AUHSD Future Talks

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. David Miyashiro, Superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District. During the talk, Dr. Miyashiro discusses his journey, defining happiness, designing a new high school, staff development, the World of Work, RIASEC, and TED Talks.

Dr. David Miyashiro is a forward-thinking, award-winning education leader with a 27-year career spent revolutionizing learning approaches, education models, and school district capabilities in Southern California. As a digital pioneer, he has navigated districts into the hi-tech era, delivering numerous innovation “firsts,” for which he has garnered professional honors. Those include Superintendent of the Year and recognition from the White House and U.S. Department of Education as one of the “Top 35 District Leaders in Personalized Learning.” Districts under his leadership have also won awards, such as the California School Boards Association’s Golden Bell Award, the National School Boards Association’s Magna Award for Digital Learning, and the California Distinguished Schools Award.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Betty Paugh Ortiz, Vice President of Programs at NCCEP. During the talk, Ms. Cortez discusses her journey, becoming Vice President at NCCEP, GEAR UP, building a culture of inclusion, navigating the world of work, and why we should care about GEAR UP.

In her role as Vice President of Programs, Betty oversees programs and services with a focus on continually enhancing NCCEP’s offerings and developing new programs that allow GEAR UP communities to better serve their students and families. 

From 2004 to 2009 Betty served as Vice President at NCCEP.  Although she left NCCEP for a period of time, she never really left the GEAR UP family, having consulted and provided capacity building services to a number of GEAR UP sites through the years.  In addition, from 2010 to 2012 Betty served as Senior Vice President of Innovation at the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation where she further strengthened her management, partnership development, and leadership skills in service of educational improvements for young people.  She also managed a global education program in partnership with the Pearson Foundation and Education First, involving teacher programs abroad, professional development workshops, and knowledge dissemination.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Emily Gonzalez and Christina Kundrak from the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (CANDLE). They are joined by AUHSD's Diana Fujimoto (Professional Development Coordinator) and Michael Switzer (English Curriculum Specialist). During the talk, the group discusses CANDLE's partnership with AUHSD, transcendent thinking, learning loss, purpose, finding the right language and mindset, intentional practice to support students, pausing to reflect, the connection between the 5Cs and transcendent thinking, and where can an educator begin with transcendent thinking.

Emily Gonzalez is pursuing a PhD in Education at USC's Rossier School of Education. Before entering the PhD program, Emily worked as a researcher at Project Zero. She earned her EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her BS in Elementary Education from Wheelock College. Emily is interested in promoting equitable educational practices and systems by reimagining educational opportunities for students and teachers. Her research uncovers the biological, psychological, and social processes engaged in effective K-12 teaching practices and dispositions, and how they impact learners’ agentic development of interests, scholarly and social identities, and ability to self-author and engage with societal complexities.

Christina Kundrak, PhD, is a Senior Research Associate at the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (CANDLE). Dr. Kundrak investigates the neurobiological and psychological processes supporting learning and development using a developmental psychology and educational neuroscience approach. Dr. Kundrak utilizes innovative interdisciplinary, mixed-methods to study student and teacher beliefs, motivation, engagement, and learning. Utilizing her expertise from her time as an educator in early childhood, secondary, and post-secondary classrooms, Dr. Kundrak is involved in several initiatives working closely with schools, districts, and teachers to apply the aforementioned research to better support students in their academic and personal growth, and reimagine educational systems. Dr. Kundrak received her PhD in Urban Education Policy from USC Rossier School of Education.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews South Junior High School teacher Jason Collar. During the talk, Mr. Collar discusses his educational journey, Minecraft education, community schools, a new Esports pathway, and participation and representation in Esports.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Lorena Moreno and Bindi Crawford, principals of Western High School and Orangeview Junior High School. During the talk, both principals discuss their journey that led them to their leadership roles, school consolidation and redesign, strengths at each site that can be built on for school redesign, key ideas from California State Board of Education President Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, and next steps in redesigning.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews former AUHSD student ambassador from Western High School, Vasu Bagga. During the talk, Mr. Bagga discusses the importance of student voice, the importance of athletics in self-development, school redesign at Western and Orangeview, how his family has shaped him, his aspirations as he heads to U.C. Berkeley, and hopes for Generation Z.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Jan Morrison, Founder and CEO of TIES – Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM. During the talk Jan discusses her journey,  the Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM, FAB Labs, collaboration and challenges, United States compared to other countries in STEM education, arts and design embedded in STEM, criticism of science, women in STEM, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies policy, and training teachers.

Jan Morrison has served as the Senior Consultant for College Ready STEM Education as well as Post-Secondary Success for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Battelle Memorial Institute, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Innovate to Educate, S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Senior STEM Education Consultant for the Ohio STEM Learning Network and many other statewide STEM networks, and served as an advisor with the White House and Department of Education for the past four administrations. Currently, Jan and TIES serve as the designer and lead for the National STEM Funders Network, a collaboration of more than twenty-eight STEM funders seeking to fund STEM for the USA with greater return on their investment and therefore for the nation’s students. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Arlene Inouye, who has served as the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) secretary, treasurer and bargaining co-chair, has completed her term, and retired from the Los Angeles Unified School District. During the talk, Arlene discusses her journey, ethnic studies, and humanizing through ethnic studies. 

She currently works part-time with the UCLA Asian American Studies Center’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Multimedia Textbook project, a one-of-a-kind narrative change resource being developed for high school students. The California AAPI Legislative Caucus committed to teach AAPI history and funded an initiative as anti-Asian hate crimes have risen since the COVID pandemic. The project brings together distinguished scholarship, open access technology and ethnic studies pedagogy. She is excited about this opportunity to deepen and provide  comprehensive public knowledge about who Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are, which is highlighted through four foundational themes: global capitalism and migration; war and empire; race, power and identity; and community-building and social justice. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. Michelle Herczog is History-Social Science, Consultant III for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. During the talk, Dr. Herczog discusses her journey, civic learning in the classroom, Democracy Schools, stories of change, the importance of teachers in civic learning, Californians for Civic Learning, and her outlook on democracy in the United States.

As History-Social Science, Consultant III for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, Dr. Herczog is responsible for providing professional development, resources, and support for K-12 social studies educators throughout the 80 school districts of Los Angeles County.  She currently serves on the Power of Democracy Steering Committee led by California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and completed service on the California Task Force on K-12 Civic Learning led by the Chief Justice and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Rabbi Peter Levi, Regional Director of the Orange County/Long Beach Anti-Defamation League. During the talk, Rabbi Levi discusses his journey, antisemitism and hate, recommendations for schools, the work of the Anti-Defamation League, and a healing pathway for young people.