Tinsley Gaylean

Author REFRAME & Co-Founder Curious Learning

Quotes of the Podcast: 

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

TINSLEY GALYEAN, author of REFRAME, is a technologist, designer, and co-founder of Curious Learning, a global nonprofit dedicated to eradicating illiteracy. He holds a PhD from the MIT Media Lab and works at the intersection of education, storytelling, and digital innovation, creating interactive experiences for museums and programing for networks like Discovery Kids, Disney, and Warner Bros. Under Galyean’s leadership, Curious Learning has made its literacy apps available in 60 languages, reaching children in diverse communities worldwide, many with little or no access to formal schooling. By partnering with parents, educators, NGOs, and governments, the organization has helped children in some of the most resource-constrained settings begin their reading journey. Curious Learning’s work is recognized for its commitment to mother-tongue instruction and its focus on data-driven evaluation to ensure real, lasting impact. To learn more, visit: www.curiouslearning.org

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• Why curiosity is not a “soft skill,” but a core learning strategy for the 21st century 
• How infrastructure, not mindset, gets in the way of learning 
• Deploying technology effectively in low-resource environments 
• The neuroscience of reading and what it reveals about how children learn best 
• Why top-down education reform often fails — and what grassroots, community-based innovation gets right 
• Why overcoming self-limiting beliefs is key to success for leaders of any organization.
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

 

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

Reframe: How Curiosity and Literacy Can Redefine Us

www.curiouslearning.org

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Yajaira Aich West

VP Client and Community Relations Director, PNC Bank

Quote of the Podcast: 

 “"It’s not so much what we have in this life that matters. It’s what we do with what we have." Fred Rogers

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Yajaira Aich West is a Vice President at PNC Bank and serves as the Director of Client and Community Relations. In this role she manages the philanthropic investments in the fifteen counties where PNC has a presence in the central and eastern half of the state of Kentucky and southeast portion of Ohio, coordinates the client events produced by the bank and leads employee initiatives around health and wellness. 

Yajaira graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Transylvania University in 2004 and earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics in 2011.  

Yajaira is an active member of the community via volunteerism and board service. She is currently a Lexington Public Library Trustee, on the board of directors at the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, Commerce Lexington Foundation, Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County, Child Care Council of Kentucky and on the Policy Council for Bluegrass Community Action Partnership. She is a graduate of the Commerce Lexington’s Leadership Lexington and Leadership Central Kentucky and the Leadership Kentucky programs.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

·      30,000 Ft. View -Why should we as a society invest in education?

·      How did you come to be involved with the support of education at PNC?

·      What do you love about what you do, specifically in the education space?

·      PNC’s philanthropic efforts in educational initiatives (early childhood education, financial education, grants to economic empowerment etc).

·      What are the biggest challenges to you?

·      What would you like decision makers to know?

 

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

www.PNCgrowupgreat.com

www.pnc.com

 

I’d recommend a relatively new podcast called “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” because she does something different before each interview, she chooses someone close to the guest and records a conversation where they talk “Good behind their back.” It is an uplifting and joyful podcast and a reminder that we can always talk good behind someone’s back.  

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Dr. Lisa Hammonds

Founder, Dove Training & Innovations 

Quote of the Podcast: 

Your heart has to be able to handle the weight of your divine calling - bell hook

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Dr. Lisa Hammonds is the founder of Dove Training & Innovations and a passionate, results-driven Learning Experience & Development Consultant with a proven track record of helping professionals reimagine training design and facilitation. She has partnered with clients across various industries, equipping them with strategies to create meaningful learning experiences that inspire action. Her signature Train the Trainer program empowers trainers, coaches, educators, and speakers to confidently design and facilitate engaging experiences that connect with learners, build lasting impact, and drive transformation. Prior to her work in training and development, Dr. Hammonds built a successful career in software development and continues to integrate technology solutions into her training design and development initiatives. Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Hammonds is a dedicated community advocate. She actively supports adult literacy programs and other community initiatives, using her expertise to expand access to learning and help individuals gain the skills they need to thrive.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• What do you love about what you do?
• Ways to designing training to inspire action, build confidence and empower. 
• Experiential learning, AI and training and development.
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?” 

