Innovating Education

In this special Thanksgiving episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Kwame Sarfo Mensa—veteran educator, global consultant, and author of Learning to Relearn—about what it means for educators to “unlearn and relearn” in order to create more humanizing schools. The conversation examines how equity-centered, culturally affirming practice invites teachers and leaders to interrogate bias, reconsider school culture, and center identity, belonging, and trust in daily decisions.​

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In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Steven Bollar—also known as Stand Tall Steve—an educator, former superintendent, author, and national speaker on school climate and culture. The conversation examines why many school improvement efforts stall when leaders pursue perfection over progress and how clearer decision-making and culture practices can make change more sustainable.​​

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In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Bob Safran, an educator and developer of the EGUMPP grammar program, about the place of explicit grammar instruction in literacy education. The conversation reviews how policy shifts such as the 1985 NCTE resolution influenced classroom practice and considers arguments for reintroducing more structured grammar study.​

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In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Eleni Soler—founder of Eleni’s Edge, educator, systems strategist, and certified coach—about how entrepreneurial thinking can inform the design of K–12 learning in a volatile, uncertain world. The conversation examines how inquiry-based learning, AI-powered ideation, and coaching practices can increase student agency while supporting educators and leaders to redesign their roles without burnout.​​

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In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Marc Williams—global speaker, educator, and co‑founder of Speaker Skills Academy—about redesigning how public speaking is taught in schools and organizations. The conversation examines why traditional public speaking classes often reinforce fear and performance anxiety, and how Marc’s ten-part Rules of Engagement framework offers a more practical, learner-centered alternative.​​

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In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Jen Rafferty—educator, emotional intelligence practitioner, and founder of Empowered Educator—about teacher burnout as a systemic failure rather than an individual weakness. The conversation examines how neuroscience, emotional regulation, and identity work can help educators understand their stress responses and build more sustainable ways of relating to their work.​

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In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Ruthe Farmer—founder and CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund, former Senior Policy Advisor for Tech Inclusion in the Obama White House, and a national leader in the CSforAll movement—about what it truly means to design tech pathways that don’t leave low-income and underrepresented students behind. From scaling national computer science initiatives to funding students who are one unexpected bill away from dropping out, Ruthe connects policy, philanthropy, and lived experience into a clear, urgent call for action.​

The conversation surfaces the real...

In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with David Woodward—founder and president of Forefront Education and lead author of Universal Screeners for Number Sense—about why classroom assessments are the most powerful lever schools have to improve learning. Drawing on his work with districts nationwide, David explains how to realign instruction, grading, and assessment around teacher-scored tasks rather than interim tests and state exams.​

The discussion examines systemic misalignment in current assessment systems, the limits of adaptive testing, and why formative assessment is a practice, not a product. David offers practical guidan...

In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Justin Pickens—teacher, coach, speaker, and father—about what it means to build school culture from the inside out in systems that often leave teachers burned out and students unseen. Justin shares how small, intentional actions from educators helped him break cycles of generational trauma and why he now works to help teachers and leaders become joyful, clear-eyed change agents for their communities.​​

The conversation focuses on practical mindset shifts and daily habits: what to do when “remember your why” stops working, how to pre‑decide y...

In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Nick Farrenkopf—founder and CEO of Wibly—about how interactive “knowledge trees” are reshaping how students understand and retain mathematics. Drawing on his background in private tutoring, chemical engineering, and machine learning, Nick explains how Wibly visualizes interconnected concepts to reduce cognitive overload, support neurodiverse learners, and make abstract ideas more concrete.​​

The conversation offers practical insight for educators and system leaders interested in using visual structure, cognitive science, and AI to make math more intuitive and human-centered.

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In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Sandra Breece—CEO of School Founders Academy and founder of Telesis Center for Learning—about how one mother’s determination to support her son grew into a K–12 charter movement for hands-on, inclusive learning. Dr. Breece shares stories from founding a school in her duplex to racing fire codes with 10 days to spare, naming the resilience, flexibility, and community support it takes to build a school from the ground up.​

They dig into the most common mistake new founders make, what no one tells you to prepare...

