Podcasts about newschools venture fund

About Gautam and EnlightenAI Gautam is the founder of EnlightenAI, which helps teachers grade, give feedback, and implement data-driven instruction efficiently and effectively. EnlightenAI aims to maintain the human touch in AI-assisted grading. Its AI solution learns from and adapts to teachers as they grade and leave feedback for students, becoming more accurate and aligned to teachers with each graded submission. EnlightenAI is part of the Teaching Lab Studio, which supports entrepreneurs building high quality AI tools rooted in sound learning science. EnlightenAI is also backed by NewSchools Venture Fund and was selected for the GSV Cup 50 in 2024 as one of the most innovative edtech products in the world. Gautam is a former teacher, Principal, and social impact entrepreneur. Most recently, he founded and was the Executive Director at Invictus Academy of Richmond, a high-performing independent charter school in the East Bay Area in California. Prior to founding Invictus, Gautam was an award-winning US History and AP US History teacher in Richmond, CA, where he led outlier gains in student achievement. Links: Visit EnlightenAI: https://enlightenme.ai/Follow Gautam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gautam-thapar-234504a1/Follow EnlightenAI on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/enlightenai/Join the EnlightenAI Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/399908556395929 About Rachelle: Subscribe to the podcast and my newsletter. Also, check out my blog and submit a guest blog. Contact me for speaking and training related to AI, AI and the law, SEL, STEM, and World Language Educator training for each of these topics as well! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

What's up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Jessenia Francisco, Director, Marketing Operations at Lucid. Summary: Jessenia shares her journey from nonprofit to tech, emphasizing adaptability and purpose. She tackles imposter syndrome by fostering an inclusive culture, explores the strategic use of tools like Lucidchart in her own day to day, and advocates for mindful martech selection, particularly the integration of AI, balancing innovation with practicality. Her work with Women in Revenue underscores the power of mentorship in empowering women in revenue roles, highlighting the importance of community and strategic thinking for professional and personal growth. About JesseniaJessenia started her career in Finance at Merril Lynch and Bank of AmericaShe pivoted to the non profit space joining the Association of Latino Professionals for America where she started to get in fundraising operationsShe was later recruited by the NewSchools Venture Fund and moved out to the Bay area to roll out Salesforce across the organizationShe then joined the Opportunity Fund as Development Operations Manager focused on improving the donor acquisition process and marketing automation implementationJessenia then made the mega move to Asana where she started in Sales Operations and later pivoted to Marketing Operations leading Martech Program and eventually becoming Head of Marketing AutomationToday she's Director of Marketing Operations at Lucid Software, the creators of the popular flowchart and diagram tool; LucidchartShifting from Counting Coins to Making ChangeJessenia's career evolution from finance to the nonprofit sector was not just a job change; it was a pursuit of impact over income. She sought to make a tangible difference, moving away from the profit-focused dialogues of her finance days towards creating systemic change. This quest for purpose led her to the nonprofit world, where she found the work deeply rewarding.Reflecting on her journey, Jessenia realized she had been involved in operations long before it became a recognized field, combining her analytical skills with business operations even during her finance tenure. This foundation served her well in the nonprofit sector, allowing her to apply her skills to support community-driven initiatives. She was particularly moved by the stories of the communities she worked with, finding a profound connection to the people and the transformative changes her efforts contributed to.At NewSchools Venture Fund, Jessenia experienced the intersection of venture philanthropy and educational reform. This organization, pioneering in merging investment with educational innovation, aimed to disrupt traditional learning models. She was fascinated by project-based learning, as seen in a Napa school, where even kindergartners engaged in complex concepts like velocity and gravity. Such moments underscored the significant impact of strategic funding in education.The nonprofit sector also presented Jessenia with numerous growth opportunities, from implementing CRMs to leading marketing operations. These experiences built her expertise in sales and marketing operations, highlighting the sector's potential for rapid professional development. Jessenia appreciated the creative challenges and the "champagne taste on a beer budget" mentality, which taught her to maximize limited resources effectively.However, Jessenia also faced challenges, including under-resourcing in technology and potential career stagnation. The nonprofit world's inclination to deprioritize tech investments and the limitations in career growth posed significant hurdles. Additionally, leadership changes and political dynamics within organizations could disrupt projects and affect the effectiveness of operations work.Key Takeaway: Jessenia's narrative reveals the dual nature of nonprofit work: its capacity to fulfill a deep-seated need for purpose and impact, juxtaposed with the practical challenges of limited resources and career growth ceilings. Her journey highlights the importance of adaptability, creativity, and a steadfast focus on mission-driven work amidst these challenges.Career Leaps From Small Ponds to Big Tech OceansJessenia's career leap from niche nonprofits to tech giants like Asana and Lucid sheds light on the value and versatility of working in different organizational sizes. Initially joining Asana when it was a relatively small team of 350, she quickly dispelled the myth that smaller entities lack significance. Her experience at Asana, a company that grew from a "cult classic" to a major player, exemplifies the unique advantages of smaller companies, such as a close-knit work culture and rapid adaptability.Small companies, Jessenia notes, offer a level of intimacy and direct impact that larger organizations can struggle to match. From knowing a colleague's preference for Diet Coke to having the ability to influence business outcomes directly, these environments foster a sense of community and effectiveness. Yet, she also confronts the misconception that privilege and pedigree are absent in smaller settings. Even in a tight-knit team, backgrounds of privilege and elite education can influence dynamics, something Jessenia encountered firsthand.However, as companies grow, maintaining the essence of a smaller organization's culture poses challenges. Jessenia emphasizes the importance of meeting people and business needs as they evolve, advocating for empathy and adaptability in processes. She warns against being wedded to past solutions or technologies, stressing the need to tailor approaches to the organization's current context rather than relying on what worked elsewhere.Key Takeaway: Jessenia makes the point that smaller companies offer a richness of experience and that you will need a nuanced approach if transitioning to or scaling within larger tech companies. She highlights the importance of adaptability, empathy, and a keen understanding of the unique dynamics at play, offering insights into successfully navigating career transitions and fostering personal and professional growth in any organizational landscape.Reflections on Overcoming Imposter SyndromeJessenia tackles imposter syndrome with a unique blend of emotional intelligence and mindful reflection. Instead of reacting on impulse, she takes time to process complex ideas, valuing collaboration over solitary effort. Recognizing when to ask for help has been crucial in her journey, turning potential hurdles into learning opportunities and stronger bonds with her colleagues.Her approach to leadership focuses on empowering her team, encouraging them to confidently express their insights and take ownership of their expertise. This method not only addresses imposter syndrome but also promotes a culture where accountability and teamwork thrive. Jessenia believes in the power of vulnerability and support, showing that admitting you don't know everything can be your greatest strength.Jessenia actively seeks out communities for both professional and personal growth, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. By engaging with networks, she ensures no one has to face difficulties alone, emphasizing the importance of collective wisdom and shared experiences.Key Takeaway: The cornerstone of her strategy against imposter syndrome lies in fostering environments where asking questions, seeking clarity, and valuing each team member's viewpoint are encouraged. This approach not only helps combat feelings of inadequacy but also strengthens the team's cohesion and effectiveness.Cracking the MOPs Code with Lucidchart's Vis...

