AUHSD Future Talks

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda discusses the redesigning of schools in the age of artificial intelligence with educational leaders Barnett Berry and David Brazer. During the talk, the group defines redesigning schools, the north star in the age of AI, instructional redesign, performance task assessments, using AI to synthesize assessments, redesigning work experiences for students, concurrent enrollment, the role of relational intelligence, and intentional collaboration/reflection.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. Stefan Bean, Orange County's Superintendent of Schools. During the talk, Dr. Bean discusses his journey, the role of the Orange County Department of Education, declining enrollment issues, artificial intelligence, federal cuts in education, and goals for the county.Dr. Bean is a lifelong educator and advocate for equity, was unanimously appointed as Orange County's 12th superintendent of schools in June 2024, bringing with him over 25 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and administrator. His journey from a war orphan and English learner with a disability to a USC graduate and leader of schools across Southern California reflects his deep commitment to marginalized students. Prior to his appointment, he led Irvine International Academy and held senior leadership roles at Aspire Public Schools, overseeing TK–12 campuses. A proud product of the foster care system, Dr. Bean credits his success to perseverance, community support, and his late wife Janet. Today, he champions every student's right to thrive.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks podcast, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Cory Stadther, Director of Downloadable Content at LifeBoat, and Dominik Blanchet, Assistant Director of Downloadable Content at LifeBoat. During the discussion the group discusses Minecraft in Education, the AUHSD Reinventing Communities project, creating a Game Design pathway, parent concerns with gaming, the benefits of gaming, and the upcoming AUHSD Reinventing Communities Minecraft Build Challenge.

​In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews AUHSD teacher leaders and AI Deeper Learning Summit presenters, Bill Johnson, Ray Solorzano, and Taylor Thorne. During the interview, the group discusses thought-provoking ideas regarding artificial intelligence in education.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda discusses school redesign with Orangeview Junior High School Principal Bindi Crawford and Orangeview Teacher/5Cs Coach Ann Rice. During the talk, the group defines school redesign, the Learning Policy Institute's 10 Principles of Redesign, student engagement, Kid Talk and Advisory in a redesign school, A.I. and eKadence, impacting student lives, challenges, and student experience in the future.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. John Malloy, Assistant Executive Director, Leadership Network, AASA, The School Superintendents Association. During the talk, Dr. Malloy discusses his journey, common challenges when implementing change within districts, developing student voice and agency, what districts are measuring, having a healthy skepticism, structures supporting teachers, AI and the future of education, and how to take care of ourselves.Dr. Malloy came to AASA after serving as superintendent of San Ramon Valley Unified School District (Calif.) for 4 years and prior to that, as the Director of Education (superintendent) at the Toronto District School Board in Toronto. He has an extensive background in education at all levels and is a fierce advocate for an equitable, accessible, quality public education. Dr. Malloy has taken his vision for learning and student engagement to new heights in SRVUSD. He led the District to adopt their Strategic Directions, which now guide the definition of student success built upon the existing foundation of academic excellence. Dr. Malloy prioritizes student voice, ensuring that students have space to share their stories and insights, and that all of the district's work is guided by the experience and expertise of students, staff, parents/caregivers and the wider community. Developing leaders at every level of the organization is his passion and priority.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dheeraj Koppu, an AUHSD student intern at Cypress High School. During the conversation, Mr. Koppu discusses his story, an internship at eKadence, Skrappy and individualized tutoring, advice to educators regarding AI, the role of schools and critical thinking, AI competency in education, and his goals in the world of artificial intelligence. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. Matthew Doyle, Superintendent of the Vista Unified School District.  During the talk, Dr. Doyle discusses his journey, a Framework for the Future, the Learner/Adult/Systems Portrait, building a culture, a career superhighway, the architecture of an apprenticeships program, and advice to other educational leaders.Dr. Doyle has spent 34 years in education as a teacher, site administrator, district administrator, and county administrator. Dr. Doyle has extensive experience supporting English language learners and students with special needs. He is responsible for leading the design and implementation of the district strategic plan, the Blueprint for Educational Excellence and Innovation, in response to the State of California Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) provisions. Dr. Doyle's primary focus is to create the conditions for transforming a traditional educational organization into a scalable, sustainable personal learning environment. The Personal Learning Challenge project won the Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association. Vista Unified was recently awarded the California Department of Education 2022 Pivotal Practice Award for demonstrating innovative practices in response to the global pandemic. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Kunal Dalal and Wes Kriesel, the two Administrators of AI and Innovation at the Orange County Department of Education. During the talk, Mr. Dalal and Mr. Kriesel discuss their journeys, an AI framework for educators, empowerment with AI, how AI is being used to humanize teaching and learning, AI and parents, and a partnership with AI.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Alan Sitomer, California Teacher of the Year award winner, nationally renowned keynote speaker, and the author of 22 books. Alan specializes in engaging disengaged, underperforming students and elevating academic achievement while building a pathway for kids to enter a workforce being rapidly changed by technology. During the talk, Mr. Sitomer discusses his journey, entrepreneurship, eSports, education and eSports, game design and advice for school districts, careers in eSports, and the future of eSports in education.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. David Miyashiro, Superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District. During the talk, Dr. Miyashiro discusses his journey, defining happiness, designing a new high school, staff development, the World of Work, RIASEC, and TED Talks.Dr. David Miyashiro is a forward-thinking, award-winning education leader with a 27-year career spent revolutionizing learning approaches, education models, and school district capabilities in Southern California. As a digital pioneer, he has navigated districts into the hi-tech era, delivering numerous innovation “firsts,” for which he has garnered professional honors. Those include Superintendent of the Year and recognition from the White House and U.S. Department of Education as one of the “Top 35 District Leaders in Personalized Learning.” Districts under his leadership have also won awards, such as the California School Boards Association's Golden Bell Award, the National School Boards Association's Magna Award for Digital Learning, and the California Distinguished Schools Award.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Betty Paugh Ortiz, Vice President of Programs at NCCEP. During the talk, Ms. Cortez discusses her journey, becoming Vice President at NCCEP, GEAR UP, building a culture of inclusion, navigating the world of work, and why we should care about GEAR UP.In her role as Vice President of Programs, Betty oversees programs and services with a focus on continually enhancing NCCEP's offerings and developing new programs that allow GEAR UP communities to better serve their students and families. From 2004 to 2009 Betty served as Vice President at NCCEP.  Although she left NCCEP for a period of time, she never really left the GEAR UP family, having consulted and provided capacity building services to a number of GEAR UP sites through the years.  In addition, from 2010 to 2012 Betty served as Senior Vice President of Innovation at the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation where she further strengthened her management, partnership development, and leadership skills in service of educational improvements for young people.  She also managed a global education program in partnership with the Pearson Foundation and Education First, involving teacher programs abroad, professional development workshops, and knowledge dissemination.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Emily Gonzalez and Christina Kundrak from the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (CANDLE). They are joined by AUHSD's Diana Fujimoto (Professional Development Coordinator) and Michael Switzer (English Curriculum Specialist). During the talk, the group discusses CANDLE's partnership with AUHSD, transcendent thinking, learning loss, purpose, finding the right language and mindset, intentional practice to support students, pausing to reflect, the connection between the 5Cs and transcendent thinking, and where can an educator begin with transcendent thinking.Emily Gonzalez is pursuing a PhD in Education at USC's Rossier School of Education. Before entering the PhD program, Emily worked as a researcher at Project Zero. She earned her EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her BS in Elementary Education from Wheelock College. Emily is interested in promoting equitable educational practices and systems by reimagining educational opportunities for students and teachers. Her research uncovers the biological, psychological, and social processes engaged in effective K-12 teaching practices and dispositions, and how they impact learners' agentic development of interests, scholarly and social identities, and ability to self-author and engage with societal complexities.Christina Kundrak is a Senior Research Associate at the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (CANDLE). Kundrak received her PhD in Urban Education Policy from USC Rossier School of Education. Kundrak was previously a high school science teacher and also worked in educational technology. She attended Pepperdine University, where she earned her bachelor's in psychology. Kundrak's research interests include neurobiological and psychological factors affecting student and teacher beliefs, motivation, engagement, and learning and the application of the aforementioned topics to educational systems to better support students in their academic and personal growth. Her current projects include an observational and neuroimaging study of teachers, funded by the Templeton Foundation and new work on agentic identity development and meaning-making from the Jacobs Foundation.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews South Junior High School teacher Jason Collar. During the talk, Mr. Collar discusses his educational journey, Minecraft education, community schools, a new Esports pathway, and participation and representation in Esports.