Join Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, for Episode 4 of Leader to Leader Season 2 as he sits down with Julie Jackson, Co-CEO of Uncommon Schools, to explore what it takes to lead one of the nation’s most impactful public charter networks. With nearly three decades in education experience, from classroom teacher to national leader, Julie has built her career around a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves an outstanding education that prepares them for college and life beyond. In this episode, Julie reflects on Uncommon’s growth to more than 50 schools serving over 20,000 students, shares how a culture of joy and rigor drives both student achievement and teacher excellence, and offers candid insights on leadership, scale, and staying relentlessly focused on outcomes for students.

Join Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, for Episode 3 of Leader to Leader Season 2 as he sits down with Isabel Garcia, Executive Director of RCMA. Founded in 1965, RCMA began as a single child development center serving farmworker families and has since grown to 55 centers and 3 charter schools across rural Florida. Isabel, herself the child of farmworker families, shares how access to teachers, mentors, and opportunity shaped her journey and now fuels her leadership. In this episode, Isabel reflects on what it takes to serve hard-to-reach communities, sustain mission-driven growth, and ensure that when children are given the same opportunities, so much truly is possible.

Join Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, for a special edition of the Leader to Leader podcast recorded live at NACSACon 2025. Darryl sits down with Dr. Adriana Tamez—educator, executive leader, and fierce advocate for Houston’s underserved communities—to unpack what it takes to build and sustain great public schools.

Drawing on her upbringing and a career grounded in service, Dr. Tamez reflects on her path from classroom teacher to President & CEO of the Tejano Center and Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success. Guided by a belief in education as the key to opportunity, she brings a powerful, community-centered lens to leadership.

Together, Darryl and Dr. Tamez explore academic excellence, collaboration, and the day-to-day realities of serving diverse communities—offering clear, real-world insights for school leaders, policymakers, and advocates alike.

Join Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, for Episode 2 of Leader to Leader Season 2 as he sits down with Jamar McKneely, CEO of InspireNOLA Charter Schools. Since co-founding InspireNOLA in 2013, Jamar has built one of Louisiana’s highest-performing charter networks, rooted in a mission to inspire and empower every student to reach their full potential. In this episode, Jamar shares how his experiences growing up in Louisiana and serving as a teacher and principal shaped his belief that strong schools can transform entire communities, and reflects on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. From academic excellence to civic leadership, Jamar shares his perspective on what it means to lead with purpose, build trust, and invest in the next generation of leaders.

Join Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, in the Season 2 premiere of the Leader to Leader podcast series, featuring Roblin Webb, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Preparatory Charter Schools. In this episode, Roblin shares how she built Freedom Prep from a single school into a thriving network serving more than 2,500 students across Memphis and Birmingham. Hear how her unwavering belief that education is the key to liberation has shaped her leadership and the network’s mission to prepare every student to excel in college and in life. 

Join Darryl Cobb, president of the Charter School Growth Fund, in a back-to-school limited series of the 'Leader to Leader' podcast, featuring Pablo Cesar Villavicencio, CEO of Alliance College-Ready Public Schools in Los Angeles, California. In this candid conversation recorded Live at the National Charter Schools Conference, Pablo reflects on his journey from South LA to the helm of one of the largest and most impactful charter school networks in the country. He shares how his personal experiences as a student, educator, and leader shape his belief in the power of public education to change lives. Pablo and Darryl dive into what it means to lead with humility, hold high expectations, and stay deeply connected to the communities they serve.

Join Darryl Cobb, president of the Charter School Growth Fund, in a back-to-school limited series of the 'Leader to Leader' podcast, featuring Peter Anderson, Head of Schools at Washington Latin Public Charter Schools in Washington, D.C. In this thoughtful and energizing conversation recorded Live at the National Charter Schools Conference, Peter shares how classical education, deep community roots, and a relentless commitment to academic excellence are shaping the future of Washington, D.C.'s students. From his early days as a teacher to now leading one of the city's most respected charter networks, Peter talks with Darryl about building a culture of joy, scholarship, and belonging and why honoring both tradition and innovation is key to lasting impact.

How do early life experiences shape the kind of leader you become in education?

On this episode of Leader to Leader, Darryl Cobb sits down with Nella Garcia Urban, CEO of DSST (formerly known as the Denver School of Science and Technology), to explore her remarkable journey from a chalkboard-wielding kid on the Texas-Mexico border to the leader of Colorado’s largest charter school network.

Nella shares how growing up in the Rio Grande Valley shaped her hunger for educational opportunity, how a detour through law school ultimately led her to YES Prep, and how 20+ years of experience—from teaching dance and reading to helping launch one of the first district-charter partnerships in Texas—prepared her for this moment.

Now at DSST, she’s championing access to high-quality STEM education for 7,500+ students in Denver and Aurora, especially those historically left out of such opportunities. With fierce love for her community and Latino culture, deep reverence for her ancestors, and a bold vision for the future, Nella is redefining what leadership looks like in public education.

Tune in for a rich conversation about identity, STEM access, listening as leadership, and why “El que es gallo, en cualquier gallinero canta.” A true rooster crows in any chicken coop.

What does it mean to be a college prep school… in kindergarten?

On this episode of Leader to Leader, Darryl Cobb sits down with Greg White, CEO of LEARN Charter School Network, for a rich conversation about early ambition, sustained results, and why he believes every student deserves to out-grind the odds. From his roots in Baltimore and South Carolina to his work today across Illinois and D.C., Greg shares how his life has been shaped by generations of educational advocacy—and how he now pays it forward as a leader.

With 11 schools and nearly 2,800 alumni tracked through high school and college, LEARN Charter is proving that rigorous academics, joyful culture, and deep community ties can (and must) start early. You’ll hear about their "college prep elementary" model, wraparound support for military families, and the hard lessons Greg has learned in leadership over 17 years at the helm.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a long-lasting, values-driven school from the ground up, this is the episode for you.

In the heart of East Tulsa, how do you build a school that carries your mother’s dreams, your community’s story, and your passionate fight for education in every classroom?

On this episode of Leader to Leader, Darryl Cobb sits down with Elsie Urueta Pollock, founder and CEO of Tulsa Honor Academy, to talk about how her journey from immigrant student to school founder is reshaping education in Oklahoma. Born in Ciudad Juárez and raised in East Tulsa, Elsie shares how her mother’s advocacy planted the seeds for a school built on family, trust, and high expectations.

From knocking on doors to collect thousands of signatures to launching the only Ballet Folklórico class offered in an Oklahoma school, Elsie has turned her community’s hopes into real, tangible results. Tulsa Honor now serves over 1,300 students across three campuses, with plans to expand into elementary grades, and 97% of their graduates are heading to four-year colleges.

Tune in for a powerful conversation about family, faith, and what it takes to build something lasting, especially when you’re the first to do it.