Lead with HOPE

In this episode of the Lead with H.O.P.E. podcast, host Dr. Brandi Kelly explores the profound impact of love and hope in leadership.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, Brandi shares personal reflections and leadership insights, drawing powerful lessons from children’s movies to illustrate that love is not merely a romantic idea.. it is a strategic, intentional force that builds connection, fuels growth, and strengthens courage.

Brandi also unpacks the Science of Hope, highlighting its cognitive components, goals, pathways, and agency, and explains how love fuels each one. When leaders lead with love, they create environments where people feel safe, valued, and empowered to pursue meaningful goals.

This episode is especially for female leaders who are tired of carrying leadership alone. You’ll be reminded that community matters, connection is essential, and leadership becomes truly transformational when love and hope work together.

• The word guiding Brandi’s leadership for 2026 is love

• Children’s movies teach powerful lessons about leadership and connection

• Hope is a cognitive process built on goals, pathways, and agency

• Love fuels all three components of hope

• Female leaders often carry heavy burdens alone—community is essential

• The Spark HOPE Community exists to support and empower female leaders

• Leadership becomes transformational when love and hope work together

Chapters

00:00 – The Power of Love in Leadership
06:01 – Hope as a Cognitive Process: Goals, Pathways, and Agency
07:55 – Building Community and Connection Through Love

Tune in, give us a 5 star rating to help us spread hope to other leaders, and keep leading with H.O.P.E.

A special thank you to Craig Williams and Conversari for supporting this episode! Learn more about their work at ⁠https://www.conversaripress.com

Join the Spark HOPE community to connect with like-minded women leaders through monthly masterminds, courses, and a supportive network designed to help you lead with heart, alignment, and purpose.

Sign up here: ⁠https://sparkhopeedu.com/drbrandikelly-4049⁠

If you want to learn more about HOPE-Fueled leadership, book your free consultation today: ⁠https://sparkhopeedu.com

Keywords

leadership, love, hope, community, connection, female leaders, personal growth, storytelling, intentionality, empowerment

In this episode of the Lead with HOPE Podcast, Dr. Brandi Kelly sits down with Shellee Howard, founder of College Ready, mother of four, and champion for student empowerment. Shellee shares how her personal journey navigating the college admissions process led her to build a system that has helped students earn over $10.3 million in scholarships proving that a debt-free college education is possible.

Together, they explore the critical role of self-discovery, leadership development, and core values in preparing students not just for college but for life. Shellee offers practical guidance for parents who want to support their children without pressure or judgment, empowering students to confidently articulate who they are during the admissions process.

This conversation is a must-listen for parents, educators, leaders, and anyone passionate about college readiness, leadership, and infusing hope into our lives and leadership.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Shellee Howard’s Journey

02:22 – The Birth of College Ready

03:09 – Navigating Today’s College Admissions Landscape

04:40 – Empowering Students and Parents

05:52 – Leadership Lessons from Life Experiences

07:24 – Why Self-Discovery Matters for College Admissions

10:52 – Creating Opportunities for Students

11:57 – Inspiring Change in the Next Generation

13:21 – Final Thoughts, Resources, and Support

19:51 – A Call for Leadership in Challenging Times

Key Takeaways

• 🎓 Students can graduate college without debt with the right guidance and strategy
• 🌱 Understanding core values helps students confidently navigate admissions conversations
• 💬 Parents should create open, judgment-free dialogue about dreams and aspirations
• 🧭 Self-discovery is essential for students to clearly articulate who they are to colleges
• 🤝 Leadership skills grow through service, courage, and stepping outside comfort zones
• 💡 Encouragement and affirmation from adults significantly shape leadership identity
• 🏆 Over $10.3 million in scholarships proves what’s possible with intentional preparation

Ready to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose?

The HOPE-Fueled Leadership Kickstart - a short, powerful private coaching experience. With expert guidance and key assessments, I’ll help you clarify your vision, gain confidence in your decision making, and build lasting connection and community so you can finally get a clear roadmap to maximize your resources, people, and impact as a leader. 

👉 Join the HOPE-Fueled Leadership Kickstart: https://sparkhopeedu.com/home--spark-hope-edu

Thank you to Craig Williams and Conversari for being a legacy partner of the Lead with HOPE Podcast.

