It is an all-too-common story: a student graduates with a degree but is rejected from entry-level jobs because they lack "real-world experience." On this episode of An Educated Guest, Todd Zipper sits down with Dana Stephenson, co-founder of Riipen, to discuss how his company is dismantling this barrier.

Dana shares how Riipen connects universities with a global network of employers to embed real-world projects directly into the curriculum. Instead of theoretical case studies, students work on actual business challenges, allowing them to build a portfolio and professional network before they ever leave campus.

Key topics discussed:

• The Origin Story: How a student project at the University of Victoria turned into a global marketplace.
• The Ecosystem: Solving the "chicken and egg" problem for schools and companies.
• Equity in Access: How virtual, project-based learning opens doors for non-traditional students and those who can’t afford unpaid internships.
• The Future of Work: Why 61% of entry-level jobs now require 3+ years of experience and how higher ed can adapt.

Sabari Raja, Managing Partner at JFF Ventures, joins us to discuss her unique journey from founder (NEPRIS, now Pathful) to leading a pioneering venture fund focused on economic mobility. JFF Ventures operates at the intersection of philanthropy and venture scale, proving that investments focused on the middle and low-wage worker can achieve both high returns and massive social impact.

In this powerful conversation, Sabari breaks down the three main investment themes that target the worker's full journey, from skills access to career advancement. We dive into the most difficult areas of the market, including the challenge of investing in wrap-around support like childcare and credit access.

Sabari shares the questions every investor and founder should be asking about AI—is it taking away agency or expanding it? Finally, she reveals a surprising area of alignment for future capital: the $1 trillion investment needed to support the industrial backbone of the AI economy (power grids, data centers, and semiconductors).

Key Takeaways You Won't Want to Miss:

• Impact as an Enabler: Why JFF Ventures views strong outcomes (like reduced transfer credit loss via companies like Advisely) as a direct line to revenue and growth.
• The AI Agency Test: The fundamental question investors should ask to gauge a startup’s longevity: Does your AI give the worker more agency or less?
• The Industrial Investment Thesis: How JFF Ventures is aligning with the global infrastructure boom, targeting the massive labor shortage in energy and utilities.
• The Lived Experience: Why founders with a lived understanding of problems—like the transfer credit crisis or lack of social capital—are better positioned to build mission-driven, scalable solutions.

In this insightful episode, host Todd Zipper sits down with Jeanne Allen, Founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform (CER). Jeanne walks us through her three decades of relentless advocacy, tracing the evolution of education reform from the dawn of the charter school movement to today's rapidly accelerating landscape of school choice.

They discuss the principles of the Yass Prize's STOP framework—finding providers who are Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless—and the monumental impact it has on scaling innovation. Jeanne unpacks the complexity of education funding, addressing criticisms of choice programs by revealing the opaque, century-old way government-run public education is funded. She also details the Parent Power Index, an initiative designed to hold state leaders accountable and truly empower parents with information on their education laws. Finally, they explore the critical need for civics education through the "Why America" initiative, the importance of foundational virtues and a moral compass in schooling, and the necessity of teacher autonomy as a means to increase student engagement and satisfaction.

Don't miss this conversation on how we can accelerate the pace of change, put students first, and ensure a better future for education in America.

Join us on Educated Guest as we sit down with Dr. Shaun McAlmont, a true visionary in the education sector. With an extraordinary career spanning three decades, Shaun has impacted every level of learning, from K-12 to higher education and workforce development.

In this episode, Shaun shares his journey, beginning with his early days advising students at Stanford and his core belief that every student holds untapped potential. We delve into:

• The Power of Vocational Training: Shaun's experience as CEO of Lincoln Tech, discussing the vital role of for-profit institutions in providing alternative career paths and gainful employment, even amidst tough regulatory challenges.
• K-12's Career Revolution: How he pioneered virtual Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Stride (formerly K-12 Inc.), bridging academic learning with real-world career preparation for high school students.
• Adult Learning & Cybersecurity: His innovative approach to behavior change in corporate cybersecurity training with NINJIO, leveraging storytelling and adaptive methods to address human vulnerabilities.
• Reimagining Higher Ed Efficiency: Shaun's latest work with CHESS (Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services), tackling the high costs and complexities of technology adoption in colleges through a shared service model.