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts 

Think Again by Adam Grant 

The Accidental Instructional Designer by Cammy Bean

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Darcy Bakkegard

Co-Founder & Change Consultant, 

The Educators' Lab

 

Quotes of the Podcast: 

“Think of what you want to be different and start from there.” Priya Parker, The Art of Gathering 

“While individual curiosity can produce incredible feats, our collective curiosity is the motor behind humanity’s biggest innovations. Conversations feed our imagination, and collaboration enables us to dream bigger. In fact, we are wired to function at our best when tapping into shared knowledge and the support of a community.” Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Tiny Experiments

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Darcy believes in the power of education to change lives and the power of TEACHERS to lead that change. To help teachers do this work, she co-founded The Educators' Lab USA and is a board member of The Educators’ Lab Global. She designed and facilitated The Teacher Empowerment Incubator, a pilot program that supports rural teachers as community collaborators and problem-solvers. 

A classroom teacher for over a decade, Darcy creates the type of PD she always wanted, driving change in education and empowering teachers as changemakers. Through her work, teachers reconnect with their purpose, rekindle their spark for teaching, and reignite the JOY of teaching and learning. 

In addition to her joy work, Darcy is the co-author of The Startup Teacher Playbook, a frequent contributor to Edutopia, holds a Master’s of Secondary Education, is an ISTE Certified Educator, and is an experienced international presenter and keynote speaker. She's ALWAYS up to brainstorm and collaborate. She lives in Fargo, ND, with her husband and their triplets.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

 

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• The lessons Education CAN learn from business 
• Why Joy & How Joy helps spark ACTION 
• The importance of play (playing with ideas, playing in the classroom, PLAY!)
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

 

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

Book I Wrote: The Startup Teacher Playbook Books I recommend: Wintering, The Art of Gathering, Tiny Experiments- ALL GREAT reads Website: TheEducatorsLab.com

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

 Marj Atkinson

CEO

The Research Sage 

Quotes of the Podcast: 

Make yourself an example of good works with integrity, dignity and incorruptibility in your teaching. Titus 2:7 CSB 

What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education. -Harold Howe.

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Marj Atkinson received her Master of Library Science from Texas Woman's University in 2012 (as a true nontraditional grad student). She is an academic success coach specializing in personalized support for nontraditional graduate students and research solutions for authors, faculty, small businesses, and nonprofits. She leads engaging workshops including resource organization, literature reviews, AI best practices, and market research tools. With a background spanning libraries, financial services, IT, and nonprofits, Marj is known for helping people find exactly what they need—so if you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, ask Marj!

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• Challenges of nontraditional Grad students in online programs and the lack of resources they receive, especially at but not exclusive to under-resourced schools such as HBCUs. 
• Also discussions on AI and academic integrity. And the 
• lack of "pipelines" in so many professions from K12 to Higher Ed.
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

I'm featured in Careers in Library and Information Services, by Priscilla K. Shontz, editor 

https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/careers-in-library-and-information-services-9798216185772/  

Podcasts: A Way with Words, an upbeat and lively public radio show and podcast about language examined through culture, history, and family. https://waywordradio.org/ 

Code Sw!tch (while NPR is still a thing). It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch 

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

PODCAST Season 5 EPISODE 3 

Dr. Cassidy Sugimoto

School Chair, Tom and Marie Patton Chair, Professor Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy Georgia Institute of Technology

Quote of the Podcast: 

Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Dr. Cassidy R. Sugimoto holds multiple roles at Georgia Tech. She is School Chair, the Tom and Marie Patton Chair, and Professor of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. Her research explores how knowledge is created, shared, and supported—with a strong focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in science and academia. She holds three degrees from UNC Chapel Hill, including a Ph.D. in Information and Library Science. A recognized leader in her field, Dr. Sugimoto has earned multiple teaching, leadership, and service awards and is known for her thought leadership at the intersection of policy, research, and inclusion.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators. 

