg sits down with Aaron Randolph, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Carolina Youth Coalition (CYC)—an organization supporting over 500 high-achieving, under-resourced students across Charlotte. With warmth and wisdom, Aaron shares how his upbringing in a small Florida town, passion for football, and early exposure to AmeriCorps shaped his path into educational equity.
Key Highlights:
- From Lake City to Leadership: How growing up in rural Florida and attending Cornell shaped Aaron’s core values and his community-first approach to leadership.
- The Power of Athletics: Lessons from the football field that translate into resilience, teamwork, and accountability—essential for building thriving organizations.
- Carolina Youth Coalition’s High-Touch Model: A deep dive into CYC’s mission, growth, and what sets it apart in the college access space—including mentorship, career readiness, and a second campus powered by CPI Security.
- Juggling (Literally & Figuratively): Why Aaron became a “master juggler” in third grade and what the skill teaches him about focus, presence, and leadership.
- AI & The Future of Work: Aaron’s insights on how artificial intelligence is reshaping workforce development—and what that means for the students and families CYC serves.
- Academic Cool Factor: How CYC intentionally makes college and academic success aspirational, especially for first-gen students.
Whether you're a leader, educator, or just curious about what it takes to build pathways for student success in the 21st century, this episode offers fresh perspective, honest storytelling, and practical leadership takeaways.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Christine Edwards Pitkin, Founder & CEO of Civility Localized & Civic Impact Academy. Civility Localized is a minority and woman-owned Community Engagement Consulting Firm with headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In this episode:
- Civility Localized
- Minority and woman-owned consulting firm and its mission to help communities grow with dignity through inclusive strategies for local and state government initiatives
- Community outreach and engagement
- Civic Impact Academy
- An educational experience that brings local community leaders and government leaders into the same rooms
- Started in 2024
- Launching a new cohort in September and applications open in July
- Board Member Experience
- GenerationNation, Humane Society, and QC Family Tree
- Best practices of high-performing boards?
- What aspiring board members know
- Be ready and willing to give of yourself - your time, your money, your contacts
- GenerationNation, Humane Society, and QC Family Tree
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Maya Martin Cadogan, Founder & Exec Director of Parents Amplifying Voices in Education. Founded in April 2016 with an all-parent governing board, PAVE is dedicated to creating an environment where the vision for education in DC is created with children and families, not for them. We aim to shift the dynamic so that communities and parents are partners in creating great schools.
In this episode:
- PAVE
- Empowering parents as partners in creating a diverse and equitable education system in DC
- How PAVE is making a difference in education in DC
- LearnDC - Parent Driven selection process
- Current Administration + Potential Closure of the Department of Education
- How it will effect their work
- Potential long-term ramifications
- AI in Education
- How using AI tools to shape their work and drive change in education
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Square Pizza Audience, we have a special episode from our family empowerment work. We host quarterly convenings for leaders and key players from our family empowerment cohort to gather and share insights and best practices related to family engagement and empowerment at the school level. This round was focused on Spring Break and Family Learning Time. Jia Lin-Bothe, our Director of Family Empowerment, had a fantastic discussion with our community partners on how to maximize Spring Break for family learning! Guests (panelists) include Stephanie Cales (North Carolina Council on Economic Education), Kaiwen Cheng (Queen City Robotics Alliance), and Patrina Garza (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library); they shared valuable insights on:
- Unique learning experiences available for students during Spring Break
- How programs support academic growth, social-emotional development, and career exploration
- Ways families can create low-cost, meaningful learning experiences at home or in the community
- Resources available to ensure accessibility for all families
Mrs. Cherie Graham (Chief of Instructional Support and Family Engagement at Sugar Creek Charter School) also shared the Spring Break BINGO Activity that the Family Engagement Council came up with a few years back. We hope you enjoy this episode on creating meaningful and accessible learning experiences for families during Spring Break!
Resources:
- Link to the slide deck
- Resources list shared by our panelists
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Brandon Thompson, VP of Diversity and Inclusion at NASCAR .
In this episode:
Leadership Journey:
- Guest's path to NASCAR and how their career has evolved over time.
- Current role as Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.
NASCAR’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
- Overview of NASCAR’s DEI efforts starting with the Drive for Diversity program in 2001.
- Key initiatives: NASCAR Next Internship, Drive for Diversity, and Supplier Diversity.
- Data, impact, and success stories behind these programs.
Current DEI Landscape:
- Discussion on the current environment for diversity, equity, and inclusion in NASCAR.
- Ongoing efforts and NASCAR’s commitment to fostering an inclusive culture.
Advice for Leaders and Businesses:
- Insights on how other leaders and organizations can drive DEI in their own spaces.
Leadership Principles:
- The philosophy and principles that guide the guest’s leadership approach.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Chris Jackson, President and CEO, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont.
In this episode:
- Leadership Journey & Connection to Goodwill
- The CEO shares their leadership story and commitment to community service
- Goodwill Overview:
- $80M annual budget
- 1,200 team members
- Serves 9,000+ residents
- Key programs include Donate & Shop, training programs, Opportunity Campus, and construction skills training
- What People Should Know About Goodwill
- Focus on empowering individuals through workforce development and community support.
- Future Vision (2025 & Beyond)
- Expanding workforce programs and community outreach to meet evolving needs.
- Team Culture
- Strong, inclusive culture is key to success, and Goodwill continues to nurture this environment.
- Workforce Development
- Discusses the importance of partnerships and key requirements for successful programs.
- Leadership Principles
- Emphasizes collaboration, community impact, and empowerment as guiding leadership values.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Johari Matthews, Vice President and Executive Director, ONE Community & Titans Foundation. The ONE Community platform includes multi-faceted programs that reach many of Nashville's most underserved communities with a focus on three areas – Opportunity, Neighborhoods, and Education.
In this episode:
- Nashville's growth and the Titans Foundation's role in shaping the city's future
- Titans Foundation has served 135 local organizations through direct investment, programming, and partnership
- One (Opportunity, Neighborhoods, Education) Community & Titans Foundation
- Difference between the two
- Current Highlights + Initiatives
- What’s on the horizon + goals
- What other NFL foundations can learn from the Titans
- Key lessons from leading the Titans Foundation
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dominique Waters, Founder & Exec Director, Akron Sneaker Academy. Akron's mission is to shape the next generation of innovators—one sneaker at a time.
In this episode:
- Akron Sneaker Academy (ASA)
- An initiative empowering youth through sneakers and STEAM industries.
- LeBron James, founder of the UNKNWN brand,
- Deep ties to Akron
- Leadership lessons after one year of leading ASA
- ASA’s mission and goals
- Using sneakers to introduce kids to science, technology, engineering, arts, and manufacturing.
- ASA's offerings:
- Sneaker Summer Camps
- After School Enrichment
- Lace-Up Learning Workshops
- Business strategies and community impact
- ASA’s role in Akron.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Square Pizza Audience, we have a special episode from our family empowerment work. We host quarterly convenings for leaders and key players from our family empowerment cohort to gather and share insights and best practices related to family engagement and empowerment at the school level. This round was focused on College Readiness and Family Support. Jia Lin-Bothe, our Director of Family Empowerment, hosted a panel discussion featuring a few of our community partners focused on college readiness and persistence: Amy Garcia (Program Manager, Latin American Working for Achievement), Katie Weisman (Director of Academic Success, Carolina Youth Coalition), and Mackenzie Wilkins (Program Manager, College LAUNCH for Leadership, Wake Forest University). Listen for best practices when it comes to family engagement and empowerment and college readiness, as well as success stories and resources!
Resources:
- Link to the slide deck
- Resources list shared by our panelists
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Sheryl Cababa, Author of Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking For Designers and Chief Strategy Officer at Optimistic. Sheryl is the author of Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking For Designers. She drives a human-centered design practice that is focused on systems thinking and evidence-based design. She is the Chief Strategy Officer for Optimistic Design, which is womxn-led, committed to equitable impact.
In this episode:
- Journey and Experience in Education
- 60-second recap of path in the field
- Work at Optimistic Design and key projects
- Equitable Design
- What is equitable design?
- Why is it important in education?
- Consequences of not utilizing equitable design
- Systems Thinking in Education
- What is systems thinking?
- Importance of systems thinking in education
- Book: Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers
- Key lessons and their applicability to K-12 and higher education
- Future of higher education
Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking For Designers: As design continues to impact our products, services, and solutions at scale, it is more important than ever to understand the systems and context that surround design decisions. Closing the Loop will introduce you to a powerful systems thinking mindset and provide you with the tools and frameworks to define the systems that surround your work.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dr. Donnell Butler, Founder & President, Prelude. Prelude is a nonprofit organization accelerating students into purpose-filled lives that lead to economic freedom.
In this episode:
- Deep experience in and around higher education
- F&M, Princeton
- Opportunity College + Prelude
- Opportunity College
- Prelude: “a nonprofit organization accelerating students into purpose-filled lives that lead to economic freedom”
- Insight + Name Change
- Success metrics
- How success is measured within the organization
- Key indicators of impact and outcomes, particularly in terms of student success and career progression
- Observations and insights on Charlotte
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Square Pizza Audience, we have a special episode featuring our family empowerment cohort. Our school leaders and key players in family engagement/empowerment gather quarterly to share insights and best practices about family empowerment at the school level. This round, our focus was on supporting newcomer and multilingual families. You will hear from Ms. Quenesha Pinkey, social worker at Reid Park Academy, on how the school uses one specific annual event to focus on their multilingual learners. You will also hear from Mrs. Michele Mveng-Managa, dean of students at Governors' Village STEM Academy, about how the school launched monthly family empowerment and networking nights to support multilingual families.
In this episode:
- Challenges faced by newcomer families
- Language barriers, unfamiliarity with educational expectations, and cultural differences.
- Strategies for support
- Building trust, fostering a welcoming environment, and ensuring clear, culturally relevant communication.
- Community resources and networks
- Tools and resources available to help schools engage and support newcomer families sustainably.
Resources:
- Quarterly Convening Slide Deck
- Check out our NEW Family Empowerment Toolkit
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Fontella McKyer, Director of Workforce Development, SchermCo. Fontella has been a part of the team for 6 months now!
In this episode:
- Exciting Updates
- Welcomed First Grandchild
- Philanthropy & Workforce Development Journey
- Started in philanthropy with Foundation for the Carolinas, later worked with Dress for Success, which led to her role at SchermCo. Passionate about workforce development and community impact.
- Fear vs. Risk
- The balance between fear and risk in career decisions, and how hindsight shows that she could have taken bold steps sooner.
- Insights from SchermCo
- Reflecting on her past 6 months with SchermCo, the impact on workforce development, and how the company is positively influencing the community.
- Holiday Season Excitement
- Looking forward to the holidays, especially celebrating with family and a special family photo featuring the new grandchild.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, guest host, Kim Perez is in conversation with Ana Silva Rey – CEO, Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, Anacecilia Liberato – Partnership Manager, SmartStart of Mecklenburg County, and Elisa Benitez – Newcomer Services Site Coordinator, Communities In Schools at PACE A Academy @ E.E. Waddell High School. In this episode, these three amazing women discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by newcomer families in Charlotte, especially in education.
