Our Episodes

Our guest, Robert Kelty, is Head of Outreach, Government Relations, and Development for the International Baccalaureate (IB) North America. Robert embarked onhis career journey in Crownpoint, New Mexico, nestled within the Navajo Nation, when he joined Teach For America in 2001. The IB, renowned globally as an esteemed education foundation, operates across more than 6,000 schools worldwide and 2,000 schools within the United States. Robert earned his doctorate from Northern Arizona University ...

Our guest, Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D., currently serves as the president and CEO of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education). She joined AACTE in January 2025, after serving as a distinguished professor and dean of the Schoolof Education at American University (AU) in Washington, D.C., for over eight years. During her tenure at AU, Holcomb-McCoy implemented various programs that heightened the visibility of the school within the University and on a national stage. Notably...

Our guest, Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Ph.D. (she/her), is a Professor of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. In May, 2024 Yolanda was recognized with the prestigious Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award from New York University. She is co-editor of five books and is co-author of the multiple award-winning book Advancing Racial Literacies in Teacher Education: Activism for Equity in Digital Spaces (2021) where she examines her concept of Archeology of Self ™ in education. H...

Xcelerate educational excellence and equity with Dr. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen, author of Radical Care: Leading for Justice in Urban Schools. Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences. Register for the 20262.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF. Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO 2.0, Education 2.0, Health 2.0, Founders 2.0, and the Fueld Conference. Resource: Radical Care: Leading for Justice in Urban Schools (...

Our guest, Rick Benbow, is the Regional Vice President (West) at Western Governors University, the nation’s largest competency-based university. He leads efforts to expand access to affordable, high-quality education for adult learners by advancing strategic partnerships and driving student success across the region. Rick earned his MBA degree at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business and an MA in Emerging Communication Technology Policy; Strategy from the University of S...

Our guest, Curtis Valentine, MPP, has dedicated over 20 years to the field of public education. Curtis is Founder of Real Men Teach, a community of educators striving to recruit and retain male educators of color. Curtis also serves as Co-Director of the Progressive Policy Institute's Reinventing America's Schools Project and as Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland. For over 10 years Curtis served as an At-Large Member of the Board of Education for Prince George’s County (MD) Public ...

Our guests, Dr. Joe Sallustio and Elvin Freytes are co-founders and hosts of The EdUP Experience podcast, America's leading platform for higher education insights, featuring interviews with prominent global leaders. Joe stands out as a leading expert and influential voice in the world of higher education. His unique blend of experience across operations, finance, and academics positions him as a rare breed of executive with leadership acumen in diverse functional areas. Across his impressive 20...

Our guest, Joel Nomdarkham, is a dynamic marketing strategist with a gift for transforming both personal brands and corporate identities into powerful, market-ready forces. With nearly a decade of experience, Joel has carved a unique niche at the intersection of personal branding, corporate marketing, and social impact—helping professionals and organizations alike unlock their full potential. Joel's journey began humbly as an intern, where his passion for storytelling and strategy quickly set h...

Our podcast Turn ONE! In just one year, episodes havebeen heard around the globe and the EDUP Xcelerated Excellence community continues to grow. We are member of the nation’s largest podcast network dedicated to thefield of education, EDUP The Experience. At EDUP Xcelerated Excellence, educators, entrepreneurs,researchers, advocates, and policy makers are welcome to share their talents, resources, and insights on air. Our podcast addresses important issues spanning higher education, grades P-12...

Our Guest, Devin Rankin, is Marketing and Community Relations Coordinator for Profound Gentlemen and Founder of Rankin Legacy Ventures. Devin is a versatile community specialist with a strong background in education, non-profit management, and youth development. His Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Winston-Salem State University laid the foundation for a career dedicated to empowering communities and fostering positive change. Devin’s experience spans various roles, including t...

Our guest, Dr. Fred A. Bonner, II, is Professor and Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership and Counseling and Founding Executive Director and Chief Scientist of the Minority Achievement, Creativity and High-Ability (MACH-III) Center at PrairieView A&M University. He is formerly the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education in the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University and an esteemed expert in the field of diversity ineducation. Prior to joining Rutgers, he was Professor of...

Our guest, JAKE Small, is a justice-driven researcher, education equity consultant, and public speaker. He believes that high-quality public education is always a worthwhile pursuit andis passionate about advancing high-quality education for all children. JAKE is a TEDx speaker and the author of FOR EVERY BLACK BOY, a poetry book amplifying his research on the mattering of Black boys as a tool for academic persistenc eand long term professional success. JAKE supports the Massachusetts Departme...