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• What do you love about what you do?
• Information dissemination
• Importance of Higher Education
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

PODCAST Season 5 EPISODE 2

Will Richardson

Founder

Future Serious School 

Quote of the Podcast: 

"The end of the world as we know it is not the end of the world, full stop." ~Dougald Hine

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Will is a lifelong educator who, after 22 years in the classroom, has worked with educators in over 25 countries to push their thinking about the purpose and practice of schooling in a time of deepening challenges and emerging opportunities for change. He is a parent, an author of six books, and the founder of Future Serious Schools. His recent manifesto "Confronting Education in a Time of Complexity, Chaos, and Collapse" is a provocation for a new "why" of schooling and the foundation for a seven-week workshop of the same title which is now entering its third cohort.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• Tell us about Future Serious Schools
• Share the essence of your Manifesto
• Share what people will gain from participating in your next cohort
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts 

Website: https://futureserious.school/

Manifesto: https://futureserious.school/manifestoedu/

Books: Hospicing Modernity, Education in a Time Between Worlds, At Work in the Ruins, Pedagogies of Collapse. 

Podcasts: The Great Turning, The Great Simplification, Future Learning Design.

 

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

PODCAST Season 5 EPISODE 1

Dr. Demetrus Liggins

Fayette County Public Schools

Superintendent

Quote of the Podcast: 

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit" -Aristotle

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Today’s guest is Dr. Demetrus Liggins, superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools since 2021. A former English and ESL teacher, Dr. Liggins has served in nearly every role in education—from classroom teacher to high school principal to area superintendent—across California and Texas. Before coming to Lexington, he led Greenville ISD near Dallas, where he transformed a struggling district into one with significantly improved academic and financial ratings, earning state recognition.

Bilingual and deeply committed to equity, Dr. Liggins launched innovative programs like a citywide literacy initiative, a dual-language track, a STEM academy, and an Early College High School. His leadership has earned him national accolades, including being named a Superintendent to Watch and Kentucky’s 2026 Superintendent of the Year. With advanced degrees in education and policy and a passion for student success, Dr. Liggins is widely respected for his results-driven leadership and deep investment in mentoring the next generation of educators.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

 

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• What do you love about what you do?
• Portrait of a Graduate and Deeper Learning
• Local Accountability
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

 

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

https://www.fcps.net/about/superintendent-s-office/strategic-plan/portrait-of-a-graduate

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Sen Reggie Thomas

KY State Senator

 

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Reggie Thomas graduated from Bryan Station High School in 1971. He earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1975 and a Juris Doctor from Harvard University in 1978. His career experience includes working as an assistant professor at Kentucky State University.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

•  30,000 Ft. View – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• You are on the Senate Education Committee, What drew you to education?
• Role of Government in Education
• Changing role of education for our new economy
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision-makers to know?

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

 

 

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Ayo Jones

Educator| Author |Creator

Quote of the Podcast: 

“Forward ever, backward never.” – Kwame Nkrumah

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

 Ayo Jones is an educator, instructional designer, and the author of Teaching with AI: The PEACE Framework. She’s all about helping teachers integrate AI into their classrooms to build the critical skills students need for the future. With years of experience working with students who have complex access needs, Ayo is passionate about making learning more engaging, accessible, and relevant for every student. Her goal? To help educators rethink what's possible and create classrooms that prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

•  30,000 Ft. View – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• AI in education and rethinking instructional pedagogy.
• AI as assistive tech for those with disabilities
• Changing role of education for our new economy
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision-makers to know?

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

 

Teaching with AI: The PEACE Framework

 

NoodleNook

 

 www.peaceframework.com/

 

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions