The Tampa Bay Partnership President and CEO, Bemetra Simmons talks with Jennifer about all things education—from graduation rates to teachers salaries and the impact of education on the economy. It’s an insightful podcast you won’t want to miss.

Join Jennifer in this special episode from Tallahassee, where she is attending the Spring 2025 legislative session! She talks with Darrick McGhee, a lobbyist AND senior pastor–truly an anomaly–who shares a fascinating perspective on what is happening and expected to happen in Florida. Budget, education, the economy…this one touches on it all!

In this episode of Education Conversations, Jennifer talks with Christine Robinson, Executive Director of The Argus Foundation, a think tank and government watchdog. They discuss the importance of education in a community and how business leadership can be a catalyst for change.

In the continuation of our Education Conversations miniseries on Education and the Economy, Jennifer talks with New College of Florida president, Richard Corcoran. They discuss the value of a liberal arts education in today’s world, humanities, philosophers, AI, and more! And spoiler alert for those who listen…it was Benjamin Franklin! You won’t want to miss this one.

In this continuation of our miniseries on education and the economy, Jennifer talks with CareerSource Suncoast President and CEO Josh Matlock about current and future workforce needs and how we’re preparing students to meet the changing demands of tomorrow.

In the continuation of our Education Conversations miniseries on education and the economy, Jennifer talks with Jennifer Johnston, Director of Community Leadership for Gulf Coast Community Foundation. They discuss the connection between students, community, and businesses, and how preparing tomorrow’s workforce starts in our classrooms today.

Launching the first in our mini-series on college education and the economy, Jennifer talks with Kimberly Lent Morales, director of research and evaluation for Helios Education Foundation. Kimberly co-authored a recent report titled “Florida’s Future Billions”, and they discuss several findings from the study, including the question, Is an education beyond high school worth it?

Enjoy a special good cheer episode with this compilation of positive and inspiring clips from our guests over the past two seasons. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Teachers play an important role in education—they are on the front lines in shaping the future through our students—and we are so appreciative of all they do. In this episode, Jennifer talks with the three district Teacher of the Year finalists about what motivates them to teach and what it means to them to be named 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic that people are both excited and concerned about. While AI has been around for decades, Jennifer talks with Dr. Rebecca Hines, Associate Professor at UCF, about how it is being used in education today, particularly how she is using it in special education, and ways AI can help teachers be more efficient and effective in the classroom.