An Educated Guest

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.

In this fascinating episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Matthew Pittinsky, a true pioneer in education technology. Matt, the co-founder of Blackboard and former CEO of Parchment, shares his incredible journey from the dawn of the internet to the age of AI. He takes us back to 1997 to reveal the core problem he and his co-founder, Michael Chasen, were trying to solve with Blackboard and how that platform became a ubiquitous force in online learning.

The conversation then pivots to his time at Parchment, where he saw a new opportunity to disrupt the antiquated process of academic credentialing. Matt discusses his vision for a digital credential that is more than just a list of courses and grades—one that truly represents a student's skills and competencies. He offers a compelling take on the student debt crisis, the future of the four-year degree, and why he believes the integrity of the credential is the most important mission of any university. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the history of EdTech, the future of credentials, and how AI will fundamentally change how we learn and what we teach.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The LMS Defined: A clear and concise definition of what a learning management system is, its pros and cons, and why it has remained relatively unchanged for over two decades.
• The Power of the Digital Credential: An exploration of how a student-managed digital record of learning and skills could solve a myriad of problems, from college admissions to skills-based hiring.
• AI's Role in EdTech: Matt shares his optimistic view on AI as a "sustaining" force that can make learning more efficient and a "disruptive" force that could reorder the entire EdTech landscape.
• A "Crawl, Walk, Run" Approach to Innovation: Matt's pragmatic advice for universities on how to innovate with technology without disrupting their core mission.
• A Bold Prediction: Matt's vision for an AI agent that will serve as an omnipresent guide for students, helping them navigate their education and career pathways.

About Our Guest:

Matthew Pittinsky is an EdTech pioneer and the co-founder of Blackboard, where he served as CEO and Chairman. After earning a Ph.D. from Columbia University's Teachers College, he went on to become the CEO of Parchment, a global leader in digital credentials. Matt is also an active angel investor and a respected thought leader in the education technology space.

In this illuminating episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Sari Factor, the Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer of Imagine Learning, to discuss the monumental shifts occurring in K-12 education. With a career spanning several decades, Sari shares the powerful journey of Imagine Learning, from its early days as a credit recovery provider to its current position as a leader in digital-first curriculum, serving over 15 million students.

The conversation delves into the most pressing challenges facing schools today: the end of pandemic-era federal funding, the proficiency crisis in reading and math, and the disruptive rise of school choice. Sari offers both a realistic and hopeful perspective, sharing how a focus on high-quality instructional materials and teacher development is creating a "bright side" to the current challenges. She also provides a compelling vision for the future, exploring the transformative potential of AI to personalize learning, empower teachers, and solve some of education's most persistent problems. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the K-12 landscape and what it will take to prepare a new generation for the future.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• Imagine Learning's Evolution: The founding story of a company built on the mission of personalized learning and its growth into a major K-12 education provider.
• The Post-Pandemic K-12 Reality: A breakdown of the key macro forces—from funding cuts to declining birth rates—that are forcing public schools to reinvent themselves.
• The Science of Learning: An exploration of what evidence-based practices, such as the "science of reading," are actually working to reverse the proficiency crisis in reading and math.
• AI's Role as a Co-Pilot: How AI can and should be used to augment a teacher's role, shifting their focus from mundane tasks to the human-centric work of mentoring and motivating students.
• The Power of Durable Skills: A discussion on why skills like resilience and empathy are becoming more crucial than ever and how schools can teach them effectively.

About Our Guest:

Sari Factor is the Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer of Imagine Learning. With a career spanning over four decades in the K-12 education space, Sari has served as a visionary leader at companies like McGraw Hill and Kaplan. She is a recognized expert on the future of education, technology's role in the classroom, and the importance of professional learning for educators.