In this episode:
- Discussing the challenges and opportunities faced by newcomer families in Charlotte, especially in education.
- Learn about how different organizations are supporting immigrant and newcomer families.
- Insights on community resources and the work being done to support these families.
- Addressing barriers and how educational spaces in Charlotte are adapting to better accommodate newcomer families.
- Discover how schools and community organizations are preparing to meet the needs of newcomers.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Mario Jovan Shaw, Founder & Coaching Consultant, Messy Roots. Messy Roots is a community that offers services to grow current and aspiring coaches of color.
In this episode:
- Shares his Teach For America experience
- Profound Gentlemen
- Building from the Ground Up: Mario reflects on the challenges and lessons learned while creating an impactful organization.
- Effective Leadership: He discusses the importance of leading with intention and authenticity.
- 1,000 male educators of color
- Multi-million $$$ budget
- Self-Discovery: Personal experiences reveal the transformative nature of leadership.
- Messy Roots
- Symbolism of the name
- The intricate connections between a plant's roots and the complexities of leadership.
- Designed for coaches and organizations
- Messy Roota Podcast
- Symbolism of the name
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Demetria Gallagher, VP, Innovation Ecosystems, VentureWell. VentureWell fosters collaboration among the best minds from research labs, classrooms, and beyond to advance innovation and entrepreneurship education and to provide unique opportunities for STEM students and researchers to fully realize their potential to improve the world.
In this episode:
- VentureWell
- Course & Program (C&P) grants program, which provided over $15.2 million to 275 colleges and universities to further their I&E work.
- Size + Scope of VentureWell
- Position + Responsibilities
- VP, Innovation Ecosystems
- Innovation work with HBCUs and MSIs
- FLIPspace Advanced Mobility in NW Arkansas
- New pilot program focusing on specifically on addressing the transportation challenges of the region, offering participants the opportunity to develop and commercialize new mobility technologies that will shape the future of transportation.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. Greg is stepping into the spotlight as the guest of the hour being interviewed by none other than Eric Gorman, the visionary Founder of Wily, as part of their popular Talk Tuesday series. Tune in to this engaging conversation to dive deep into Greg’s professional journey. Discover the behind-the-scenes stories of SchermCo's formative years, including the challenges and triumphs that shaped its evolution, and what is keeping Greg up at night.
Support the show
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
The Square Pizza Pod welcomes back a guest who last appeared on July 17, 2020, Mo Green. Mo served as the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation from 2016-2023. Prior to ZSR, Mo served more than seven years as superintendent of Guilford County Schools – the third largest district in North Carolina. He is now running for NC Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In this episode:
- Reasons for running for the position of NC Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Current state of North Carolina's public schools
- Severe underfunding (ranking 48th, 49th, and 46th in various metrics)
- Increased funding for vouchers that divert resources from public education
- His new vision that reveres public educators, enhances parent and community engagement, and addresses systemic challenges like teacher pay and working conditions
- Legal issues affecting education policy in NC
- Personal motivations
Support the Show.
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg and Jia are in conversation with Kim Perez, SchermCo, Family Empowerment Associate. Kim has been a part of the team for over 6 months now!
In this episode:
- Who is Kim Perez
- What brings her to this work
- K-12 journey
- Why SchermCo
- Surprises about Schermco / being on this side of the work
- Vulnerability with both school staff and community members
- Lessons learned over the past 6 months
Meet the team :)
Support the Show.
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Welcome back to another episode of #squarepizzapod. This week, guest host and Associate Director of Family Empowerment, Mathu Gibson, sits down with Cherie Graham (Chief of Instructional Support and Family Engagement) of Sugar Creek Charter School. Sugar Creek Charter School is one of the oldest charter schools in Charlotte, NC.
Their mission is to eradicate generational poverty in the lives of their students by providing a rigorous education from kindergarten through 12th grade, focusing on academic preparation, college and career readiness, and life skills for success. On this episode, we discuss Graham's journey to education and the work she and Sugar Creek Charter are doing to empower families at their school.
In this episode:
- Influence and story:
- Education journey
- Sugar Creek Charter School and communities
- What challenges families at SCCS face, + how is SCCS working to help families overcome them
- Vision and hope
- How she sees herself making a difference in the lives of families
Support the Show.
GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!
Jia Lin-Bothe, our Director of Family Empowerment, is in conversation with three special guests from SchermCo's family empowerment work. The focus of this episode is to share insights + reflections from Innovate Public Schools’ Leadership Institute (April 2024).
- Parents from SchermCo’s family empowerment work
- Governors’ Village STEM Academy: Deneka Sampson, Ayesha Scott
- Ridge Road Middle School: Lisa Divers
In this episode:
- Intros
- Innovate Public Schools + Leadership Institute
- SchermCo has partnered with Innovate Public Schools and sent many parents and parent leaders to this training
- Training focused on community organizing, advocacy, civic leadership, and more
- LI in February 2024 - 6 parents from our network completed this training
- LI in April 2024 - another 20 parents from our network completed this training
- Reflections
- Opportunity and experience
- Expectations
- What has happened since then?
- DS + AS - February LI
- LD - April LI
Check out Innovate Public Schools' work here: https://innovateschools.org/.
Support the Show.
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg and Taylor James are in conversation with Dr. Adrian Mims, Founder & CEO, The Calculus Project. The Calculus Project partners with school districts, parents, teachers, and partners to accelerate learning in mathematics for Black, Hispanic, and low-income students beginning in grade 7.
Fun fact: Taylor is an alum of The Calculus Project, and she went through the program in Boston when she was growing up.
In this episode:
- Dr. Mims + TCP
- History + Context
- Scope and scale of TCP
- Outcomes of TCP
- Taylor + TCP
- Her experience growing up and attending schools in Boston
- Why she joined TCP
- SchermCo + TCP Partnership
- Earned Revenue Model(s) + Strategy
- Reflections on process + outcomes
- Wins
Support the Show.
Jia Lin-Bothe, our Director of Family Empowerment, is in conversation with two special guests from SchermCo's family empowerment work. Keiba Young is a parent from one of our partner schools last year and attended the Parent Leadership Institute training in March 2023.
In this episode:
This episode features Keiba's insights and reflections from this powerful training. Arleen Vargas joins us from Innovate Public Schools to share more about the upcoming Leadership Institute, taking place April 11-13, 2024.
Check out Innovate Public Schools' work here: https://innovateschools.org/.
Support the Show.
The Square Pizza Pod welcomes back a guest who last appeared on March 4, 2021, Nicole Jarbo. Nicole is the interim CEO of 4.0 Schools. 4.0 connects, coaches, and invests in people to test new learning spaces and tools with their communities.
In this episode:
- Last Interview
- CEO of Goodbets
- Career as a collegiate soccer player at Cal / Alex Morgan
- Fundraising best practices
- Overview of Boost + her journey
- Start of her career, lecturing at Cal
- Teach for America in New Orleans
- Advice for entrepreneurs and leaders
- Interim CEO, 4.0 Schools
- Overview
- Current focus as Interim CEO
- CEO Search
- AI
- Where she is in the AI journey
Support the Show.
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Irene Shih, CEO, MMBay. Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) is an education nonprofit that connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world.
In this episode:
- The story behind launching Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBAY)
- What MMBAY does
- Providing educational opportunities to underserved students
- Current initiatives
- Mentorship and college readiness programs
- Recruiting volunteers
- Ensuring alignment with the organization's mission and student needs
- Evolution over the next year
- Expanding reach and impact through innovative partnerships and initiatives
- Undermatching, Cross-Class Bridging
- Focus on social mobility and capital for students
- Professional background
- Career from the classroom, a leader of a non-profit, as well as city, state, and policy level work
Bio:
Irene Shih is CEO of Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) based in San Francisco, CA. She joined MMBay as its first full-time CEO in 2019, returning to her hometown roots in the Bay Area. For 18 years, Irene has served students in low-income communities — previously as a middle and high school classroom teacher in Arizona, a strategic advisor to superintendents in large urban school districts like Boston Public Schools, and a thought leader on state-level education policy in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Irene is a corps member alumna of Teach For America, holds an M.P.P. in Social & Urban Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and completed a B.A. in English Literature and Women's Studies from U.C. Berkeley.
As CEO of MMBay, Irene leads a 300-student and 300-volunteer strong community to foster a world-class educational environment that nurtures generational impact on high-school students by cultivating transformational relationships between students and an ecosystem of volunteer mentors. Since assuming the position in 2019, Irene has led the chapter through its expansion from San Francisco into San Jose.
Support the Show.
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Ali Medina, Executive Director of the Oakland Public Education Fund. The Oakland Public Education Fund is a nonprofit that leads the development of community resources in Oakland public schools so that all students can learn, grow, and thrive.
In this episode:
- Current Role, Executive Director, Oakland Public Education Fund
- Started in April of 2020
- Core aspects / programs of the Oakland Public Education Fund
- Fiscal sponsor for OUSD
- Raising and managing $20M to support innovative initiatives
- Professional Background
- Future Work
- What initiatives does the organization envision to advance and improve the educational environment for students in Oakland public schools?
Bio:Ali Medina has served as the Executive Director of the Oakland Public Education Fund (Ed Fund) since April 2020. She has led the agency through two major campaigns, the COVID-19 Rapid Relief Campaign and #OaklandUndivided. The COVID-19 campaign raised over $3M for food security, distance learning, healthy schools, and direct aid to families. As a lead founding partner in #OaklandUndivided, the Ed Fund serves as the fiscal sponsor of this city-wide campaign to close the digital divide. #OU raised $13M in its first round and provided 25,000 students in Oakland public schools with computers and internet access.
Previously, Ali spent eight years as the Senior Director of Programs at a community-based education organization in Oakland working with secondary students and building a new preschool. She created, designed, and implemented community school programming at four Oakland high schools to build career pathways and is an expert in using data to drive improvement.
She began her career at the forefront of after-school program development and was a statewide leader in the Healthy Schools movement. She served as an After School Services Administrator for five years, administering over $4M in state and federal grant-funded programs and intervention services.
Ali graduated from the University of California-Berkeley with a BA in History focusing on Ethnic Studies and earned a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Cal State East Bay.
Support the Show.
To our listeners, thanks for making 2023 another great year. SchermCo wishes you the happiest of holidays, and we look forward to seeing you back next year. We have some fresh slices coming your way in January 2024.
Support the Show.
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Gary Officer, President & CEO of the Center for Workforce Inclusion. CWI Labs is the largest and most experienced nonprofit dedicated exclusively to workplace inclusion and economic opportunity for low-income, older job seekers.
In this episode:
- CWI Labs
- Core aspects / programs of CWI Labs?
- AI
- Thoughts on how it will affect work
- Professional Background
- Successfully grew Rebuilding Together from an operating budget of $3.5 million to $23 million
- What advice would he would give to other leads as they consider growth and fundraising?
- Affordable housing + Property values
- Promising solutions for affordable housing
Bio:
Gary A. Officer is a seasoned social entrepreneur and Chief Executive. He is known for innovative, value-driven public-private partnerships that remove barriers to community development. In addition to founding CWI Labs, Gary is the President & CEO of the Center for Workforce Inclusion, the largest and most experienced nonprofit dedicated exclusively to workplace inclusion and economic opportunity for low-income, older job seekers.