Learn more about Conversari: https://www.conversaripress.com/

College Ready, College Admissions, Debt-Free College, Student Empowerment, Shellee Howard, HOPE-Fueled Leadership Kickstart, Dr. Brandi Kelly

Leadership Development, Parenting Teens, Scholarships, Education Leadership, Self-Discovery

Are you a leader feeling the stress?

Join us as we talk with Dan Stecken, a superintendent, former varsity head coach, and founder of the Stressed Leaders Retreat. Dan shares his unique approach to wellness and vulnerability and what it takes to thrive under pressure in leadership.In this episode, you will learn about:

• Dan's Journey and Book: Dan wrote his book, Stressed Leaders Stay in the Game, to himself from five years ago, during his first overwhelming year as a superintendent. The book and the retreat grew out of a desire to support colleagues who were also struggling.
• The Power of Vulnerability: Writing his book was a cathartic opportunity for reflection. Dan discusses why he chose to remain vulnerable in his writing despite a publisher's caution, believing it is vital to help other stressed leaders.
• Stressed Leaders Retreat: Dan founded the retreat to help educators build the stamina for passionate, purposeful leadership. The retreat has grown into a powerful network that is not limited to educators; it welcomes healthcare professionals, small business owners, entrepreneurs, accountants, and firemen—leaders across various industries. Dan discusses plans to expand the retreat to a new market in the Indianapolis area in June 2026, in addition to the event in Illinois.
• Mental Health and Wellness: Learn how Seneca High School fosters a culture that prioritizes student and staff mental health and wellness. Dan also reflects on the importance of self-care and finding "me time," even for high-flying workaholics.

Connect with Dan: Find out more about the book, upcoming events, and how to sign up for the Stressed Leaders Retreat by visiting stressedleers.com.

A special thank you to Craig Williams and Conversari for supporting this episode! Learn more about their work at ⁠https://www.conversaripress.com

✨ Learn more about Dr. Brandi Kelly's ⁠H⁠OPE-Fueled Leadership Kickstart⁠ ⁠and book a free discovery call at sparkhopeedu.com. 

Key Topics/Keywords: Leadership, Stress, Wellness, Vulnerability, Superintendent, Stressed Leaders Retreat, Mental Health, Education, Purpose, Passion, Lead with Hope Podcast, Dan Stecken.

A special thank you to Craig Williams and Conversari for supporting this episode! Learn more about their work at https://www.conversaripress.com

In this empowering episode of Lead with HOPE, we give you a sneak peek of the first session of EmpowerHER Mastermind, Heart, Home, and Hustle. If you’re a woman leader feeling the pressure to constantly do more, hold it all together, and push through even when your heart is tired, this episode is for you.

We explore the danger of hustle in leadership, especially when productivity becomes tied to worth. Discover why rest isn’t weakness and stillness isn’t idle; both are acts of trust and obedience, guided by God’s command: “Be still and know that I am God.” Learn how hustle can quietly replace faith and how to reclaim alignment in your leadership.

This episode breaks down a biblical framework for sustainable leadership: God first, then spouse, children and grandchildren, and finally work. You’ll also hear the three keys to sustainable leadership:

• Love God first – anchors your values and shapes your vision.

• Love people – invest in relationships because leadership is inherently relational.

• Serve all – remember leadership is about influence, stewardship, and contribution, not titles.

Whether you’re seeking faith-based leadership guidance, practical strategies for balance, or a community of women leading with heart, this episode gives you the tools to move from pressure-driven hustle to HOPE-fueled, sustainable leadership.

Join the Spark HOPE community to connect with like-minded women leaders through monthly masterminds, courses, and a supportive network designed to help you lead with heart, alignment, and purpose.

Sign up here: https://sparkhopeedu.com/drbrandikelly-4049

If you want to learn more about HOPE-Fueled leadership, book your free consultation today: https://sparkhopeedu.com

🤝 Legacy Sponsor

This episode of the Lead with Hope Podcast is proudly supported by our Legacy Sponsor, Conversari - ⁠https://www.conversaripress.com/

What happens when strong, capable leaders reach the end of what an unsustainable system demands of them?

In this powerful and deeply human episode of the Lead with Hope Podcast, host Dr. Brandi Kelly is joined by Dr. Lindsey Hall—educator, former superintendent, mentor, and coach—for a candid conversation about leadership, burnout, boundaries, and becoming the leader your life actually needs.