In this powerful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Carl Madi, the founder and CEO of Stepful. Carl shares his journey from Uber and Handy, where he developed a passion for creating career mobility for workers, to building a company that is radically transforming how the healthcare workforce is trained. He explains how Stepful's innovative model addresses chronic shortages in allied health, providing a more affordable and time-efficient alternative to traditional trade schools and community colleges.

Carl delves into the core of Stepful's success: a tech-enabled, outcomes-based model that combines bite-sized, interactive learning with hands-on externships and AI-powered feedback. He reveals how this approach is leading to incredible completion and placement rates that are well above the national average. The conversation also explores the future of healthcare jobs in the age of AI, the power of employer-sponsored apprenticeships, and Carl's bold prediction for a new education system driven by employers. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in EdTech, workforce development, or the future of healthcare.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• Stepful's Unique Model: A deep dive into Stepful's hybrid learning approach that combines online courses, AI-powered simulations, and real-world externships to deliver exceptional outcomes.
• Solving the Healthcare Skills Gap: How Stepful is directly addressing the chronic shortage of allied health workers by removing key barriers to entry like cost and time.
• The Future of AI in Healthcare: Insights into how AI will augment or eliminate jobs in the healthcare industry and the new roles that will emerge.
• Apprenticeships & Employer Partnerships: A compelling case study on how Stepful's partnerships with health systems are dramatically cutting time-to-hire and improving employee retention.
• A New Vision for Education: Carl's bold prediction for a shift to an employer-centric, debt-free education system that is modular, flexible, and tied directly to career pathways.
• The Power of People: A discussion on the vital role of human instructors and coaches in the learning experience, even as technology evolves, to ensure students feel supported and nurtured.

About Our Guest:

Carl Madi is the founder and CEO of Stepful, a company he launched to provide a fast, affordable, and effective pathway into high-demand healthcare jobs. Carl's background includes leadership roles at Uber and Handy, where he developed a passion for creating career mobility for workers. Stepful was recently named the number one EdTech company by Time magazine.

In this eye-opening episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Matt Sigelman, CEO of the Burning Glass Institute, to decode the seismic shifts occurring in the labor market. Matt shares data-driven insights from his groundbreaking research, including the "experience paradox," which reveals why so many entry-level jobs now demand prior experience, and what that means for recent college graduates.

The conversation delves into the accelerating pace of skill obsolescence, the rise of AI, and how these forces are creating a critical disconnect between what employers need and what education provides. Matt introduces the concept of the "Expertise Upheaval," offering a look at how AI is transforming careers and what skills will make workers more valuable with AI, not just more efficient. He also makes a compelling case for greater accountability in education, using data to show which credentials and programs actually lead to a real return on investment. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the data, trends, and solutions that will shape the workforce of tomorrow.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The Experience Paradox: A deep dive into the data showing that most entry-level jobs now require several years of experience, and the implications for hiring and education.
• The Pace of Change: Why skills are becoming obsolete faster than ever, and how this is impacting career trajectories and the need for lifelong learning.
• The "Expertise Upheaval": An exploration of how AI is not just about automation, but about a more profound shift in the skills required to be an expert in any given field.
• Education-to-Workforce Accountability: How data can be used to hold colleges and credential providers accountable, ensuring that programs lead to real-world outcomes and economic mobility.
• A New Kind of Workforce: Matt discusses the shift from a "schooled society" to a "learning society," and how we must prepare for a future where learning is a continuous, lifelong process.

About Our Guest:

Matt Sigelman is the CEO of the Burning Glass Institute, a fully independent, nonprofit research center that works at the intersection of work and learning. Prior to the Institute, he spent 20 years building a private sector data provider (now called Lightcast). Matt is a recognized leader in using big data to shed light on labor market trends, inform policy, and drive economic mobility.

In this engaging episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Raoul-Gabriel Urma, the founder and CEO of Cambridge Spark. Raoul shares his unique journey from a self-taught coder to leading a company at the forefront of the AI education revolution. The conversation explores how Cambridge Spark is helping individuals and organizations prosper in the age of AI by equipping them with critical data and technical skills.