Gary previously served in senior executive positions at the Newseum and the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington, D.C. From 2006-2013; he served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Rebuilding Together, Inc., the nation’s most extensive volunteer-based homeownership preservation nonprofit, and fourth-largest remodeler. Under his leadership, Rebuilding Together grew operating income seven-fold and created award-winning partnerships with blue-chip corporate brands to support of the organization’s mission.
Gary has served as President of the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF), the national foundation supporting credit union development in the United States. As an affiliate of the Credit Union National Association, NCUF promotes and manages credit union development and consumer savings programs on behalf of CUNA and the US credit union movement. The Foundation also manages the National Development Education Volunteer Program. During his three-year tenure, NCUF successfully grew a community investment fund providing grants, loans, and secondary capital, to credit unions and related organizations throughout the United States.
Gary earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hon) Political Science from the Manchester Metropolitan University and a Master of Science Msc (Econ) in International Relations from the London School of Economics. In 2012, he completed the Advanced Management and Leadership Program (OAMLP) at the Said Business School at Oxford University.
Support the Show.
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Lacey Robinson, President/CEO of UnboundEd. UnboundEd designs learning for educators that exemplifies equitable instruction so that students experience grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful instruction.
In this episode:
- UnboundEd
- Overview
- Merger
- Pivot Learning & UnboundEd
- UnboundEd Programs Highlighted
- Leadership Institute
- MLL
- Science Pathway
- Cohort
- Math Leader Collaborative
- CORE
- Served as the CEO since 2019
- When she began leading the organization in 2020, UnboundEd recorded $14.3 million in revenue. In two years' time, she'd grown it to $35 million.
- New book - Justice Seekers: Pursuing Equity in the Details of Teaching and Learning
- Practical advice for leaders of an education non-profit as they seek to grow
Support the Show.
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Maria Flynn, President and CEO of Jobs for the Future. Jobs for the Future is a national nonprofit driving transformation in the American workforce and education systems.
In this episode:
- Connection from episode 73 with Lydia Logan, IBM
- Jersey girl + Bruce Springsteen fan
- Jobs for the future and why their work is urgent
- Aligning workforce and education systems and where she sees opportunities and current successes
- Maria’s Forbes article:To Support Women in the Workforce, Stop Focusing on Women
- She shares key takeaways she’d like readers to take away with
- What practical advice she has for leaders of a workforce development non-profit as they seek to grow
Support the show
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Eric Thomas on his MASS Impact: The Education Podcast. Eric Thomas, Ph.D., is a critically acclaimed author, World-renowned speaker, educator, and pastor. As he is better known, ET has taken the world by storm with his creative, common-sense approach to living a successful, satisfying professional and personal life. Through a significant social media presence and regular domestic and international tours, “ET, The Hip Hop Preacher” has become a global phenomenon!
Each week, MASS Impact: The Education Podcast provides actionable and relevant content that gives teachers, mentors, youth leaders, and parents what's needed to close the gaps that negatively affect students every day.
In this episode:
- About SchermCo and how it started
- Bringing value and credibility back to the educational institution
- Major keys for the well-being of students
- Providing families with impactful resources to succeed
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This particular episode is a special mash-up of our top five most downloaded guests. In honor of our 100th episode coming soon, we decided to bring those guests back and check in with them. In this episode, you will learn about what they have been up to since their last episode, their work, and what it means to be in the top downloads of square pizza history.
Guest featured in this episode:
- Charlotte Lab Students
- Taylor James & Mathu Gibson, SchermCo
- Alex Abisch and Jia Lin-Bothe, SchermCo
- Dr. Howard Fuller, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Alejandro Gibes de Gac, CEO & Founder, of Springboard Collaborative. Springboard closes the literacy gap by closing the gap between home and school.
In this episode:
FELA Methodology
- 6 basic steps of FELA methodology
- Importance of setting a winnable goal within 5 to 10 weeks
- Three cycles of FELA recommended over a year
Springboard Program
- Aim to close the literacy gap between home and school
- Weekly workshops as the secret sauce to equip families to support learning at home
- Parents delivering 25 hours of one-on-one tutoring at home for every hour that a teacher leads a workshop
Challenges in Education Sector
- The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on marginalized learners
- Engaging families in at-home learning is critical for learning recovery
- Company transitioning towards a performance culture and accountability
- Clear definition and standardization of work
Structural Changes
- Springboard and Paloma creating an independent entity as a public benefit corporation
- Shared vision of making parent-teacher collaboration standard practice in education
- Relationship and optimization of synergies to bring the vision to life
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Jia Lin-Bothe, who is our Director of Family Empowerment, is in conversation with Katura DeVane and Syrina Rice. Both are parents and part of SchermCo’s family empowerment work.
In this episode:
- PLI in CLT
- First-ever in-person East Coast Training!
- 7 parents from our partner schools completed this training
- Reflections
- What did they gain from this opportunity and experience
- Partnerships
- How can schools and school networks work together with families to better serve students and families?
- SchermCo’s family empowerment work
- What would they like other parents and school leaders to know about your experience?
- How can district and charter schools work together to better serve students and families?
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, we have two guest hosts from the SchermCo team! Alex Abisch, Director of Strategic Implementation, and Taylor James, Strategic Implementation Associate. Alex and Taylor are in conversation with Jerika Jones who is the Executive Director of INTech Foundation.
In this episode:
- Background
- How did she get interested in Women and Gender Studies?
- How does her experience and education in Women and Gender Studies impact her work at INTech Foundation?
- Is there a connection between music and technology? Or Art and Tech?
- What would she like the future to look like for young women in Tech?
- As most people know there are not a lot of women of color in the STEM field, how would she like to see this change in the future?
- Intersectionalities she has witnessed among women in the STEM field across cultures?
Support the show
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with three Charlotte Lab students, Ara Jenkins, Ahmir Lee, and Aliyah Walker, who are in 11th grade. One fun fact: this is part two of their first episode (#78) as they hold the 4th most downloaded episode in Square Pizza history.
In this episode:
- What’s new?
- How has their educational experience changed in the past year?
- How have they changed/evolved since we chatted last year?
- How is CLT Lab supporting them as 11th graders?
- Shoe collaboration?
- What’s the plan for after CLT Lab?
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, we have a guest host, Mathu Gibson, who is our Associate Director of Family Empowerment. Mathu is in conversation with Principal Glenn Starnes II, Harding University High School, and LeDuan Pratt, Garinger High School. Two Black Male Principals from our partner schools.
In this episode:
- Influence and Story
- How did they get to where they are today?
- Who was their greatest influence?
- Community Impact
- Tell us about your school community and what makes it unique!
- What challenges do the families at your school face, + how are you working to overcome them?
- Vision + Hope:
- 25 years from now:
- What impact do they hope to leave on their community?
- What changes within education and their community do they desire to see?
- 25 years from now:
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Lakisha Young, Founder & CEO, The Oakland REACH.
Who is Lakisha Young?
Lakisha Young is the Founder & CEO of The Oakland REACH, a parent-run organization founded in 2016. She knows from her own story that winning in education is par for the course when you already have what you need to win in life — and because of that, everything the REACH does must be about ensuring every family has what they need to win in life.
Lakisha developed a formula that has guided the REACH’s work since day one: Ask families questions. Listen to their aspirations. Build the solutions. This formula has produced a mix of groundbreaking programming and advocacy work over the last 6 years, including The Opportunity Ticket, which gives the most vulnerable students higher preference for enrolling in quality schools, and the Literacy for All campaign.
What is The Oakland REACH?
- The Oakland REACH is a parent-run, parent-led organization. Our parents know what it’s like to be overlooked, mistreated, and miseducated by the school system. We are committed to changing that for future generations. We empower families from our most underserved communities to demand high-quality schools for their children.
In this episode:
- Background
- Why "education is destined to be [her] journey"
- The Oakland REACH
- Family Advocacy Fellowship / The Hub / Opportunity Ticket (2019)
- Paid family tutors + graduation
- Focus on implementation
- Relationship with local district and charters
- What does the future look like for Oakland Reach
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Jia Lin-Bothe, Director of Family Empowerment Work, Charlene Mack, Vice President, National Partnerships & Training, Innovate Public Schools, and Katura DeVane, Parent, and part of SchermCo’s family empowerment work.
What does Innovate Public Schools Do?
- Innovate Public Schools is a nonprofit organization working to make sure that all students — especially low-income students and students of color — receive a world-class public education that prepares them for success in college, careers, and beyond.
Interested in the Parent Leadership Institute?
- Innovate Public Schools invites you to join parent leaders from across the country for their first-ever in-person East Coast Training on March 10th -12th.
- Build your leadership skills and learn how to leverage the power of community organizing to make transformational change for students in your community.
- Learn how to:
- Organize effectively for community change
- Deepen your public leadership
- Engage more parents in the effort
- Use your voice to hold public officials and systems accountable to students and families
In this episode:
- Sharing more about PLI and this incredible opportunity
- Connection to SchermCo’s family empowerment work
- Why is PLI an important opportunity for families
- Positive outcomes that have been seen from families who have previously taken advantage of this opportunity
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Nehemiah Frank, Black Wall Street Time.
The Black Wall Street Times was founded by Nehemiah in 2017. He is the descendent of two families that survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
This prosperous community was the victim of the worst act of racial violence against Black people in American history. As a means of honoring the victims, survivors, and descendants, Nehemiah named his publication The Black Wall Street Times.
The Black Wall Street Times maintains a hyper-focus on issues affecting the City of Tulsa and the Greenwood community or Black Tulsans.
In this episode:
- Connection to the Square Pizza Podcast
- Background
- Family
- Education
- The Black Wall Street Times
- The Grammy’s
- Delegate at the National Parents Union
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with another set of members from SchermCo. Alex Abisch is our Director of Strategic Implementation, and Jia Lin-Bothe is our Director of Family Empowerment. This is the second time we have interviewed team members of SchermCo, and this won't be the last! We hope you enjoy!
In this episode:
- Alex Abisch
- Artist and Art Therapy, Masters in Art Therapy
- Why Art is a core part of who she is
- Corporate Relations - what she learned in these experiences
- What her day to day looks like leading our SI work
- Why SchermCo?
- Jia Lin-Bothe
- Background in Architecture
- What lead her to education
- Experience as an immigrant in this country
- What her day to day looks like leading our FE work
- Why SchermCo?
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is wrapping up the 2022 year! We have had one of the best years thus far and are excited to share these milestones with you. Here’s to many more years to come.
In this episode:
- What we’ve done over the course of the year
- Accomplishments we’ve achieved
- Who we’ve interviewed on the Pod
- Plans for the future
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with the two newest members of SchermCo. Taylor James is our Strategic Implementation Associate, and Mathu Gibson is our Associate Director of Family Empowerment. Did you know Taylor published a book or that Mathu is a former NFL player turned educator? This is the first time we have interviewed team members of SchermCo and this won't be the last! We hope you enjoy!
In this episode:
- Taylor James
- Acting background / aspirations
- Writing: published book (The Inheritance of Noise in Joburg)
- Agnes Scott - All Women’s College
- Why SchermCo?
- Mathu Gibson
- Football Career
- Writing
- Education/Family Engagement
- Why SchermCo?
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen. One fun fact you will learn about Mr. Jones is that he grew up on a tobacco and corn farm.
In this episode:
- Background
- Birth of OneTen
- Creating 1 million family-sustaining jobs for Black talent in America by 2030
- Board of OneTen
- How leaders helped shape the vision of OneTen
Guest Question:
- Dewey Norwood, Senior Lead Diversity & Inclusion Consultant, Enterprise HBCU Strategy
- 8 years from now, once you’ve reached the goal of 1M sustaining careers, what do you believe the societal change will be?
- If you have to deliver a message to corporate partners on why they should join the OneTen family, what would you tell them? Why are non-degreed individuals so important in today’s society?
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Reuben Ogbonna, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Marcy Lab School. One fun fact you will learn about Marcy Lab School is that they aspire to be incredibly transparent with their team, including sharing salaries. You will find out why this is important to them in this episode.
In this episode:
- Advice for securing a major partnership
- Lessons learned from his experience with Teach for America
- Marcy Lab School
- Overview and outcomes
- What makes Marcy unique from other alternatives to college programs, bootcamps, and workforce development programs
- Gap between colleges/job training programs + employers
- Sharing salaries
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with three guests, Jonathan Gardner, Director of GardHouse, Jania Massey, Founder and Executive Director of Stiletto Boss University, and Manuel Campbell, CEO of Aspire Community Capital. One fun fact you will learn about these three incredible individuals is that they served on a panel together recently about leading non-profits of small businesses as black lead founders and owners.
In this episode:
- Positive changes or feedback since the panel
- What the funding community can do differently
- How to better support black-led nonprofits/organizations
- Advice to aspiring non-profit leaders
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dr. Shontoria Walker, Education PowerED, Executive Director. One fun fact you will learn about Dr. Walker is her love for Houston, Texas.
In this episode:
- Education PowerEd
- Culture to the Max book
- The inspiration behind writing book
- Who is culture to the max for
- How educators and families can work together to ensure equality in a classroom/school
- Texas book ban
Bio:
Dr. Shontoria Walker is a graduate from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas with a degree in Professional Leadership with an emphasis in Literacy. Her research focuses on using culturally relevant pedagogy to influence literacy achievement for Middle School Black Male Students based on her experiences as a former 8th grade English teacher at an all-boys preparatory academy. She has also served on the Texas Teacher Advisory Board, a Teach Plus Policy Fellow as well as a Senior Policy Fellow with Teach Plus Texas from 2014-2019. During her time and beyond she has advocated for educational policy laws that directly impacted the classroom as well as contributed to policy briefings for the revision of The Every Student Succeeds Act and national policy reports such as If You Listen, We Will Stay: Why Teachers of Color Leave and How To Disrupt Teacher Turnover. She is the co-author of Culture to the Max! Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practice along with David McDonald, M.ED., Danielle Ross, M.ED., and Andre Ross, M.ED.
Check out Culture to the Max!: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practice by David McDonald (Author), Danielle Ross (Author), Andre Ross (Author), Shontoria Walker (Author)
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week's episode is a little different from the rest. This particular episode is a special mash-up of recent guests sharing what square pizza reminds them of. Sometimes square pizza reminds you of nothing so it actually makes you think of something, or maybe it reminds you of a book, or times with friends at school. In our eyes, square pizza day was the best day of the week as it was for others. We hope you enjoy this episode!
Guest featured in this episode:
- #81 - Abi Olukeye, Smart Girls HQ, Founder + CEO
- #18 - Munro Richardson, Read Charlotte
- #52 - Sharif El-Mekki, Center for Black Educator Development
- #60 - Nicole Jarbo, CEO of Goodbets Group
- #66 - Dan Lugo, President, Queens University of Charlotte
- #69 - Fidel Vargas, President & CEO, Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- #76 - Reyna Montoya, Founder, CEO, and Board Member, Aliento
- #82 - Brittany Young, Founder + CEO, B-360
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Brittany Young, Founder + CEO of B-360. One fun fact you will learn about Brittany and B-360 is the Mayor of Baltimore designated March 25th as "B-360" day to honor the five-year anniversary of their organization. The celebration includes a press conference and a proclamation from the Mayor.
In this episode:
- B-360 history and overview
- Awards: Kelly Clarkson, Steve Harvey, Ne-Yo, Ted Talk
- Fellowship experience at Camelback & Echoing Green
- Diverse funding model
- Ride for Change campaign
- Success and challenges
Bio:
Brittany is a retired engineer, educator, professor, and Baltimore native; she has programmed nuclear plants, developed medical devices, and planned satellite explorations, but finds the most satisfaction in her roles in education, problem-solving & service to her community. After the incarceration of her minor brother as an adult, she became empowered to create solutions to funnel talent which resulted in B-360.
B-360 , is an organization that utilizes dirt bike culture to end the cycle of poverty, disrupt the prison pipeline, and build bridges in communities. Through STEM education, community engagement, workforce pipe-lining, and events the organization is changing the perception of engineers and dirt bike riders.
She was the first Black woman Baltimore native to have a TED Talk, the First Black person ever to receive the prestigious Bessie Stringfield Award, and is currently creating the first ever campus for dirt bikes and education in the country. If you visit Union Station Market in DC, she is currently on a mural 3 blocks from the White House focusing on successful Black women entrepreneurs. Outside of being a history maker she has some of the following accolades and accomplishments: Yale School of Management Lecturer, Baltimore 40 under 40, Echoing Green Fellow, Baltimore’s Woman to Watch, and transition team member to Mayor Brandon Scott. Her work has been featured in Johns Hopkins, CBS, Forbes, Teen Vogue, Afro-Punk, Broccoli City Fest, Toyota, Nike NBC Sports, and more!
Brittany is a champion for Black joy, Black women, and true systemic change and providing digits and skills access to people just like her. Brittany’s life goals are to show people how smart they truly are and to unlock innate genius. When she is not advocating for change through B-360, you can also find her advocating for caregivers and supporting her brother who lives with down syndrome.
Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Abi Olukeye, Founder + CEO of Smart Girls HQ. One fun fact you will learn about Abi is her love for tv shows, especially Ozark.
In this episode:
- Big picture vision for the Smart Girls HQ
- Why outreach and community service is so important despite all the growth
- Things learned as a IOT strategy development at Fortune 500
- How to write a proposal (received $256,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) & VELA Education)
- Leadership Charlotte experience
- Bridging the gap of racial equity and equality in education
Abi Olukeye is the founder and CEO of Smart Girls HQ, A learning platform to facilitate STEM career education with a focus on female learners and non-traditional learning spaces. Core offerings include parent education for STEM informal learning at RaisingSmartGirls.com and Dear Smart Girl kits, a project-based career-focused STEM curriculum for girls. Her vision is to create an ecosystem of products that when used together are a powerful catalyst for sustaining long-term engagement in STEM for young girls. Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education through Small Business Innovation Research(SBIR) Awards, the NC Idea Foundation, and the Vela Education Fund.
Previously, she led Internet of Things (IOT) strategy development and digital transformation projects at a diversified Fortune 500 manufacturing company. She has over fifteen years of professional and leadership
experience spanning new product development, technology commercialization, process improvement and
strategy.
Abi is a member of the Computer Science K12 Standards Committee for North Carolina and serves on the board ofCSEdResearch.org. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Virginia Tech and MBA from Indiana University. She and her husband live in Charlotte, NC, and have two young daughters who
greatly inspire her work.
Support the show
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. To kick off year 3, Greg is in conversation with Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues. He is also known as the Godfather of Smallball. He played 14 seasons in the NBA, with 10 of those being with our beloved Charlotte Hornets. One fun fact about Muggsy is that he was a wrestler in high school and how that sport influenced his basketball career.
In this episode:
- Muggsy's reflection on spending 14 seasons in the NBA
- Stories and insights covered in his new memoir
- The work of the Muggsy Bogues Family Foundation
- His first love in sports (hint: not basketball)
- Why square pizza reminds him both of UNC basketball and cheese...
Muggsy Bogues is vital to the NBA that he transcends the game itself, as seen by how the game is now played. We hope you guys enjoy this episode!
Bio:
Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland played for the legendary high school team, the Dunbar Poets who won 59 consecutive games and ranked as one of the top high school teams in the United States. Bogues went on to graduate from Wake Forest where the school later retired his jersey number. Muggsy was selected 12th in the first round of the NBA draft by the Washington Bullets. He retired from the NBA ranking 16th among all-time assist leaders. He gained plenty of attention with his unique ball-handling skills; he could maintain a legal dribble so close to the ground that his knuckles dragged on the floor and with his high jumper range of 44-inch leaps on the court.
Throughout his career, he stayed busy starting in commercials and major productions like Space Jam, Eddie, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Muggsy retired from professional play ranking at number 16 among all-time assist leaders in the NBA and still remains the shortest player in history. Since leaving the NBA, Muggsy has worked with his nonprofit the Muggsy Bogues Family Foundation based in Charlotte, NC where he resides with his family. Muggsy is also an Ambassador for the NBA traveling the world educating youth.
www.boguesfoundation.org
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week's episode is from a recent webinar hosted by Greg and Rachel Tutwiler Fortune from the Jacksonville Public Education Fund. We recently concluded a partnership with them. The two main objectives of the partnership were helping them, and their community partners think and build out a strategy around measurable goals for diversifying the teaching force in Duval County Public Schools and supporting male educators of color.
In this episode:
- Learn about the work of JPEF
- 1,000 x 2025 campaign: A pathway to recruiting, retaining, and developing male educators of color in Duval County.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with three Charlotte Lab students, Ara Jenkins, Ahmir Lee, and Aliyah Walker, who are in 10th grade. One fun fact: they will be the first graduating class of Charlotte Lab School.
In this episode:
- How they chose Charlotte Lab
- What it's been like attending a school during covid
- What they enjoy about school
- Importance of relationships in education and business
- Advice for district leaders
Listen to kids. They have the answer.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Jason B. Allen, Owner, Educational Entities, LLC. One fun fact you will learn about Jason is his immense dedication to equity and equality in education.
In this episode:
- What keeps him in this line of work
- Work with Profound Gentlemen
- Leading the first Charter Commission school for girls in ATL
- Engagement with the school board in ATL
- His work at Educational Entities
Bio:
Jason B. Allen is a 17-year educator currently teaching Special Education in Atlanta. He leads Lillie's Foundation, serving Atlanta grandparents raising school-aged children. Additionally, he runs educational entities, including The Educators Voice blog, Speak Black Man podcast, and Students for Equity group.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Reyna Montoya, Founder, CEO, and Board Member, at Aliento. One fun fact you will learn about Reyna is her love for dance. Find out how dancing at a young age turned into a career at Teach For America.