Shaun's insights reveal a consistent thread: building systems that empower learners to set goals, find motivation, and achieve career success. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about the future of education and how we can better prepare every individual for a fulfilling career.

The AI Agent Revolution: Mark Naufel on Why the $1.8T Higher Ed System Must Change Now

Mark Naufel is not just talking about the future of education; he’s building it. As the Founder of Axio Education and the President of the University of Silicon Valley, Mark has a unique, radical view of how Agentic AI is finally forcing higher education to innovate.

In this explosive conversation, Mark details his journey from running the "Skunk Works" lab at ASU to founding Axio, the AI-native operating system designed to dramatically increase learning quality while cutting costs.

Key Takeaways You Won’t Want to Miss:

• The Dystopian Classroom: Why the current "click-click-click" online learning model is unsustainable and how Axio’s Socratic AI replaces static content with active, conversational learning.
• Agentic Workflows: A masterclass on the difference between basic Generative AI and the Agentic AI systems that power the ability to create dynamic, relevant curricula in seconds.
• The Polymathic Mandate: Why Mark is re-chartering USV to fuse liberal arts and technical skills, ensuring graduates are prepared to be "entrepreneurs" and "great thinkers" rather than just entry-level coders.
• The Cost Correction: Mark’s bold prediction on why the student debt crisis will force costs down significantly, and how AI is the only way to deliver better quality for less money.
• Advice for the New CEO: Mark offers direct, high-level advice on scaling the company and maintaining a mission-driven, polymathic team culture.

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Karin Athanas, Executive Director of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Karin shares her strategic vision for the organization, focusing on how FCS professionals are uniquely positioned to empower individuals, families, and communities for a better quality of life. We dive deep into AAFCS's crucial advocacy efforts to ensure Family and Consumer Sciences is formally recognized as a core Career Cluster in education, equipping students with essential skills from personal finance and nutrition to human development. Learn about the value of AAFCS professional certifications, the new Collaborative Network fostering community, and the surprising, modern relevance of this foundational field. If you're passionate about life skills education, career pathways, and community well-being, you won't want to miss this conversation!

On today’s podcast, we are talking to Karin Athanas who is with AAFCS. Karin is the Executive Director of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), the premier professional association for the FCS field. She is a recognized nonprofit leader and an expert in standards and conformity assessment, bringing a scientific mind and strategic vision to the association. Since joining in 2023, Karin has focused on advancing the FCS mission to empower individuals, families, and communities through research, leadership, and service, and she is a strong advocate for establishing Family and Consumer Sciences as a key Career Cluster in national education frameworks.

In this insightful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Katie Boody Adorno, Founder and CEO of LEANLAB Education. Katie shares her journey from the front lines of a middle school classroom to becoming a national voice for community-led innovation. She explains the genesis of LEANLAB, which was born from the frustrating realization that conventional reform efforts were failing to close the achievement and opportunity gaps for vulnerable student populations. The core of the conversation revolves around LEANLAB's signature co-creation model—the imperative of building EdTech solutions directly with students and teachers, rather than imposing them from the outside. Katie also provides a nuanced perspective on the AI revolution, discussing its immense potential for personalized learning and the critical need for constant accountability to ensure technology serves the mission of equity. This is a must-listen for investors, EdTech founders, and education leaders who want to build solutions that generate real, measurable impact.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The Mission of Equity: Why finding educational breakthroughs must be done within the students' lifetimes.
• The Power of Co-Creation: How involving families, students, and educators in design leads to highly capable and impactful tools.
• The Role of the Teacher: Why teachers are the most important experts and must drive the innovation agenda.
• Leadership in a Changing World: Katie's philosophy on maintaining purpose, checking assumptions, and fostering a culture of constant learning in the face of rapid change.

About Our Guest:

Katie Boody Adorno is the Founder and CEO of LEANLAB Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating educational innovation through community co-creation. She began her career as a middle school teacher in Kansas City and is a recognized thought leader on EdTech, equity, and student-centered design.

