EDUP Xcelerated Excellence
A podcast advancing educational excellence and equity across traditional and non-traditional learning experiences and contexts.
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Latest Episode
2026 Award Nominee HigherEdPodCon
Dr. Marianne Lucas Lescher—Life Beyond Retirement: Giving Back by Mentoring School Leadership Teams
Our guest, Dr. Marianne Lucas Lescher, is a lifelong educator, as a teacher, district curriculum director, and school principal for total of 43 years. In her 26 years as a K-5 and K-8 principal,she led her school to a National Blue-Ribbon recognition, the highest award a school can receive. Her schools receivedArizona's highest school recognition, the A+ School of Excellence honor 5 times. Dr. Lescher received her Ph.D.from Boston College, in Educational Research. Her M. Ed. is in Educational Ad
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7
April 1, 2024
Inspirational Shorts with Dr. Christopher Bonn — Educational and Assistive Technologies
Meet Dr. Christopher Bonn, President and CEO of BonFire Leadership Solutions LLC. He is a former school district superintendent, the author of Igniting Change: The BonFire Principles for Transforming Toxic Organizations, and a university faculty member. Chris works with the technology industry and school systems to achieve greater efficiencies for educational outcomes through the use of assistive and other forms of technology. Recorded during the Education 2.0 Conference, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV,
9
April 15, 2024
Inspirational Shorts with Dr. Alisha Pollard — Developing Students and Parents in Financial Literacy
Guest, Dr. Alisha Pollard, is President of Warriors Helping Achieve Triumph (or “WHAT”). What is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to empowering individuals of all ages through enriching experiences and knowledge-sharing sessions, while encouraging self-confidence and the desire to excel. Dr. Pollard, describes how WHAT supports students and their families achieve financial literacy. Recording during the Education 2.0 Conference, 2024, Las Vegas, NV, Dr. Pollard shares how authent
10
April 22, 2024
Dr. Elsa Núñez — Leading an Elite Liberal Arts College in the Absence of Elitism
Dr. Elsa Núñez is the President of Eastern Connecticut State University, Connecticut’s only public liberal arts institution of higher education. Dr. Núñez shares her lived experiences, and those as a university president looking toward retirement who is a lifelong learner. She discusses the importance of a liberal arts education and educational attainment. She champions excellence and access and shares with the EDUP Xcelerated Excellence community the evolutionary process defining the unique ex
Recent Episodes
28
Sept. 16, 2026
Dr. Marianne Lucas Lescher—Life Beyond Retirement: Giving Back by Mentoring School Leadership Teams
Our guest, Dr. Marianne Lucas Lescher, is a lifelong educator, as a teacher, district curriculum director, and school principal for total of 43 years. In her 26 years as a K-5 and K-8 principal,she led her school to a National Blue-Ribbon recognition, the highest award a school can receive. Her schools receivedArizona's highest school recognition, the A+ School of Excellence honor 5 times. Dr. Lescher received her Ph.D.from Boston College, in Educational Research. Her M. Ed. is in Educational Ad
27
Sept. 8, 2026
James Wilson—Youth Leadership and Developing Education as a Community Good through Policy
Our Guest, James Wilson, is a public policy professional, education advocate, and graduate student at Georgia StateUniversity’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, where he is pursuing a Master of Public Administration. A recent cum laude graduate of Georgia State with a degree in Public Policy, a minor in Urban Education, and a certificate in Social Science and Data Analytics, James has focused much of his academic and professional work on improving educational opportunity, student success,
26
Aug. 30, 2026
Dr. Dani Molle—Leading School Districts for Equity with the Wallace Foundation
Our guest, Dr. Daniella Molle, is a qualitative researcher who conducts inquiries related to equitable education for historically underserved students. She has a background in the teaching and learning of English as an additional language. For a decade, her work focused on expanding educators’ capacity to meet the needs of multilingual students through job-embedded professional learning. Since 2021, Daniella has been the research director of a large grant-funded project focused on equity-centere
25
Aug. 28, 2026
Dr. Mohammed Elmeski—Leadership through Convening: Building Educational Equity and Agency across the African Diasporas
Our guest, Mohammed Elmeski, PhD, is a university professor, senior education advisor, researcher, and international development professional with nearly three decades of experience spanning education policy, higher education, school improvement, and system reform. His career has bridged academia, government, research, and international development, with leadership and advisory roles in Morocco, the United States, Africa, the Middle East, and other international contexts. He has served as a u
24
Aug. 10, 2026
Eric Scheninger—Leading Principals in Asking the Right Questions for Student Achievement through Aspire Change EDU
Our guest, Eric Scheninger, is founder and CEO of Aspire Change EDU. He works with schools worldwide, helping educators meet and exceed their potential to improve learner outcomes. Aspire Change EDU, a collaborative consultancy, provides personalized support to educational systems. Prior, Eric was a teacher and the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership, his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implement
23
Aug. 2, 2026
Dr. Scott McLeod, J.D.—Research and Practice on Supporting Principals to Make Learning Interesting
Our guest, Dr. Scott McLeod, J.D., is a Professor of Educational Leadership. He is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on P-12 school leadership, deeper learning, technology, and innovation. He is on a mission to make students’ day-to-day learning less boring and more meaningful and relevant. Scott is the Founding Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), the only university center in the U.S. dedicated to the technolo