With decades of experience spanning the classroom, principalship, district leadership, and the superintendency, Lindsey shares wisdom earned through both professional challenge and personal loss. Together, they explore what it means to lead with habits, optimism, purpose, and excellence—especially during seasons of pressure, grief, and transition.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why work-life integration is more honest than “work-life balance”

• The invisible mental load and guilt many women leaders carry

• How to recognize when it’s time to end a role with grace and integrity

• Leading through conflict, COVID, and difficult governance

• Finding joy now, not someday—inside and outside of leadership

• Why hope is not soft, but essential for resilient leadership

This conversation is for leaders who love their work but are tired. For those questioning how long they can keep going and whether there’s a better way.

Contact Dr. Lindsey Hall

Email: [email protected]

[email protected] and [email protected]

Visit Spark HOPE Edu @ https://sparkhopeedu.com/

✨ Learn more about Dr. Brandi Kelly's H⁠OPE-Fueled Leadership Kickstart⁠ and book a free discovery call at sparkhopeedu.com.

🤝 Legacy Sponsor

This episode of the Lead with Hope Podcast is proudly supported by our Legacy Sponsor, Conversari - https://www.conversaripress.com/⁠

In this episode of the Lead with Hope podcast, Dr. Brandi Kelly discusses the challenges of leadership, particularly in the context of burnout and emotional exhaustion. She shares her personal journey of feeling depleted while leading a school district and emphasizes the importance of self-efficacy, alignment with personal values, and the role of community in leadership.

The conversation highlights key lessons learned from 2025, including the significance of recognizing burnout as a signal for recalibration and the need for leaders to create space for reflection and rest. Brandi encourages listeners to redefine their understanding of leadership and to embrace their unique journeys with hope and purpose.

Takeaways

• Leadership is demanding, especially when you care deeply.
• 70% of leaders report feeling burnout.
• Burnout is a signal, not a failure.
• Leadership begins with self-efficacy.
• You can be both successful and struggling.

Visit Spark HOPE Edu

Book your Free Discovery Call with Brandi today!

Website: https://sparkhopeedu.com/

EmpowerHER Leadership Monthly Mastermind is a monthly mastermind designed for female leaders who want to step into their power, overcome challenges, and lead with confidence, clarity, and impact. Each session provides expert guidance, actionable strategies, and a supportive community to help you grow your influence and embrace your purpose.

✨ Learn more about the HOPE-Fueled Leadership Kickstart!

The HOPE-Fueled Leadership Kickstart is a short, powerful private coaching experience designed to help leaders reclaim their purpose, confidence, and clarity. Through assessments and deep-dive coaching on mindset, habits, purpose, and passions, participants create a personalized H.O.P.E. in Action Plan to lead with confidence, connection, and courage.

In this episode of Lead with H.O.P.E., Brandi Kelly welcomes Dr. Robert Thornell, Ed.D.—a veteran educator, school leadership coach with The Center for Model Schools, and bestselling author of Inside the Principal’s Office and Juggling the Job. With more than 30 years of experience as a principal, deputy superintendent, and leadership mentor, Dr. Thornell shares powerful insights on what it takes to thrive in school leadership today.

Together, Brandi and Rob dive into:

• 📘 The 5 keys for effective principals: Instructional Leadership, Servant Leadership, Lead Learner, Storyteller, and Celebration/Reflection.
• 🎭 The reality of “juggling the job” as a principal—and how to balance competing demands without dropping the most important balls.
• 🌱 The role of mentorship, resilience, and HOPE-fueled leadership in shaping the next generation of school leaders.
  
• Inside the Principal’s Office → View on Amazon 
• Juggling the Job → View on Amazon

📧 Email: [email protected]

🐦 X: @thornell5

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-robert-thornell-2b775536

🌐 Website: intentionallybold.com

👉 Email Rob with your leadership questions or sign up for his Juggling the Job Newsletter to keep learning and growing.

🎧 Subscribe, follow, and leave a 5-star review to help spread the message that there is always H.O.P.E.

✨ Ready to Reignite Your Leadership? Discover the H.O.P.E.-Fueled Leadership Kickstart Program — a personalized coaching experience designed to help you lead with purpose, passion, and excellence. 👉 Learn more here: ⁠⁠https://sparkhopeedu.com/home--spark-hope-edu⁠⁠

🔗 Additional Free Resources:

• ⁠⁠Join the H.O.P.E. Community⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Preview Lead with H.O.P.E.: Building a System of Self-Efficacy⁠⁠

CEO of Journey12—an organization dedicated to helping schools, especially in rural America, reclaim their narratives and strengthen community connections through authentic storytelling and strategic communication.