Raoul offers a compelling perspective on AI’s impact on the workforce, arguing that while it may not reduce our workload, it will redirect our focus from routine tasks to strategic, creative, and collaborative problem-solving. He also delves into the importance of a blended learning approach—combining AI-powered companions with human mentorship and social learning to foster a new generation of adaptable workers. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the real-world implications of AI on careers, education, and entrepreneurship.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The Future of Work is AI-Augmented: Raoul makes the case that every job will require AI literacy, reframing the conversation from job replacement to skill augmentation.
• Beyond the Enterprise Hype: Get a realistic perspective on where AI is currently delivering significant value (cost efficiency) versus where its full potential (new revenue creation) is still unfolding.
• The Entrepreneurial Shift: Understand how AI and accessible technology have lowered the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs, shifting the focus from coding to problem-solving and opportunity identification.
• The Power of Blended Learning: Learn why the most effective learning models for the future will combine AI's personalized feedback loops with human mentorship and social collaboration.
• The Importance of Apprenticeships: Discover why the apprenticeship model, especially in technical fields like data and AI, is a highly effective way to bridge the skills gap and provide immediate career impact.
• The Coding Evolution: Explore how the role of a coder is changing from writing code from scratch to a more strategic function of owning, maintaining, and architecting solutions in a world of automated code generation.

About Our Guest:

Raoul-Gabriel Urma is the founder and CEO of Cambridge Spark, a UK-based education company focused on AI and data science. With a background as a software engineer and a passion for education, Raoul built Cambridge Spark with the vision of helping everyone prosper in the age of AI. He is also the co-author of the best-selling book Java 8 in Action.

In this deeply inspiring episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Erika Halstead, CEO of Minds Matter National, an organization close to Todd's heart. Erika shares her personal journey from starting her career as a bilingual teacher to leading Minds Matter, an organization that started in 1991 with no full-time employees and has grown to serve 1,100 high-achieving, low-income students annually with the support of 2,000 volunteers across 14 chapters.

Erika unpacks Minds Matter's unique multi-year mentorship model, emphasizing why its "people-to-people" approach, focusing on social-emotional learning and expanding students' horizons, remains paramount even amidst technological advancements like AI. She reveals how Minds Matter helps students secure over $2.5 million in scholarships annually, enabling them to attend top-tier colleges while paying significantly less than their peers. The conversation also explores the challenges facing the non-profit sector, including the post-pandemic decline in volunteerism, and how Minds Matter is adapting its funding and visibility strategies, including recent features with celebrities like Jalen Hurts. Finally, Erika shares her bold vision for scaling Minds Matter's impact to end poverty through education, advocating for a nationwide movement that champions talent from underserved communities.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The Minds Matter Model: A deep dive into the unique volunteer-driven, multi-year mentorship program that provides comprehensive college advising, test prep, and holistic student development.
• Tangible Economic Mobility: How Minds Matter's support translates into real financial outcomes, helping students secure significant scholarships and pay substantially less for college.
• Human Connection vs. AI: A compelling argument for why human mentorship and in-person relationships remain the most critical lever for student success, even as AI transforms other aspects of education.
• Navigating Non-Profit Challenges: Insights into the current state of the non-profit sector, including funding dynamics, the post-pandemic decline in volunteerism, and strategies for sustainable growth and visibility.
• Scaling for Systemic Change: Erika's ambitious vision to dramatically expand Minds Matter's reach, creating a national movement to address systemic inequities and unlock talent from low-income communities.

About Our Guest:

Erika Halstead is the CEO of Minds Matter National. With a background as a bilingual teacher and a deep personal connection to education's transformative power, Erika has dedicated over a decade to Minds Matter. She has led the organization's growth from the Executive Director of the New York City chapter to her current national role, championing access and equity for high-achieving, low-income students across the United States.