Episodes

Ep #440: Rewriting Your Empowerment Story
June 1, 2026

Ep #440: Rewriting Your Empowerment Story

The stories we tell ourselves shape the way we lead, the way we see ourselves, and the way we experience the world around us. In this episode, I explore the disempowering narratives so many school leaders carry about their id...

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Ep #439: Why Education Needs Trailblazing Leaders
May 25, 2026

Ep #439: Why Education Needs Trailblazing Leaders

Education is constantly evolving, and the leaders who have the greatest impact are often those willing to step beyond what’s familiar and lead in new ways. In this episode, I explore why education needs trailblazing leaders w...

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Ep #438: The Future of Education: Emotional Intelligence in Leadership with Melanie Ann Layer
May 18, 2026

Ep #438: The Future of Education: Emotional Intelligence in Leadershi…

As educational leaders, we’re constantly looking for new ways to inspire change, innovation, and growth within our schools. But what if the answer to transforming education lies not just in new programs or strategies, but in ...

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Ep #437: Rebuilding Your Leadership Identity After Being Released from Your Position
May 11, 2026

Ep #437: Rebuilding Your Leadership Identity After Being Released fro…

Being released from a leadership position can feel deeply personal, shaking not only your career path but also your sense of identity, confidence, and future. In this episode, I explore the emotional and professional realitie...

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Ep #436: The Science of Handwriting: Why It Still Matters for Student Success with Holly Britton
May 4, 2026

Ep #436: The Science of Handwriting: Why It Still Matters for Student…

Handwriting may be one of the most underestimated foundations of student success in today’s educational landscape. In this episode, I sit down with handwriting expert and Squiggle Squad founder Holly Britton to explore the sc...

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Ep #435: The Energy Mindset Behind Your Leadership
April 27, 2026

Ep #435: The Energy Mindset Behind Your Leadership

As leaders, we are constantly shaping the environment around us, and the energy and mindset we bring play a powerful role in the impact we have. In this episode, I explore what it really means to lead from the inside out. Fro...

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Ep #434: How to Recognize and Prevent Burnout in Schools with Jasmin Dennis
April 20, 2026

Ep #434: How to Recognize and Prevent Burnout in Schools with Jasmin …

Burnout in schools is a real and growing concern, and as leaders, it’s important to not only recognize the signs but also to prevent it from taking hold. In this episode, I’m joined by Jasmin Dennis, a burnout expert who shar...

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Ep #433: Overcome Childlike Energy and Step into Mature Empowerment
April 13, 2026

Ep #433: Overcome Childlike Energy and Step into Mature Empowerment

Have you ever found yourself stuck in childlike energy, acting from a place of immaturity instead of mature empowerment, when starting something new? As aspiring or new school leaders, we can experience moments when we feel l...

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Ep #432: The Neuroscience of Behavior: How to Create the Conditions for Real Transformation with Dr. Lisa Riegel
April 6, 2026

Ep #432: The Neuroscience of Behavior: How to Create the Conditions f…

What if the way we’ve been thinking about student behavior, engagement, and learning is missing a critical piece: the brain itself? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Lisa Riegel, a former educator and expert in brain scien...

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Ep #431: A Guide to College Admissions for School Leaders and Families with Warren Buck
March 30, 2026

Ep #431: A Guide to College Admissions for School Leaders and Familie…

What if preparing students for life after high school felt less overwhelming for both families and school leaders? In this episode, I sit down with Warren Buck, founder of Future Finders, to explore how we can better support ...

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Ep #430: How to Stay in Your Power
March 23, 2026

Ep #430: How to Stay in Your Power

Have you ever wondered how to stay in your power when everything around you feels uncertain or out of your control? As leaders, we talk about empowerment all the time, but the truth is, we naturally move in and out of it. Whe...

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Ep #429: The Movement of Staff Members
March 16, 2026

Ep #429: The Movement of Staff Members

What happens when staff movement brings up both excitement and disappointment at the same time? In the spring season of school leadership, the movement of staff members becomes part of the HR landscape. Retirements, leaves, r...