In this episode:
- Dating advice
- Why the work of Aliento is personal
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Community organizing + current campaigns
- Helped get an in-state tuition bill on the ballot for 2022
- How to support the work at Aliento
Bio:
Reyna Montoya is the founder and CEO of Aliento. She is a social entrepreneur, educator, and dancer. Reyna is a DACA recipient and is an alumna of Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
Reyna was born in Tijuana, Mexico, 15 minutes from the U.S. and Mexico border, and migrated to Arizona in2003 fleeing violence. Despite the fear, anxiety, and stress of growing up undocumented in Arizona and witnessing her dad go through deportation proceedings, Reyna did not lose hope. That is why she took a leap of faith and decided to create Aliento in 2016 after years of organizing and educating both at the local and national levels.
Through youth-led arts + healing workshops, leadership development, and community organizing, Aliento transforms trauma into hope and action for those most impacted by the harms associated with lacking an immigration status. In less than five years, Aliento has touched the lives of over 50,000 people, of which over 20,000 are youth through programs and educated 25,000 voters in Arizona 2020 elections.Reyna's contributions towards the well-being of undocumented and mixed-status community earned her recognition by Forbes 30 Under 30, Phoenix Chamber ATHENA Awards, Humanitarian Recipient for Spirituality by the Muhammad Ali Center, 15 Latinas Changing the World by Univisión, among others.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Lagra Newman, Founder and Head of School at Purpose Prep in Nashville, Tennessee. Purpose Prep opened its doors to an inaugural class of 90 Kindergarteners in fall 2013.
In this episode:
- Policies revolving around equitable initiatives in education
- Accountability requirements for Charters'
- Dynamics between Charter and District Schools
- TN reward school
- Why education is important based upon her childhood
- Advice to aspiring school founders and current school leaders
Bio:
Lagra Newman is the Founder and Head of School of Purpose Preparatory Academy, one of the highest performing elementary schools in Tennessee. Purpose Prep, a public, non-selective charter school, educates children predominately within the North Nashville community and focuses on strong literacy acquisition. In 2017, Purpose Prep earned Reward status for being among the top 5% of schools in the state of Tennessee for academic performance. In 2018, Purpose Prep earned Reward School status for the second consecutive year.
A staunch advocate for underserved communities, Ms. Newman is deeply committed to ensuring that all children have access to quality education. Lagra began her career as an inner-city teacher for Teach for America where she taught fifth grade at 109th Street Elementary School in the Watts community of Los Angeles, California. She then recruited teachers for Teach For America in Atlanta, GA, and then served as an instructional coach at an elementary school in Washington, DC.
Undergoing a competitive fellowship with Boston-based nonprofit Building Excellent Schools in 2011 led Lagra back to Nashville to take on the challenge of opening Purpose Prep, which is her brainchild, as she designed, developed, and currently leads the high-performing model. In her current work as the Head of School for Purpose Prep, Ms. Newman oversees the instructional, operational, and financial aspects of the school, bringing strong leadership to the educational reform movement in Tennessee.
In her personal time, Lagra loves to travel and create meaningful experiences with loved ones. Over the past few years, she has traveled to Israel, South Africa, Morocco, Cuba, France, Egypt, Ghana, Spain, Haiti, and the UAE. Lagra is also a published author, creating children’s books with her mother that is focused on educational excellence, pride for one’s identity, and black empowerment.
Lagra earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Spanish at Vanderbilt University, a Masters in Teaching at Loyola Marymount University, and a Masters in Education Leadership from Teachers College of Columbia University.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
To our listeners, thanks for making 2021 another great year. SchermCo wishes you the happiest of holidays, and we look forward to seeing you back next year. We have some fresh slices coming your way in January 2022.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Lydia Logan, Vice President for Global Education and Workforce Development, Corporate Social Responsibility at IBM. She serves as the global lead for IBM’s education and workforce development initiatives.
In this episode:
- Family background within education
- Her vision of effective philanthropy and social-impact work from the corporate side
- Skilling 30M jobs by 2030
- IBM’s apprenticeship program being recognized by the department of labor
- Skills-build Now - program
- Favorite professional failure
Bio:Lydia Logan is the Vice President for Education and Workforce Development, CSR. She is responsible for leading the strategy, development, and end-to-end execution of IBM's global education and workforce development initiatives which include P-TECH, IBM SkillsBuild and STEM for Girls. Her portfolio also includes the development of new and innovative education initiatives and strategic global partnerships with IBM's clients, non-profit organizations, governments, and content and curriculum developers. She is an education expert with over 25 years of experience in education, non-profit organization management, policy, and philanthropy.
Prior to joining IBM, she led the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative. A national digital inclusion initiative providing technology, access and training in over 500 under-resourced public schools. Lydia also served as the vice president of programs for the Kimsey Foundation, where her grant portfolio focused on improving educational outcomes for students in under-resourced public schools and closing the digital divide for low-income families. Lydia holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. To learn more about IBM
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dr. Monique Perry-Graves, Executive Director at Teach For America NC. Congratulations, on the new role! A fun fact about Dr. Perry-Graves: she worked as a corporate speechwriter before pursuing a career in higher education.
In this episode you will learn:
- How she got the nickname "Master of Analogies"
- Becoming the Executive Director for TFA NC
- The shift to a statewide strategy
- Specific goals for TFA
Teach For America recruits outstanding and diverse leaders to become TFA “corps members.” Corps members commit to teaching for two years in a low-income community, where they’re employed by local schools and confront both the challenges and joys of expanding opportunities for kids.
Learn more about Teach For America NC
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dr. Daniel Velasco, Chief Operating Officer at Latinos for Education. Latinos for Education's mission is to develop, place and connect essential Latino leaders in the education sector.
Topics covered in this episode:
- How Latinos for Education came to be
- Why disaggregation needed across all levels to understand disparity
- How charter and district schools can work together or learn from each other
- What social, organizational, and political challenges stand in the way of more equitable representation between Latinx students and educational leaders
We hope you enjoy!
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We joined forces with the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) to bring you a session on strategic planning + implementation. You can learn more about Schermco’s unique approach to strategic planning and how it helped TECA secure a six-figure grant to expand their work across the state of Tennessee. This episode is ideal for executive leaders, funders, and other stakeholders interested in organizational growth and supporting educators of color.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Fidel Vargas, President of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. One fun fact about Fidel Vargas: In 1992, at age 23, Vargas was elected mayor of Baldwin Park, California becoming the youngest elected mayor in US history.
Topics covered in this episode:
- Centinela Capital Partners - investing and managing nearly $1B in minority owned funds
- Kobe Bryant and the Mamba Mentality
- The moment Fidel learned he was admitted to Harvard
- His team's work supporting 20,000 HSF scholars
- HSF receiving a $30M grant to further their technology platform
We hope you enjoy!
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sending all the love to everyone that has supported SchermCo over the last 7 years. Thank you for sticking with us.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Frances Messano, President of NewSchools Venture Fund. One fun fact about Frances Messano: Frances sings with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir.
Topics covered in this episode:
- Go-to karaoke song
- Commitment to racial justice in education is rooted in her lived experience
- NewSchools Venture Fund invested nearly $345 million in their communities, in over 1,000 education innovators, in just 20 plus years
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dan Lugo, President of Queens University of Charlotte. One fun fact about Dan Lugo: “A bit obsessed with big storms."
Topics covered in this episode:
- First-gen college graduate
- Colby College - $750 million fundraising campaign, largest in liberal arts history
- Significance of being the first racial minority to serve as president at Queens
- Steps to bridging the gap of racial equity and equality in education
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dr. Stacey Gonzales of the Ed Up Edge Podcast. This slice has a unique twist as Greg is the guest on this episode.
Topics covered in this episode:
- The educational system
- Supporting stakeholders in various ways as schools return
- Supports needed to make sure instruction and learning continue to offer responsive options
- Insights about "ownership" when it comes to students and schools and what "school choice" really means
Check out more of Dr. Gonzales's episodes
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with colleague, Noel Harmon, President at Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund.
Topics we covered in this episode:
- The connection between the Midwest
- 2009 Dissertation “experiences of Black college female student-athletes at PWI’s”
- APIA Scholars
- Mental health within students
- What we can do to elevate the work of other Asian Americans
To learn more about APIA
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with new colleague, Mike Yates, Senior Managing Director of Network Strategies at TFA Reinvention Lab. One fun fact: Mike Yates sang the National Anthem at the Houston Hotshots game.
Topics we covered in this episode:
- The beef between Dallas and Houston
- 2x TEDx Speaker
- Being more than just a teacher with personal branding
- Allowing students to make the curriculum
To learn more about The Reinvention Lab at Teach For America
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with colleague, Dr. Harry Williams, President & CEO at Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). One fun fact: Dr. Williams was a first-generation college student, attending Appalachian State University on a track scholarship.
Topics we covered in this episode:
- Story of how Dr. Williams met Dewey Norwood at a Charlotte Bobcats game
- Track career and how sports became the foundation for BIG goals
- Who TMCF is and the work they do
- Public HBCU's vs. Private HBCU's
- Future of TMCF and the importance of modeling behavior
Check out more about TMCF
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with good friend and colleague, James Ford, Executive Director at Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED). One interesting fact about James: While growing up in the Hip-Hop era of the 80s, James was an MC from the age of 13-29.
More topics we covered in this episode:
- The most famous person from Rockford, Illinois
- James preferred career if he wasn't in education
- New equity-based Social Studies Standards in North Carolina
- Why James doesn't believe in grades
- The work of CREED and centering minority students & teachers
Check out more about CREED
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with good friend and colleague, Nicole Jarbo, CEO of Goodbets Group. One interesting fact about Nicole: While playing collegiate soccer at the University of California, Berkeley, she secured nine saves to help Cal beat Auburn, 3-1, in the first round of NCAAs.
More topics we covered in this episode:
- Alex Morgan (U.S Women's Soccer star) and Nicole's first impression of her on a recruiting trip
- Nicole's lessons learned as a college athlete
- How raise $13M in less than 12 months
- Goodbets Group fundraising firm and what makes them special
Check out more about Goodbets Group here
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod focused on district-charter collaboration. This episode features two school leaders, Jamie Sumter from Movement Charter School - Freedom & Brenda Alston-Hasan from Ashley Park Prek-8 as they share their experience working across district-charter lines to support families and students. This episode also covers:
- Brenda's hidden dance talents
- Truth's about charter schools & student enrollment
- Key steps to building successful relationships with your neighboring district or charter school
Send us a note and let us know what you think about this episode.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza podcast. We're excited to bring you this interview featuring Angelique Albert, Executive Director of the American Indian Graduation Center.
Keep listening on to hear:
- the connection between Angelique and Dewey Norwood (episode #54)
- the $20M donation given by Makenzie Scott
- Angelique's team made 1,400 calls to check on their students
This episode also dives deep into the history of American Indians and the Native population in America.
Enjoy the episode!