Welcome to Talking to Grandma, a weekly podcast that elevates stories, science, and strategies to help you raise and teach multilingual and bilingual children. Hosted by Dr. Veronica Benavides, founder and CEO of Bilingual Generation, an organization that helps children with bilingualism in their bones stay connected to their heritage languages and cultures. In this episode, join us as we delve into the enriching conversation with Dorenyse Díaz, exploring the intricate dynamics of language loss and preservation within the context of her Nicaraguan heritage. Díaz sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of maintaining a connection to our cultural and linguistic identities. Dorenyse Díaz self identifies as a Nicaraguan queer fat femme based out of the ancestral lands of the Tongva and Gabrielino peoples (Los Angeles). She's a former school leader, first in Northeast LA and then in the Macarthur Park/Pico Union area of Los Angeles. She's worked as a consultant, teacher, and community organizer and her work has focused on supporting educators, leaders, and entrepreneurs in anti-racism and transformative justice, language justice, disability justice, and inclusive practices. Dorenyse is passionate about decolonizing mental health and healing work, spirituality, queerness, radical body love + acceptance, combatting fatphobia, and addressing anti-Blackness in Latine communities. She is the proud dog mama of Pofi (his name means “best friend” in Nicaraguan Spanish), a 2-year-old Shih Tzu/Terrier mix who loves doing zoomies, playing in the sand but never in water, listening to songs from his favorite show Bluey while on long drives, and taking trips to the fascinating drive-thru car wash. Dorenyse is also a loving tía to her wonderful niece and nephews: Eddie (15), Liam (13), Everly (9), and Ian (5). Tune in to explore the intersections of language, identity, and healing as we navigate the journey towards affirming and valuing our language and culture. You can find Dorenyse on Instagram at www.instagram.com/dorenyse You can learn more about her work at NewSchools Venture Fund here. 

In this week's episode, Ulcca speaks with Mia Howard, managing partner and leader of Innovative Schools at NewSchools Venture Fund. Mia and Ulcca explore the work being done by a new generation of school leaders who are dedicated to building more human-centered programs that embrace expanded definitions of success, equity and innovation. Learn about the ways in which Mia and her team are learning about what it means to codesign with communities and deconstruct assumptions about what matters most about how we educate young people. If you are new to this podcast, we suggest listening to episodes 2-4 to build a foundation for the concepts and principles we'll keep returning to on the Future of Smart.E.2 - From Brain Bound to Our Extended MindsE.3 - A Return Journey to WisdomE.4 - Using Science to Imagine a New Purpose and Design for Education with Dr. Pamela Cantor

AI is ramping up the urgency for digital citizenship while these initiatives are struggling to get traction. Our guests walk through some steps they've taken to strengthen digital citizenship in large school systems and help other school administrators do the same. Follow on Twitter: @Digital_Empower @ISTEofficial @mrhooker @jonHarper70bd @DrMonterosa @bamradionetwork @shellthief @hyphenatic #edchat #edtech #edtechchat Carrie Rogers-Whitehead (@Digital_Empower) is the founder of Digital Respons-Ability, which works with educators, parents and students to teach digital citizenship. Her company provides training to tens of thousands of students, parents, and educators across Utah and beyond. Carrie is also the author of several books, including Deepening Digital Citizenship (ISTE, 2022) with Vanessa Monterosa and Digital Citizenship: Teaching Strategies and Practice from the Field (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). Vanessa Monterosa (@DrMonterosa) serves as a senior associate partner for NewSchools Venture Fund, a nonprofit committed to investing in bold, innovative ideas to transform education. Prior to joining the NewSchools team, Dr. Monterosa dedicated seven years to successfully shaping system-level digital citizenship efforts across Los Angeles Unified, the nation's second largest school district. She is co-author of Deepening Digital Citizenship (ISTE, 2022).

This episode is sponsored by BloomBoard. I enjoyed the opportunity to talk with Jason Lange, the co-founder and President of BloomBoard. Prior to founding BloomBoard, Jason worked in private equity and was also an early member of the NewSchools Venture Fund team, where he supported the development of the initial edtech investment thesis for the NewSchools Seed Fund (now Reach Capital). Jason received his BA from Yale University and is also a graduate of Stanford's joint MA/MBA in Education and Business Administration Program. About BloomBoard BloomBoard is a talent development provider that enables K–12 school districts to grow, advance, and retain educators by making professional education a benefit of employment. BloomBoard offers turn-key programs for school districts to move educators forward at all points of their professional journey and BloomBoard's platform connects school districts to higher education institutions that offer certification and degree programs using a unique, on-the-job instructional model. Links BloomBoard Twitter/X BloomBoard information BloomBoard solutions Resources including articles, e-books, webinars, and videos BloomBoard blog BloomBoard Success Stories Hear from school districts about the impact Want to be a guest on the podcast? Contact me at Rdene915@gmail.com! Subscribe to my newsletter at www.Rdene915.com.

Bridgette Leslie is the Co-Founder, CEO of IEP&Me, Inc. Bridgette had spent her career as a special educator, focusing on creating inclusive classrooms, fostering self-awareness advocacy with her students, and triggering innovation in several school settings. As an entrepreneur, she's been accepted into the ODX Accelerator, achieved a NewSchools Venture Fund grant, and recently completed the Techstars JP Morgan Chase Female Founders Catalyst program.

Kim Smith is the founder of LearnerStudio, an equity-focused education investment studio being incubated inside Cambiar Education. She is also the founder and CEO of the Pahara Institute, a national nonprofit that aims to identify, strengthen, and sustain diverse high-potential leaders who are transforming public education. Immediately prior, she was co-founder of Bellwether Education Partners. Earlier in her career she was a founding team member at Teach For America, created an AmeriCorps program serving community-based leaders in youth development, led a trade show start-up, and did a stint in online learning at Silicon Graphics. After completing her MBA at Stanford, she co-founded the NewSchools Venture Fund, a philanthropy focused on catalyzing a bipartisan, cross-sector community of entrepreneurial change agents for public education.Kim was featured in Newsweek's report on the “Women of the 21st Century” as “the kind of woman who will shape America's new century.”Recommended Resources:The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy by Anand GirardharasThe Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt

David Blake operates at the intersection of the future of work and the future of politics. David Blake has spent his career innovating in formal education and lifelong learning. He is on a mission to future proof our workforce and use learning and skills to enable everyone to fulfill their personal missions. David is the co-founder and CEO of Degreed. Millions of individuals and hundreds of organizations use Degreed's platform to discover and answer for all of their learning and skills. Prior to Degreed, he helped launched a competency-based, accredited university and was a founding team member of university-admissions startup Zinch (acquired by NASDQ: CHGG). David was selected as a Top EdTech Entrepreneur by the Stanford d.School EdTech Lab, sponsored by Teach For America and NewSchools Venture Fund. He is the co-author of the book, The Expertise Economy: How the smartest companies use learning to engage, compete, and succeed and the co-creator of the Skills Quotient. He is a sought-after expert on the topic of the future of work and learning, speaking at companies such as Google, Deloitte, and Salesforce and at conferences globally.David joins me today to discuss the surprising downside of curiosity, how artificial intelligence impacts learning and earning. Also, we talked about the growing skills gap, the best way to hire, how he learned to be a founder, and the book he thinks best captures what it's like to be a founder.“I find, the best way to get started is to be intentional and to have a goal.” - David BlakeConnect with David on LinkedIn and Twitter or email David at D@davidblake.com. To find out more about David's companies visit degreed.com or bookclub.com.Subscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about Purpose Built visit our website.

In this episode, we're exploring uncertainty, transitions, and moving forward in ambiguity – something most of us probably feel like we're getting pretty used to having lived the past several years amid a global pandemic.We'll be exploring how these things show up in organizations, and in one organization in particular – San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. And we'll discuss how they're approaching this in their evolving work.To learn more about their Head of External Relations search, visit: https://www.workshouldntsuck.co/ybca-er.SARA FENSKE BAHAT is a connector, most at-home when bridging the creative arts, economics, and equitable design to shape our social and political landscape. As Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) CEO, Sara works collaboratively with the YBCA team to advance the organization as a dynamic home for artists, arts and culture, and social justice movement building. Prior to becoming CEO, Sara served as YBCA's Board Chair. Under her leadership, YBCA navigated COVID-19 pandemic challenges (which resulted in the longest mass closure of cultural venues since World War II), received support from leading innovators for groundbreaking work at the intersection of arts and movement building, and launched the nation's first dedicated guaranteed income program for artists.Most recently, Sara served as chair of the California College of the Arts (CCA) MBA in Design Strategy, a groundbreaking, multidisciplinary degree rooted in systems theory, foresight, and innovation.Sara has a community finance and economic development background. Before becoming an educator, she worked for New York City's economic development agency and in banking, where she championed local government support for community banks, improved banking and savings products for immigrant households, and multi-state consumer protection settlements.Raised in a Milwaukee family steeped in advocacy for human, civil, and LGBTQ+ rights, Sara quickly developed a commitment to activism and social justice. A dedicated political fundraiser and mobilizer, she is passionate about driving civic engagement and hosted the Democratic National Committee's first-ever Zoom fundraiser at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.Sara is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the London School of Economics. She is a 2022 Presidential Leadership Scholar, exploring the meaning of culture and cohesion in a country increasingly divided across wealth, ideology, and acknowledgment of historic and present inequity.Sara lives in San Francisco and loves a good dance party.RENUKA KHER has supported entrepreneurial efforts in under-resourced communities for her entire career. She has spent 16 years in various roles in philanthropy and managed and directed over $150M. Her professional experience spans the public, private, philanthropic and non-profit sectors. She has served on the board of and as an advisor to many of the nation's leading social change organizations including, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Beyond 12, Year Up, Global Citizen Year and Revolution Foods.Most recently, she served on the executive team of Tipping Point Community a nonprofit grant-making organization that fights poverty in the Bay Area. During her six year tenure at Tipping Point she helped lead the growth of the organization as its Chief Operating Officer and also founded T Lab, Tipping Point's R+D engine.Before joining Tipping Point, Renuka served as a Principal at NewSchools Venture Fund whose work is focused on education and prior to that she was a Senior Program Officer at the Robin Hood Foundation where her work included developing and implementing a strategy for a $65 million relief fund, one of the nation's largest, created to respond to the terrorist attacks of September 11th.Her work has been featured in The San Francisco...

Is there a way to pursue excellence without being overwhelmed by perfectionism? Yes, there is! In this episode of The Unconditionally Worthy Podcast, I welcome Danielle Kristine Toussaint, Author, Advisor, Angel Investor, and CXO of the nonprofit, NewSchools Venture Fund. Tune in as we talk about how to pursue excellence without perfectionism and get back to feeling joyous in your work.IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…Danielle's self-worth journey: How becoming a wife, executive, and entrepreneur challenged her self-worth.What it's like to be a woman of color in the nonprofit world.How Danielle's self-worth intersects with her work life.The connection between self-worth, pursuing excellence, and martyrdom.3 keys to dismantling perfectionism.4 ways to focus more on the process than the outcome.and more!If you enjoyed this discussion, share it with a loved one, then…Leave a Rating & Review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to show your love to The Unconditionally Worthy Podcast!Stream & Download The Unconditionally Worthy Podcast NOW for FREE on Apple Podcast, Google, Stitcher, Pandora, and Spotify!To connect further with Danielle Kristine Toussaint:Learn more about Danielle: https://www.newschools.org/team/danielle-kristine-toussaint Visit her website: http://daniellekristine.comConnect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellekristinetoussaint Learn about Purple Haus: http://www.daretothinkpurple.com Get her book, Dare to Think Purple: https://amzn.to/3uyNEnd To connect further with me:Visit my website: https://www.dradiagooden.com Connect with me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dradiagooden Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradiagooden Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adia-gooden-4b26751b Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vHybPVhFz10 Read the show notes and transcript here:  https://dradiagooden.com/episodearchive/66This episode is sponsored by Crys & Tiana, a podcast production company helping you take the guesswork out of launching and growing your podcasts. Book a strategy call today and start turning your podcast dreams into reality!Get 25% off your first launch strategy session at https://www.crysandtiana.com/launchstrategy.This episode was produced by Crys & Tiana.Learn more at https://www.crysandtiana.com. 