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Lorena Moreno and Bindi Crawford, principals of Western High School and Orangeview Junior High School. During the talk, both principals discuss their journey that led them to their leadership roles, school consolidation and redesign, strengths at each site that can be built on for school redesign, key ideas from California State Board of Education President Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, and next steps in redesigning.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews former AUHSD student ambassador from Western High School, Vasu Bagga. During the talk, Mr. Bagga discusses the importance of student voice, the importance of athletics in self-development, school redesign at Western and Orangeview, how his family has shaped him, his aspirations as he heads to U.C. Berkeley, and hopes for Generation Z.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Jan Morrison, Founder and CEO of TIES – Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM. During the talk Jan discusses her journey,  the Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM, FAB Labs, collaboration and challenges, United States compared to other countries in STEM education, arts and design embedded in STEM, criticism of science, women in STEM, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies policy, and training teachers.Jan Morrison has served as the Senior Consultant for College Ready STEM Education as well as Post-Secondary Success for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Battelle Memorial Institute, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Innovate to Educate, S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Senior STEM Education Consultant for the Ohio STEM Learning Network and many other statewide STEM networks, and served as an advisor with the White House and Department of Education for the past four administrations. Currently, Jan and TIES serve as the designer and lead for the National STEM Funders Network, a collaboration of more than twenty-eight STEM funders seeking to fund STEM for the USA with greater return on their investment and therefore for the nation's students. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Arlene Inouye, who has served as the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) secretary, treasurer and bargaining co-chair, has completed her term, and retired from the Los Angeles Unified School District. During the talk, Arlene discusses her journey, ethnic studies, and humanizing through ethnic studies. She currently works part-time with the UCLA Asian American Studies Center's Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Multimedia Textbook project, a one-of-a-kind narrative change resource being developed for high school students. The California AAPI Legislative Caucus committed to teach AAPI history and funded an initiative as anti-Asian hate crimes have risen since the COVID pandemic. The project brings together distinguished scholarship, open access technology and ethnic studies pedagogy. She is excited about this opportunity to deepen and provide  comprehensive public knowledge about who Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are, which is highlighted through four foundational themes: global capitalism and migration; war and empire; race, power and identity; and community-building and social justice. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. Michelle Herczog is History-Social Science, Consultant III for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. During the talk, Dr. Herczog discusses her journey, civic learning in the classroom, Democracy Schools, stories of change, the importance of teachers in civic learning, Californians for Civic Learning, and her outlook on democracy in the United States.As History-Social Science, Consultant III for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, Dr. Herczog is responsible for providing professional development, resources, and support for K-12 social studies educators throughout the 80 school districts of Los Angeles County.  She currently serves on the Power of Democracy Steering Committee led by California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and completed service on the California Task Force on K-12 Civic Learning led by the Chief Justice and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Rabbi Peter Levi, Regional Director of the Orange County/Long Beach Anti-Defamation League. During the talk, Rabbi Levi discusses his journey, antisemitism and hate, recommendations for schools, the work of the Anti-Defamation League, and a healing pathway for young people.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Shana V. White, Director of CS Equity Initiatives at the Kapor Center. During the talk, Dr. White discusses her workshop at the AI Summit, equity and technology, teaching methodologies, the Kapor Center, working collaboratively, meeting schools and teachers where they are, empowering students and helping them find their identity, algorithm bias, expenses in artificial intelligence, and words of advice for education leaders.Dr. White is working on Equitable CS Initiatives, supporting both CSforCA and CSforGA, and working with stakeholders in Georgia to improve teacher professional development and increase participation and success for students of color in K12 CS courses. Prior to joining the Kapor Center, she worked for sixteen years in K12 education, serving in both public and private schools as a teacher and instructional technology specialist in metro Atlanta. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda talks with AUHSD's Principal/Coordinator of Alternative Education, Jose Lara. During the talk Principal Lara discusses his journey, equity and social justice, strategies and the Community Schools model at Gilbert High School, civic engagement projects, the future of alternative education, and the new schools equity advisory board.

