Innovative Pedagogy Podcast

Dr. Kristina Mattis has worn nearly every hat in education — classroom teacher, district leader, executive director, professor, state ed-tech consultant, and organizational change consultant. In this episode, she joins host Chris Garcia to reflect on the people, projects, and pivotal moments that shaped her leadership journey, along with the lessons current and aspiring leaders can take from her path through complex change.

Learn more about Kristina's work at ConsultED Development, or pick up her book, Guiding Transformational Change in Education, on Amazon.

Jacob Kantor, founder of JK K12 and known as the "District Office Door Opener," has spent his career connecting district leaders, educators, and ed-tech innovators across the country. In this episode, he joins host Chris Garcia to share what he's learned from thousands of conversations with superintendents and CIOs: the traits that set innovative leaders apart, why trust matters more than technology, red flags to watch for in new partnerships, and what's next for district-level leadership.

In this episode of the Innovative Pedagogy Podcast, Chris Garcia sits down with Rob Dickson, Chief Information Officer for Wichita Public Schools, to discuss relationships, partnerships, and purposeful digital leadership.

Rob shares how trust and collaboration shape meaningful work in educational technology, especially when leading teams, evaluating opportunities, and navigating digital transformation. This conversation highlights why strong relationships are not separate from leadership. They are part of the infrastructure that makes a lasting impact possible.

Learn more about Rob at https://showmerob.com/

Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

In this episode of the Innovative Pedagogy Podcast, Chris Garcia speaks with Dr. Daniel Winters, Director of Research, Evaluation, and Educational Technology at Sweetwater Union High School District.

Dr. Winters reflects on his leadership journey from his early years as a coach to roles as a school administrator, district director, and assistant superintendent. The conversation explores lessons from his first year coaching, the realities of opening a new school, and how emotional intelligence shapes leadership decisions over time.

Drawing from decades of experience, Dr. Winters shares practical insights on building school culture, leading adults, and developing the self-awareness required to sustain leadership in education.

In this episode of the Innovative Pedagogy Podcast, host Chris Garcia is joined by Laura K. Spencer, Chief Academic Officer at Elite Academic Academy and former President of CALIE through CUE.

This conversation explores leadership beyond a single organization. Dr. Spencer reflects on what it means to shape vision, culture, and responsibility at the field level through professional organizations. She shares how leaders can pursue innovation without chasing trends, particularly in emerging areas like AR, VR, and AI-supported learning.

Together, they examine when immersive technologies add real instructional value, how leaders can establish ethical guardrails around new tools, and what professional organizations can do to support thoughtful, human-centered decision-making. The episode also addresses leadership sustainability and the importance of boundaries when contributing at scale.

This episode is for educational leaders who want to influence the future of learning with purpose, equity, and clarity.

In this episode of the Innovative Pedagogy Leadership Series, Chris Garcia speaks with Lolita Rico, Coordinator of Innovation at Chula Vista Elementary School District.Lolita shares how digital citizenship has evolved from a set of online safety lessons into a core foundation for student identity, wellness, and agency. She discusses how leaders can approach artificial intelligence as a thought partner that supports teacher efficiency and inclusive design, while maintaining strong instructional relationships.The conversation also explores what makes professional learning meaningful, how leaders avoid initiative fatigue, and how innovation, VAPA, and instructional quality can work together to maximize student impact.🔗 ConnectLolita Rico: LinkedInChris Garcia: [email protected]: https://garciaedtech.com

Leadership is often learned in motion, between roles, decisions, and moments of pressure. Rarely do we pause to examine why we lead the way we do.In this opening episode of the Innovative Pedagogy: Leadership Series, host Chris Garcia shares the series' vision and purpose. Drawing from experience across classrooms, school sites, district systems, higher education, and professional organizations, this episode explores how leadership is shaped by practice, not position.Chris reflects on the lessons that theory alone cannot teach, the role of relationships and communication in leadership success, and why intentional reflection matters, especially before crisis forces growth.This episode lays the foundation for future conversations with educators and leaders navigating complexity, responsibility, and impact across systems.

If this episode sparked a reflection or raised a question, I’d love to hear from you.

📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: https://garciaedtech.com

You can also find episode notes, resources, and future releases on the website.

🎮 In Part Two of our conversation with Pejman Salehi, Vice President Academic at Conestoga College, we explore how esports, gaming, and immersive technologies are reshaping higher education. We discuss how institutions can use esports, 🕶️ AR/VR, and emerging technologies to build digital skills, strengthen collaboration, and increase student engagement across generations.🏫 This episode examines practical strategies for integrating esports into the curriculum, student experience, and workforce development, while keeping ⚖️ equity, access, and 🚀 future readiness at the center of institutional innovation.#HigherEducation #EsportsEdu #EdTech #FutureOfEducation #StudentEngagement #Esports

In this episode of the Innovative Pedagogy Podcast, Chris Garcia talks with Dr. Jennette Vanderpool from CDW about what it means to lead smarter in today’s schools. Jennette shares how her experience as a teacher, administrator, and board member shapes her approach to efficient spending and strategic decision-making.

They break down where districts should focus when budgets are tight, how to balance innovation with responsibility, and why trends like AI, cybersecurity, and sustainability are shaping the future of Classroom Modernization 2025. Jennette also highlights how strong collaboration between school and IT leaders can turn smart investments into better learning.

A practical and forward-looking conversation for anyone guiding educational decisions today.

#EducationalLeadership #EdTech #InnovativePedagogy #SchoolLeadership #FutureReadySchools #CDWEducation #ClassroomModernization #AIinEducation #CybersecurityEducation #SustainableSchools #SmartSpending #EducationPodcast

In this episode, we sit down with Becky Keene, author of AI Optimism: A Guide to Redefining Artificial Intelligence in Education. Becky shares how AI can transform learning, address equity and access, and prepare students for success in an unknown future. From overcoming misconceptions to taking practical first steps, we explore how optimism, rather than fear, can shape AI’s role in our classrooms.

To learn more or to get your own copy of her book, AI Optimism: A Guide to Redefining Artificial Intelligence in Education, visit beckykeene.com.