More about Angelique Albert:
Angelique has dedicated her professional career in service to tribal communities and creating positive impacts. As the Executive Director of American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) & AIGC Scholars, she leads the Nation’s largest American Indian/Alaskan Native scholarship organization which has provided over $15 million annually in scholarships to students from over 500 tribes in all 50 states. Prior to her work at AIGC, Ms. Albert has served as the Executive Director of Salish Kootenai College Foundation where she was instrumental in planning, implementing the successful launch of their first $20 million capital campaign. She also served as Associate Director of the National American Indian Business Leaders Organization. She has served in various roles in philanthropy, including Lead Native American Program Officer for the Beaumont Foundation of America, and External Grant Reviewer for the Case Foundation. Ms. Albert’s early career began by serving her own tribe as a Legal Intern, Court Appointed Special Advocate, and Chief Juvenile Probation Officer.
Ms. Albert currently serves as a member of the Obama Foundation’s MBK Alliance Advisory Council. Additionally, she serves on the AISES Tribal Nations Advisory Council. She has served as a board member for the Potlatch Fund, as well as a board member of S&K Gaming, LLC, one of the Tribal corporations, with 4 subsidiary firms, owned by the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes. Angelique has a B.A. in Human Services and an MBA with a special emphasis in American Indian Entrepreneurship from Gonzaga University.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza podcast. In the first episode of 2021, Mia Howard of The Opportunity Trust joins Greg in conversation. Mia will share more about The Opportunity Trust later in the episode, an organization that is working to ensure that every child in St. Louis is prepared to lead a life of choice and dignity.
Keep listening on to hear Mia and Greg discuss:
-
Mia's new podcast, The Pop Junction, that's focused on the 80s + 90s pop culture
-
Mia shares about the "wins" she's experienced in her first two years at The Opportunity Trust
-
They also discuss the potential return to in-person learning and the importance of talking and listening to parents when making this decision.
Enjoy the episode!
More about Mia Howard:
Mia is a Partner at The Opportunity Trust, where she leads the organization’s $21mm investment strategy in innovative schools and talent across the St. Louis region. Previously, Mia founded and led Intrepid College Prep Schools, consistently leading middle school and high school performance in Nashville and across Tennessee. Under her leadership, the schools received numerous distinctions from Metro Nashville Public Schools and the state of Tennessee including recognition as a Reward School in 2015 and 2018, and acknowledgment as an Excelling School for Economically Disadvantaged students and English Language Learners. Notably, Intrepid was a member of the E-CMO cohort program at CSGF and Achievement First Charter Network Accelerator. Prior to launching Intrepid, Mia was a Fellow at Building Excellent Schools. Mia received a B.A. in Communication Studies from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. In her spare time, she loves to play with her dog Fizzy and she just launched a podcast called Pop Junction about 80s, 90s, and early aughts pop culture.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza Podcast. This week, Greg is in conversation with Taylor Toynes, the Founder and Executive Director of For Oak Cliff. For Oak Cliff is an organization out of Dallas, TX serving the Oak Cliff neighborhood. What started as back to school festival distributing school supplies has turned into an independent organization focused on liberating Oak Cliff from systemic oppression through education, community building, and advocacy.
Today, Taylor shares about:
-
How J. Cole ended up at their festival
-
Navigating the pandemic, as an organization and personally with his family
-
How For Oak Cliff came to be and where they hope to go
Check out more about For Oak Cliff here.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza Podcast!
Today Greg is in conversation with Krystal Allen, of K. Allen Consulting, a global education & management consulting firm that supports schools, nonprofits, and businesses through professional development, thought leadership, and philanthropy
Krystal shares about:
-
her educational experience attending a boarding school in high school in Alabama
-
and how her career has lead her to establish her own consulting firm, and what that work means to her.
You can read more about Krystal and K. Allen Consulting here.
Enjoy the episode!
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza Podcast! In this episode Greg is chatting with Dewey Norwood, one of his mentors, and SVP, Higher Education Relationship Manager, Talent Acquisition Strategy, & Targeted Programs, Wells Fargo
Don't worry they'll get into what that extra-long title means and what his job consists of day-to-day.
Beyond dissecting Dewey's role at Wells Fargo, Greg and Dewey discuss:
-
Sports! NBA, MLB, college baseball, and more
-
What Dewey looks for as a funder
-
and his LinkedIn fame
About G. Dewey Norwood:
Dewey has been with Wells Fargo for 22 years and his background includes
work in Retail Brokerage, Capital Management, Corporate Communications,
Investment Banking & Capital Markets, Community Relations and the Wells
Fargo Foundation.
Dewey is a Senior Vice-President in Talent Acquisition Strategy and
Targeted Programs within Human Resources. In this vital and strategic role,
he places special emphasis on providing diverse students and consumers
greater access to higher education resources (scholarships), mentoring,
career development, and comprehensive financial wellness training. On an
annual basis, Dewey manages 90-100 national events and programs
including Wells Fargo’s groundbreaking Beyond College Webinar Series.
Originally from New York City, Dewey is a graduate of the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte (#CharlotteStrong) with a degree in Political Science.
Outside of the firm, he works with several non-profits in support of
education, health and human services, and youth athletics. Dewey and his
wife Amanda reside in Charlotte, North Carolina and have two adult children.
Find him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dewey-norwood-jr-a50a3ba/
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza podcast. This week, Greg got to connect with Barry White Jr. a passionate educator located in Charlotte, NC but also known around the world as The Handshake Teacher because of a viral video. We at SchermCo had the pleasure of working with Barry while he was a fifth-grade teacher at Ashley Park. He's now the Dean of Students at University Park Creative Arts School and today he shares with us:
-
Why The Office will forever be his favorite show
-
Why he started his signature handshake connection with students and what it was like being interviewed by stars such as Steve Harvey and Kevin Hart
-
and finally, some of the technologies that are helping him connect with students during this time of remote learning
We hope you enjoy the episode!
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Ending our 6-part series by sending a sincere thank you.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Thanks for checking out the Square Pizza Pod.
This is the fifth of six episodes in our special series as we celebrate 6 years of SchermCo. In this episode, we discuss our lessons learned as well as our vision for the next 6 years and beyond.
What do you think the future holds for education? Leave us a comment - we'd love to hear from you.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Thanks for checking out the Square Pizza Pod.
This is the fourth of six episodes in our special series as we celebrate 6 years of SchermCo. In this episode, we discuss our own highlights from the past 6 years as we've worked across 16 states and supported 40+ game-changing organizations.
Let us know what you think about the episode.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza Podcast. Today we're talking to Sharif El-Mekki, Founder and CEO of The Center for Black Educator Development.
In this episode, Sharif shares about:
- How his upbringing shaped him (spoiler his parents were both members of the Black Panther Party)
- The origin story of The 8 Black Hands podcast, a podcast he cohosts
- His work at The Center for Black Educator Development
Enjoy this episode!
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Thanks for checking out the Square Pizza Pod.
This is the third of six episodes in our special series as we celebrate 6 years of SchermCo. In this episode, we go into the specifics of the Square Pizza Pod, why we started it, and how we plan to use it moving forward. Hope this gives you more insight about us.
Let us know what you think about the episode.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Thanks for checking out the Square Pizza Pod.
This is the second of six episodes in our special series as we celebrate 6 years of SchermCo. We go into the specifics of naming the organization and perhaps some funny insight on the pros/cons of naming a business. Hope this gives you more insight about us.
Let us know what you think about the episode.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Thanks for checking out the Square Pizza Pod.
This is the first of six episodes in our special series as we celebrate 6 years of SchermCo. We go into the specifics of how and why SchermCo was founded.
Let us know what you think about the episode.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Hi all, welcome back to the Square Pizza Podcast. Today we're actually doing a little throwback to a panel Greg hosted at EmpowerCon, a conference hosted a year ago in Charlotte. Greg moderated a discussion on The Future of Education and today you'll hear the recording of that discussion, featuring the voices of:
Kristy Thomas, Community Relations Senior Consultant at Wells Fargo
James Ford, Executive Director of the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED)
Ricky Singh, formerly the School Designer In-Residence at Charlotte Lab, now the Head of High School at Charlotte Lab
Alison Welcher, VP of School Turnarounds and Transformation at Public Impact
Enjoy!
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing thoughts on the top two candidates for NC's Superintendent of Public Instruction. Be sure to vote on November 3rd.
.
Shout out to EdNC and the News & Observer for their coverage of these candidates. Additional links below.
.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article245891385.html
.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/voter-guide/
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Hey, Everyone,
Thanks for checking out another episode of the #squarepizzapod.
Discussing the plans for a return to in-person learning for schools across the country and best practices for equity within organizations.
Thanks for checking out the video. Let us know what you think.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to the Square Pizza pod! Today's interview is with Shani Dowell, the founder of Possip, a platform that helps make school decision-makers jobs easier by gathering feedback from families, parents, and teachers.
In this episode we cover:
-
the founding process and inspiration behind Possip
-
the power of Possip's platform
-
Shani's connection to both Beyonce & Jay-Z
About Shani:
Possip's Founder & CEO, Shani Dowell is a former public school teacher. As a parent and educator at heart, Shani loves supporting the work of schools. Shani attended public schools in Houston, Texas, and went to Howard University in Washington, DC. She started her career at Bain & Co. and helped launch Posse Foundation's Boston office. She has an M.B.A. from Stanford University and Shani has worked for Houston ISD, KIPP, Teach For America, Bridgespan Group, and Relay GSE. Shani's goal is to support schools through the ideas of parents, teachers, and students.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Black Boys Film: https://www.blackboysfilm.com/
National Charter School Law Rankings: https://edreform.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cer-charter-laws-scorecard-2020.pdf
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing thoughts about the first week of school in North Carolina and the importance of discussing race and equity for the future public education.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
This week's update focuses on the rising number of positive COVID cases as schools reopen & trusting teachers to do their job.
.
More at scherm.co.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Talking this week about leveraging family surveys to understand the needs and hopes for the families you serve.
.
Also shouting out Colin Seale and his new book: Thinking Like A Lawyer. You can learn more about Colin and his company, thinkLaw: https://www.thinklaw.us/.
.
Have a great weekend.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
This week's updates focus on remote learning and ensuring families have access to computers and reliable internet. Also, sharing more about our new podcast episode with Ricky Singh.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
This week's update covers:
- Making sure all your students and families have the required resources for remote learning.
- Practicing converting lesson plans to online learning platforms.
- Our District/Charter Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXb_IdRUMzE&t=2s
See you next week!
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Today's guest is Mr. Ricky Singh, who is doing great things in Charlotte.
This was actually one of the very first podcasts we recorded, which is evident at points, so please give us some grace (or at least a laugh) while we navigate through!
We talk to Ricky about how hip hop has influenced his life and how he used hip hop as a tool in after school programs, and of course, about his main gig now, as a founding member of the leadership team of Charlotte Lab. He's currently in the process of launching Charlotte Lab High School.
Since we spoke with Ricky, he's done some amazing community organizing and engagement work through public murals in Charlotte in tandem with the Black Lives Matter movement and large-scale mural in Uptown Charlotte, as well as on the westside along Beatties Ford Road in reaction to a shooting.
Since our chat, Charlotte Lab High School also found a permanent home in South End. Congrats!
Find Ricky on Instagram @MrRickySingh for updates on his community work, and @CharlotteLabSchool for school updates.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Talking school re-entry options and a new video from our initiative focused on district/charter collaboration and family empowerment.
