DisruptED

Detroit’s renewal is no longer a distant dream—it’s unfolding in real time. From reimagined neighborhoods to booming small businesses, the city’s momentum is visible on every corner. Major events, like recent large-scale sports and cultural gatherings, have showcased Detroit’s vibrancy to hundreds of thousands of visitors. But the real engine of this revival may be less obvious: the Detroit diaspora, whose return visits spark investments, entrepreneurial ventures, and community projects.

How can a city turn personal history and hometown pride into a sustained force for economic and cultural transformation?

In this episode of DisruptED, host Ron J Stefanski talks with Mary Kramer, retired director of Crain Communications and co-founder of Detroit Homecoming, about the power of reconnecting Detroit’s diaspora. They delve into how the annual event inspires attendees to give back—financially, creatively, and personally—fueling a virtuous cycle of growth.

The key topics of conversation…

• Impact beyond dollars — from Wendy Hilliard’s youth gymnastics program to local restaurants founded by returning Detroiters.
• Human stories with lasting outcomes — relationships, businesses, and even relocations born out of Detroit Homecoming connections.
• Keeping momentum in leadership — the need for collaboration between civic, business, and philanthropic players as the city evolves politically and economically.

Mary Kramer is the retired Director of Crain Communications and co-founder of Detroit Homecoming. Over her career, she led Crain’s Detroit Business as editor and publisher and oversaw city-focused publications in Chicago, Cleveland, and New York. She helped launch Detroit Homecoming in 2014, which has since driven roughly $1 billion in impact by re-engaging Detroit “expats” as investors, mentors, and advocates. Mary remains active in civic life and serves as vice chair of Detroit Opera.

Detroit’s resurgence story is impossible to ignore. Following decades of economic decline, the city has seen major revitalization—most recently highlighted when the NFL Draft drew over 700,000 visitors downtown. The stakes are high: Detroit’s growth depends not only on investments from billionaires, but on reconnecting with former residents whose personal and professional contributions can drive lasting change. Research on urban development shows that “brain gain” from returning diaspora communities can accelerate recovery and innovation.

So how does Detroit harness the talent, capital, and passion of its global diaspora to fuel a sustainable comeback?

Welcome to DisruptED. In the final episode of this two-part series, host Ron J Stefanski sits down with Mary Kramer, retired director of Crain Communications, to explore the impact of Detroit Homecoming—an annual event that reconnects Detroit expats with their hometown. They discuss inspiring personal stories, the role of grassroots initiatives, and the intersection of business, philanthropy, and civic leadership in the city’s renewal.

Key moments from the conversation:

Heartwarming success stories, from Hall of Fame gymnast Wendy Hilliard returning to launch youth programs, to entrepreneurs opening businesses in Detroit after years abroad.

How Detroit Homecoming creates lasting emotional connections that lead to investments, philanthropic projects, and even life changes—like families relocating to the city.

The importance of balancing big-ticket donations with grassroots contributions that cultivate innovation and inclusivity.

Mary Kramer is a veteran media executive with more than 30 years of leadership in business journalism and publishing at Crain Communications, where she served as editor and publisher of Crain’s Detroit Business and later as group publisher for the company’s city brands in Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York. She spearheaded the creation of Detroit Homecoming in 2014, an initiative that has generated roughly $1 billion in outcomes by re-engaging successful Detroit “expats” as investors, philanthropists, and brand ambassadors. Beyond her journalism career, Kramer has led special projects, such as launching Crain Currency, and she continues to contribute to the city’s cultural life as vice chair of Detroit Opera.

Small colleges across the United States face mounting pressure from shifting student expectations, rising costs, and an increasingly competitive higher education market. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment rose 3.5% in Spring 2025 compared to the prior year, reaching 15.3 million students, but still remains 2.4% below pre-pandemic levels. This modest rebound underscores the urgency for institutions to adapt their models for long-term sustainability, with program growth and innovation emerging as a critical strategy for attracting and retaining students.

How can small colleges expand academic offerings quickly and cost-effectively, while maintaining the personal attention that defines their value?

In this episode of DisruptED, guest host Darin Francis speaks with Dr. Jeffrey Docking, President of Adrian College, about how consortium-based program sharing and targeted program growth have transformed the school’s enrollment and retention strategies. From launching more than 30 new majors to integrating project-based learning, Docking explains how aligning offerings with student and industry needs is reshaping the college experience.

Key Points from the Conversation:

• Shifting from athletics to academic growth: Adrian College expanded beyond sports recruitment by adding high-demand majors through consortium partnerships, responding directly to student feedback.
• Reducing startup costs with program sharing: Through the RIZE platform, the college offers majors from partner institutions for a fraction of the cost of building programs internally, while preserving small class sizes.
• Industry-aligned curriculum and project-based learning: Programs are co-designed with academic experts and industry leaders, ensuring graduates enter the workforce with practical, job-ready skills.