Steven Butschi is the Director of the North American Google Education Sales team, which works with school districts, universities, and colleges to leverage Google's Workspace and Chromebook products to personalize learning.  During the talk, Mr. Butschi discusses his journey that led him to Google, A.I. to help foster a human connection,  efficiency and familiarity with A.I., responding to concerns of students cheating with A.I., understanding how to use new tools effectively, prompt engineering, A.I in the workforce, addressing the costs of accessing new tools, and the A.I. K12 Deeper Learning Summit.After working in IT consulting and volunteering as an adult English Language Learner (ELL) teacher, Steven combined his interests in education and technology by joining the Google Education team in 2009.  During his 13+ years at Google, he has helped universities migrate to Google Workspace for Education; worked on the founding team to bring Chromebooks to the education market, which have become the #1 device in K-12 education in the U.S.; and launched Google's efforts to bring Google Cloud Platform to researchers, universities and EdTech companies.  

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Jean-Claude Brizard, President and CEO of Digital Promise. During the talk, Mr. Brizard discusses Digital Promise, equity and technology, the promise/problems of artificial intelligence, the cost of artificial intelligence, collective powers of school districts/states, A.I. as a partner in teaching, and the A.I. Summit.Jean-Claude Brizard is President and CEO of Digital Promise, a global, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on accelerating innovation in education. He is the former Senior Advisor and Deputy Director in U.S. Programs at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he focused on PK-16 education across five communities in four states. He also led several strategies to help close the racial and economic achievement gaps in Washington State's educational system, as well as to support the growth and sustainability of the state's public charter school sector. He is the former Chief Executive of Chicago Public Schools. Prior to his appointment in Chicago, he was Superintendent of Schools for the Rochester City School District in New York. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Hafsa Kaka, Sr. Advisor of Homelessness in the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsome. During the talk, Kaka discusses her journey, the profile of homeless people, support systems for homeless people, nimbyism, the tiny homes movement, demography of homelessness, mental health and substance abuse in homelessness, and housing and homelessness as priority issues in California.Kaka has a history of government, public, non-profit human services, executive leadership & direct practice positions & experiences that utilize post MSW experience and evidence-based practices in effective macro and micro level interventions in implementing success for at-risk populations. She is seasoned in systemic transformation of services, community outreach, strategic partnerships with an emphasis and passion to educate and advance racial and social justice through inclusive lens & equity driven approaches. 

Episode 100: AUHSD A.I. Panel Special EpisodeIn this special 100th episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda has gathered an AUHSD panel, including teachers Rob Gaudette, Paola Rosenberg, Tyler Sherman, and Ray Solorzano to discuss the role of artificial intelligence in education and the AUHSD A.I. Summit. During the talk, the panel discusses the why behind the A.I. Summit, building a more humanized A.I. approach, a personalized education via artificial intelligence, the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence, and advice to A.I. Summit participants.

In this special episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda talks with youth leaders, Alyssa Muldong and Luqman Mohammed from the National Healthy Schools Collaborative Youth Council (NHSC) sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.   In addition, Staci Boretsky, from Kaiser Permanente, a long time supporter of AUHSD, discusses why Kaiser Permanente believes it is important to invest in youth voice and leadership.During the talk, participants discuss their interest in student mental health, the 5Cs versus test scores, recommendation for teachers/curriculum, workshops with Kaiser Permanente, why Kaiser Permanente launched National Healthy Schools Collaborative Youth Council. For the last year, the NHSC youth council, made up of 17 students from around the country, have been studying how to improve the mental health of students in schools.  The youth leaders have developed 15 recommendations for K12 schools on this important topic.Three of our talented students, Luqman Mohammed (Oxford Academy), Michelle Bacilio Guzman (Savanna High School), and Alyssa Muldong (Magnolia High School), have been appointed to the National Healthy Schools Collaborative Youth Council. Luqman is addressing mental health and school transportation, Michelle focuses on body image and mental health, and Alyssa is improving school food quality and promoting sustainability. This opportunity, backed by Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools, empowers them to shape healthier school environments nationwide.