KeyBARD

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Host Thembi Duncan welcomes Victoria Forsman and Jessica Slayback, co-founders of The REALM (Redesigning Education and Living Meaningfully), a vibrant educational community in Santa Monica California that’s been changing the way kids learn for 15 years.

They share their inspiration for creating REALM and describe what it takes to create a thriving student-centered learning model in today’s world. They also cover:

• Why traditional school models fail so many kids (and adults)
• How Vicky and Jessie’s different life paths led them to a shared vision
• What it means to personalize learning for every student
• How The REALM balances structure, freedom, and innovation

...and so much more!

REALM Website: https://www.realmlearning.com/

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

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• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
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In this episode of KeyBARD, host Thembi Duncan talks with award-winning actor, director, and educator Deidra LaWan Starnes for an unfiltered conversation about her lifelong career in theatre. With honesty, humor, and heart, Deidra reflects on what it means to lead in the American theatre as a woman of faith.

We talk about:

• Her journey through the arts
• The role of her faith in her self-actualization and habits of mind
• The power of “getting ugly” onstage
• Navigating criticism and unfair reviews
• Mentorship, community, and the need for love and respect in the field

...and much more!

This conversation is for artists who are called to lead, creatives wrestling with ego and calling, and anyone learning to trust the voice within.

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Sharon Dunlevy shares her journey from special education to foster care advocacy, offering deep insights on trauma-informed education, caregiver collaboration, and what it takes to truly support vulnerable kids in school. We talk about:

• Why childhood trauma is a brain response, not just an event
• What teachers and schools often miss about foster care
• The importance of individualized education and inclusive classrooms
• How to build real, healing partnerships between educators and caregivers
• The emotional labor of advocacy and how she protects her well-being
• What gives her hope about the future of foster care and education reform

Sharon's Website

Free Manual: Improving the Educational Outcomes of Children in Foster Care

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of KeyBARD, Thembi sits down with William Hollis (or just “Hollis”), a self-taught software engineer, real estate investor, and now the founder and CEO of Raise AI, a platform using agentic artificial intelligence to revolutionize how capital is raised.

He talks about growing up in Hollis, Queens, and how his environment shaped not just his worldview but his work ethic. Hollis also shares how a DIY spirit, curiosity, and a whole lot of trial and error led him from taking apart his family’s first computer to leading a tech company that changes how real estate deals are made.

William Hollis' Website: https://williamhollis.com/

RAISE AI's Website: https://theraiseai.com/ai-agents

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Thembi sits down with Warren Wilansky, founder and president of Plank, a digital agency with more than 25 years of experience designing meaningful, accessible, and story-driven websites.

Warren shares how his background in history and storytelling shaped his approach to ethical web design and how Plank has remained a trusted partner for organizations in the arts, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. 

Warren's Website: https://warrenwilansky.com/

Plank: https://plank.co/en/

Ethical Web Collective: https://ethicalwebcollective.plank.co/

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of KeyBARD, I sit down with actor, director, and educator Fatima Quander, whose 20+ year career in theater is deeply rooted in research, collaboration, and cultural responsibility.

We talk about everything from her first spark of inspiration in a second-grade classroom closet to her current work, teaching and directing at the University of Maryland. 

Fatima shares how she approaches directing through an actor’s lens, how she creates joyful and intentional rehearsal spaces, and why centering Black women is not a choice, but a natural, necessary truth in her practice.

She reflects on her time with FRESHH Inc. Theatre Company, building community with Black girls and women, and why For Colored Girls belongs right alongside Shakespeare in the canon.

🔗 Learn more about Fatima's work: fatimaquander.com

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Part 2 of 2

Our discussion continues with actor, writer, and teaching artist J.J. Johnson taking us deeper into his creative process. 

He shares what it’s like to navigate the vulnerability, pressure, and freedom of creating a solo theatre piece, as well as the intensely collaborative nature of writing for film. 

He also reflects on the origins of Galvanize, a truly special network for Black theatricals in the DMV, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025. 

Connect with J.J.:

IG/Threads

Facebook

TikTok

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

In Part One of this two-part conversation, Thembi sits down with actor, writer, and teaching artist James J. Johnson, known to many as J.J.

He opens up about growing up as a quirky, intelligent, and imaginative kid in the small town of Front Royal, Virginia, and we dive into his earliest artistic influences, how humor became his tool for connection, the evolution of his creative process, and the semi-autobiographical play that brought his childhood friends to the theatre for the very first time. 

Connect with J.J.:

IG/Threads

Facebook

TikTok

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

This episode of KeyBARD features Jared Redick, an award-winning, sought-after master teacher, choreographer, and coach whose leadership has shaped the global dance community. 

A third-generation ballet dancer, Jared blends a deep respect for classical traditions with an innovative approach to contemporary work. 

He currently serves as a full professor and Assistant Dean of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), one of the nation’s top conservatories.

Jared's Website

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Ilke Demir, Senior Staff Research Scientist, Intel

What makes us human in the age of artificial intelligence?

In this episode, Thembi speaks with Dr. Ilke Demir, a pioneering research scientist whose work explores the intersection of AI, digital integrity, and creative technology. 

From detecting deepfakes using biological signals to defending artists’ rights in an AI-saturated world, Dr. Demir offers a grounded, compelling perspective on authenticity, innovation, and the emotional labor of being a woman in STEM -- and much more!

Explore FaceCatcher

More on Dr. Demir

Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768

KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan, a theater artist, educator, and tech enthusiast exploring the intersections of art, education, and technology through conversations with creative thinkers.

Theme music by Sycho Sid.

Listen and Connect:

• Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
• Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
• Instagram: @Keybard_IG
• Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast