Today we’re excited to highlight a new company featured on the EdTech Startup Showcase, Scholar Education. In this conversation with  Marlee Strawn, the company’s co-founder and Head of Education, you'll hear about:

• Vision and goals of Scholar Education
• Who Scholar Education’s solutions are designed to support in schools
• The challenges the company is solving
• Marlee’s career in education
• What educators are sharing about their experience with the tool
• How Marlee got involved with AI

About Scholar Education

Scholar Education is an AI-powered classroom enhancement platform that offers a suite of AI tools designed to deliver a personalized learning environment, with a specific focus on implementing and tracking accommodations for ESE, 504, and ELL students. Learn more at https://www.joinscholar.com or join the teacher waitlist: bit.ly/ScholarWaitlist 

About today’s guest

Marlee Strawn's career started as a high school teacher and reached a significant milestone when she became the founding principal of the top-performing charter high school in the seventh largest district in the nation. Following her successful tenure as principal, Marlee transitioned to a new role in the education technology sector. As the Co-Founder and Head of Education at Scholar Education, Marlee leads the development of an AI-powered classroom enhancement platform designed to eliminate administrative burdens for teachers. She was also recently selected as a 2024 EDSAFE AI Alliance Women in AI Fellow. 

About today’s host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn. 

Listen to his other shows:

• The Authority — deep-dive interviews with the leading minds in leadership, management, education, and personal development.
• Sideline Sessions — conversations with successful coaches and performance experts from professional, collegiate, and youth sports. 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Today we're pleased to bring you an episode of Make It Mindful, one of the newest shows on the Be Podcast Network. Make It Mindful peels back the layers on today's educational challenges with mindfulness and compassion. Listen to more episodes and subscribe here: https://makeitmindful.transistor.fm

Dr. Adriana Galván is the Dean of Undergraduate Affairs at UCLA and the former head of an adolescent psychology research lab. Through a lens of mindfulness, hosts Seth and Lauren join Dr. Galván in exploring lván the persistence of outdated teaching methods, the innovative potential of Galván's leadership role, and her remarkable journey as a female POC to a major position of influence. Woven throughout are her insights about adolescent psychology - especially on peer influence and risk taking - which offer a fresh perspective for educators.

Guest links:
1. Dr. Galván's Wikipedia Bio
2. Dr. Galván's First TED Talk and Second TED Talk on the adolescent brain

Co-Host Links:

Seth Fleischauer

Founder and President of Banyan Global Learning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-fleischauer/

Website: https://banyangloballearning.com/

Lauren Pinto

Cofounder of Ambitious Ed, Educational Technology Specialist

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-s-pinto/

Website: https://www.ambitioused.com/

Komal Shah

Speaker, Author, & Entrepreneur

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/consultkomal

Website: https://thekomalshah.com

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Raise-Your-Hand-Consciousness-Education-ebook/dp/B09FNT6B45/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Today we're thrilled to bring you a timely episode from Resilient Schools. Host Ross Romano talks with Jen Perry, Senior Manager of Learning Design and Whole Learner at Edmentum.

Jen helps us identify the types and indicators of trauma present in many school districts, the causes of chronic absenteeism as well as the ongoing trends, the risk factors for disengagement, how to integrate educator and student engagement, and more.

Hear about:

• “Resilient Schools” means adaptive
• Key indicators of trauma within a school community
• How educator engagement and burnout relate to student engagement
• The call to bring students back from disengagement
• Measuring connectedness
• Lessons on chronic absenteeism from Rochester, NY
• Why chronic absenteeism hasn’t automatically fixed itself post-pandemic
• How the Whole Learner framework aligns with efforts to combat chronic absenteeism
• Career-connected learning and making school relevant
• Read Jen’s District Administration article, Connectedness is key: 3 ways to reverse chronic absenteeism
• Learn more about Edmentum: https://www.edmentum.com