.
Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.
.
New video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXb_IdRUMzE
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to another episode of the #SquarePizzaPod. Today's episode feature Maurice "Mo" Green, the Executive Director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a family foundation that's invested over 600 million dollars in NC over 80 years.
Mo shares with us about:
-
a time he was roasted (it was all in good fun don't worry)
-
how the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation is responding to the COVID pandemic
-
some of the truly incredible and innovative initiatives the ZSR Foundation is currently supporting
Check out more about ZSR here.
More about Mo below:
Maurice “Mo” Green is the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation – a private, family foundation that has been a catalyst for positive change in North Carolina for 80 years and invested $608 million into the state. Mo works alongside Trustees and staff to spearhead the Foundation’s efforts to improve the quality of life for all North Carolinians. He also works with leaders in various sectors to respond to challenges and opportunities, and generate strategies that will advance the future of North Carolina. Soon after joining ZSR in March 2016, Mo, Trustees and staff embarked on a yearlong strategic assessment and planning process to evaluate and examine the Foundation’s approach to grantmaking and broader work. As part of this process, the Foundation launched a statewide listening and learning tour called “Mo Wants To Know,” where Mo, Trustees, staff and ZSR’s Community Leadership Council traveled across the state hearing directly from state leaders, local leaders and community members about trends and challenges, as well as opportunities, successes and ideas for making North Carolina a better place. Under Mo’s and the Trustees’ leadership and guidance, the yearlong process resulted in an emerging direction for the Foundation, a set of core values and All For NC, the Foundation’s Framework for Grantmaking and Learning. Prior to coming to ZSR, Mo completed more than seven years as superintendent of Guilford County Schools – the third largest school district in North Carolina. In that position, Mo led the process of completing the district's first-ever strategic plan, and launched a second, both of which have resulted in notable outcomes such as increased graduation rates and other impressive student achievements, both academic and non-academic. Before Guilford County Schools, Mo joined Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in 2001 as general counsel. In 2006, he was named chief operating officer and later moved into the role of deputy superintendent. Mo began his career as a lawyer in private practice after doing two United States judicial clerkships. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a law degree, both from Duke University. He has received numerous accolades over the years and has served in prominent leadership roles on a number of boards across the state. Mo is a longtime resident of North Carolina. He is married and has two children.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Shouting out James Ford and the NC Board of Education for pushing more equitable Social Studies standards.
Discussing School Re-Entry plans and the importance of prototyping before going live.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We're back with another episode of the #SquarePizzaPodcast. Today we're in conversation with Aaron Walker, the Founder, and CEO of Camelback Ventures, an accelerator that develops early-stage, underrepresented entrepreneurs.
In this episode we talk:
- Sneaker culture and style
- Aaron's path to founding Camelback
- and the open letter he penned on racism in philanthropy, Read it here
More about Aaron:
Aaron Walker is Founder and CEO of Camelback Ventures, works to identify, develop and promote early-stage untapped entrepreneurs with an aim to improve education and eventually close the generational wealth gap. Aaron is on a journey to live in the spirit of his baseball hero, Jackie Robinson, who said “a life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” With this ethos, Aaron taught ninth grade English in West Philadelphia, put together deals for companies large and small as a lawyer, and supported new ideas to improve education as a portfolio director for the NYC Fund for Public Schools. Aaron is humbled to say that he graduated from the University of Virginia and Penn Law School. He also knows that this doesn’t entitle him to anything and is ready to earn his keep.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Diving deeper into school re-entry options & providing thoughts on July 4th.
.
CMS School Re-entry presentation: https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/cmsnc/Board.nsf/files/BR4V697F2D55/$file/Back%20to%20School%20-%20School%20Board%20Presentaiton%206-27-20%20(2).pdf.
.
More at: http://scherm.co/
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
The #squarepizzapod can be found on our website and anywhere you listen to podcasts.
.
http://scherm.co/squarepizza/
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Thanks for joining for another episode of the #SquarePizzaPod. We're joined by Carrie Cook, the Founding ED of GreenLight Fund Charlotte. At Greenlight Carrie is incubating and scaling innovative organizations with proven impact to address unmet community needs—we'll get into what that looks like for the Charlotte in the episode.
We also talk through how Carrie is taking on Charlotte's affordable housing crisis one real estate project at a time and some of the insights she's gleaned as she's grown this passion project.
Carrie is a #boss (see full bio below) and we could have chatted for hours. Learn more about Greenlight Fund here and follow Carrie on IG here.
Bio:
Carrie B. Cook is the Founding Executive Director of GreenLight Fund Charlotte. In her role as founding ED, Carrie brings together stakeholders from philanthropy, nonprofits, private sector, government and community leaders to invest in solutions and drive measurable results that improve opportunity and mobility for low-income Charlotteans. She will incubate and scale innovative organizations with proven impact to address unmet community needs.
Carrie previously worked for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, as the VP of Talent Development and Economic Growth. While at the chamber, she helped lead the campaign to pass the largest school bond in Mecklenburg County history – a nearly billion-dollar campaign for 29 high need public school projects. Carrie’s career also includes roles with the United States Senate, and AmeriCorp as a Public Ally Fellow.
Driven by curiosity and a sense of adventure, Carrie set out on a journey to visit every continent with her Mom. They did just that in 2017 after returning from Antarctica, and exploring more than 25 countries around the world over a decade. She believes these travel experiences connecting with people, ideas and cultures around the world shape her ability to live on purpose and do meaningful work.
Carrie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Public Administration degree with a focus on Education Policy and Economic Development from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a graduate of the Business Management for Nonprofit Leaders program at Wake Forest University, School of Business.
Carrie is committed to empowering people and solving complex problems both locally and globally. In 2011 Carrie received the Young Public Administrator of the Year Award from the National Forum of Black Public Administrators, and in 2012 she was selected as one of nine leaders under 30 in Charlotte for the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community. Carrie was recognized as the 2013 Emerging Leader Woman of Achievement by the YWCA Central Carolinas for her commitment to empowering women, eliminating racism and promoting social justice. The United Negro College Fund recognized Carrie with their inaugural Maya Angelou Young Leader Award in 2016 and in 2018 she received the Woman of the Year Award from the Mecklenburg Times.
A passionate, experienced social entrepreneur, Carrie founded EmpowHERment, Inc. in 2012 – a nonprofit organization committed to mentorship, talent development and advocacy for girls and women.
Carrie is an active member with several organizations and boards including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Junior League of Charlotte and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Advisory Board. Carrie is grateful to live, serve and play in her hometown of Charlotte, NC. She credits her faith, family, community and sense of humor for an incredible life journey.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Celebrating Juneteenth
.
State testing requirements in Georgia
.
Taking the guess work out of knowing what families and teachers need next school year
.
More at http://scherm.co/
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week we interviewed Rachael Tutwiler Fortune, the President of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, where she leads the organization to help ensure every student in Duval County attends a high-quality school. Jacksonville Public Education Fund is a research-driven independent nonprofit organization that is working to close the opportunity gap for low-income students and students of color in Duval County.
Tune in as we cover:
-
Rachael's strong ties to Jacksonville and why in her opinion it's the best place to be
-
If robots will replace teachers
-
Innovative approaches to partnering and supporting families
You can find more about Rachael and JPEF's work here: https://www.jaxpef.org/
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
This episode of the #SquarePizzaPod is republished from The Biscuit Blitz, a five-minute interview segment served up from the good folks at Charlotte is Creative.
Charlotte is Creative develops programs and initiatives designed to break the Charlotte mold and re-make it with creativity – into a city that draws people in, excites them, and inspires them to invest their financial, social and creative capital.
You can find more about Charlotte is Creative on Twitter, IG at @cltiscreative and subscribe to their newsletter The Biscuit to find out more about them + the inspiring work happening in Charlotte.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Notes below from today's episode:
- Capital and Communities in Black and White
- Savage Inequalities
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
More at scherm.co
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
COVID - Week 12 Reflections & 5 Tips for School Openings
.
Want to know what our team would do to ensure schools open in a safe and equitable way?
.
Here are 5 thoughts.
.
What are you thinking about as schools set to re-open?
.
More at scherm.co
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We had the thrill of speaking with Crystal Rountree, Executive Director of Teach for America, Charlotte-Piedmont Triad, where she sets the regional vision that drives meaningful impact for students.
We dig into:
-
How Crystal is taking over our screens and pages with features in a movie and two books
-
Her experience as a TFA Corps member in Atlanta, and how an innovative approach to goal setting led to incredible results
-
Her experiences attending mostly white schools growing up in Austin and then a HBCU in Atlanta, and how these experiences led to her "superpower"
Limitless, TFA-CPT's celebration of 15 years in Charlotte is currently rescheduled for 8/29. Details here.
You can check out every episode of the #squarepizzapod at http://scherm.co/squarepizza/ or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Leave us your thoughts, and share it with a friend.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Co-create re-entry plans with families and those you seek to serve.
.
Keep equity at the focus of these plans.
.
It's the only way.
.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing reflections this week regarding the new CDC recommendations for schools to return & the feasibility of those recommendations given the budget shortfall nearly every state and school district is facing.
.
Here are the links we mentioned:
- CDC Recommendations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-...
- Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/educat...
.
What do you think?
.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing updates from our recent #squarepizzapod episode & more about the family empowerment relief fund.
.
Episode #18 with Munro Richardson - http://scherm.co/blog/square-pizza-podcast-18-munro-richardson-read-charlotte/
.
More about the Ashley Park Relief Fund - http://scherm.co/ashley-park-relief-fund/
.
Reach out with any questions.
.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Thanks for joining for another episode of the #SquarePizzaPod.
We had the joy of speaking with Munro Richardson, Executive Director of Read Charlotte, a community initiative that unites families, educators and community partners to improve children’s literacy from birth to third grade. Reading proficiency at third grade is a critical predictor of school, career and life success. Children who are not reading at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Munro, a self-described “lover of coffee, books, and data” has held this role since the organization’s launch in 2015.
We dig into:
-
Munro's perfect food (spoiler, not pizza)
-
Why he thinks of parents as customers
-
The groundbreaking tech that might just act as the driverless cars for education
-
Munro's favorite read of the moment (now required reading for the whole Read Charlotte team)
You can check out every episode of the #squarepizzapod at http://scherm.co/squarepizza/ or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Leave us your thoughts, and share it with a friend.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing a few thoughts from this week in response to COVID and its effect on education across the country.
.
We quickly highlight:
- Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there. Especially our resident Mom on staff, Lori
- Innovating for graduation - football stadiums, drive-ins, and other large, open air venues
- Webinars / Zooms to help families navigate learning platforms
- The tragic murder of Ahmaud Arbery
.
Thanks again for tuning in and engaging. Have a great weekend and be kind to one another.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing a few thoughts and reflections from Week 7 of COVID as it affects education and equity.
.
Shouting out CDL and the work of her team Moonshot edVentures. They are based in Denver, CO and are supporting school leaders of color to rethink the day-to-day of school.
.
Also sending some love to our team and community partners for helping us launch the Ashely Park Family Relief Fund. We're repurposing grant funds to help families overcome any challenges as a result of COVID. A committee comprised of families will review requests and determine how funds are released.
