April 1, 2025 • 28 mins
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Dr. Alesia Gillison's powerful journey from track champion to educational leader demonstrates how authentic belief transforms lives and systems. Faith anchors Gillison's approach to both personal challenges and professional leadership. Her powerful statement – "You don't have to prove to me that you're worthy; you're worthy because God made you" – captures the unconditional belief that drives her work with students, especially those society has marginalized. As a former state record-holder who anchored relay teams at Dayton Dunbar High School, Dr. Gillison learned early that "no one can outwork me" – a philosophy that became foundational to her approach in education.
Her unconventional path included a broadcasting career as "the mixtress of melody" at WDAO before a substitute teaching assignment revealed her gift for connecting with students. Using her radio personality to motivate middle schoolers, she caught the attention of a principal who promised to hire her if she earned her teaching license. That pivotal moment redirected her life toward educational leadership that would impact thousands of students.
Throughout leadership positions at Columbus City Schools and now as Assistant Superintendent at Pickerington Local Schools, Gillison has consistently challenged the "belief gap" – the false assumption that urban students, English learners, or special education students cannot achieve at the same level as their suburban peers. At Pickerington, she's doubled diversity in College Credit Plus and Advanced Placement courses by removing barriers and actively inviting historically excluded students into rigorous academic opportunities. "If you believe in them, you're going to invite them in," she explains, demonstrating how intention creates access.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gillison orchestrated extraordinary community partnerships, securing laptops for students and establishing 122 learning sites through faith-based organizations where students could access Wi-Fi. This exemplifies her commitment to "braiding" support around students through interconnected home, school, and community relationships.
Listen to this inspiring conversation about representation, belief, and creating educational environments where all students recognize their inherent worth and potential. Subscribe now to hear more stories about building legacies that transform communities.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
And my latest challenge, the total knee
replacement, has been really,really tough, but I'm getting
better and better every day,because I wake up praying, I go
to bed praying and God walkswith me and we are His children.
Sometimes we lose our way andsometimes there's so much static
out there, but we have to focuson our children and watch them
(00:21):
grow up and be there for themand pour into them and believe
in them.
You don't have to prove to methat you're worthy.
You're worthy because God madeyou.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to Be A Baller where we're building a
lifelong legacy for our families, communities and the world.
Your host, coach Tim Brown, isexcited for you to join him on
this journey.
On each episode, we'll betalking about how to be
intentional about building alasting legacy.
We'll be exploring what itmeans to leave a mark that goes
beyond just our lives but has apositive impact on those around
(00:55):
us and even generations to come.
So if you're looking forinspiration, guidance and
practical tips on how to build alasting legacy that makes a
difference, then you're in theright place.
So grab your earbuds, getcomfortable and let's dive in.
It's time to be a baller.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Welcome to Be a Baller podcast.
I'm your host, coach Tim Brown.
On this podcast, we celebrateindividuals who have made a
lasting impact on theircommunity.
Today we're joined by Dr LisaGillison, the Chief Academic
Officer and AssistantSuperintendent for Pickerton
Local School District in Ohio.
Dr Gillison has been a championfor students, parents and
(01:33):
community engagement forsuccessful schools.
Dr Gillison, welcome to Be ABaller podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Thank you.
Thank you so much, coach Brown,and it's an honor.
You know, I've looked at someof the folks that you had on
this podcast and to think that Icould actually be sitting in
front of this microphone.
I have to thank you as humblyas I can.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
You're a baller, and you were definitely a baller at
Dayton Dunbar that's the word onthe streets is that you just
didn't run track, you were atrack star.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
That is correct.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Love it, I love it.
The word is that you were thefirst female to compete in the
state state finals in the 400,doing a little research, and you
anchored that four by two andthat four by four relay team.
I have done your research.
I ain't playing now, absolutely.
I went to the archives and whenI saw, when I say you anchored
it, you anchored that too.
I anchored it.
Yes, but when you was, you werea junior then, weren't you?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I was a junior in high school in 1981.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And set the record in the 400-meter dash.
And four by two when I got thebaton, we were in last place.
When we crossed the line, wewere in second place when I
crossed the line we were insecond place.
Come on now.
I just needed a couple moresteps.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
You got that.
That's good.
That's good.
Now, at that time were theyrunning in a horseshoe?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yes, we were in a horseshoe.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Can you share that experience?
I know that was something.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Oh it was.
Share that experience.
I know that was something.
Oh it was, you could go upunder the horseshoe and that's
where you kind of warmed up.
And then you came out and it wasjust crowds of folks, and
what's so funny is folks used tosit up there and they used to
gamble like bet who was going towin, oh Lord.
(03:22):
And it was my first time in asingle event, and so everyone
was betting against me.
I had no idea any of this wasgoing on, and so my mom was
there.
Mom says I'm going to bet onthe little skinny girl right
there, and so everybody isplacing their bets and
everything, because they'd neverheard of me, right?
(03:43):
And then I won and set therecord.