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda talks with Christian Pinedo who serves as the Chief of Staff at aiEDU and leads strategic initiatives for the organization. During the talk, Mr. Pinedo discusses his journey, his role at aiEDU, aiEDU's purpose, using A.I. for equity, challenges to resistance in A.I. in education, policy initiatives around artificial intelligence, A.I. literacy and ethical considerations, the costs of artificial intelligence, the purpose of the A.I. Summit, and a hope for education and A.I. integration.Mr. Pinedo works with school district leaders, nonprofit partners, and other stakeholders who help advance aiEDU's mission to create equitable educational experiences to excite and empower learners everywhere with AI literacy. He is an educator with classroom experience teaching STEM and developing programs that implement equitable education. Most recently, he worked at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI where he collaborated with the multidisciplinary communities surrounding artificial intelligence to pursue cutting-edge research, create useful and responsible AI, and respond thoughtfully to the societal and ethical implications of AI. He believes in a commitment to driving effective social and societal change via equitable AI education.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda talks with Dr. Mette Miriam Boell, Co-founder and Executive Director of M.I.T. 's Center for Systems Awareness. During the interview Dr. Boell discusses her journey, the misalignment between public education and testing, the disconnection between public education and the real world, having conversations on the purpose of education, compassion in education, and preparing young people for emotional resiliency. Dr. Boell is a biologist and researcher with a specialization in the evolution of complex social systems, mammalian play behavior, and philosophy of nature. She holds a Ph.D. in organizational ethology and has extensive training in contemplative leadership and the philosophy and history of science. Boell's work primarily focuses on understanding how emotions and feelings influence social relations and, in turn, shape larger human systems, particularly in the context of education. She co-founded the Center for Systems Awareness with Peter Senge, emphasizing the integration of contemplative social-emotional learning and systems thinking in education. Boell also played a pivotal role in the Triple Focus Initiative and the Garrison Global Collaboration for Integrative Learning. In 2018, she joined MIT as a Visiting Research Scientist, working with The Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) and later co-founded The MIT Systems Awareness Lab in 2022, where she is the Research Director. Her work at the Lab involves studying compassionate systems change in education and developing Systems Awareness methodology. Previously, Boell was head of research at Metropol University College and taught neuroscience of emotions. She is a key figure in various research and educational initiatives, focusing on generative social fields and living systems change.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda talks with Dr. Edgar Lampkin, CEO of CABE. During the talk, Dr. Lampkin discusses his journey from Mexico to the United States, the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), navigating a polarized community, equity in education, assets-based education, and the CABE conference.Dr. Edgar Lampkin is a highly respected leader in the field of bilingual education, renowned for his visionary approach and tireless advocacy for equitable learning opportunities. With an extensive background in linguistics, multicultural education, and educational leadership, Dr. Lampkin brings a unique blend of expertise to his role as CEO of CABE.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda talks with Karen Hunter Quartz, Director of the UCLA Center for Community Schooling. During the talk,  Professor Quartz discusses her journey, what the UCLA Center for Community Schooling does, what community schools represent, whole-child perspective on assessment, student voice and career pathways, the role of artificial intelligence, and community schools funding.Professor Quartz's scholarship examines community school development, teacher autonomy and retention, and social transformation. In 2007, she led the design team to create the UCLA Community School and in 2017 served on the design team for a second site, the Mann UCLA Community School. She currently oversees a portfolio of research-practice partnerships at both schools designed to advance democracy, justice, and education.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda talks with June Ahn, Professor of Learning Sciences and Research-Practice Partnerships at the UC Irvine (UCI) School of Education. During the discussion Professor Ahn discusses his journey, collaborating with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)/AUHSD/UCI, analyzing student perspectives and stories with new technology, the role of artificial intelligence to support teachers and students, identification and development of student talent, connection of pedagogy and emotional health, and the A.I. Summit. Professor Ahn conducts research at the intersection of participatory design, technology, education, and community partnerships.