About the guest

Jen Perry is Senior Manager of Learning Design and Whole Learner at Edmentum. Jen has worked over 30+ years with youth in educational and community settings. As a teacher, administrator, and trainer, her passion has been to help educators develop an understanding of the importance of social-emotional learning and build trauma-informed responses and systems. This work has included supporting youth, administrators, and schools in understanding behavior and implementing transformational change through strength-based approaches. Connect on LinkedIn

About the host

Ross Romano is co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. He has spent over a decade helping dozens of founders, C-level executives, and authors develop and distribute compelling thought leadership through a variety of media channels. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this episode, originally from The Authority Podcast, you'll hear about Achievement Teams, a better approach to PLCs.

Steve Ventura is a former elementary and secondary teacher, has worked as both a school and district-level administrator, and is currently the president and lead consultant at Advanced Collaborative Solutions. He is passionate about helping school-based leaders instill a culture grounded in collective teacher efficacy through his flagship work, Achievement Teams.

Steve’s book, co-authored with Michelle Ventura, is Achievement Teams: How a Better Approach to PLCs Can Improve Student Outcomes and Teacher Efficacy, published by ASCD.

In this episode, Ross and Steve discuss:

• Why collaboration matters
• The causes of ineffective PLCs
• A better approach to PLCs
• Improving student outcomes and teacher efficacy
• The 4-step structure of Achievement Teams meetings
• Establishing relational trust

Find Achievement Teams from ASCD or wherever you get your books. Learn more at https://www.steveventura.com

About today’s guest

Steve Ventura is the president and lead consultant at Advanced Collaborative Solutions. He is a highly motivational and knowledgeable speaker who approaches high-stakes professional development armed with practical, research-based strategies. Steve is a former elementary and secondary teacher and has worked as both a school and a district-level administrator. He is passionate about helping school-based leaders instill a culture grounded in collective teacher efficacy through his flagship work, Achievement Teams. Connect with Steve:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram 

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano and LinkedIn

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Welcome to the EdTech Startup Showcase, an original series produced by the Be Podcast Network. This series is all about spotlighting and amplifying some of the most innovative emerging companies in edtech.

We'll bring you the first five episodes of the series directly in this feed. To subscribe to the series, visit https://etss.bepodcast.network 

In this episode, Ben Gustafson, founder of Classroom Mosaic, is the guest. Classroom Mosaic is a teacher observation platform that powers transformational leadership with effective observations.

Hear about:

• How Classroom Mosaic got started
• Their vision for transforming teaching and learning 
• The importance of feedback in K-12 education
• The story behind the name "Classroom Mosaic"
• The future of the company 

Hear more about Classroom Mosaic:
We help K-12 leaders support, develop, and retain their teachers. For over a decade, we've worked with educators worldwide from districts large (100k students) and small (150 students) to transform instructional practice, guide professional development, and impact student learning.

We believe every student deserves a great education. And a great education starts with great teachers supported by great leaders. Learn more: 

• classroommosaic.com
• twitter.com/ClassroomMosaic 
• linkedin.com/company/classroommosaic/
• twitter.com/Ben__Gustafson 
• linkedin.com/in/bengus28/

About today's guests:
In 2011, Ben and Tyler founded Classroom Mosaic as seniors at Dutch Fork High. They developed a prototype during a project-based learning class as part of a STEM program. Based on the overwhelmingly positive response they received from the prototype, they took what they learned and started building Classroom Mosaic.

They launched the first version of the platform in the fall of 2011 from their dorm rooms as freshmen. Within two weeks, Classroom Mosaic became profitable, with multiple school districts using it to support and develop their teachers.

Since then, we've fallen in love with the problem of supporting teachers well, and our passion for building practical tools for K-12 educators has only grown. We've logged thousands of hours with instructional leaders and expanded our platform to support teacher observations, learning walks, instructional rounds, team observations, teacher evaluations, and much more.

And we're just getting started. Classroom Mosaic continues to grow and evolve as the needs of instructional leaders, just like you, continue to change. Observations shouldn't feel like a chore. Experience easy & effective observations.

