Our Episodes

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Our guests, Dr. E. M. Nuñez and Malik Harouna, are Assistant Director for Scholar Support & Educational Access at San FrancisBay University (SFBU) (SFBU Scholars Program) and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) for Aline, respectively. Dr. Nuñez (they/them) is a higher education and nonprofit leader with over 15 years of experience advancing equity-driven programs for first-generation, low-income, and historicallyunderrepresented students. With a doctorate in Educational Leadership from California St...

Our guest, Dr. Maylén R.R. Sullivan, is the 2026 SWCOLT and California Language Teacher of the Year. A passionate trilingual educator originally from Cuba, she serves as the Coronado Unified School District World Language Teacher on Special Assignment (ToSA), where she leads K-12 professional development and shapes the department's vision. Sullivan believes language is a powerful vehicle for problem solving and civic engagement — empowering students to servetheir communities, contribute meaning...

Our Guest, Tiffani Jaseph, is a dedicated special education professional with 16 years of teaching experience. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts in Special Education from the University of Arizona. Driven by her passion for children, Ms. Jaseph began her career in general education but soon realized her true calling in special education and made the transition to that field. Throughout her career, Ms. Jaseph has worked in three school districts. At the ...

Our Guests, Ed Alvarez and Dr. Cheryl Ingram, are Executive and Executive Deputy Directors, respectively, of the Silicon Valley Equity in Education Institute (SVEEI). Ed’s education experience spans the past 25 years, including roles as President and Board Chair of The National Hispanic University, The Foundation for Hispanic Education, and the Latino Education Advancement Foundation. Currently, he serves on the board of English Together and is President of the San Francisco Bay University Educ...

Our Guest, Dr. Terrance McNeil, is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Practice and Leadership at Tennessee State University, where he serves as Program Coordinator of the Higher Education Leadership Ed.D. program. With over 20 years of experience in K-12 and higher education, his work centers on equitable educator preparation, leadership development, and expanding access for underrepresented groups. Dr. McNeil is a Faculty Innovation Fellow at StanfordUniversity and ...

Our Guest, Dr. Taha Duri, is a figure in the fields of architecture and design. Currently, he serves as the “Dean of the College of Design” at the American University in the Emirates (AUE). He has a rich academic background and extensive professional experience in architecture, interior design, and the built environment. Professor Duri earned a Ph.D. in Architecture from the Universityof Pennsylvania and a Master of Science in Architecture from Pennsylvania State University. He has over 20 yea...

Our Guest, Dr. Brad Fuster, is Provost and Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs at San Francisco Bay University and Host of EdUp Innovation. Brad Fuster has extensive experience in higher education leadership. As a respected music professor and academic leader, Fuster brings deep expertise in academicaffairs, enrollment management, international program management, and technological innovation to SFBU. He has held key leadership positions at SUNY Buffalo State University where he was a V...

Our Guest, Prince Johnson, a 26-year veteran educator, is the 2026 New York State Teacher of the Year as well as the 2025 Gilder Lehrman New York History Teacher of the Year. A passionate advocate for career and technical education (CTE) and a leader in sustainability, he teaches social studies at Food and Finance High School in New York City and serves on the NYCPS Climate Education Leadership Team. His drive as an educator was shaped by the injustices he observed while teaching on Rikers Isla...

Our Guest, Prince Johnson, a 26-year veteran educator, is the 2026 New York State Teacher of the Year as well as the 2025 Gilder Lehrman New York History Teacher of the Year. A passionate advocate for career and technical education (CTE) and a leader in sustainability, he teaches social studies at Food and Finance High School in New York City and serves on the NYCPS Climate Education Leadership Team. His drive as an educator was shaped by the injustices he observed while teaching on Rikers Isla...

Engage in the hashtag#XEListeningTour. Listen to and reflect on a voice that is often overlooked in your community surrounding educational excellence or equity. Share your perspective via voicemail at edupxe.com.

Our Guest, Dr. Jennifer Young Wallace, is a tenured Associate Professor/Coordinator of the. Doctoral Program-Educational Leadership for the College of Education at Jackson State University, a Tier II research university, where she presently serves as JSU Faculty Senate President. Dr. Wallace served as national President 2025-2026 for the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE), making history as the first president who is an alumnus of and employed at an HBCU. She is the 5th African American pre...

Our Guest, Dr. Jennifer Young Wallace, is a tenured Associate Professor/Coordinator of the. Doctoral Program-Educational Leadership for the College of Education at Jackson State University, a Tier II research university, where she presently serves as JSU Faculty Senate President. Dr. Wallace served as national President 2025-2026 for the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE), making history as the first president who is an alumnus of and employed at an HBCU. She is the 5th African American pre...

Our Guest, Dr. Larry J. Walker, is an Associate Professor and Doctoral Program Coordinator at the University of Central Florida. Previously, he held faculty appointments at Howard University and Loyola University Maryland. His research focused on leadership, policy, and racism. In addition, he served as the Legislative Director for former Congressman Major R. Owens and selected as a Congressional Fellow with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Dr. Walker is a political commentator who ap...

Our Guest, Awad Ibrahim, is full professor, Vice-Provost, Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Excellence and holder of the Air Canada Professorship on Anti-Racism. He is a curriculum theorist with special interest in economy of hospitality (Derrida), cultural studies, Hip-Hop, youth and Black popular culture, social foundations (i.e., philosophy, history and sociology of education), social justice and community service learning, diasporic and continental African identities, ethnography and applied l...

The Thesis (The Why): Listening is more than hearing—it's the engine of transformation. When leaders truly listen, they unlock hidden insights and spark meaningful change. The power of listening turns quiet voices into catalysts for excellence and equity. In education, it’s tempting to equate a lack of objections with unity. But real leaders know: Listening isn’t passive. It’s a proactive, essential skill—one that uncovers stories, insights, and solutions in the quietest corners of our schools ...

Our Guest, Alicia Harper, is a Superintendent at Achievement First. She is a turnaround strategist, and LinkedIn content creator known for her exceptional leadership in school transformation. As a former principal, she led a turnaround school where math and reading proficiency rose from ~30% to over 90%, and staff favorability jumped from 47% to 95%, ranking #1 on Org Health Surveys during her tenure. More importantly, together with her team, she built a school where students felt happy and emp...

Our Guest, Dr. Marvin Lynn, Dean of the School of Education & Human Development (SEHD) at the University of Colorado Denver, has enjoyed a robust career as a teacher, scholar, public university administrator, and artist. SEHD is a statewide and national leader for education quality and access across the education and human development lifespan. It is the largest graduate school of its kind in Colorado and is highly regarded for its high-quality academic programs that demonstrate evidence of a st...

Listen! Are you listening? This is Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP, host of the EDUP Xcelerated Excellence podcast where we seek to advance educational excellence and equity. What if the key to educational excellence isn't just what we teach, but how well we listen? Listening isn't just about hearing words—it's about understanding perspectives, building trust, and creating spaces where every voice matters. When educators truly listen to students, families, and communities, we unlock pathways to exce...