In this special episode of AUHSD Future Talks, AUHSD Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Dr. Jaron Fried, hosts and discusses a new book, Educating for Purposeful Life, with authors David Brazer and Michael Matsuda. During the talk Mr. Brazer and Mr. Matsuda discuss what inspired them to write the book, preserving the value of education, the Career Preparedness Systems Framework, the art of implementation and making it real, systems thinking, changing the culture of an organization, Site/District/Community levels, the Anaheim Collaborative, and student success stories.David Brazer is principal consultant at Brazer Education Consulting and a former teacher, high school principal, and professor of education leadership at Stanford. Michael Matsuda is superintendent of the Anaheim Union High School District, an urban public school district with twenty secondary schools for grades 7-12.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Western High School teachers Karen Clark Yamamoto, Sean Manning, and Raquel Solorzano-Duenas. During the interview they discuss some of the innovative projects happening at Western such as the iLab, equal opportunities for young entrepreneurs/inventors, Empowered, Market Day, AIME/Kindset, exposure to creation/innovation, and the Vacant Lot project.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews ROP Superintendent Dana Lynch. During the talk, Superintendent Lynch discusses his journey, descibes what ROP is and ROP's relationship with AUHSD, industry experienced ROP teachers, servicing all students, an ROP regional hub/center, Providence and the TGR Foundation, workplace learning and mentoring, and ROP board members.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews author and former AUHSD English teacher, Kelly Gallagher. During the talk, Kelly discusses his latest book (Four Essential Studies), rethinking the essay in the classroom, "writing small" narratives, poetry, digital composition, curriculum that is "tuned in" to students, artificial intelligence in education, book clubs, book banning, a new diverse books/revolutionary characters book club project, and empathy and democracy.Since 1985, Kelly Gallagher has devoted himself to the teaching of reading, writing, listening and speaking—first and foremost, as a high school ELA teacher in the Anaheim Union High School District at Magnolia High School, and also as an author/consultant who works with educators around the world.  Today, he is considered one of the leading voices in literacy education.Always in search of a better way, Kelly honed his craft by taking on leadership positions in several key literacy programs, including the California Reading and Literature Project, the South Basin Writing Project at California State University, Long Beach, and the Puente Project, a University of California outreach program that prepares under-represented high school students for transition into universities.  For several years, he taught secondary literacy courses as an adjunct professor at California State University, Fullerton, and, most recently, he served as the president of the Secondary Reading Group of the International Reading Association (IRA). In 2005, Kelly received the Award for Classroom Excellence from the California Association of Teachers of English, the state's highest honor for English teachers. In 2018, the California Association of Teachers of English presented Kelly with their Distinguished Service Award. Inspired by his classroom and professional development experiences, Kelly has written numerous books for teachers, many of which are used in education schools around the world. 

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Robert Schwartz. Mr. Schwartz is Professor Emeritus of Practice in Educational Policy and Administration at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.  During the talk, Mr. Schwartz discusses the four-year degree, education opportunities, dual enrollment, community colleges, exposure to the world of work and careers, challenges of employer internships/engagement programs, the impact of artificial intelligence, and advice to educational leaders.Mr. Schwartz held a wide variety of leadership positions in education and government before joining the HGSE faculty in 1996. From 1997 to 2002, Schwartz also served as president of Achieve, Inc., an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit organization created by governors and corporate leaders to help states improve their schools. From 1990 to 1996, Schwartz directed the education grantmaking program of The Pew Charitable Trusts, one of the nation's largest private philanthropies. In addition to his work at HGSE, Achieve, and The Pew Charitable Trusts, Mr. Schwartz has been a high school English teacher and principal; an education adviser to the mayor of Boston and the governor of Massachusetts; an assistant director of the National Institute of Education; a special assistant to the president of the University of Massachusetts; and executive director of The Boston Compact, a public-private partnership designed to improve access to higher education and employment for urban high school graduates. Mr. Schwartz has written and spoken widely on topics such as standards-based reform, public-private partnerships, and the transition from high school to adulthood. In recent years Mr. Schwartz has contributed to three volumes published by Harvard Education Press: Teaching Talent(2010), Surpassing Shanghai(2011), and The Futures of School Reform (2012). He currently co-leads the Pathways to Prosperity Network, a collaboration among a group of states, HGSE, and Jobs for the Future designed to ensure that many more young people graduate high school, attain an initial postsecondary degree or credential with value in the labor market, and get launched on a career while leaving open the possibility of further education.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. Tommy Chang, CEO of the New Teacher Center. During the talk, Dr. Chang discusses the New Teacher Center, the teaching profession, Dr. Chang's journey, challenges facing Gen Z, the recent affirmative action decision, artificial intelligence in education, the miseducAsian podcast, and advice to young people.Dr. Chang brings over 25 years of education experience and leadership to this role, including significant positions in schools, districts, and nonprofit organizations. Before this current position, he spent four years as a consultant and coach to school system and non-profit leaders. He also serves on several nonprofit boards such as Leading Educators, Silicon Schools Fund, Families in Schools, as well as Education Leaders of Color, an organization dedicated to elevating the leadership, voices, and influence of people of color in education to lead more inclusive efforts to improve education. Dr. Chang has served many roles in public education. He was the Superintendent of Boston Public Schools and a local area superintendent in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  He is a former biology teacher and high school principal.A native of Taiwan who immigrated with his family to the U.S. at age six, Dr. Chang grew up in Los Angeles and holds an Ed.D. from Loyola Marymount University, M.Ed.'s from the Principals Leadership Institute and the Teachers Education Program at the University of California Los Angeles, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Mrs. Adriana Badillo, Director of CSUF's Center for Educational Partnerships. During the talk, Mrs. Badillo discusses the definition of a partnership, GEAR UP, the Anaheim Innovative Mentoring Experience (AIME), the Pledge, learning walks, and advice for conference participants.

In this special episode of AUHSD Future Talks, an AUHSD panel joins Superintendent Matsuda to discuss artificial intelligence in education. During the talk, the panel discussed Chat GPT in the classroom, personalized learning for students with artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence and the end of mediocrity, A.I. professional learning, challenges and ethical concerns surrounding the use of A.I. in education, how to start learning about and bringing A.I. into the classroom, and a preview of the AUHSD A.I. Summit.A special thank you to our panel, including Julie Foy, Dr. Jaron Fried, Rob Gaudette, Sean Manning, Madalynn Mavis, Paola Rosenberg, Ray Solorzano, John Bautista, and Michael Matsuda.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Brigadier General Michael Siegl. During the interview, Brigadier General Siegl discusses a defining moment in his life (a helicopter crash in February 1999), that has guided how he lives his life, framed around faith, personal growth, family and relationships, and career. In addition, he discusses the Quartermaster role and school, army logistics, recruiting challenges, serving in the military, benefits of the Army, and sharing personal narratives.Prior to becoming the 57th Quartermaster General and Commandant, BG Siegl served as the Deputy Director for Readiness, Strategy, and Operations in Department of the Army (DA), G4 (Logistics). From 2020-2021, BG Siegl  was Executive Officer (XO) to the Army Materiel Command (AMC) Commanding General (CG) and the Director, CG's Initiatives Group (CIG) at AMC. From 2018-2020, BG Siegl served as the Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Sustainment) and as the XO to the DA G4 (Logistics).

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Steven Lee, Chief Executive Officer at SkillUp Coalition. SkillUp Coalition is a non-profit that connects workers with the right tools, resources, and support to make confident career shifts and achieve high-opportunity employment. During the talk, Steven discusses his background/drivers, how SkillUp works, challenges, working with school districts, big shifts in labor markets, and shifts at the college level.In his role at SkillUp, Steven oversees the strategy and operations of SkillUp's programs and staff, with a focus on scaling SkillUp's reach and impact directly with workers and through its coalition partners. To date, SkillUp has supported more than 1.3 Million workers in partnership with over 100 coalition partners.Prior to joining SkillUp, Steven was the Managing Director, Income Security at the Robin Hood Foundation, where he oversaw $40 million in grants in the areas of impact investing, workforce development, micro-lending, financial services, and access to benefits. Prior to joining Robin Hood, Steven was an Associate Partner at Bain and Company. Prior to Bain, Steven founded ThreeToEight, an educational software company. Prior to founding ThreeToEight, Steven was a corporate lawyer at O'Melveny & Myers, an international law firm.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Alex Kotran, founder of the AI Education Project. During the talk, Mr. Kotran discusses his journey, aiEDU, artificial intelligence and content area, chatGPT, ethics and artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence and teaching, and what is ahead for aiEDU and the future of education.Mr. Kotran oversees strategy, partnerships, fundraising, and external relations for the AI Education Project. Prior to founding the AI Education Project, he built the AI Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility function for H5, Inc., a pioneering AI company in the legal services sector. At H5, Mr. Kotran led strategic partnerships with organizations including the United Nations, NYU School of Law, the OECD, and IEEE to develop judicial education programs and high profile convenings. Prior to his time in the social impact and non-profit space, he managed brand and policy communications for companies including Oracle, Airbnb, Nissan, HP, Adobe, and SAP. He was a lead Field Organizer in Columbus, OH for the 2012 Obama Campaign and served as a Presidential Appointee under HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, where he managed communications and community outreach for ACA Open Enrollment, two SCOTUS rulings, and the 2015 Ebola outbreak.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Matt Sigelman, President of the Burning Glass Institute. During the talk, Mr. Sigelman discusses the Burning Glass Institute, traditional pathways and opportunities, the disconnect between formal education and skills, artificial intelligence and the workforce, advice for education/educators, re-examining degrees, and appealing to all sides of the issue.Mr. Sigelman has dedicated his career to unlocking new avenues for mobility, opportunity, and equity through skills. Mr. Sigelman and his team created the field of real-time labor market data, a breakthrough innovation that has transformed the way that policy makers, researchers, employers, education institutions, and workers understand, plan for, and connect with the world of work.  By mining billions of job openings and career histories, Matt led Emsi Burning Glass to become a leading authority on the global market for talent, harnessing advanced AI and natural language processing to render data that provide unprecedented granularity on the changing landscape of opportunity for workers.  

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. Jaron Fried, AUHSD's Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. During the talk, Dr. Fried discusses the role of the principal in school transformation, the Career Preparedness Systems Framework (CPSF), systems and structures at the site level to align with the District's "North Star"/Vision, empowering students and teachers in the classroom to support the District's vision, shared leadership versus shared governance, relationship between student voice and agency and American Democracy, Spirit Work and Contextual Literacy in Michael Fullan's The Principal 2.0, assets-driven versus deficits-driven and learning loss, and the AUHSD Capstone.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews AUHSD teacher, Tyler Sherman. During the talk, Mr. Sherman discusses how and why he got into education, disrupting the traditional education system, eKadence, assessing the 5Cs (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, compassion/kindness), the importance of the reflection process, Cambridge Virtual Academy (CVA), and what makes the Anaheim Union High School District different from other districts.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Cheryl Campos and Michele Gonzalez, Google Certificates co-teachers. During the interview, Mrs. Campos and Mrs. Gonzalez discuss their drivers, how they got into education, co-teaching, the advantages of Google Certificates, how they got involved teaching Google Certificates classes, and how students, teachers, and parents have responded to Google certification.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dr. Jennifer Goldstein, CSUF Professor of Educational Leadership in the College of Education and Director of LEAD. During the talk, Dr. Goldstein discusses her educational journey and drivers, teaching to the whole child, assets vs. deficits driven education, the LEAD program, breaking through the status quo of higher education, advice to aspiring school leaders, and advantages of the LEAD program.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Magnolia High School English Teacher, Robin Turner. During the talk, Mr. Turner discusses his journey into teaching, the classroom as a microcosm of humanity, the importance of reading in the classroom, the value of fiction, the novel Dry, fiction as a mirror, advice to other English teachers, the Capstone project, working with eKadence, ChatGPT, and building a culture of mentors.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Dale Junior High School History Teacher/5Cs coach, Rob Gaudette. During the interview, Mr. Gaudette discusses his journey into teaching, the purpose of education, ownership/agency in the classroom, eKadence, teacher culture, drivers in education, the teacher's hierarchy of needs, and ChatGPT.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Professor Avram Noam Chomsky. Mr. Chomsky was born on December 7, 1928 and he is one of the most cited public intellectuals of the 21st century: a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. He is a Laureate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona starting in 2017 and was an Institute Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 2001 to 2017. He has authored more than 150 books on topics on linguistics, war, politics, and mass media. Considered to be "the father of modern linguistics", for such reasons as working on the concept of "Universal Grammar" he continues to investigate language with the concept and theory of Transformational-Generative Grammar.He not only has written numerous books but he has engaged in philosophical debates with intellectuals and modern philosophers. Some noteworthy intellectuals and philosophers he debated were Michel Foucault, Tyler Burge, Donald Davidson, Michael Dummett, Saul Kripke, Thomas Nagel, Hilary Putnam, Willard Van Orman Quine, and John Searle. During the talk with Superintendent Matsuda, Professor Chomsky discusses his educational experience, mass public education, "banking" form of education, three existential threats that face humanity, the connection between his linguistic work and education, the way forward for young people, democracy and education, and his message to young people.