Episodes

Stop Grinding and Start Sustaining: What Education Leaders Actually Need to Last with Vanessa Rodriguez

Episode 24 · April 16, 2026 · 49:29

Vanessa Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of People at the Pahara Institute at Lone Rock, has spent her career building systems that give young people a fair shot, from District 79...

We’re Preparing Kids for the Wrong World: Economic Mobility, Coalition Building, and the Long Game in Public Education with Dr. David W. James

Episode 23 · April 9, 2026 · 52:17

Former Akron Public Schools superintendent Dr. David W. James never planned to work in education. He started at NASA, moved into environmental consulting, and ended up leading a scho...

Schools as Love Letters: Identity, Boldness, and the False Binaries Holding Education Back with Tricia Noyola

Episode 22 · April 2, 2026 · 46:12

Tricia Noyola is a charter school leader, Regional Superintendent at the KIPP Foundation, and former CEO of Rocky Mountain Prep who builds schools as love letters to the communities ...

Stop Chasing the New: How Consistency Builds Charter Schools That Last with Scott Hindman

Episode 21 · March 26, 2026 · 49:17

Charter school leader Scott Hindman went from minor league baseball to investment banking to building one of New Mexico's most impactful public education networks. The lesson he keep...

What Curiosity Teaches Us About Leading Schools — with Joanna Belcher

Episode 20 · March 19, 2026 · 50:14

From teaching fourth grade in Compton to founding a KIPP elementary school in Newark, Joanna Belcher has spent her career building schools and supporting leaders who believe every st...

Finding Opportunity Through Relationships: From Immigrant Roots to Talent Leadership with Ron Rapatalo

Episode 19 · March 12, 2026 · 51:12

What happens when the path your family imagined for you isn’t the one you’re meant to follow? From being the son of Filipino immigrants in Brooklyn to a leader shaping talent and soc...

From Helicopters to Schools: Leadership Lessons from James Willcox

Episode 18 · March 5, 2026 · 55:27

From Army Blackhawk pilot to transformative education leader, James Willcox shares how a life grounded in service and family shaped his path to reshaping K-12 education nationwide. F...

From Immigrant Roots to Leading a Charter Network Through Complexity with Shara Hegde

Episode 17 · February 26, 2026 · 44:01

From Boston to East San Jose, Shara Hegde shares her journey from Ivy League graduate to CEO of Alpha Public Schools and what it takes to lead charter schools through political and o...

Breaking the Mobility Trap: Aligning Partners Around Cradle-to-Career Outcomes – with Bill Crim

Episode 16 · February 19, 2026 · 55:17

What if the promise that each generation will do better than the last is slipping away?In this episode of The Stronger Podcast, Mike Montoya talks with Bill Crim, CEO of United Way o...

From Lifelong Immigrant to Education CEO: Leading With Compassion for Multilingual Learners – with Dr. Daniel Velasco

Episode 15 · February 12, 2026 · 54:53

From lifelong immigrant to education equity leader, Daniel Velasco shares how identity, resilience, and compassion shaped his journey to becoming President and CEO of Ensemble Learni...

Mergers Aren’t Failures: Protecting Impact Through Trust and Strategy – with Jessica Sutter

Episode 14 · February 5, 2026 · 57:55

From Bronx roots to shaping the future of public education: Jessica Sutter shares how a life grounded in service, trust, and intellectual rigor led her from the classroom to national...

The Shiny New Penny Problem: Data-Driven Courage for Lasting School Change – with Kelli Marshall

Episode 13 · January 29, 2026 · 46:41

From sixth-grade math teacher to superintendent to leadership coach — Kelli Marshall shares how data-driven courage, deep relationships, and a clear “why” can transform schools and t...

Leveraging Life Experiences: Behind a Career in Youth Opportunity and Equity

Episode 12 · January 22, 2026 · 27:55

From a childhood shaped by instability to a career dedicated to building pathways of opportunity, The Stronger Podcast host, Mike Montoya, shares how resilience, education, and suppo...

The Power of Stability: Why Retaining School Leaders Will Shape the Future of Education

Episode 11 · January 15, 2026 · 16:12

The Stronger Podcast host, Mike Montoya, looks ahead to the future of school leadership, unpacking why the next hiring cycles will define whether schools stabilize or continue to str...

Unlocking Parent Power: How Families Can Democratize Educational Equity – with Michelle Vilchez

Episode 10 · January 8, 2026 · 01:02:25

From community organizer to education equity leader, Michelle Vilchez shares her journey of empowering parents and transforming schools, helping families of color advocate for meanin...

Schools Weren’t Built for Us: Reimagining Education From the Community Up – with Malka Borrego

Episode 9 · January 1, 2026 · 53:40

From reimagining neighborhood schools to coaching leaders through liberation and change, Malka Borrego shares how authenticity, proximity to community, and systems-level leadership c...

Test Scores Aren’t the Whole Story: Rethinking Accountability and Impact – with Cathy Jones

Episode 8 · December 25, 2025 · 48:50

From educator to nonprofit leader, Cathy shares her journey of transforming education and community engagement, helping Bexar County’s youth access post-secondary opportunities while...

Purpose Shouldn’t Mean Poverty: Rethinking Service, Wealth, and Leadership – with Sharhonda Bossier

Episode 7 · December 18, 2025 · 55:32

From Watts to leading a national education movement, Sharhonda Bossier shares her journey of championing educational equity and economic mobility for young people of color while rede...

The Kindergarten Lie: How We Miss Kids Long Before High School – with Clarisse Mendoza Davis

Episode 6 · December 11, 2025 · 46:55

From first-grade helper to transformative education leader, Clarisse Mendoza Davis shares her journey of serving underserved youth and reshaping early childhood and alternative educa...

Equity Isn’t Optional: Calling Out Broken Systems – with Jessica de Barros

Episode 5 · December 4, 2025 · 51:56

From Seattle classrooms to federal policy halls, Jessica de Barros shares her journey of championing equity in education, showing how a lifelong commitment to access and opportunity ...