About today's host:
Scott Schuette is a Learning and Development Executive with years of experience driving the creation of innovative, multi-million dollar learning platforms and education programs for major corporate enterprise companies. 

He is cohost of The Fabulous Learning Nerds, a podcast sharing new ideas, learning tools, approaches and technology that increase learner engagement and impact — All while having FUN! Listen to the show and subscribe here: https://fabulouslearningnerds.transistor.fm 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Welcome to the EdTech Startup Showcase, an original series produced by the Be Podcast Network. This series is all about spotlighting and amplifying some of the most innovative emerging companies in edtech.

We'll bring you the first five episodes of the series directly in this feed. To subscribe to the series, visit https://etss.bepodcast.network 

In this episode, Katie and Matt Chaussee, founders of Be More Colorful and creators of CareerViewXR, share the story of their company's founding and how it is changing workplace and education experiences.  

Hear about:

• The origin story of Be More Colorful 
• Content accessibility 
• Immersive media in education: video content, simulations, metaverse, and more
• The future of career and technical education (CTE) - industries are changing, CTE needs to keep up, grab the attention of learners and inform them
• Bridging the Gaps: skills gap, opportunity gap, and awareness gap
• CTE for all - professional development for parents, teachers, counselors, adult career-seekers, and the incarcerated

About Be More Colorful
Be More Colorful, based in Fargo, North Dakota specializes in immersive technology solutions for solving workforce development problems. Co-founded by husband-and-wife team Matt and Katie Chaussee, the company has been at the forefront of creating immersive media solutions that help people make better decisions about where they choose to live, learn, work and play. Learn more:

• https://www.bemorecolorful.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/careerviewxr/ 
• https://www.facebook.com/bemorecolorful/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/careerviewxr/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-more-colorful/ 
• https://www.instagram.com/bemorecolorful/ 
• https://twitter.com/bemorecolorful 
• https://www.tiktok.com/@bemorecolorful 

About today's guests:
Katie Chaussee, co-founder and Owner of Be More Colorful alongside her husband Matt, embarked on an entrepreneurial journey that began modestly with a part-time gig providing virtual real estate tours. Over time, their initiative has grown into a prominent EdTech company, employing cutting-edge virtual reality technology to innovate career exploration for students.

This transition from a "mom and pop VR shop" to an acclaimed industry player wasn't a walk in the park. With a steadfast commitment to their vision, Katie and Matt navigated through both successes and failures, ultimately reshaping their family life.

From a traditional young family with two children and two-incomes to fully embracing the uncertainties of entrepreneurship, Katie and Matt demonstrated the courage to tread an uncharted path. Katie's journey, less about glory and more about grit, embodies the essence of their venture — a determination to improve career guidance for students through innovative technology. Her role in this endeavor underscores the power of belief in a shared vision and the determination to see it through.

Matt Chaussee, co-founder and CEO of award-winning immersive media and virtual reality production studio, Be More Colorful, is revolutionizing career exploration for students with the groundbreaking product, CareerViewXR. Together with his wife, Katie, Matthew transitioned from a part-time endeavor creating virtual real estate tours to assembling a skilled team of media professionals who are revolutionizing career exploration with immersive media technology.

Motivated by his own career journey, which involved seven years of college, five major changes, and finally a degree in Mathematics, Matthew's professional path was marked by a continuous quest for fulfillment. Despite a successful 15-year-long career, his internal dissatisfaction led him to pivot, co-founding a virtual reality production studio with his wife and co-founder (and majority owner) Katie.

Through CareerViewXR, Matt and his team use virtual tours and virtual reality video to bring real-world job environments directly into the classroom, offering a dynamic and practical tool for students considering their future careers. Their ambition is to ease the decision-making process for younger generations, providing them with a firsthand insight into their future career path.