In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with psychologist, author, and strength-based education expert Dr. Steven Baron about how teachers can flip the script from deficits to strengths in everyday practice. Drawing on more than 30 years in schools and private practice, Dr. Baron shares real stories and practical moves that help students see themselves through what they bring to the table—not what they lack.​

They explore growth mindset, teacher expectations, and how small shifts—like asking “Who here is afraid of making a mistake?” on day one or swapping red Xs for green...

In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Natasha Veale—special education leadership consultant, dean, and author of How to Retain Special Education Teachers: A Transformational Leadership Guide for School Administrators—about what it really takes to create schools where special educators can thrive and stay. If you have ever said, “We can’t keep our special ed teachers,” this conversation is your call to lead differently.​

Drawing from decades in classrooms and leadership and her transformational leadership framework, Dr. Veale explains why emotional support matters as much as instructional resources, how daily le...

In this Back-to-School special of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with school leader Michael Maine about what it really takes to turn around a struggling campus when morale, trust, and results are all on the line. Michael shares the moment he learned that nearly 90% of his staff would not send their own children to the school they worked in—and how that honest feedback became the catalyst for a complete cultural reset.

Across two years, Michael and his team moved a D-rated campus to an A by focusing on short-cycle data, tight analysis of student work, an...

In this Back to School special episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Mark Moring about what it means to follow a 31-year superintendent and still lead with authenticity, humility, and a fresh vision for Durant ISD. Mark shares how he approached his first year by listening deeply, building trust, and centering collaboration, all while honoring the district’s history and clarifying its future direction.​​

The conversation highlights how Durant ISD is weaving employability-driven education into everyday learning through mobile STEM labs, aviation programs, and health sciences pathways—always grounded in strong local partnerships and communit...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Christopher Harrington—national edtech and digital learning leader—about two innovations that are redefining quality in virtual education: Digital Learning WORKS! and AccredVEd. Together, they explore what it would mean for every online program to have a 24/7 thought partner and an accreditation process that actually drives growth instead of just compliance.​

Dr. Harrington introduces Digital Learning WORKS, a nonprofit platform from EmpowerED Research Institute that offers a vetted marketplace of digital tools, on-demand consulting and PD, and “Ask Eddie,” a free AI chatbot trained on national s...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Dr. Jason Williamson—leadership expert, author, and founder of the Second Mile Initiative—for a powerful conversation about what it means to lead with purpose, accountability, and heart. From growing up in a town of 81 people to serving as a principal, military officer, and leadership consultant, Dr. Williamson shares how the Second Mile Mentality helps leaders move beyond obligation into intentional choice—and build cultures where excellence is not just expected, but embraced.​

Listeners will gain practical strategies from his P.A.C.E. Framework, real-wor...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams is joined by educator, author, and Innovageous co-founder Shira Woolf Cohen for a powerful conversation on what it really means to lead future-focused schools. Drawing on her new book, Leading Future-Focused Schools: Engaging and Preparing Students for Career Success, Shira outlines an actionable framework to shift culture from compliance to purpose and to position every teacher as a “career teacher,” not just a content specialist.​

With more than 25 years in youth workforce development and education, Shira shares how a Future-Focused Mindset connects daily instruction to real-world pathways, builds studen...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Adam Olenn, founder of Rustle and Spark, about how schools can use storytelling not as spin, but as a strategic lever for engagement, culture, and change. Drawing on decades of work in branding, communication, and behavior change, Adam explains what makes a story effective—and why leaders must move beyond updates and announcements to narratives that actually move people.​

The conversation looks at how the right stories can align vision and practice for students, families, faculty, donors, and boards, and how narrative connects directly to trust, enro...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Justyna Bronski—certified teen life coach, former Teacher of the Year, and founder of Justyna Bronski, LLC—about the students who look “perfect” on the outside yet are quietly struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. Drawing on more than a decade in the classroom and her current coaching work with teens and parents, Justyna explains how these patterns hide in plain sight and what educators can do to respond with clarity, compassion, and connection.​

The conversation offers concrete strategies for building emotional safety, reframing failure as part of le...

