Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Each week The Your Story Matters Podcast features a new guest sharing their "why" and stories. On this episode of the Your Story Matters Podcast I had a conversation with Liz Gracian. Liz Gracian is a teacher, community leader, and the owner of the Untold Story Bookstore and Cafe in Anaheim, California.  I am thrilled for you to get to know and learn from Liz Gracian today.

Liz Gracian

The Untold Story Bookstore and Cafe

LA Times Article, "Anaheim Finally Has a Bookstore that Feels Like Home" by Gustavo Arellano

IG: @theuntoldstorybookstore_cafe

The Untold Story Tellers Podcast

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Each week The Your Story Matters Podcast features a new guest sharing their "why" and stories.

On this episode of the Your Story Matters Podcast I speak with Dr. Antoinette Gutierrez. Dr. Gutierrez is an experienced high school, district leader, consultant and author, who currently serves as the Program Manager for the Colton, Redlands, Yucaipa Regional Occupational Program. Her new book, Healing for Leadership: How Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Build Safe, Resilient Teams, is out now. 

I am so excited for you to get to know and learn from Dr. Antoinette Gutierrez today!

LinkedIn: Dr. Antoinette Gutierrez

Healing for Leadership: How Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Build Safe, Resilient Teams

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Each week The Your Story Matters Podcast features a new guest sharing their "why" and stories. Today I am privileged to have a conversation with Liam Halloran. Liam Halloran is a freshman and honors student majoring in International Global Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison. As a recent graduate from Minnetonka Public Schools he was a part of a Chinese Dual Language Immersion program. While in high school he had three different internships, including one with the League of Women Voters, which included him speaking at the 2024 Equal Rights Amendment Rally. And if all of that wasn't enough he is also a part time piano teacher. I am so excited for you to get to know and learn from Liam Halloran today!

LinkedIn: Liam Halloran

AASA Public Education Promise Article Featuring Liam Halloran

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Today I am privileged to have a conversation with Dr. Bernadine Futrell. Dr. Bernadine Futrell is a senior fellow with the Institute for Educational Leadership, and has had the privilege of serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and Leadership Network Director at AASA, as well as being an associate pastor alongside her husband and an author. I am so excited to speak with Dr. Bernadine Futrell today!

LinkedIn: Dr. Bernadine Futrell

Institute for Educational Leadership

National Community Schools Conference 5/27-5/29 in Long Beach

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. On this episode of the Your Story Matters Podcast I have a conversation with Kim Marable, who serves as an assessment and accountability specialist with more than 20 years of experience strengthening instructional practice, elevating data literacy and driving school improvement across Rutherford County Schools. Drawing on her background as a teacher, instructional coach, principal, and district leaders, she specializes in transforming complex assessment data into clear, actionable insights that empower educators and accelerate student achievement. I am so excited for you to get to know and learn from Kim Marable today!

LinkedIn: Kim Marable

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Today I am privileged to have a conversation with Dr. Dina Hernandez & Dr. Tricia Thompson.  

Dr. Dina Hernandez has over 25 years of service in K–12 education. She has dedicated her career to advancing equity, championing historically marginalized youth, and empowering educators to lead with purpose. Today, her work also extends to adjudicated youth in halls and camps, students too often underestimated, mislabeled, or silenced. For her, equity is not an afterthought; it is the foundation.  

Dr. Tricia Thompson  started in education in 2001 as a Special Day Class Teacher for the Corona Norco Unified School District. She has held various positions within education. She has been a Special Day Class Teacher, a Resource Teacher, a Title 1 Teacher on Special Assignment, Elementary Assistant Principal, Elementary Principal, Administrative Director of Special Education, Administrative Director of Student Services, and is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services and will be the assistant superintendent of human resources for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District in the fall. She has passions and skills in curriculum, inclusion, special education, human resources, and leadership development.  

As two of five co-authors of Promotion Power: Five Disruptive Career Moves for Modern Women, they share research-driven, actionable strategies that help women disrupt barriers, rise with confidence, and lead unapologetically. This work bridges academic research with real-world practices, giving both women and organizations the tools to thrive.  

I am so excited for you to learn about and from Dr. Dina Hernandez & Dr. Tricia Thompson today!

Dr. Tricia Thompson

Dr. Dina Hernandez

DelMar Publishing: Promotion Power

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Each week The Your Story Matters Podcast will feature a new guest sharing their "why" and stories. This week I am privileged to have a conversation with Adam Todd. From his early days working in the Geraldo Rivera mail room, to NY Mets scouting position, to his current work as a media arts and technology educator, author, content creator and "Classroom Dynamics, A Teacher Podcast" host, Adam Todd is always innovating and leveraging his media and sports entertainment background for the benefit of the scholars, staff, families, communities and profession he serves. You can catch his scholars doing the weather report on BeeTV, as well as ABC and CBS. If you are at SXSW on March 12th, visit Adam Todd, see him present and hop on his podcast to discuss #AI in the classroom. I am excited for you to get to know and learn from Adam Todd today! 

LI: Adam Todd

Classroom Dynamics, A Teacher Podcast

BeeTV

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. On this episode of the Your Story Matters Podcast I am excited to have a conversation with Dr. Dena Kiouses. Dr. Dena Kiouses is the superintendent of Gorman Learning Charter Network, an innovative, personalized learning based TK-12th grade public charter that spans seven counties. I am so excited for you to learn about and from Dr. Dena Kiouses today!

LI: Dr. Dena Kiouses

Gorman Learning Charter Network

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Each week The Your Story Matters Podcast will feature a new guest sharing their "why" and stories. On this episode of The Your Story Matters Podcast I am privileged to have a conversation with Sri Narayanan. Sri is the founder of Kodely, the co-founder and CEO of Nala AI, the host of the Education Unlocked Podcast, and was one of Forbes 30 under 30.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/snarayanan27/

https://www.kodely.io/

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. On this episode of The Your Story Matters Podcast I have a conversation with Dr. Shana Matamala and Dr. Martin Yousef. Dr. Shana Matamala serves as the Chair of the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program and Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs at the LaFetra College of Education, University of La Verne. With 30 years of experience spanning P–12 education and higher education leadership, she brings a practitioner-informed perspective to doctoral studies. Her research focuses on inclusive leadership, fieldwork design, women leadership, and program development. Dr. Matamala is committed to preparing future leaders to navigate complex educational systems with innovation and purpose. Dr. Martin Yousef is the Associate Dean at the University of La Verne’s LaFetra College of Education. With more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education, Dr. Yousef brings a unique blend of academic, operational, and human resources expertise to his work. His career spans key roles including professor, academic administrator, chief operating officer, and HR leader, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of how institutions function and thrive. Dr. Yousef has led major initiatives in academic operations, curriculum innovation, and program development, with a focus on designing high-quality, student-centered learning experiences across modalities. He is deeply committed to building and sustaining strategic partnerships, particularly with community colleges, K–12 districts, and regional organizations, to expand pathways, strengthen leadership pipelines, and advance educational equity. His research interests include online learning, generational preferences in education delivery, leadership styles, change management, and the role of HR in talent development and retention. I am so excited for you to get to know and learn from Dr. Shana Matamala and Dr. Martin Yousef today!

Dr. Shana Matamala

Dr. Martin Yousef

University of La Verne Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Program