Greg Bybee is the Co-Founder and CEO of Avela Education and the Co-Founder of PoliScribe. Greg was an early employee at NovoEd where he ultimately ran every business function from marketing to business development and customer success, and ultimately helped sell the company to Fidelity.Previously, he was a Fellow at NewSchools Venture Fund, the first product manager at Coursera, an advisor to Renren's expansion into education, the lead for VMware's vCloud Suite launch, and a strategic counselor to Fortune 500 executives at McKinsey & Company. He's also an advisor and mentor to several education organizations and tech startups, including Vendition, Veery, HiCounselor, and Rutgers UniversityAvela's mission is to increase equitable access to education. Avela offers a modern application and enrollment system for schools, districts, and mission-driven organizations, which focuses on empowering families and enabling data driven decisions.Recommended ResourcesExpanding Access to High-Quality Schools report by Center for American ProgressWho Gets What ― and Why by Alvin RothSchool District RFPs archive

In this episode of Edtech Insiders, we speak with Amy Amner Jenkins, Head of Schools at Outschool.Previously, Amy was the Chief Operating Officer of Education Elements, an associate partner at NewSchools Venture Fund, a co-founder of an after school program that combines soccer and literacy, and a teacher with Teach for America. Amy holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.In this conversation, Amy and I chat about how Outschool became one of the fastest growing edtech companies during the pandemic, how teachers are using their teaching skills to create side hustles or even full time jobs teaching online, and how Outschool is beginning to work directly within schools to expand learning opportunities.ResourcesAmy recommends:Following school district leaders on Twitter Feedspot Weekly as an aggregator of edtech newsStart with the Why by Simon Sinek

Todd Zipper, President of Wiley Education Services, welcomes Ted Mitchell, President of the American Council on Education (ACE). Todd and Ted discuss what ACE is currently working on and how are they helping colleges and universities through innovation. Plus, Ted shares his thoughts on how higher education will evolve under the Biden administration.  Topics Discussed • What to expect from the Biden Administration regarding affordability and accountability • How the pandemic negatively impacted enrollment rates for adult learners • The current student loan debt crisis and potential solutions to solve it • The effect digital credentialing will have on higher ed • How institutions can leverage investments from the big MOOC and platform players to bring down costs and drive better outcomes for students Guest Bio Ted Mitchell is the President of ACE, the coordinating body for higher education institutions in the United States. ACE's work encompasses policy advocacy, program development, and research focusing on equity, access, and student achievement.  Ted's leadership of ACE, and of the nation's higher education sector, is informed by a lifetime of work in higher education as a Professor, Dean, College President, Trustee, and most recently as U.S. Under Secretary of Education in the Obama administration. Previously, he served as the President of the California State Board of Education and CEO of the NewSchools Venture Fund, a venture philanthropy investing in K–12 innovation to support low-income students, schools, and communities. Ted received his bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees from Stanford University. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, Christine, and their two children.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

SummaryOur guest today is Jennifer Carolan. Jennifer started her career as a classroom teacher in a Chicago district. She then moved to California to attend Stanford, and there got inspired to use her teaching experience in support od tech founders. So she joined NewSchools Venture Fund where she learned the craft of VC, while also co-creating and teaching a course at Stanford. After that, Jennifer co-founded Reach Capital, with a first fund in 2000, a second fund in 2018 and a third fund more recently.In this episode, Jennifer and I talk about how student engagement is an outcome of strong pedagogy. We then describe a new generation of global education companies that are partnering with school districts and we caution policy makers that need to rise to the occasion in order to keep innovation from escaping the public school system. Finally we talk about different promising edtech categories and end up with the conclusion that parents are the stakeholders that still lack a lot of support in the ecosystem.Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion: A tweet by Jennifer encapsulating her belief in pedagogy-led edtech startupshttps://twitter.com/jencarolan/status/1402677758820438018Our conversation with Amir from Outschool - https://blog.enrollhand.com/learning-is-more-than-a-consumer-experience-with-amir-nathoo/Jennifer's hopeful piece on EdSurge serving as a call to action for policy makers - https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-08-23-teachers-drive-innovation-this-time-will-they-do-so-within-or-outside-the-systemJennifer's tweet highlighting the increased collaboration between school districts and startupshttps://twitter.com/jencarolan/status/1422648800192122886The Chart of the Century - https://twitter.com/Mark_J_Perry/status/1350826322642296835Reach Capital's companies, including the ones mentioned in our discussion - https://www.reachcapital.com/companies/Harari's book mentioned by Jennifer as a good depiction of the new age we need to prepare students for - https://www.ynharari.com/book/21-lessons-book/A particular mention of Guardians Collective, mentionned by Jennifer as an interesting model to support parents - https://www.aboutgc.comWhere to learn more about Jennifer:Twitter - https://twitter.com/jencarolanWebsite - https://www.reachcapital.comWhere to learn more about Enrollhand: Website - www.enrollhand.comWebinar - https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Frances Messano, President of NewSchools Venture Fund. One fun fact about Frances Messano: Frances sings with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir.Topics covered in this episode:Go-to karaoke songCommitment to racial justice in education is rooted in her lived experienceNewSchools Venture Fund raised nearly $345 million, in over 1,000 education innovators, in just 20 plus yearsSupport the show (http://Scherm.co)

Listen now (38 min) | Follow me @samirkaji for my thoughts on the venture market, with a focus on the continued evolution of the VC landscape. Our guest today is Shauntel Garvey, co-founder and general partner of education tech focused Reach Capital. She has a long history investing in ed-tech companies stemming back from her time at NewSchools Venture Fund. Get on the email list at ventureunlocked.substack.com

In this episode, Tom is talking education venture funding with Shauntel Garvey! Shauntel is a partner and co-founder of Reach Capital, an impact-focused edtech venture fund that was spun out of non-profit NewSchools Venture Fund, in 2015. Since then, they have deployed about $95 million in 61 investments, including some well-known startups such as ClassDojo, Ellevation, NearPod, and Newsela — all while maintaining a focus on education and workplace innovations. Join the conversation to learn more about Reach Capital, how they have evolved since branching out from NewSchools, the amazing companies in their portfolio, what a typical investment process looks like, and all about return, growth, and impact when it comes to venture funding.   Key Takeaways: [:10] About today’s episode. [:45] Tom welcomes Shauntel Garvey to the podcast. [:53] How did Shauntel get to MIT? [2:50] Why did Shauntel decide to go to Stanford and pursue a dual education MBA? [4:01] Was Shauntel aware of how many extraordinary people have gone through this same program when she was going through it herself? [4:49] Shauntel shares about when she first learned about NewSchools Venture Fund and what led her to become involved. [6:35] How and when Shauntel and her co-founder (of Reach Capital) decided to branch out from NewSchools and start their own venture fund. [8:22] About the second fund they’re currently investing in with Reach Capital. [9:04] How Reach Capital has evolved from NewSchools, going beyond K-12 funding. [9:55] Can you run a viable venture fund, looking for both impact and return? How does Reach Capital try to maximize both of those? [11:38] The meaning behind the name “Reach Capital.” [12:08] How Reach Capital is looking to bring more diverse founders into edtech and why Shauntal believes it is so incredibly important. [14:40] Shauntel walks listeners through the venture process in a typical investment. [18:26] What does it mean to lead deals? And do they like to lead deals at Reach Capital? [19:00] After making the investment with a company, what does their relationship look like going forward? How do they continue to support them? [20:54] How many companies in Reach Capital’s portfolio is Shauntel actively involved in? [21:26] The hardest part of Shauntel’s job currently. [21:50] Lightning round of the cool companies in Reach Capital’s portfolio! Shauntel speaks about the incredible work of Abl, BetterLesson, ClassDojo, AdmitHub, Desmos, Ellevation, Hone, Newsela, PeopleGrove, Schoolzilla, Tynker, Nearpod, Outschool, Epic!, and Riipen. [32:12] The gaps Shauntel is currently seeing in education where there’s an opportunity to make a big difference. [35:34] With Reach Capital, do they try to create spaces that can bring together public and philanthropic investments as well as private investments? [37:29] Infrastructure challenges and the inequities that have been amplified during the pandemic. [38:30] Tom thanks Shauntel for joining the Getting Smart Podcast!   Mentioned in This Episode: Shauntel Garvey Reach Capital NewSchools Venture Fund ClassDojo Ellevation Nearpod Newsela Abl BetterLesson AdmitHub Desmos Hone PeopleGrove SchoolMint Schoolzilla WriteLab Julia Freeland Fisher Tynker Outschool Epic! Riipen Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 264: “Ryan Craig on Putting America Back to Work” Raise Your Hand Texas NSBA Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 274: “Rachelle Dene Poth on Charting a New Course”   Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe.   Is There Somebody You’ve Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You’d Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include ‘Podcast’ in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!  