Dr. Jeffrey Docking has served as President of Adrian College since 2005, leading a period of significant growth and innovation in academic programming. He has over 35 years of experience in higher education and is a national advocate for small college sustainability. Docking holds advanced degrees in higher education administration and is recognized for pioneering collaborative models that expand student opportunities while maintaining institutional efficiency.

Some moments in life alter the course of who we are. For Ron J Stefanski, that moment came with the heartbreaking loss of his grandmother—a Polish immigrant who had stepped in to raise him after his mother passed, giving his childhood a foundation of love, steadiness, and strength. She was his anchor, his safe place, his teacher in life’s truest lessons - lessons that would later deepen his belief in second chances.

Her life was taken suddenly and tragically. Such a loss could have left only anger and bitterness behind. Yet Ron, carrying the values she had lived by, chose another way. He resolved to honor her memory not in words alone, but through a life devoted to lifting others up—especially those written off or left behind.

Today, with many young people trapped in cycles of incarceration and communities wrestling with the harm caused when young lives are pulled into violence, the need to talk about second chances feels more pressing than ever. Research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that roughly two-thirds of people released from prison are rearrested within three years—a sobering reminder of how far we still have to go in helping people rebuild their lives.

But can grief and anger be reshaped into a force for good? And can those who have made painful mistakes find their way to a second chance—becoming, in time, a source of healing for others?

In this episode of DisruptED, Ron sits down with John Valverde, President and CEO of YouthBuild Global, for the first in a two-part series. Their conversation is both personal and profound—two men, each shaped by tragedy, exploring the courage it takes to forgive, the responsibility of rebuilding, and the enduring belief that no one should be written off forever.

The conversation delves into...

• John’s journey from serving 16 years in prison to leading a global nonprofit, built on the principles of responsibility, service, hope, and creating second chances.

• The emotional and cultural factors that can drive young people toward destructive choices—and the tools that can help them choose differently.

• How YouthBuild creates pathways for young people who’ve been left behind, combining education, career readiness, and leadership development at over 300 sites worldwide.

John Valverde is the President and Chief Executive Officer of YouthBuild Global, which partners with young people aged 16–24 who are out of school and out of work, helping them gain the skills, credentials, and confidence to change their lives. Born to Costa Rican immigrants and raised in New York City, John was the first in his family to attend college. At 21, a violent act in response to a loved one’s assault led to his incarceration. While serving his sentence, he dedicated himself to education and service, launching programs for fellow inmates and committing to a life of purpose. Since his release, John has become a respected leader in youth empowerment and criminal justice reform, bringing compassion and vision to a global stage.

In the second installment of this powerful two-part series, DisruptED turns from personal origin stories to the enduring lessons that come from surviving life’s hardest seasons. For host Ron J Stefanski and guest John Valverde, President and CEO of YouthBuild Global, the conversation is rooted in lived experience: moments of deep loss, the resilience forged in adversity, and the quiet, deliberate work of helping others find their own path forward through purpose and second chances.

For Ron, those values were first shaped by his grandmother—a Polish immigrant who raised him after his mother’s passing, surrounding him with warmth, strength, and quiet resilience. That personal foundation feels especially relevant today, with millions of adults under community supervision, on probation or parole, striving to rebuild their lives after incarceration. It’s here, in the space between hardship and hope, that Ron and John explore what it truly means to create a second chance.

How do you emerge from your hardest chapter not just intact, but more open, more compassionate, and more determined to serve? And how can one person’s belief—offered even before someone believes in themselves—be the spark that changes everything?

In this episode of DisruptED, Ron invites John to share what kept him going through 16 years in prison, the role of education and service in shaping his future, and how YouthBuild turns belief in young people into a movement that changes lives. The conversation closes with an important announcement: an ongoing collaborative series exploring “life in the second chance lane, where stories of purpose and second chances will continue to inspire and challenge listeners.

The main topics of conversation...

• John reflects on his “darkest hours” in prison and how daily acts of service, rooted in his father’s advice to “say yes” to helping others, built a foundation for his current work.

• Ron and John discuss the surprising way that tragedy can soften rather than harden—and why empathy is often hardest, and most important, when directed toward those who are hardest to love.

• The launch of a new recurring collaboration between Ron and John, dedicated to sharing powerful YouthBuild stories and inspiring listeners to join the movement for second chances.