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Ep #428: Impartial Accountability: Holding Everyone to the Same Standard
March 9, 2026

Ep #428: Impartial Accountability: Holding Everyone to the Same Stand…

What makes holding some staff members accountable feel easy while others make your stomach turn? As leaders, we often notice that accountability conversations feel very different depending on the person involved. Some staff n...

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Ep #427: Why Dual Language Education Works with Eric Bethel and Dr. Maggie Marcus
March 2, 2026

Ep #427: Why Dual Language Education Works with Eric Bethel and Dr. M…

Dual language education is one of the most powerful ways schools can honor students’ identities while strengthening academic outcomes, and this week’s conversation makes that crystal clear. I’m joined by Instructional Superin...

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Ep #426: A Rhythm Reset
Feb. 23, 2026

Ep #426: A Rhythm Reset

Have you ever reached the end of a season and realized you’re busy, productive… and completely out of rhythm? As winter wraps up and spring begins in the school year, it’s easy to slip from proactive leadership into reactive ...

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Ep #425: Pressure, Stress, Relief, and Satisfaction in School Leadership
Feb. 16, 2026

Ep #425: Pressure, Stress, Relief, and Satisfaction in School Leaders…

As a school leader, how do you navigate the constant pressure and stress of the job without losing sight of your own well-being? Leadership can often feel like an emotional balancing act: trying to manage expectations, naviga...

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Ep #424: The HUMANITY of Education
Feb. 9, 2026

Ep #424: The HUMANITY of Education

As a school leader, you don’t stop being human just because you carry a title, yet many leaders feel pressure to compartmentalize their emotions in order to keep going. When the events happening in our communities and across ...

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Ep #423: Shame as a Call to Action: Leverage It to Lead with Intention
Feb. 2, 2026

Ep #423: Shame as a Call to Action: Leverage It to Lead with Intention

Feeling shame as a leader is a common experience, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. Whether you’re grappling with a moment of emotional reaction or procrastination, it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling inadequate or...

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Ep #422: Leadership Luxury Series Part 3: How to Embrace Luxury When You’ve Been Taught Not To
Jan. 26, 2026

Ep #422: Leadership Luxury Series Part 3: How to Embrace Luxury When …

Do you ever feel guilty about wanting nicer things for your school? Maybe it's fresh carpet in the office, a wellness room, or simply air fresheners to combat that musty smell. But then that voice creeps in: “Who am I to want...

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Ep #421: Leadership Luxury Series Part 2: The Desire for Luxury as a School Leader
Jan. 19, 2026

Ep #421: Leadership Luxury Series Part 2: The Desire for Luxury as a …

Have you ever felt guilty for wanting things to be easier at your school... and then immediately felt selfish for wanting these things? What does it truly mean to experience luxury as a school leader? In part two of the Leade...

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Ep #420: Leadership Luxury Series: The Connection Between Luxury and Education
Jan. 12, 2026

Ep #420: Leadership Luxury Series: The Connection Between Luxury and …

What if luxury isn't about wealth, exclusivity, or expensive experiences at all? In this episode, the first of a three-part series, I explore the energetics of leadership and the empowerment we want to embody as school leader...

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Ep #419: Leadership Energetics
Jan. 5, 2026

Ep #419: Leadership Energetics

As we step into 2026, I want you to imagine something powerful… What if you woke up every morning knowing that your leadership energy has the power to transform the educational experience for everyone in your school community...

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Ep #418: The Best of The Empowered Principal® Podcast
Dec. 29, 2025

Ep #418: The Best of The Empowered Principal® Podcast

As we wrap up 2025 and settle into the holiday season, I have a special gift for you. Instead of adding to your already full plate, I've curated the most powerful moments, insights, and conversations from the past year of The...

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Ep #417: Personal Empowerment Over the Holidays
Dec. 22, 2025

Ep #417: Personal Empowerment Over the Holidays

Do you find yourself dreading the holidays instead of enjoying them? Maybe it's the pressure of sending hundreds of greeting cards, hosting the perfect party, or dealing with difficult family conversations. The truth is, most...

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