In each episode of the Inside Our MIND podcast, we take a look at issues and challenges facing education that we are working to address through research, technology and strategic initiatives.In our latest episode, Brian welcomes Dr. Molly B. Zielezinski to the show for a discussion on demystifying edtech research. Molly is the founder and CEO of MBZ Labs, where she and her team work to bridge the gaps between edtech, academia, and educational practice. Molly was the co-author of the excellent thought leadership piece “Debunking the Gold Standard Myths in Edtech Efficacy,” and MBZ Labs just published a great resource with NewSchools Venture Fund, “Optimizing Edtech for an Expanded Definition for Student Success.”Molly shares her origin story, and provides insights into the process of making research more usable for both edtech companies, as well as educators and administrators. Topics Covered in the Podcast:0:45 Intro3:00 Molly’s Teaching and learning journey6:00 The disconnect between research and practitioners7:00 Moving beyond the classroom and founding MBZ Labs11:00 MBZ Labs mission to get better tools in the hands of students13:00 Efficacy portfolios 16:00 Use of technology by underserved students21:00 Translating research content for different audiences25:00 Building a solid research foundation27:30 Edtech and the Expanded Definition of Student Success (EDSS)30:00 The process of translating and demystifying researchLinks:https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-05-21-debunking-the-gold-standard-myths-in-edtech-efficacyhttps://mbzlabs.com/optimizing-edtech-for-student-success_mbzlabs2020/https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/scope-report-promising-practices-v1.pdfThanks for listening to the podcast! Please leave us a review on iTunes, Google Play, Spreaker or wherever you are listening to the show. Subscribe to get future episodes as soon as they are released!

In each episode of the Inside Our MIND podcast, we take a look at issues and challenges facing education that we are working to address through research, technology and strategic initiatives.In our latest episode, Brian welcomes Dr. Molly B. Zielezinski to the show for a discussion on demystifying edtech research. Molly is the founder and CEO of MBZ Labs, where she and her team work to bridge the gaps between edtech, academia, and educational practice. Molly was the co-author of the excellent thought leadership piece “Debunking the Gold Standard Myths in Edtech Efficacy,” and MBZ Labs just published a great resource with NewSchools Venture Fund, “Optimizing Edtech for an Expanded Definition for Student Success.”Molly shares her origin story, and provides insights into the process of making research more usable for both edtech companies, as well as educators and administrators. Topics Covered in the Podcast:0:45 Intro3:00 Molly’s Teaching and learning journey6:00 The disconnect between research and practitioners7:00 Moving beyond the classroom and founding MBZ Labs11:00 MBZ Labs mission to get better tools in the hands of students13:00 Efficacy portfolios 16:00 Use of technology by underserved students21:00 Translating research content for different audiences25:00 Building a solid research foundation27:30 Edtech and the Expanded Definition of Student Success (EDSS)30:00 The process of translating and demystifying researchLinks:https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-05-21-debunking-the-gold-standard-myths-in-edtech-efficacyhttps://mbzlabs.com/optimizing-edtech-for-student-success_mbzlabs2020/https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/scope-report-promising-practices-v1.pdfThanks for listening to the podcast! Please leave us a review on iTunes, Google Play, Spreaker or wherever you are listening to the show. Subscribe to get future episodes as soon as they are released!

The science of reading is a surprisingly controversial subject. There are camps of advocates for different strategies and they are as polarized as American politics. Our guest offers practical insights on how we can avoid the traditional pitfalls and find a common bridge to improve reading for all students. #classroomstrategies Follow on Twitter: @ASCD @a_rebora @bamradionetwork @benjaminjriley Benjamin Riley is the founder and executive director of Deans for Impact, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring every child is taught by a well-prepared teacher. As part of that mission, Deans for Impact believes that every teacher should understand and know how to apply the science of learning in their practice. Prior to founding Deans for Impact, Ben conducted research on the New Zealand education system, worked as the policy director for NewSchools Venture Fund, and served as deputy attorney general for the State of California. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and J.D. from Yale Law School.

In this week’s episode, Tom virtually sits down with Kim Smith, founder of the Pahara Institute and co-founder of NewSchools Venture Fund and Bellwether Education Partners. Kim Smith is widely recognized as an innovative and entrepreneurial leader in education and has been featured in Newsweek’s report, “Women of the 21st Century,” as the kind of woman who will shape America’s new century. Kim was also a founding team member at Teach for America, created and led an Americorps program for community-based leaders and education, managed a business startup, and completed a brief stint in early online learning at Silicon Graphics. She has helped to incubate numerous education and social change organizations and has served on a range of boards. In Tom and Kim’s conversation today, they discuss investment opportunities, Kim’s impressive career in identifying and supporting innovations in education, and her advice for this year.   Key Takeaways: [:09] About today’s episode with Kim Smith. [1:03] Tom Vander Ark welcomes Kim to the podcast! [2:19] Kim shares how both of her parents were also educators and how they influenced her career. [3:49] How long was Kim at Teach for America? [3:57] What did Kim do after Teach for America? [5:17] The origin story of NewSchools Venture Fund. [6:34] Tom underscores how innovative of an idea the NewSchools Venture Fund was when it was founded in 1998. [7:26] Kim speaks about the early criticisms of the NewSchools Venture Fund as well as the challenges. [7:50] What led to the idea of NewSchools Venture Fund? [10:49] How Kim recruited an incredibly talented team for NewSchools Venture Fund. [12:53] Lessons learned from the incredible success of NewSchools Venture Fund. [16:39] Tom gives John Doerr a shoutout for the role he played in the success of NewSchools Venture Fund. [17:15] Kim’s legacy at NewSchools Venture Fund has certainly resulted in a thousand great schools — all of which are still thriving to this day! Kim shares how she is proud of this accomplishment. [17:51] Tom shares his appreciation for Kim’s early insights and leadership with R&D and ed-tech venture funds. [19:23] Kim’s recent thoughts on philanthropy. [20:50] In 2012, Kim founded Pahara Institute, a non-profit focused on talent. Kim shares the origin story, why she wanted to create it, and its main mission. [24:49] How many leaders have been a part of Pahara over the last eight years? [24:58] What Kim is proudest of with Pahara Institute. [28:34] Kim’s advice for philanthropists in this day and age. [29:57] Advice for system heads. [31:30] Advice for state leaders that would help support families and learners. [33:00] Kim speaks about her hopes for the new Secretary of Education. [33:35] What Kim hopes all of these groups keep in mind as we head into 2021.   Mentioned in This Episode: Kim Smith’s LinkedIn Stanford Graduate School of Business Teach for America Pahara Institute NewSchools Venture Fund Bellwether Education Partners John Doerr Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 212: “Teach for America: Helping All Kids Receive the Education They Deserve, with CEO Elisa Villaneuva Beard”   Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe.   Is There Somebody You’ve Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You’d Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include “Podcast” in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!  