Craig shares his powerful insights on how storytelling builds trust, how adversity fuels resilience, and how hope and purpose drive meaningful leadership. Together, Brandi and Craig explore what it means to lead with authenticity, connect communities through communication, and keep purpose at the heart of every story.

Craig Williams | Journey12

📧 Email: [email protected]

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/craighowewilliams

Dr. Brandi Kelly | Spark HOPE Edu

📧 Email: [email protected]

🌐 Website: sparkhopeedu.com

🐦 X (Twitter): @jbmrkelly

📸 Instagram: @leadwithhope.23

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandi-kelly-ed-d-lcsw

Are you interested in learning more about the H.O.P.E. Fueled Leadership Kickstart?

Book a FREE CONSULTATION with Brandi: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/tdpdiscovery-e57cf8be-1fb0-470c-966d-f9ffb843015a

There are more than 1.2 million paraprofessionals working in schools across the United States—supporting instruction, building relationships with students, and keeping classrooms running every day. Many of them dream of becoming certified teachers, but cost, time, and access often stand in the way.

Gracelyn University is changing that.

In today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Matthew Flippen, Founder and President of Gracelyn University—an accredited, affordable online institution built specifically to help paraprofessionals earn their degrees and become certified classroom teachers. Dr. Flippen is a national leader in education innovation, partnering with districts across the country to transform paraprofessionals into high-impact educators.

In this episode:

• Why paraprofessionals are key to solving the teacher shortage

• How Gracelyn University makes earning a degree accessible and affordable

• Why “grow your own” teacher programs are the future

• Real success stories from schools using this pathway

• How parapros can apply and get started

If you’re a paraprofessional, school leader, or educator who believes talent already lives inside our schools, this episode will give you hope—and a pathway forward.

Connect with Dr. Matthew Flippen

Email: [email protected]

X: https://x.com/gracelynedu/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-matthew-flippen-9b831a180/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracelynuniversity

https://www.gracelyn.edu/press/books/win-with-your-talent-pipeline/

Connect with Dr. Brandi Kelly

Email: [email protected]

X: @jbmrkelly

Instagram: @leadwithhope.23

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandi-kelly-ed-d-lcsw/

Website: Sparkhopeedu.com

Check out the HOPE Fueled Leadership Kickstart, a short, powerful and private coaching experience. With expert guidance and key assessments, I’ll help you clarify your vision, gain confidence in your decision making, and build lasting connection and community—so you can finally get a clear roadmap to maximize your resources, people, and impact as a leader. https://sparkhopeedu.com/home--spark-hope-edu

Keywords: teacher shortage, paraprofessionals, how to become a teacher, teacher certification pathway, Gracelyn University, Dr. Matthew Flippen, grow-your-own teacher program, teacher pipeline, education leadership

In this episode of Lead with HOPE, Dr. Brandi Kelly interviews Bethany Rees, an experienced educator, administrator, and leadership coach. Bethany, author of Leadership on the Rocks, helps leaders simplify complexity, build strong teams, and lead with clarity and confidence. She shares her insights on navigating the "wilderness of leadership," offering practical strategies and mindset shifts to move from survival mode to intentional leadership. Learn more about Bethany Rees at leadershipontherocks.com.

Connect with Bethany Rees
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyrees/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadershipontherocks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipontherocks/

Learn more about Spark HOPE Edu

• Join the HOPE Community (newsletter, events and resources) here: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/O5db7MJEOzu9fhqdDhjr

• Access Lead with H.O.P.E.: Building a System of Self Efficacy (introductory chapters) here: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/LtO3J9MVVGDc2VIe3VfE
  

Hey friend, can I ask a quick favor? 💫 If you’re enjoying the Lead with H.O.P.E. podcast, please follow, subscribe, and leave a 5-star review. It’s the easiest way to help us reach more leaders and keep spreading hope.

Connect with Brandi:

Website - sparkhopeedu.com
Email - [email protected]
X - twitter.com/jbmrkelly
Facebook - facebook.com/LTW24
Instagram: @leadwithhope.23
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandi-kelly-ed-d-lcsw/