John Valverde is a seasoned nonprofit executive and current President & CEO of YouthBuild Global, where he leads a network of over 300 programs worldwide focused on education, workforce readiness, and leadership development for young people. He has a proven track record in organizational growth, strategic partnerships, large-scale fundraising, and managing complex funding portfolios, including federal grants and corporate sponsorships. With extensive experience in criminal justice reform, workforce development, and social entrepreneurship, Valverde is recognized for his ability to build high-performing teams, cultivate collaborative networks, and design innovative programs that deliver measurable impact.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a fringe concept; it’s at the center of educational innovation. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, public confidence in higher education has dropped from 57% in 2015 to 36% in 2023, largely due to concerns around cost, value, and workforce preparedness. In a landscape where AI tools are swiftly becoming the norm, the challenge is not adoption but ensuring they strengthen the learner’s pathway, making it more affordable, accessible, and aligned with workforce needs. 

How can AI be used not just to scale enrollment, but to elevate learner success and long-term employability?

In Part 2 of this two-part DisruptED series, host Ron Stefanski continues his conversation with Kermit Cook, CEO of Penn Foster. This episode explores how AI-powered tools, data-driven interventions, and a culture of experimentation are transforming the learner’s pathway into a more efficient, personalized, and results-driven experience.

Key Highlights from the Episode

• AI-Powered Writing Support: Penn Foster’s integrated writing tutor, developed with Learnosity, offers real-time feedback, while human instructors provide final review, blending automation with personalized guidance to enhance the lifelong learner’s pathway.
• Data-Driven Engagement: Predictive analytics allow the institution to reach out at the precise moment learners struggle, boosting persistence and completion at a radically affordable cost.
• Culture of Innovation: Embracing a “make ugly pots” philosophy, Penn Foster encourages experimentation, learning from failure, and collaboration, underlining how innovation fuels better outcomes for diverse learners.

Kermit Cook is the CEO of Penn Foster Group, leading innovations in education technology and career-focused learning pathways. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Cengage Group, overseeing growth strategies in education for employment and managing operations for its K-12 and workforce-aligned programs. Earlier in his career, he was Managing Director at KKR Capstone, driving operational transformations worldwide, and began as a Teach for America physics teacher dedicated to closing the achievement gap.

Education is in a period of rapid reinvention as technology, economic pressures, and workforce needs redefine how people learn. College costs continue to climb, with average tuition at private nonprofit four-year institutions now exceeding $43,000 a year. Even public four-year colleges average over $11,000 annually for in-state students, and public two-year programs cost more than $4,000 on average. At the same time, more than 43 million Americans hold over $1.6 trillion in federal student loan debt. These financial realities are driving the need for a lifelong learner’s pathway that connects students to well-paying careers without long-term debt burdens.

How can education deliver flexible, affordable, and skills-focused training that leads to sustainable employment while avoiding the weight of significant student debt?

In Part 1 of this two-part DisruptED series, host Ron Stefanski speaks with Kermit Cook, CEO of Penn Foster, about how the 130-year-old institution is expanding access to career-focused education. Their conversation explores Cook’s journey from physics teacher to edtech leader and Penn Foster’s mission to scale affordable credential programs. They also discuss innovations in online learning that strengthen the lifelong learner’s pathway and improve completion rates for working adults and nontraditional students.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Penn Foster aims to graduate 150,000 learners annually by 2029, focusing on career programs that lead to jobs paying $40 to $50K with benefits, without requiring a bachelor’s degree.

• The school’s LAADS framework (Learner-centered, Authentic, Active, Differentiated, Skills-based) is central to redesigning courses for engagement and persistence in online learning.
• Cook believes AI will not replace great teaching but will make poor-quality education obsolete, while data-driven interventions will boost learner success.

Kermit Cook is CEO of Penn Foster, bringing a background that spans classroom teaching and senior leadership in educational publishing and technology. A former Teach for America physics teacher, Cook’s career includes executive roles at Cengage. He is a lifelong advocate for accessible, skills-based education that meets the needs of working adults and nontraditional learners.

Higher education in the U.S. is facing a perfect storm: declining enrollments, rising skepticism about its value, and fierce competition for a shrinking pool of students. According to Gallup, confidence in higher ed has dropped sharply over the past decade—driven by concerns over cost, elitism, and relevance—though recent data shows a slight rebound tied to public perceptions of universities as engines of innovation. Against this backdrop, the battle for survival may hinge less on tradition and more on how institutions define, communicate, and live their brand.

So, if higher ed is entering an era of brand warfare, what does it take for a college or university to win?

On this episode of DisruptED, host Ron J. Stefanski sits down with Brandon Busteed, CEO of BrandEd, to explore whether branding has become the new curriculum for higher education. Their conversation spans the urgent need for differentiation, the role of public benefit narratives in restoring trust, and lessons from universities that have successfully reinvented themselves.

Key takeaways from the episode…

Differentiation is survival: Most colleges market themselves with the same language, but in a shrinking market, distinctive value propositions—like Northeastern’s co-op model or Babson’s focus on entrepreneurship—are critical.

Language shapes perception: The terms colleges use to describe themselves—such as “liberal arts”—can be outdated or misunderstood. Reframing these in ways that highlight universal skills, career versatility, and durable learning can strengthen an institution’s appeal and clarity of value.