.
We hope these insights are helpful.
.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod - a podcast about making the good things about school - even better.
Today's episode is from our interview with Christine DeLeon, also known as "CDL". She is the Founder & CEO of Moonshot edVentures, based in Denver, CO. Moonshot "surfaces and supports a diverse pipeline of leaders to design and launch the learning environments of tomorrow."
In this episode, we covered:
- CDL's love for Boyz II Men
- Our 7,000,000 followers :)
- Moonshot's response to COVID
- why diverse school leaders from their own communities are critical to the future success of education
In our chat, CDL refers to Learner Variability resources. Here's a link to the posters she references.
We hope you'll give this a listen, leave us your thoughts, and share it with a friend.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing thoughts from leaders this week about equity in education as a result of COVID.
.
In this short weekly recap, we quickly highlight:
-
James Ford and his incredible remarks about rethinking the grading scale in schools
-
NC schools closed for the rest of the year
-
Innovative School schedule options for the summer and 2020-2021 school year.
.
Leave us a note and share your thoughts.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing three thoughts from leaders around the country adapting to support equity in education as a result of COVID.
.
In this short weekly recap, we quickly highlight:
- The city of Indianapolis and the MindTrust
- The Powerful Parent Network
- The Charlotte Westside Think Tank
.
Check out all of these great organizations and their work.
.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod - a podcast about making the good things about school - even better.
.
Today's episode is from our interview with Sil Ganzo. Sil is the Executive Director of ourBridge, an afterschool and summer program that offers refugee and immigrant children great experiences and opportunities to find out what they love to do and what they are really good at doing.
.
In this episode, we covered:
- Sil's favorite Argentinian drink
- ourBridge's response to COVID in order to support their students and families
- The challenges of hiring and fundraising as a non-profit leader
- The need for Charlotte to be more welcoming of immigrants and refugees and the importance of government leaders
Also - this episode was recorded on Zoom and you can check out the video at our Youtube page - @SchermCo
.
You can check out every episode of the #squarepizzapod at http://scherm.co/squarepizza/ or wherever you listen to podcasts.
.
We hope you'll give this a listen, leave us your thoughts, and share it with a friend.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Sharing thoughts about family engagement and empowerment for the 2020-2021 school year and two innovations by KIPP and Uncommon Schools.
.
A few of the resources we mentioned:
- The74
- UnCommon Schools, Remote Learning Plans
- KIPP, Student Attendance Hack
.
We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.
.
More to do. More to come.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
A quick episode sharing thoughts after the third week of lockdown due to COVID. You may have seen this video on our social channels but we also wanted to share here for those you following the #squarepizzapod.
.
This episode quickly touches on the importance of collaboration as well as special education services during distance learning.
.
We hope you'll give this a listen and let us know your thoughts.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
A quick episode sharing thoughts after the first week of lockdown due to COVID. You may have seen this video on our social channels but we also wanted to share here for those you following the #squarepizzapod.
.
We hope you'll give this a listen and let us know your thoughts.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
A quick episode sharing thoughts after the second week of lockdown due to COVID. You may have seen this video on our social channels but we also wanted to share here for those you following the #squarepizzapod.
.
This episode quickly touches on the digital divide and ability for schools & districts to grade assignments during this crisis.
.
We hope you'll give this a listen and let us know your thoughts.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
"Remain in a learning stance and be aware of your bias" Denise Watts
.
Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod - a podcast about making the good things about school - even better.
.
Today's episode is from our interview with Denise Watts. Denise has been a teacher, Principal, and also an Executive Director of Project LIFT, a $55M school turnaround initiative. She now works at the University of Virginia Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education where she advises school districts across the country.
.
In this episode, we covered:
- Why she's on TikTok
- Growing up in rural North Carolina
- Her advice to educators on how to navigate COVID
- Lessons learned from leading Project LIFT - a $55M school turnaround initiative in Charlotte, NC
- Advice she'd give to others leading change across the country
- How race and gender have played a factor in her career
.
Also - this is the first episode we recorded on Zoom and you can check out the video at our Youtube page - @SchermCo
.
We hope you'll give this a listen, leave us your thoughts, and share it with a friend.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to another episode of the square pizza podcast, a podcast about making the good things about school, even better
Today's episode features our interview with Sherrell Dorsey, the Founder of The Plug & BLKTECHCLT.
In this episode, we cover:
- Sherrell's favorite movie
- her experience working in the Connecticut public education system
- growing up in Seattle
- why she doesn't own a car
- the founding of BLKTECHCLT & creating a space to celebrate black technologists and entrepreneurs
- and so much more
We hope you'll take some time to learn more about Sherrell and her work supporting black entrepreneurs and her passion for education. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sherrell_Dorsey
Thanks to everyone that has taken a moment to rank the podcast and leave a review.
To support Sherrell and her passions:
- visit Intechcamp.org for people to support kids of color in STEM.
- If you are looking for talent, please have them email us at hello@blktechinteractive.com
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Welcome back to another episode of the square pizza podcast - a podcast about making the good things about school - even better.
Today's episode is from our interview with Jason Terrell, Co-Founder of Profound Gentlemen (PG). PG is building community for male educators of color who provide profound additional impact on boys of color.
They are working to retain and develop male educators of color across the country. According to the national average, only 2% of teachers identify as male educators of color and this is a disservice to all students and schools across the country.
This was another great episode. We covered:
- How Jason navigated the varying socioeconomic classes in college
- How Jason broke the news to his parents about switching careers
- The inner workings of PG
- Why Charlotte is better than Atlanta
- Jason's unique experience with square pizza
Links to information referenced from this episode:
- Profound Gentlemen
- Support PG
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We're continuing to focus on national leaders doing amazing work in public education.
In this episode, we interviewed Sarah Carpenter of Memphis LIFT and John Little - who was instrumental in the launch of Memphis LIFT and similar organizations across the country.
Memphis LIFT is an organization that is built and lead by parents. Their focus is to educate, engage, and empower families through there Fellowship program, outreach team, and school counseling options.
This episode covers everything from the best BBQ in Memphis to what it's like talking politics with a number of the Democratic Presidential Candidates.
Leave us a review and let us know what you think.
Additional information below:
https://memphislift.org/
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
We had a lot of fun connecting with Dr. Steve Perry, currently the CEO of Capital Preparatory Schools, CNN Contributor, Speaker, and Author. We covered everything from school improvement plans to the Democratic candidates for the upcoming presidential election. We hope you'll listen to Dr. Perry's insights and leave us a review.
*There are times when the audio is challenging to hear as we recorded this interview via phone but stick with it - it's worth the listen.
Biography
Steve Perry is one of the most sought after top speakers in education and advocacy in
America. Widely respected by grassroots community members and internationally renowned leaders, Dr. Steve Perry's charismatic and compelling voice is an inspiration. He is the educator upon whom Oprah Winfrey, Sean "P-Diddy" Combs, Bishop T. D. Jakes, and Steve Harvey call to offer insight to parents and children. A diverse array of politicians and groups, from the National Urban League to ALEC, have reached out to Dr. Perry to better understand what matters to parents.
Within the last 24 months, Dr. Perry has opened his fourth Capital Preparatory Schools in CT & NY, as well as assisted Steve Harvey in penning his new book, "Jump", has spoken in over seventy-nine communities and completed his sixth book, "Transparenting". Most recently, premiering his new daytime talk show "Breakthrough with Dr. Steve Perry". As no stranger to television — Dr. Perry hosted another TVONE drama hit show “Save My Son,” a reality show that featured parents who wanted to keep their sons from becoming another disheartening statistic.
His impact is profound and varied and displays no signs of slowing down. The word often used to describe Dr. Perry is "passionate". His authenticity is a welcomed addition to any discussion rooted in improving the lives of youths and the community. His skills are hard-fought and have been bestowed by his difficult childhood all the way through his Ivy League school graduation. There is a richness in his concepts that foster an intriguing point of view on the modern American family.
Dr. Perry's unique and powerful voice is respected and has been featured on multiple networks: MSNBC, Fox, CNN, Al Jazeera, TV One, BET, and NBC as well as the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). His courage and piercing insights provide a fascinating perspective that is seldom found in public discourse. Dr. Perry fearlessly speaks from the heart, which births unpredictability. He's the voice of a generation, a people's champion who has been fighting for disadvantaged children and families for thirty years. Passionate and surprisingly funny, Dr. Steve Perry is a man who is worthy of a listen.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Our team was incredibly honored to host Dr. Howard Fuller on our first official episode of the #squarepizzapod.
Dr. Fuller has immense experience in community organizing, education reform, and working to ensure all families have access to quality educational options. We cover many topics including school choice, student integration, college basketball, and so much more. He's a living legend and we hope you take time to listen to this episode.
See below for more about Dr. Fuller:
Website
Twitter
Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy
No Struggle No Progress (book)
HOWARD FULLER, PH.D.
fullerhlf@gmail.com
Howard Fuller’s career includes many years in both public service positions and the field of education. Dr. Fuller is a Distinguished Professor of Education, and Founder/Director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The mission of the Institute is to support exemplary education options that transform learning for children, while empowering families, particularly low-income families, to choose the best options for their children.
Immediately before his appointment at Marquette University, Dr. Fuller served as the Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools June 1991 - June 1995. Dr. Fuller became nationally known for his unending support for fundamental educational reform.
His prior positions included: Director of the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services 1988 -1991; Dean of General Education at the Milwaukee Area Technical College 1986 - 1988; Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Employment Relations 1983 - 1986; and Associate Director of the Educational Opportunity Program at Marquette University 1979 - 1983. He was also A Senior Fellow with the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University 1995 - 1997.
Dr. Fuller received his B.S. degree in Sociology from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1962; M.S.A. degree in Social Administration from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1964, and his Ph.D. in Sociological Foundations of Education from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1986.
He has received numerous awards and recognition over the years, including four Honorary Doctorate Degrees: Doctorate of Humane Letters from Carroll College in 1987; Doctorate of Laws from Marian College, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin in 1992; Doctorate of Business and Economics from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1995. Doctorate of Humane Letters from Edgewood College, Edgewood College, Madison WI.
He is the Chair of the Board of Milwaukee Collegiate Academy. He also serves on the Board of The Black Alliance for Educational Options, Milwaukee Region Board of Teach for America, Milwaukee Charter School Advocates and Education Cities. He is an Advisory Board member of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and the National Association for Charter School Authorizers.
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)
Hi - welcome to the Square Pizza podcast, a podcast about making the good things about school - even better.
This podcast will be interview-based and feature leaders from the education and social-impact space. Conversations will focus on the intersection of education, innovation, and diversity.
The Square Pizza podcast is hosted by Greg Schermbeck and Kelsey Van Dyke of SchermCo, a social-impact implementation firm that offers strategic planning and project management services to education-focused organizations.
Feel free to check us on out social media (@schermco) and let us know what you think. You can also use #squarepizzapod to share your thoughts. Leave us a review so more people can listen. We hope you enjoy the first episode.
More about SchermCo
- Website
- FB
- IG
- LI
Support the show (http://Scherm.co)