HyphenatEdD Leader

What happens when you dare to tell your story beyond the degrees and titles? In this episode of the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast, Dr. Smarr reflects on her experience attending the “Telling Your Equity Educator Story” workshop with Kim Cawkwell and explores how your equity story becomes a powerful leadership tool. This isn’t about the deficit—it’s about the assets you bring by being uniquely, fully, authentically, unapologetically YOU. Dr. Smarr shares how her equity story informs her leadership, mentorship, and very being, and invites listeners to consider their own narrative as an act of claiming space at the center.

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Season 2, Episode 4 | In this week’s episode of the HyphenatEdD Leader Podcast with Dr. Rochelle Smarr brings you a Voices from the Huddle conversation with Dr. Sharon H. Porter. Dr. Porter breaks down why she chose the EdD over the PhD (spoiler: she’s a doer who believes research has to leap off the page and make real change), and shares the winding road to actually getting that degree. She shows up with all her hyphens, unapologetically.

We dig into what it means to walk into leadership spaces as a woman of color carrying weight, assumptions, and limited sponsorship, and how she transforms that pressure into intentional design. Dr. Porter opens up about the realities of hyphenated leadership: how all the balls shouldn’t be up at the same time. Also, why learning to say “no” took her years, and the difference between leading wherever you are, versus needing to be the leader. Dr. Porter reminds us to show up whole, wherever you are—and give yourself grace for the seasons when you can’t do it all.

Learn more about Dr. Sharon Porter and the resources she shared during her conversation in her Voices from the Huddle profile.

As always, listen to prior episodes on the Substack: like, subscribe, and comment to support the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast.

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In this powerful Voices from the Huddle conversation, Dr. Rochelle Smarr connects with with Dr. Latrese Younger, educator, learner, data analyst, bibliophile, and middle school principal. She shares how her hyphenated identities shape her leadership from the margins. She reflects on pivoting through her career with faith as her compass, moving wherever God sends her to ensure “someone gets what they need.”

At the heart of this episode is Dr. Younger’s groundbreaking work: Black Women in Educational Leadership (BWEL), which evolved from social media highlights of Black women education leaders starting in November 2019 to now a board-led organization offering mentorship, professional development, and more. Including the forthcoming book Black Women in Educational Leadership: Stories of Resilience and Achievement. Dr. Younger reminds us that storytelling is ancestral work, essential to uplifting communities and ensuring the next generation of Black women leaders never gets discouraged.

Learn more about Dr. Younger and the resources she shared during her conversation in her Voices from the Huddle profile.

From navigating emotional reactions to making tough decisions about contracts and transitions, Dr. Smarr walk’s through the realities of managing staff, holding honest conversations, and choosing what’s best for your team and programs. She also reflect on another moment earlier in my career when she had to end a partnership with a leader after a successful international trip. Reminding us that leadership isn’t just about beginnings; it’s about stewarding endings with clarity and compassion.

In this Season 2 opener, Dr. Rochelle Smarr introduces the theme “Leading from the Margins to the Center” and explores what it means to claim authority, tell your truth, and build a career that honors all of who you are! Even when the spaces you lead in weren’t designed with you in mind. This episode unpacks why we’ve been taught to lead small, shrink our expertise, and apologize for taking up space—and invites listeners to begin the journey from invisible to visible, from questioning yourself to claiming your authority.

Welcome to Season 2!

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In this reflective year-end episode, Dr. Smarr looks back on 2025—a year marked by grit, grace, and God’s goodness. From leadership milestones and major professional wins to spiritual growth and global adventures, she walks through her 2025 “brag sheet,” reminding listeners that celebrating wins is just as important as learning from failures. This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and acknowledge just how far you’ve come.

Feeling grateful for where you are, but hungry for more? In this episode, Dr. Smarr shares personal stories of self-funded professional development and explores how to advocate for yourself, create your own opportunities, and invest in your growth—professionally, spiritually, and personally. Learn actionable tips to stay relevant, build accountability, and pair faith with action as you refine your leadership and claim your vision.

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This week on HyphenatEdD Leader, Dr. Smarr is reflecting on what it means to lead through chaos — when the structure shifts, the support fades, and you’re left reimagining your purpose in the middle of it all. It’s an honest look at higher ed’s new reality: doing less with less — and finding the courage to lead, pivot, or pause with intention.

Listen to the episode and share how you’re learning how to do less with less in this ever-changing climate of higher education.

#HigherEdLeadership #HyphenatEdD #AuthenticLeadership #DoLessWithLess

How learning to fall forward became the foundation of leadership, resilience, and purpose. In this episode of HyphenatEdD, Dr. Smarr explores how failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s a prerequisite for it. Through personal stories from her leadership journey—from SJSU to SEIU to CSUSM—she unpacks how early missteps shaped her philosophy on succession planning, empowerment, and resilience.

Resources & Mentions:

* 📖 From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life — by Arthur C. Brooks |Book Link (Amazon)

* ✝️ Scripture References:

* Philippians 1:6 – “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it…”

* Romans 8:28 – “All things work together for good…”

* 2 Timothy 1:7 – “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind.”

Being a HyphenatEdD Leader means recognizing that your multiple hyphens—your roles, responsibilities, and impact—do not go unnoticed.

In this episode, Dr. Smarr recount a moment when she didn’t even need a nametag. People already recognized her and the work she bring to the table. It was one of those moments of validation we all need, reminding us that our contributions matter and are being seen.

This is your reminder: lean into being Big in this Space. Give yourself credit for all that you bring—your expertise, your leadership, your commitment. You are known for great things, and it’s okay to own that.

✨ Take a moment today to acknowledge your own impact. You deserve it.

Listen to the full episode here and share your moment of validation in the comments.

#HyphenatEdDLeader #BigInThisSpace #Leadership #CareerValidation #CommunityEngagement #ExperientialLearning