On this Hatchcast Extra, Sheela Sethuraman comes back to MSU's campus to be part of this season of Innovate State. Sethuraman has more than 20 years of experience in building and implementing educational technology solutions in K–12 classrooms. At CueThink, Sheela and her team have successfully taken the vision of a peer platform for math problem solving and built and deployed a scalable application to foster critical thinking and cultivate collaboration. As Founder and CEO, Sheela has been instrumental in securing $3M from the National Science Foundation, NewSchools Venture Fund, MassVentures, and angel investors. She has been successful in fostering partnerships with leading Math groups and selling to school districts across the country. Prior to CueThink, Sheela was Project Director at Pearson Education, focusing on technologically innovative assessment items based on Common Core State Standards. Before that, Sheela was Director of Technology at CAST, where she spearheaded numerous technical products including CAST eReader and Thinking Reader. She has been a member of various consortiums such as Web Access Initiative (WAI), National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and Open eBook Forum. Sheela has also been a podcaster for the Stanford Business School's Center for Social Innovation.hatchcastpodcast@gmail.com

David Blake is cofounder of Degreed, and coauthor of The Expertise Economy: How the Smartest Companies Use Learning to Engage, Compete, and Succeed with Kelly Palmer. He has spent his career innovating higher education and lifelong learning. Prior to Degreed, he helped launch a competency-based, accredited university and was a founding team member at Zinch (acquired by Chegg). He was selected as a Top EdTech Entrepreneur by the Stanford d.School EdTech Lab, sponsored by Teach For America and NewSchools Venture Fund. He has been published in the Harvard Technology Review, Business Insider, TechCrunch, and Huffington Post. He has spoken around the world on the topic of the future of learning, including the ASU Education Innovation Summit, EdTech Europe, and TEDx.   Quotes To Remember: "Read everything you can get your hands on in a specific topic for two years." "Microsoft wants to be an organization of learners not knowers." "Raise your hand if you have a goal for your personal learning." "Be deliberate in the development of your skill." "Information is abundant." "How do we help our people upgrade themselves."  What You'll Learn: Becoming an expert Training your team Showcasing your expertise Setting goals for your personal learning What Microsoft's CEO looks for in an organization   Key Links From The Episode:  Degreed David's LinkedIn Recommended Books: Content Marketing Secrets by Marc Guberti Podcast Domination by Marc Guberti The Expertise Economy by David Blake and Kelly Palmer Algorithms To Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths The Dictator's Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith   Learn how you can booked on the spot from dozens of media outlets at the National Publicity Summit

This episode, Tom speaks with Maura Marino — CEO of Education Forward DC. Before helping launch Education Forward DC, Maura held a number of positions at NewSchools Venture Fund where she worked for 8 years. There, she learned a lot about the national picture and how the trends around entrepreneurship and scaling success looked in public education. She was able to see, up close, organizations that were making huge changes in education.   For the last 20 years, NewSchools Venture Fund has really been the epicenter of education entrepreneurship. Originally founded by Kim Smith, NewSchools really took the idea of designing and incubating new school models to the next level. Since leaving NewSchools, Maura started up Education Forward DC to help support visionary leaders in the city who are working to ensure that all students have equitable access to excellent public education.   In their conversation, Tom and Maura talk about her education; studying at Stanford University, Harvard Business School, and Teachers College of Columbia University; as well as her prior careers, teaching at East Palo Alto and working with NewSchools Venture Fund. She discusses the work and progress made at NewSchools, her work and mission with Education Forward DC, and their work with Education Cities and harbormaster organizations.   Key Takeaways: [:33] Tom welcomes Maura Marino to the podcast. [:36] About Maura's upbringing and education in New Jersey. [1:39] How and why she ended up going to Stanford University in California. [2:31] About Maura's teaching career after college in East Palo Alto, CA. [4:40] Why Maura decided to go to Harvard Business School, after getting her Masters from Columbia. [5:50] Was going to Harvard Business School a good experience for Maura? [7:04] The different positions Maura held at NewSchools Venture Fund (where she stayed for 8 years). [8:19] More about NewSchools and the visionary work of the early leaders. [10:52] About the two-year-old organization Maura helped launch called Education Forward DC, and about its mission. [11:52] Does Maura's work with Education Forward DC build on any cities in particular? [13:25] Does Maura see NewSchool development remaining an important part of creating a healthy ecosystem in DC? [16:29] How the DC Public Charter School Board are an important part of the success story. [17:44] Is school improvement an important part of Education Forward DC's agenda? [18:33] NewSchools relationship with the district now. [19:34] Does Maura have the sense that these ecosystem leaders (or “quarterback organizations”) can help bring sustainability to an urban innovation and improvement agenda? Can they be part of the bridge that keeps things together in a city when the district may be undergoing change? [21:46] Does working with like-minded schools in a network resonate with Maura and her work with Education Forward DC?   Mentioned in This Episode: Stanford University East Palo Alto Academy Harvard Business School NewSchools Venture Fund NewSchools Summit U.S. Department of Education Education Forward DC Education Cities New Schools for New Orleans DC Public Charter School Board   Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review and subscribe.   Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Jessica@GettingSmart.com, Tweet @Getting_Smart, or leave a review. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

Matt Greenfield is Managing Partner of ReThink Education, a venture capital firm focused on educational technology. He is on the boards of BrightBytes, Allovue, CareAcademy and Southern New Hampshire University. His non-profit affiliations include the leadership council of NewSchools Venture Fund and the board of Mouse.org. But Matt mostly thinks of his role as a problem solver. “As an investor, I start with solving a problem.” He wrote the business plan for the step-by-step modules for behavioral therapy in the treatment of autism which became “Rethink Autism”—now simply “Rethink.” With a background in academia and educational technology, he insists there’s more to moving students toward their goals and ultimately a career path, “It’s not just technology but a respect for students,” Greenfield asks, “Does it delight and engage the students?” Episode 15 of Reality Check with Jeanne Allen

Stacey Childress flips The Leaders' Table upside down this episode, sharing lessons learned from her role as CEO of The NewSchools Venture Fund and career as an entrepreneur. From why finding a learner's mindset is more important than being right, to avoiding getting super-scheduled with meetings, Stacey's advice will help you reframe your workday.