In this bold episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Darrin Peppard—former superintendent, best-selling author, and CEO of Road to Awesome—about the single staff-meeting question that transformed his entire approach to school leadership. Dr. Peppard shares how shifting from a deficit lens to recognizing what students do right helped move his school from thousands of discipline referrals to a student-led culture of celebration and engagement.​

The conversation dives into building systems of positive referrals, the story and symbolism behind his “Jeep wave” mindset, and what it means for leaders to show up with clari...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams is joined by digital learning specialists Rachel Doty and Courtny Drydale to talk about what responsible AI integration really looks like in K–12 schools. They share frontline lessons from leading district-wide AI work, emphasizing that effective implementation is less about the tools themselves and more about trust, transparency, and teacher leadership.​

The conversation covers how to demystify AI fears, design ethical guardrails around data privacy and academic integrity, and confront bias in AI grading and detection tools—especially for English learners and neurodivergent students. Rachel and Courtny also outlin...

In this energizing episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Lisa Parry—award-winning principal, TEDx speaker, and co-developer of the Good to Great Teacher Mentoring Program—about what it really takes to lead schools where both students and adults can thrive. Drawing on more than 30 years in education, Lisa shares why she still teaches one class a year as a principal, how she supports new teachers through disillusionment (not just burnout), and what she has learned from leading high-performing, award-winning schools.​

The conversation focuses on building cultures relentlessly centered on relationships, learning, and instructional integrity, with p...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Cheri Dixon—three-time bestselling author, turnaround school leader, TEDx speaker, and founder of Cheri Dixon Consulting, LLC—for a powerful conversation about why teaching is hard precisely because it matters. Drawing on nearly three decades in education, Cheri shares the stories behind her book The Heroes in Our Classrooms, her experience rebuilding school culture after Hurricane Harvey, and the mindset shifts that make real transformation possible.​​

Together, they explore what it means to lead with both head and heart, how to sustain grit in the face of...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams is joined by Dr. Valcine Brown—educator, researcher, literacy advocate, and author of Credit Recovery Through Demonstration of Mastery—for a conversation that rethinks reading, credit recovery, and assessment from the ground up. Dr. Brown shares how her work moves recovery programs away from seat time toward skills, growth, and demonstrated mastery, centering student agency and equity in the process.​​

They explore why mastery-based learning must remain teacher-led, how student choice and “mirror books” fuel motivation, and how data, PLCs, and honest conversations can drive scalable change. Dr. Brown also s...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Teresa Ramirez—award-winning author, motivational speaker, and self-described kindness ambassador—about how intentional acts of kindness at home and in the classroom can change the trajectory of children’s lives. Teresa shares the story behind her book Raising Kind Children and the tragic school shooting that compelled her to launch a movement focused on everyday, actionable kindness.​

The conversation explores how parents can step into the role of “CEO of the family,” how educators can embed empathy and connection into daily routines without adding one more initiative...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Rob McLeod, international educator, school leader, and host of the Reinventing Education podcast, to unpack his “Three Types of Schools” model: Expert, Coach, and Counselor. Rob explains how each school type shapes structures, roles, and decision-making—and why clarity about your dominant model can reduce friction, deepen relationships, and improve learning experiences.​​

The conversation connects these frameworks to student agency and democratic education, drawing on examples from the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), sociocratic practices highlighted in the School Circles documentary, and self-directed learning ideas inspired b...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Tyler Hunt and Carrie Wright, co-founders of TEACH LLC, to explore how AI-powered tools can lighten the load for educators while keeping relationships at the center of learning. They share how their platform helps teachers streamline curriculum planning, assessment creation, and data analysis so they can spend more time on high-impact instruction and student connection.​

The conversation digs into real classroom use cases, from AI-assisted lesson design to standards-aligned data insights, and unpacks what it looks like to introduce these tools in ways that build tr...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Darren Finnegan, mathematics educator, entrepreneur, and founder of TutorMyMath.com, to talk about transforming math from a source of anxiety into a space for confidence and curiosity. Darren shares his journey from struggling with math and relying on a calculator to earning a master’s degree in mathematics and building a business dedicated to helping students rewrite their own math stories.​

Together, they challenge the myth that only some people are “math people” and unpack how creativity, curiosity, and personalized learning can change the way students...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Richard Feenstra, an educational psychologist with a global footprint and creator of the APE (Assess, Plan, Execute) model for decision-making. Dr. Feenstra traces his path from police officer to psychologist and explains why traditional decision-making frameworks often fall short in high-stakes, real-world environments.​