About today’s host

Scott Schuette is a Learning and Development Executive with years of experience driving the creation of innovative, multi-million dollar learning platforms and education programs for major corporate enterprise companies. 

He is cohost of The Fabulous Learning Nerds, a podcast sharing new ideas, learning tools, approaches and technology that increase learner engagement and impact — All while having FUN! Listen to the show and subscribe here: https://fabulouslearningnerds.transistor.fm 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Welcome to the EdTech Startup Showcase, an original series produced by the Be Podcast Network. This series is all about spotlighting and amplifying some of the most innovative emerging companies in edtech.

We'll bring you the first five episodes of the series directly in this feed. To subscribe to the series, visit https://etss.bepodcast.network 

Today, Priten Shah, the founder and CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud and Pedagog.ai, discusses the rise of artificial intelligence in education. Priten emphasizes the importance of navigating the digital transformation in the educational landscape. He highlights the startup's mission of transforming education through AI technology, providing tools to help educators in the classroom while also working to bridge the tech literacy gap. 

Hear about:

• Priten's journey into edtech
• The role of technology in education
• Exploring Pedagog.ai
• The vision for pedagogy
• Lessons learned in the journey
• The impact of AI on society

About Pedegog.ai:

Pedagog.ai is focused on supporting educators in adapting to the age of artificial intelligence in education. The company offers a variety of professional development options, including books, online courses, webinars, and in-person workshops, to help teachers learn about the latest advancements in AI and education. Their suite of tools is designed with educators in mind, aiming to enhance curriculum development and workflow efficiency through AI technology. They also provide tools tailored for student use, enabling them to engage in assignments that leverage AI capabilities in a classroom setting. Learn more:

• http://pedagog.ai/
• https://twitter.com/pedagogycloud
• https://www.instagram.com/pedagogycloud/
• https://facebook.com/pedagogycloud

About today's guest:
Priten Shah, M. ED and B.A, Harvard, is the CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud, which provides innovative technology solutions to help educators navigate global challenges in a rapidly evolving world. He is also the author of the Wiley’s Jossey-Bass publication, “AI & The Future of Education: Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.“ Pedagogy.Cloud has worked with over 200 different educational organizations to adapt and innovate during major world events including the Covid-19 Pandemic. He and his team are currently focused on helping educational organizations adapt to the ever growing capabilities of AI. Priten is also the founder of United 4 Social Change, a civics education nonprofit that focuses on helping teachers integrate interdisciplinary education into their curricula through animated videos, lesson plans, and innovative classroom activities. Connect with Priten:

• http://linkedin.com/in/pritenhshah
• https://twitter.com/pritenhshah

About today's host:
Scott Schuette is a Learning and Development Executive with years of experience driving the creation of innovative, multi-million dollar learning platforms and education programs for major corporate enterprise companies. 

He is cohost of The Fabulous Learning Nerds, a podcast sharing new ideas, learning tools, approaches and technology that increase learner engagement and impact — All while having FUN! Listen to the show and subscribe here: https://fabulouslearningnerds.transistor.fm 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Welcome to the EdTech Startup Showcase, an original series produced by the Be Podcast Network. This series is all about spotlighting and amplifying some of the most innovative emerging companies in edtech. 

We'll bring you the first five episodes of the series directly in this feed. To subscribe to the series, visit https://etss.bepodcast.network 

Today, Connected Class founder and CEO Christel Reaves shares the story of her company’s work to support education teams with engaging, research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. These include hands-on, interactive activities and technology-based resources to supplement language arts and math curriculum for grades K-8.