The question on everyone's mind at NewSchools Venture Fund's 2016 Summit: How will we know when education has become more equitable?We interviewed Dreambox CEO Jessie Woolley-Wilson and Democrats for Education Reform President Shaver Jeffries for their takes on the most contested issue in education.

Enid Rey is no stranger to controversy. A powerhouse and a lawyer by training, she's currently the head of the School Choice Department in Hartford, Connecticut's public school system. In a city like Hartford, where most people of socioeconomic background and race don’t mix neighborhoods, Rey’s job has been, at least recently, to market magnet schools to parents and students from both neighborhoods, encouraging them to integrate. Her responsibilities came to prominence when she was interviewed for the Peabody award-winning podcast "The Problem We All Live With," created by This American Life. When it comes to issues of equity and diversity, it’s everyone’s problem—like the title says, it’s a problem that we all live with. EdSurge had the opportunity to sit down with Rey at the recent NewSchools Venture Fund conference to hear how she proved innovative in her approach to segregation, and to ask what it really takes to turn efforts in one district into a viral movement.

The Obama Administration recently admitted its work in higher education is far from done. Undersecretary of Education Ted Mitchell, the president’s No. 1 authority on higher education, said he’d give his team an “incomplete” grade. Why? Mitchell previously served as CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund, president of the California State Board of Education and president of Occidental College. In his role with the federal government, he’s been been focused on improving college completion rates for first-generation, low-income students. Mitchell’s tenure will end this year when Obama leaves office. EdSurge recently had the chance to sit down with him to ask what kind of legacy the administration will leave in higher-ed innovation. Here’s our conversation.

Deborah McGriff, managing partner of NewSchools Venture Fund, discusses the charter school movement with Marty West.

“We live in a different time, a time of great opportunity, but a time in which we have to step up,” NewSchools CEO Ted Mitchell affirmed at the opening of the 2010 NewSchools Summit, an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund. In such times, there is an unprecedented opportunity to change the national conversation about what is possible in education, however doing so requires political strategy and savvy. With education being more politicized than ever, educators, social innovators and practitioners must tactically push for progress in the broader landscape.  An accomplished panel of educational reformers, who have forged new grounds on a number of public policy issues, share ideas and advice on how to build coalitions, engage with politicians and understand the operational and political challenges ahead. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/newschools_summit-_political_savvy_guidebook_for_a_new_landscape

Opportunities for learning are now available 24/7/365, as students utilize technology to interact with, learn about and communicate with the world. Mindful of this, educational entrepreneurs have found ways to integrate technology to add breadth and depth to a student’s experience. In this panel discussion, Gary Knells speaks on how the multi-platform approach of Sesame Street Workshop has become a gamechanger for early childhood education. Katie Salen discusses how teachers connect to their students in the digital age at Quest to Learn. Joel Rose transforms the old classroom with new models that offer personalized instruction for students. Milton Chen closes by sharing examples of 21st century innovations in education, which can be further explored at Edutopia.org and in his recently published book, Education Nation.  They spoke at the NewSchools Summit, an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund. This podcast is sponsored by Social Innovation Conversations. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/using_technology_to_achieve_ambitious_goals_newschools_venture_summit_panel

Three films, Waiting for “Superman”, The Lottery, and Teached, all of which provide a candid and critical look at U.S. public education, hit the big screen this year. Positioned to generate conversation and action about education reform, these documentaries take you into the lives of children and families who are struggling in a system that is failing them. 2010 Sundance Audience Award winner Waiting for “Superman” has garnered attention through its support from Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Mark Zuckerberg, among others. This panel of filmmakers speaks on their experiences telling these powerful stories and offers ways for the audience to be part of the solution in their own communities and via media platforms. They spoke at the 2010 NewSchools Summit, an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/schools_hit_the_big_screen_influencing_the_public_mindset

With numerous examples of success in social innovation from the education sector to draw from, the U.S. Administration and Congress propose to scale proven models of excellence to school systems across the country. This is the opportunity to make a dramatic shift away from the status quo and rapidly transform public education through federal reform.  CEO of NewSchools Ted Mitchell has a conversation with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor Congressman George Miller, addressing a gathering of thought leaders, practitioners and entrepreneurs in the field of education at the NewSchools Summit 2010, an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund.  They speak on policy changes and practices that are part of a full-fledged effort to turn schools around. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/arne_duncan_and_george_miller_-_newschools_venture_summit

Education has been a rich area for social entrepreneurship over the past few decades. In this panel discussion from the NewSchools Summit, several prominent educational reformers discuss their work, their goals, and what they’ve accomplished. They consider the radical changes in education in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, where more than 60 percent of students attend a charter school and parents all over the city have a choice regarding where to send their children. They speak about the importance of pushing innovation in education reform. And they share the importance of having a political strategy to back up educational efforts. The 2010 NewSchools Summit was an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund. Kevin Chavous is a noted attorney, author and national school reform leader. As a former member of the Council of the District of Columbia and chair of the Council’s Education Committee, Chavous was at the forefront of promoting change within the district public school system. His efforts led to more than 500 million new dollars being made available to educate children in Washingon, D.C. Chavous is a partner at the law firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP. Walter Isaacson is the president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan educational and policy studies institute based in Washington, D.C. He has been the chairman and CEO of CNN and the editor of Time magazine. Isaacson is the chairman of the board of Teach for America, which recruits recent college graduates to teach in underserved communities. He was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and other international broadcasts of the United States. Ted Mitchell is the president and CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund. He also serves as president of the California State Board of Education. He serves on the board of directors of Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, Bellwether Education Partners, EnCorps, Friendship Public Charter School, Green Dot Public Schools, and New Leaders for New Schools. Lindsay Neil has dedicated herself to improving childrens’ lives through education, including raising money to build a school in Nicaragua that she later managed during a two-year stay there. She spent several years working in the nonprofit sector providing direct services to children and families at an immigrant advocacy organization and school-based family resource center in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and the Safe City Juvenile Diversion Program in Denver. With the goal of making larger-scale change for children, she spent the last four years as the government affairs director of the Colorado Children’s Campaign, where she strategically planned and lobbied their policy agenda and directed their grassroots advocacy network, It’s About Kids. Michelle Rhee‘s commitment to excellence in education began in a Baltimore classroom in 1992 as a Teach For America teacher. At Harlem Park Community School, she learned the lesson that informs her work every day: a city’s teachers are the most powerful driving force behind student achievement in a school. Chancellor Rhee founded The New Teacher Project (TNTP) in 1997, a leading organization in understanding and developing innovative solutions to the challenges of new teacher hiring. Her work with TNTP implemented widespread reform in teacher hiring practices, improving teacher hiring in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Miami, New York, Oakland, and Philadelphia. Rhee is currently the chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools. Jonathan Schorr is a partner in the San Francisco office of the NewSchools Venture Fund. He leads NewSchools’ field-building efforts, including the annual summit and the Community of Practice, and oversees NewSchools’ policy advocacy, publications and public relations, as well as data analysis. Schorr brings experience in both entrepreneurial education reform and in communications. Prior to joining NewSchools, Jonathan served as director of New Initiatives at the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Foundation, a network of high-performing inner-city public schools. There, he led the foundation’s work in elementary schools and high schools, and its services to its alumni nationwide. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/educational_entrepreneurship