The conversation unpacks the APE model as a dynamic system that links goals, context, and action, and explores what makes decision-making so challenging for learners in complex settings. Dr. Feenstra shares how he adapts his workshops for culturally diverse audiences, weaving in me...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Amy Downey, an educational leader with more than three decades of experience transforming student learning. Dr. Downey traces her journey into education and explains why meaningful relationships—not grades—are the true engine of student motivation and growth.​

The conversation highlights her work designing initiatives like “Just Read,” a literacy program built on student choice and voice in reading, along with practices such as student-led conferences, home visits, and standards-based grading that deepen ownership and engagement. They also explore what it means to craft a “livable” mis...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Aletha Williams about how strong partnerships between universities and school districts can transform teacher preparation and student outcomes. They explore what it takes to build trust among stakeholders, elevate mentor teachers, and design preparation pathways that are both practical and equity-focused.

The conversation examines how these partnerships can address educational equity and access, even amid societal barriers and policy constraints. Dr. Williams highlights the role of community colleges, enhanced mentorship models, and innovative “two plus two” programs in creating more sustainable, effective routes into the prof...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Mary Pilant, Vice Principal at Dyer Private Academy in the United Arab Emirates, about her journey from the United States to the UAE and what she has learned along the way. Dr. Pilant reflects on the cultural and educational differences between the two contexts, the benefits and challenges of teaching abroad, and how working internationally has reshaped her understanding of the profession.

The conversation digs into the value and status of educators around the world and the importance of recognizing and elevating their contributions. Dr...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Ryan Longnecker, Associate Dean of Online Leadership Studies and Organizational Development at Trevecca Nazarene University. Dr. Longnecker shares his leadership philosophy—playfully likened to Professor Dumbledore—and how he designs supportive, diverse cohort experiences that blend academic rigor with genuine community.

The conversation explores the role of feedback, lifelong learning, and teamwork in developing effective leaders, as well as how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into leadership and organizational development programs. Dr. Longnecker closes by reflecting on growth, change, and the importance of embracing one’s own...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams talks with Dr. Jody Miller, director of Coral Reef Academy in the U.S. Virgin Islands, about her two-decade journey transforming special education leadership. Dr. Miller shares how she has built programs that deliver high-quality, individualized services for students with unique needs while maintaining operational excellence and scaling to serve diverse communities.

The conversation explores what it takes to design schools and classrooms around students who learn differently, from closing critical service gaps to addressing behavior challenges in ways that are compassionate, structured, and sustainable. Dr. Miller also...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams is joined by Rebecca Bultsma, an AI ethics and education strategist and Chief Innovation Officer at Amplify and Elevate Innovation. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping classrooms and what it means to design AI-enabled systems that are ethical, equitable, and aligned with human values.

Rebecca unpacks core issues such as student privacy, algorithmic bias, equitable access to AI tools, and the need for clear guardrails around AI use in schools. She offers practical guidance on recognizing bias in AI systems, balancing efficiency with human oversight, and...

In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Dr. Leslie Sparcello, superintendent of Cedars International Schools, to reflect on lessons from her 35-year career in education. Dr. Sparcello shares how servant leadership, empowerment, and adaptability have shaped her approach to building cultures where innovation is possible and people feel safe to try, learn, and iterate.

The conversation explores how pilots can create low-risk spaces for change, what it really takes to sustain creativity in schools, and how pivotal leaders and mentors influenced her own trajectory. Dr. Sparcello also tackles challenges such as teacher...

Dr. Brandon Foster, a Harvard-educated thought leader and advocate for systemic transformation in education, joins Dr. Riley Williams to explore how his own story of overcoming adversity—and the mentors who guided him—shapes his approach to teaching and leadership. His dissertation, The Arch of Progress, weaves together Napoleon Hill’s principles with mentoring, tutoring, and growth mindset to build pathways of opportunity for students.

In this conversation, Dr. Foster highlights why sixth grade is a keystone year, outlines his strategic initiatives in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, and makes the case for literacy as the foundation of long-t...