25
July 27, 2026
Dr. Jean-Philippe Marelli—Building community capacity for the ecological preservation of the stingless bee and it honey resource
Our guest, Dr. Jean-Philippe Marelli, is a scientist and beekeeper. Along with Psychologist Carlos André Santana, he founded Arimubee, with a mission to demonstrate thatexceptional food can be produced while regenerating forests, protecting native bees, and creating positive impact on society. Arimubee is a Brazilian regenerative food company producing premium stingless bee honey and bee-derived products from the Atlantic Forest of Bahia. Working within a protected environmental area, Arimubee
24
July 23, 2026
Reyan Warren, Yiwei Guo, and Lorena Valer—Council members on the impact and future of the AACTE Holmes Scholars Program, celebrating 35 years
Our guest, Reyan Warren, is a doctoral student in the Social Justice in Education program at the University of San Diego and the current President of the AACTE Holmes Scholars Program. A proud graduate of Victor Valley College, she brings a unique perspective shaped by her journey from community college to doctoral study. Her research centers on resilience theory, with a specific focus on how Black girls and women navigate and resist deficit labels in educational spaces. She is pioneering the ad
23
July 19, 2026
Todd Nesloney—Prioritizing the learning and development of Texas’ school principals at National School Leaders’ Conference 2026
Our guest, Todd Nesloney, is the Director of Culture and Strategic Leadership for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA). He has also served as an award-winning principal of a PreK-5th Grade campus of over 775 students in a rural town inTexas. He has been recognized by the White House, John C Maxwell, the Center for Digital Education, National School Board Association, the BAMMYS, and more for his work in education and with children. Todd has written six books, inclu
22
July 14, 2026
Dr. T. J. Vari and Kim Gameroz—Supporting social emotional learning and college and career readiness at the National School Leaders’ Conference 2026
Our guest, Dr. T.J. Vari, is the Senior Director of Product Strategy at MaiaLearning with a focus on postsecondary planning for students worldwide. Dr. Vari is a former deputy superintendent, middle school assistant principal and principal, and high school English teacher. Dr. Vari is an award-winning educator, recognized speaker, and the co-founder of TheSchoolHouse302, a leadership development company with an international footprint. He is the co-author of 7 books oneducational leadership, whi
21
July 6, 2026
Dr. André O. Hudson—Strengthening Access for Science Education with a focus on Happy Individuals at RIT
Our guest, Dr. André O. Hudson, is Dean of the College of Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), a role he has held since 2023. He previously served as Head of the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences from 2017 to 2022. Originally from Jamaica, he emigrated to the United States at age 14 and earned his B.S. in Biology from Virginia Union University in 2000. He received his Ph.D. in Plant Biology and Pathology from Rutgers University in 2006, where his research focused on am
20
June 27, 2026
Dr. Andrew (Andy) Jacks—Celebrating and Supporting Principals at the National School Leaders Conference powered by NAESP
Our guest, Dr. Andy Jacks, is an award-winning principal, speaker, author, and leadership coach dedicated tohelping educators build thriving school communities full of energy, growth, and fun. A former Virginia Principal of the Year and National Distinguished Principal, he shares practical, research-based strategies on leadership, school improvement, student engagement, and creating lasting positive change. He is the author of Discipline Win and speaks nationally to inspire leaders to make the e
Recent Blog Posts
April 18, 2026
Exploring the Role of Journalism in Education and Reporting on the Student Debt Crisis
We revisit a highly listened to episode of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence, featuring award-winning journalist and educator Dr. Jamal Watson. Dr. Watson is a longtime senior leader at Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, now The EDU Ledger, where he has …
March 21, 2026
Transforming Communities through the Black InGenius Initiative (BiGI), University of San Diego
We highlight a powerful on-location episode of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence, where host Dr. Jacob Easley II visited the campus of the University of San Diego (USD) to sit down with Drs. Kimberly A. White-Smith, Professor and Dean, and Sean Green, Ass…
Feb. 7, 2026
Anti-oppressive Education and the Non-neutral Role of Schools in Social Equity
We return to the most listened to episode on Spotify of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence, a timely conversation with Dr. Kevin Kumashiro, then-Interim Dean for the School of Education at Hofstra University. A nationally recognized scholar, organizer, and …
About the Host
Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP
Host
Entrepreneur, higher education leader, podcaster, scholar, and change agent. President of Xcelerated Excellence Consulting LLC.
Dr. Jacob Easley II is an internationally accomplished and award-winning educational leader and entrepreneur. He is an expert in educational policy and politics, focusing on educational accountability, effectiveness, and improvement. He has served in various faculty and leadership positions across five different states and the District of Columbia. Dr. Easley is proud of his work as an advocate for equity and access and quality educational opportunities for all students. He has published numerous books, articles, and commentaries on educational accountability, change, equity, and educator preparation. He is the immediate past president of the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE). Dr. Easley is a National Association of Holmes Scholars Alumni (NAHSA) lifetime member and former president of the organization. He is also the founder of the International Congress of School Effectiveness and Improvement’s (ICSEI) Culture, Race, and Intersectionality Network.
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