Our guest, Aashna Khurana, is a PhD student at The Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College. Aashna is a contributor to the 2025 ICSEI Dialogic. She shares her insights on “Systems Change Efforts for Inclusive Education: Lessons from Effective Districts (AUDIO).” This Inspirational Short was recorded during the 2025 International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement in Melbourne Australia. The 2025 ICSEI Dialogic centers the work of th...

Our guest, Dr. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen, is an educator with over 20 years of experience working in NYC public schools and higher education settings. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Rivera-McCutchen’s research, teaching, and activism areinformed by her experiences and center on achieving racial equity through what she calls Radical Care. Her book, Radical Care: Leading for Justice in Urban Schools, was published by Teachers College Press in 2021. Her research has appeared in highly respect...

Our guest, Brent Miller, is a highly respected Senior Architect and Managing Principal at HED, one of the oldest and largest integrated architecture-engineering design firms in the United States. His work focuses on developing Student Life projects that integrate innovative “learning spaces” within the campus environment, fostering connections between people and places. Brent's notable projects in higher education, particularly at institutions such as California State University, Los Angeles, a...

Our guests, Dr. Micia Mosely, Founder and Director of the Black Teacher Project, advances the mission of creating opportunities for Black teachers to see schools as places of liberated learning. In developing leaders, she explains that leadership is not about a title nor more work. Leadership development is one condition that positively impact teacher effectiveness and retention. Dr. Mosley professes the importance of community among Black educators and explains that mentorship is an invaluabl...

Our guests, Cheryl Delk-Le Good, Executive Director of EnglishUSA, and Dr. Adil Bentahar, Associate Professor at the University of Delaware (UD), explore the world of English language learning for international students. They focus on English learning nationally and on university campuses. Cheryl shares her experiences in various leadership positions, highlighting the importance of the big picture in their field. She also emphasizes the value of external leadership and getting involved in event...

Our guest, Evalyn Gleason, is senior program manager for TEACHNY. TEACHNYis a state-level subsidiary of TEACH.org. The organization has extended its annual impact goal by registering more than55,000 prospective teachers on its platform. Evalyn shares the how TEACHNY is collaborating with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and educator preparation programs (EPPs) across the state of New York to recruit teachers into the profession. She explains that TEACHNY is learning and respondin...

Our guest, Dr. Monika Williams Shealey, is Dean of Temple University's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). Dr. Shealey has the distinction of being the first female dean in history of the College of Education and Human Development. Monika shares how the CEHD and Temple are committed to impact and working in partnership with the City of Philadelphia and its communities. Monika shares how the CEHD and Temple are committed to impact and working in partnership with the City of Phila...

Our Guest, Sharif El-Mekki, is founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development in Philadelphia, PA. Sharif explains the mission of the center to rebuild theBlack educator pipeline. He stresses the importance of attending to the social-political context of the profession. Three pillars undergird the center’s work steeped in community to build while leading. The pillars arepolicy and advocacy, professional learning, and pathways for entry into the profession. With much national atte...

Our Guest is ⁠Richard Blank⁠. He is a native of Philadelphia, PA and CEO of ⁠Costa Rica’s Call Center.⁠ Richard shares the ingredients for supporting and preparing call center representatives for high-impact engagement with clients. He addresses the role of AI in call center productivity and the role of empathy as an effective tool in human interaction. He shares how developing community and engagement lead to retention of employees. Richard gives back to the community by offering scholarships...

Our guest, Dr. Carlota Ocampo, is Provost of Trinity Washington University. She describes Trinity as a unicorn, the nation’s first Catholic liberal arts college for women that is a minority serving institution (MSI). She is a graduate of Howard University. She shares how faculty are prepared for actively engaged pedagogy in support of post-graduation outcomes for student success. Dr. Ocampo explains how students are supported for mental health on campus. She and the leadership team continually ...

Our guest, Emily Hellstrom, is Director of Strategy and External Affairs and co-founder for the Literacy Academy Collective (LAC). Emily shares her literacy story and the approach taken by LAC to support struggling readers. She explains how the organization also supports teachers to improve their skills and the learning trajectory for struggling readers in their classrooms. The Goal of the Literacy Academy Collective is to launch a network of schools across New York City to support struggling ...

Our guest, Naomi Peña, is Director of Community Engagement and co-founder for the Literacy AcademyCollective. Naomi shares her experiences as a parent and an advocate to assistant families with children struggling in reading. She explains the origins of the Literacy Academy Collective via a competitive proposal process. Working with families, describes how outreach and emotional support are vital resources for parent engagement. The Goal of the Literacy Academy Collective is to launch anetwor...