Hear about:

• Christel's journey from struggling student to EdTech Innovator
• The organic growth story of Connected Class
• The power of video in education
• Addressing academic gaps and social-emotional learning
• The impact and future of Learning Link
• Christel’s upcoming goals and what motivates her work

About Connected Class

We build communication between the classroom and home environment through exciting games, strategies, and activities to help students succeed academically. Learn more:

• www.connectedclass.com  
• https://twitter.com/connectedclass_
• https://www.instagram.com/connected_class 
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/connected-class 

About today’s guest

Christel Reaves, founder and CEO of Connected Class, is an enthusiastic educator dedicated to improving learning and equipping educators to succeed.  Her passion for ensuring family engagement throughout the learning process is evident and at the core of every product and service provided by Connected Class. She oversees a team of Instructional Specialists to support schools, focusing on helping educators analyze data, develop action plans, implement instructional strategies, and enhance family engagement for improved student achievement. 

Before Christel was the founder of Connected Class, she was a classroom teacher, county resource educator and district administrator. She worked closely with the state to remove low performing Title I schools from Intervene status. Over the past 25 years, she has helped many schools improve their student performance and engage families. 

About today’s host

Scott Schuette is a Learning and Development Executive with years of experience driving the creation of innovative, multi-million dollar learning platforms and education programs for major corporate enterprise companies. 

He is cohost of The Fabulous Learning Nerds, a podcast sharing new ideas, learning tools, approaches and technology that increase learner engagement and impact — All while having FUN! Listen to the show and subscribe here: https://fabulouslearningnerds.transistor.fm 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Welcome to the premiere episode of the EdTech Startup Showcase, an original series produced by the Be Podcast Network. This series is all about spotlighting and amplifying some of the most innovative emerging companies in edtech. 

We'll bring you the first five episodes of the series directly in this feed. To subscribe to the series, visit https://etss.bepodcast.network 

Today, Inkwire founder Aatash Parikh joins the show to discuss his company’s efforts to empower students to build and share their body of work. Aatash is an educator and engineer who has worked at companies like Google and Khan Academy, and also as a middle school teacher in the Oakland Unified School District.

Hear about:

• Aatash’s journey from classroom teacher to edtech founder
• What authentic digital portfolios mean for student learning
• The results students and teachers get when they engage with the Inkwire platform
• The launch process and initial school successes
• Vision for the future of learning

About Inkwire

In a world in which generative AI has called into question the value of traditional curriculum and assessments, Inkwire is a platform that engages students in real projects and helps them demonstrate their original thinking & skills through portfolios. Learn more: https://inkwire.co 

About today’s guest

Aatash Parikh is an educator and an engineer. Aatash has worked as a software engineer at companies like Google & Khan Academy and as a middle school teacher in Oakland Unified School District. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from UC Berkeley and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the High Tech High Graduate School of Education. Learn more:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/aatashparikh
• https://twitter.com/aatashparikh 

About today’s host

Scott Schuette is a Learning and Development Executive with years of experience driving the creation of innovative, multi-million dollar learning platforms and education programs for major corporate enterprise companies. 

He is cohost of The Fabulous Learning Nerds, a podcast sharing new ideas, learning tools, approaches and technology that increase learner engagement and impact — All while having FUN! Listen to the show and subscribe here: https://fabulouslearningnerds.transistor.fm 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

We’re thrilled to introduce Sideline Sessions, the newest original series on the Be Podcast Network. 

Designed for coaches, parents and other stakeholders in the world of youth, scholastic, and amateur sports, this show brings you interviews with leaders at the highest levels of their respective sports. Hear about their motivations, philosophies, and strategies for success, and take away actionable insights to support the athletes in your life.

My first guest on Sideline Sessions is Dr. Jenifer Welter, a trailblazing athlete and coach. In 2015, Welter became the first female coach in NFL history when she coached linebackers for the Arizona Cardinals. She was also the first woman to play a contact position in men’s professional football when she signed as a running back with the Texas Revolution, a professional indoor football team.

It’s an honor to share our conversation with listeners of The Authority. If you’d like to subscribe to Sideline Sessions, use this link to find it on your preferred platform: https://sidelinesessions.transistor.fm/subscribe 

In this episode, hear about:

• Jen’s journey to playing and coaching football
• How she prepared herself for the opportunity to coach — before even knowing it was possible
• Shattering the “glass sideline” (in both the NFL and Madden 2020)
• The power of authentic leadership
• Keeping players physically and mentally healthy
• The state of women’s football and Grrridiron Girls flag football 
• What difference can coaches make in changing opportunities for their athletes and future coaches?