This intergenerational panel discussion at NewSchools Summit 2010 conference highlights how the civil rights and education reform movements are similar. Experts explore how we may draw on lessons from the civil rights movement for tackling what many consider today’s most important social justice issue: closing the achievement gaps that persist in public education. Entrepreneurs will be inspired to redouble their actions in addressing the inequities in education that remain unresolved and to take aggressive action to push the movement toward accomplishing even more ambitious goals. The NewSchools Summit 2010 is an event convened by the NewSchools Venture Fund. Byron Auguste is the director of McKinsey’s Social Sector Office. Based in Washington, D.C., since 2007, Auguste spent 14 years in McKinsey’s Los Angeles office, where he was elected principal in 1999 and director in 2005. His work focused on helping technology and services companies to achieve faster growth, greater productivity, and higher profitability, and on designing and building information and services businesses. He founded and led globally McKinsey’s High Tech Services Sector, served on the firm’s global committees that elect and evaluate new partners, and leads its diversity initiative globally. He is a co-founder and board chairman of Hope Street Group, a nationwide, nonpartisan, volunteer organization of professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs that develops and promotes Opportunity Economics public policies for the U.S. Mike Feinberg currently serves as superintendent of KIPP Houston. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991, he joined Teach For America and became a fifth grade bilingual teacher in Houston ISD. In 1994, Feinberg co-founded the Knowledge Is Power Program along with fellow TFA corps member Dave Levin; in 1995 he founded KIPP Academy in Houston. In 1994, along with Dave Levin, he was awarded the Thomas B. Fordham Prize for Excellence in Education and the National Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen in 2006. Howard Fuller is a distinguished professor of education, and founder/director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Immediately before his appointment at Marquette University, Fuller served as the superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. Kati Haycock is president of The Education Trust. One of the nation’s leading child advocates in education, she previously served as executive vice president of the Children’s Defense Fund, the nation’s largest child-advocacy organization. Haycock founded and served as president of the Achievement Council, a statewide organization that helps teachers and principals in predominantly minority schools improve student achievement. Before that, she served as director of the outreach and student affirmative-action programs for the nine-campus University of California System. Rebecca Nieves Huffman serves as vice president at the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), where she manages the grant making work of the organization through its Fund for Authorizing Excellence. Before joining NACSA, Huffman served for five years as president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (Hispanic CREO), an organization that is the national voice for the right of Latino parents to access all educational options and is an agent of change and equity in education. Prior to that, she was the associate director of recruitment and selection for the KIPP Foundation. Remington Wiley is a student at Spelman College. As an international studies major and Spanish minor, Remington has traveled to 13 countries. With a growing passion for education reform, post-graduation Remington will return home to teach at KIPP Academy as a 2010 corps member for Teach for America. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/closing_achievement_gaps

It has been an unprecedented time for education entrepreneurs, with the federal government increasing funding available to innovative nonprofits, engaging social innovators in the development of policy, and highlighting the work of entrepreneurs as exemplars to be followed. In this panel discussion at the NewSchools Summit 2010 conference, Bridgespan Group partner Susan Colby discusses the state of education reform. Education entrepreneurs follow by sharing how innovative ideas, models, and policies may be focused and scaled so that more children can get the education they deserve. They also consider what the broader results of this change will look like a decade from now, and what path will the movement need to take to spark true systemic change in public education. Susan Colby is a founding partner of Bridgespan Group’s San Francisco office, where she leads the organization’s work in K-12 education and foundation strategy. She joined Bridgespan from Pharmacia (previously Monsanto), where she served as co-president of the sustainable development sector. Prior to Monsanto, Susan spent 10 years at McKinsey & Company, where she co-founded and co-led the North American environment practice. Stig Leschly is the founder and managing partner of the Newark Charter School Fund, an operating foundation financed by national philanthropies to support public school reform in Newark, NJ. Formerly, he was a lecturer at Harvard Business School, where his research and teaching covered entrepreneurship and education reform. From 1997 to 2000, Leschly was the CEO and founder of Exchange.com, an early competitor to eBay.com, which was acquired by Amazon.com in 1999. Stig Leschly is the founder and managing partner of the Newark Charter School Fund, an operating foundation financed by national philanthropies to support public school reform in Newark, NJ. Formerly, he was a lecturer at Harvard Business School, where his research and teaching covered entrepreneurship and education reform. From 1997 to 2000, Leschly was the CEO and founder of Exchange.com, an early competitor to eBay.com, which was acquired by Amazon.com in 1999. Larry Berger is CEO and co-founder of Wireless Generation, a company that helps PreK-12 educators to teach smarter through the sensitive and innovative application of technology in the classroom. Under his leadership, the company has developed software for mobile devices that makes formative assessment instructionally useful to teachers, “next generation” curriculum customized throughout the school year to students’ needs, and large-scale data systems that centralize student information and integrate knowledge management tools to spur teacher collaborations. Berger was a Rhodes Scholar and a White House Fellow working on educational technology at NASA. Alexandra (Alex) Bernadotte is the founder and CEO of Beyond 12 (formerly CollegeSUCCESS), a national technology-based services organization whose mission is to increase the number of first generation, underrepresented and low-income students who graduate from our nation’s colleges and universities. In January of 2009, she was hired by NewSchools Venture Fund as an entrepreneur in residence to guide the development and business planning for a new venture focused on helping underserved students graduate from college. Bernadotte has more than 14 years of executive management and strategic development experience in both the nonprofit and private sectors. Eva Moskowitz is CEO of Success Charter Network. In August 2006, she founded Harlem Success Academy, hailed by NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein as “one of the best charter schools in the country,” and cited by NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for its “amazing performance.” Moskowitz opened three more Harlem charter schools in August 2008. She is a former New York City Council member and chair of the Council’s Education Committee. Jon Schnur is CEO and co-founder of New Leaders for New Schools, a national nonprofit organization focused on improving learning and school leadership. From September 2008 to June 2009, Schnur served as an advisor to Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign, a member of the presidential transition team, and a senior advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Before founding New Leaders, he was a special assistant to Secretary of Education Richard Riley, President Clinton’s White House associate director for educational policy, and senior advisor on education to Vice President Gore. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/scaling_impact_in_education