Brand is more than marketing: Successful institutions align their messaging with authentic values and deliver consistently on that promise, creating experiences that can’t be replicated elsewhere.

Brandon Busteed is a leading voice at the intersection of education and workforce development, with decades of experience building partnerships between universities, employers, and global brands. He currently serves as CEO of BrandEd, following senior leadership roles at Kaplan and Gallup, where he drove initiatives in learn–work innovation, higher education strategy, and public sector engagement. A seasoned entrepreneur and keynote speaker, Busteed has founded and led education-focused companies, served on national higher ed boards, and is recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice for his insights on experiential, career-relevant learning.

In an era where the average job tenure in the U.S. hovers under four years and industries are evolving faster than academic curricula can keep up, the need for a new approach to workforce development has never been more urgent. Companies like Amazon and McDonald’s are responding by investing in “education as a benefit” programs, but the bigger challenge lies in designing learning experiences that are agile, job-relevant, and deeply integrated with workplace needs.

So how do we prepare people for jobs that don’t even exist yet—and how do employers and educators collaborate to build the future-ready workforce we need?

Welcome to DisruptED. In the second episode of this two-part series, host Ron J. Stefanski dives deep into these questions with two powerhouse guests: Michael Horn, a leading author on education and business, and Jason Aubrey, the CEO of Skilltrade. Together, they explore the shifting dynamics between workers, employers, and educators—and why traditional workforce pipelines are falling short.

Highlights from the conversation:

The evolving definition of a “job”: Workers are no longer just being hired—they’re hiring the job to serve their goals, and job descriptions are increasingly becoming co-created and personalized.

Education as a recruitment and retention strategy: Companies like Amazon and Starbucks are leveraging education benefits to improve employee tenure and upskill workers for more complex roles.

The rise of tightly coupled partnerships: Employers and educators must work hand-in-hand to build programs that align with real-time labor market needs, moving away from the outdated, arms-length models of the past.

Michael Horn is a renowned education strategist and thought leader known for pioneering work in disruptive innovation and workforce development. He is the co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute and author of several influential books, including the bestseller Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career, and serves as an advisor and board member for numerous education and training organizations. With degrees from Yale and Harvard Business School, Horn also teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and co-hosts top education podcasts, making him a central voice in rethinking the future of learning and career pathways.

Jason Aubrey is a seasoned EdTech and workforce development executive with a proven track record of scaling mission-driven organizations and leading successful exits, including MedCerts’ acquisition by Stride, Inc. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Skilltrade, and has previously served as CEO of ClearGage and co-founded LectureTools, an active learning platform used by hundreds of universities globally. Aubrey brings deep experience in organizational transformation, education technology, and public-private workforce partnerships, and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.

Workforce training is undergoing a radical transformation as industries face critical talent shortages and rapid technological change. Building a future-ready workforce requires rethinking traditional higher education models. These models emphasize broad academic development over targeted skill-building and struggle to keep pace with employer demands. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, roughly 59 out of every 100 workers will require reskilling or upskilling to meet evolving job demands. This shift has pushed innovative training models and community-based approaches to the forefront of workforce development.

What will it take to create a workforce that is agile, future-ready, and aligned with the needs of employers in fast-changing industries? How can new models of education and skills training bridge the growing gap between job seekers and the roles that remain unfilled?

In this episode of DisruptED, host Ron Stefanski speaks with Jason Aubrey, Founder and CEO at SkillTrade, and Michael Horn, a leading voice on disruptive innovation in education. Together, they explore how education and workforce training must evolve, the role of community-based initiatives, and the partnerships required to meet urgent labor demands.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Outdated Pathways - Traditional higher education pathways are failing to produce job-ready graduates, particularly in healthcare and other high-demand sectors.
• Community Partnership- Employer-aligned, community-driven training programs are delivering faster and more effective results for both learners and organizations.
• Innovative Solutions – Apprenticeships, online active learning, and loan repayment partnerships are reshaping workforce pipelines and improving career readiness, creating a sustainable path toward a future-ready workforce.

Jason Aubrey is a workforce development and EdTech leader with extensive experience scaling tech-enabled businesses and driving organizational innovation. As CEO of MedCerts, he led the company to its acquisition by Stride, Inc., expanding its impact in healthcare and IT certification training. He is now the founder and CEO of SkillTrade, building community-driven, employer-aligned training programs to address critical workforce gaps, particularly in healthcare.

Michael Horn is a leading expert on disruptive innovation in education, known for shaping future-focused learning strategies and workforce development. He co-founded the Clayton Christensen Institute, teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and advises organizations like Guild Education and Minerva University. Horn is also a bestselling author of several influential books, including Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career and Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, and is a sought-after speaker and podcast cohost.