About today’s guest

Coach Jen Welter is best known as the first female to coach in the NFL as an assistant LBs Coach with the Arizona Cardinals. However, what most people don’t know is that Coach Jen broke into men’s football as the first female to play running back in men’s pro football. From that experience with the Texas Revolution, Coach Jen started her coaching career.

Following the NFL, Welter became the Head Coach of the first Australian Women's National Team fielded in July 2017; joined the advisory board of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Game for Life Academy, and wrote her first book Play Big: Lessons in Living Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL. 

Prior to joining the men's game, Coach Jen had an amazing career in women's football which included two gold medals with Team USA, four world championships, and eight all-star selections. While playing football, Dr. Jen obtained her PhD in Psychology and a Master’s in Sport Psychology. Dr. Jen also has a BS in Business from Boston College. 

About the host

Ross Romano is co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and also hosts The Authority Podcast. He began his career in the pro sports industry before becoming a leading communications, marketing, and management expert working with education companies. He is founder and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. He also works directly with professionals at all levels, in all industries, coaching them in their pursuit of success.

Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn. 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

We're pleased to share this special episode from The Authority Podcast, part of the Be Podcast Network.

The Authority is hosted by Ross Romano, a leadership coach, storytelling strategist and edtech advisor. He interviews leading authors from the education world and beyond to draw out their invaluable insights on leadership, culture-building, transformation, and student & educator success. Subscribe to The Authority here: https://authoritypodcast.net/subscribe  

My guests are Nolan Bushnell — the “father of electronic gaming” who has founded 20+ companies, including Atari, Chuck E. Cheese’s, and Catalyst Technologies — and Dr. Leah Hanes, CEO of the Two Bit Circus Foundation (2BCF).

Nolan and Leah are currently working together on the new gamified education company ExoDexa and have co-authored the book Shaping the Future of Education: The ExoDexa Manifesto. 

Ross talks with Nolan and Leah about:

• How Nolan got interested in tackling education
• Steve Jobs: “What if you’re in a room and everybody thinks you’re wrong, but you think you’re right and you’ve thought more deeply about it than anybody?”
• The vision and goals of the school of the future
• What it really means to be designed around students first
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and why we should embrace it
• Entrepreneurship in the classroom
• “Competing” with video games vs. leaning into their organic ability to support learning
• “Games should be easy to learn but difficult to master.” Are schools focusing enough on mastery?
• The St. Crispin’s Day Speech and the “band of brothers”

Shaping the Future of Education is available on Amazon. Learn more at https://www.exodexa.com. 

About today’s guests

In 1972, Nolan Bushnell created an industry when he founded Atari and gave the world Pong, the first blockbuster video game. Today his design credo―that games should be “easy to learn and difficult to master”―is inspiring a new generation of developers. A prolific entrepreneur, Bushnell has started more than 20 companies, including Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater; Catalyst Technologies, the first Silicon Valley incubator; and Etak, the first in-car navigation system. In the process, he pioneered many of the workplace innovations that have made Silicon Valley a long-standing magnet for creative talent. Bushnell was the first and only person ever to hire Steve Jobs, which he details in his 2013 book, Finding the Next Steve Jobs.

Leah Hanes, PhD, is CEO of the Two Bit Circus Foundation (2BCF). During her tenure, first as executive director and then CEO, 2BCF has developed a strong voice in the current STEAM education discourse. Bringing potent creative play allies like T4T.org, STEAM Carnival, Imagination.org, and LA Makerspace under the 2BCF big top helped increase both reach and impact in education.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn.

Are you a professional looking for insights to reach the next level, find a fulfilling new career, or achieve peak performance? You may be a candidate for performance coaching. Schedule an introductory chat here. 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.