Learning Can’t Wait

It’s no secret that the times have changed, including the public perspective of higher education. It’s easy to focus on the negative and much harder to empower the positive. In this interview, Hayley Spira-Bauer and John Katzman discuss what higher education gets right - and it’s an inspiring list! But that's only one piece; let's dive in with Katzman and hear how he thinks K12 spaces need to be shaken up to keep up. 

Are you leading your life with a theory of change? Jonathan Beauford, Performance Equity Manager at Google, believes investing in people is investing in the future. Jonathan has spent his career creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive professional opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds. In this interview, Jonathan walks us through the steps he’s taken to help students and professionals connect the dots, and forge their own paths, in the pursuit of making a positive impact in the world. 

It is no secret that teachers are burned out, fatigued, and demoralized. Two years of crisis is a long time, but rather than asking, “who can blame them?” let's ask, “how can we support them?” This panel features a teacher retention expert, a new teacher leader, and a psychologist - it sounds like the beginning of an excellent joke - but preventing the mass resignation of teachers is no laughing matter. Dr. Mia Mulrennan, Henry Wellington, and Leigh Borda share their wisdom on how to support teachers holistically in this unprecedented time.

Less than 2% of venture-backed startups are women-led. This week Hayley Spira-Baur interviews two women in the EdTech sector who are striving to change that and transform the future of learning and working. Jessica Millstone is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Copper Wire Ventures, a venture fund intentionally built to fund and support women in business. Ali Iberrakan, the CEO and Founder of Chapperone, joins the conversation to discuss her company’s experiential learning platform which enables quality pedagogical practices to happen in the real world. 

How do American schools compare to those educating students around the world? In this episode, Hayley Spira-Bauer interviews Morty Ballen, the Senior Vice President of Christel House International. An organization dedicated to transforming the lives of children by breaking the cycle of poverty. Morty will share his experience teaching, founding, and leading schools around the globe.

In this episode, Hayley Spira-Bauer interviews a panel of academic experts about the state of mental health in a post-pandemic world. The COVID19 crisis affected students and teachers in unprecedented ways, and two years later we are still trying to find the new normal of education. Brandon Clayton, CJ Casciotta, and Jeff Patterson help us face the hard truths by sharing their personal journey's creating organizations that support those in mental health crisis. This episode explores the importance of taking action NOW, and ways that you can make an impact in your community.

What is the “American Social Contract”? Is it still as prevalent today as it once was? CEO of Coney Island Prep, Leslie-Bernard Joseph, speculates that the labor shortages we are experiencing today are a direct result of the unraveling of said social contract. Do you agree? Join us in this week's episode as we try to “unravel” both the philosophical and practical implications of this concept.  

Achieving financial solvency has become a near impossibility for students across the United States. Many seek to continue their education after high school, and many face the unconscionable reality that they just can’t afford it. In this episode, Hayley Spira-Bauer interviews David Helene and Rochelle Sinclair about their organizations, OneGoal and Equity, and how they support students to achieve both a degree and financial success.