In this exclusive episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with John Baker, the visionary Founder and CEO of D2L. John shares the remarkable 25-year journey of D2L, tracing its evolution from a student startup into a publicly traded global learning platform. The conversation explores the massive industry shift from simply managing content to building a "true perpetual learning platform" that serves K-12, higher education, and corporate clients. John argues that AI is the critical enabler—the final piece of the puzzle that will solve chronic issues like lack of personalization and high student failure rates, making models like competency-based education easier to implement than ever before. He provides a fascinating look at SkillsWave, discussing why employers are demanding stackable micro-credentials and why the future of education is less about the traditional degree and more about building skills for "more caring, more impactful work." John also addresses the challenge of AI-enabled cheating and offers a bold prediction for how personalization will redefine quality education in the next decade.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The Power of AI in the LMS: How D2L’s generative AI tool, LUMI, is already transforming the faculty workflow by automating assignment and quiz creation, freeing up time for human mentorship.
• Competency-Based Education (CBE): Why CBE, long seen as theoretical, is now poised for mainstream adoption, thanks to AI simplifying the difficult work of mapping skills and creating personalized pathways.
• The Global Advantage: Insights into how D2L achieved market leadership in countries like Singapore and Canada by obsessing over client problems and incorporating local innovations into its global product.
• Building Enduring Companies: John's advice on how a relentless focus on solving the client's biggest problem—and treating change as a constant—is the only sustainable strategy in EdTech.

About Our Guest:

John Baker is the Founder and CEO of D2L and the Executive Chairman of SkillsWave. He successfully led D2L through its IPO and remains a driving force in its strategic direction. He is recognized globally for his expertise in learning science, technology, and the future of work.

In this deeply personal and timely episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Shaka Mitchell, Senior Fellow at the American Federation for Children. Shaka shares his compelling journey from the classroom and the courtroom into the heart of the school choice movement. He explains why his advocacy is driven by his core belief that education is the "surest way to access Whatever your version of the American dream is," and why the current system fails to deliver that promise for too many children.

The conversation delves into the necessity of educational choice as a policy matter, focusing on how parents are demanding better options for their children. Shaka offers a powerful, community-based perspective on why resources should follow the student and how choice can serve as the critical mechanism to access the right education. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the moral and strategic imperative driving the school choice revolution today.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The School Choice Imperative: Shaka's belief that a child's background should not determine the quality of their education.
• Policy and Practice: How Shaka’s legal and educational experience informs his work in shaping state-level policy.
• The Role of Parents: A discussion on the rising power of parents and their demand for better educational options.
• Finding the Right Fit: Why a one-size-fits-all model doesn't work, and how choice creates the opportunity for a better educational experience for every single child.

About Our Guest:

Shaka Mitchell is a Senior Fellow at the American Federation for Children. A former educator and lawyer, Shaka has dedicated his career to driving educational reform and expanding opportunities for children in underserved communities.

In this powerful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Michael Moe, Founder and CEO of GSV Ventures, to discuss the seismic shifts occurring across the entire learning ecosystem. Michael, who was a key figure in analyzing the first online education boom, shares his perspective on the current state of education, which he describes as a mix of "chaos and dynamic opportunity." The conversation moves from the historical rise and fall of institutions like the University of Phoenix to the present-day impact of AI. Michael makes a compelling case that AI will accelerate the need for continuous, lifelong learning and discusses his framework of the Seven C's—the foundational, durable skills required for success in the 21st-century workforce. He also offers an unvarnished view of the K-12 and Higher Education funding landscape, highlighting how the rise of school choice and the immense burden of student debt are creating both a crisis and a golden age for innovative education models. Michael concludes by offering his bullish take on why now is the ideal time to invest capital in the EdTech space.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The Shift from Degree to Skills: Why the degree is no longer the sole ticket to prosperity, and how employers are moving to skills-based hiring.
• The Power of Invisible Learning: How gamification and new models will thread learning into our daily lives, making it continuous and engaging.
• School Choice and Accountability: Michael's belief that school choice, supported by 75% of Americans, is forcing necessary market accountability onto the entire K-12 system.
• The Investment Thesis: Why EdTech valuations are "dramatically too pessimistic" and why the industry's talent and opportunity have never been stronger.
• A Bold Prediction: Michael's long-term vision for American education to reclaim its status as the "best in the world," where "elite means excellence, not scarcity."

About Our Guest:

Michael Moe is the Founder and CEO of GSV Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on the multi-trillion-dollar education and future of work sectors. He is the co-founder of the ASU GSV Summit and is renowned for his expertise in analyzing disruptive, high-growth businesses.