Mom won some money.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Mom did all right Mom did all right.
Well, I bet if it was NIL timesyou'd really been good.
That's good stuff, you know.
Can you share with the audiencethat experience and life
lessons you learned fromcompeting in athletics audience
that?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
experience and life lessons you learned from
competing in athletics.
When you compete in athletics,track and field is a little
different than basketball andfootball, lacrosse and those
others, because there's anindividual component, but
nevertheless, you still have tooperate as a team.
Everybody has a job to do andjust working as a team and
(04:29):
believing in your team the onething no team could say is that
they outworked us.
We worked really hard and weknew that when we stepped on the
track.
Each and every one of us, weknow we deserve to be here and
we could look to our left tolane four, look to my right in
(04:49):
lanes two and one, and know thatnobody has worked harder than
I've worked.
And I found that lesson.
It translates to education andit translates to life.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Work hard.
That's good, you know.
You're also a member of theDane Dunbar Wall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
That is correct, that was.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Now you know, some schools have a Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
You know, dunbar, y'all got a Wall of Fame.
Yes, sir.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
So how was that honor ?
Speaker 1 (05:20):
What does that honor mean to you?
It was an amazing honor One.
I was one of the first femalesto be inducted in the.
Hall of Fame because I was thefirst to actually win a state
championship and all of mycoaches came.
That I have not seen in yearsand, believe it or not, I
(05:42):
graduated in 1982.
The class of 1982 came out tocelebrate with me and my family.
It was beautiful.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
That's good stuff, you know from there.
You attended SouthernUniversity in Baton Rouge,
louisiana.
How did a young lady fromDayton Ohio choose a school?
I'm not talking about the South.
Baton Rouge is deep south, deepsouth lsu country.
You know how did you choose toattend school there?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
so, um, I always wanted to go to hbcu and back in
the 80s southern university wasthe largest hbcu in the nation
and the coach came up, visitedfamily, showed me pictures of
palm trees, told me about theweather.
And it was a full scholarshipbooks, lodging, everything A
(06:34):
full four-year scholarship.
So I had offers from LSU, butit wasn't an HBCU, other
universities, osu.
At the time Mamie Rollins wasthe coach there at OSU but I
needed to get away from the snow.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And I wanted to be at an HBCU.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Wow, how was that experience?
How was that HBU experience inthe 80s?
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Back in the 80s, just seeing so many people that
looked just like you and havinginstructors who only accepted
your best.
I had a class and I turned inmy final project and, professor
Rochon, she looked at it and shesaid, you know, this is not
your best.
(07:18):
And I'm like, yeah, it's mybest.
And she was like, well, if it'syour best, I'm going to take it
, but if you think you could dobetter, I'm going to give it
back to you and give you 24hours to turn it in again.
And if you think in ordinaryclassrooms they would have just
accepted your work and I was acollege student kind of feeling
(07:41):
myself down there at SouthernUniversity and it was not my
best.
But she gave it back to me, Iturned it in and it was the best
and it's a promo that they wereusing to recruit other students
to Southern.
My bachelor's was in radio andtelevision broadcasting so I had
(08:01):
created a commercial that theyturned into a promo.
Nice, so she got her best outof me.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Oh yeah, yes, Now, speaking of that, you started
out in radio television producerand a radio air personality.
Absolutely.
What was your name on the air?
Give us something, spit outsomething for us now.
Come on.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
At least you can see the mixtress of melody Right
there.
I worked at WDAO in Dayton Ohio, WDAO.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Yes, yes, so you was a homegirl coming back home.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Homegirl coming back home yeah.
I had lots of fun with that aswell, so you did.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So I know you shipped education.
You earned a teacher's license,master's degree in educational
leadership.
What led you to become aneducator and a coach?
I know you coached as well.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Coached as well, and that is a very good question.
So when I was in airpersonality, I loved it.
So when I was an heirpersonality, I loved it.
Dayton is a relatively smallmarket and I was a single parent
at the time and the insuranceit was tough being a single
parent.
And so then I said, well, maybeI can work two jobs.
(09:15):
And so then I startedsubstitute teaching.
And I started my substituteteaching at a middle school
sixth, seventh and eighth gradeand I was there.
The teacher had broken herankle, so I was there for about
a week and then I was sent toanother school.
(09:37):
The teacher came back.
When I went back to thisparticular school, the principal
said the teacher really wantsto meet you.
He introduced us.
She said I've never had asubstitute that had the kids
doing all of their work and itwas quality work.
And the caveat I had over thekids was, since I was an air
(09:58):
personality, I would play their,tell them the tune and I'd play
their song Come on now.
Come on now.
And the principal shared withme.
He said if you go back toschool to get your teaching,
license he said, I will keep youhere at.
Fairview Middle School until youget your license, and then I
will hire you.
So that is exactly what I did.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Wow, wow, that's a great story.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
So you was playing their request.
Yes, I was playing theirrequest, the request line this
goes out to, and they loved itand they couldn't wait for me to
come in the next day and theywould have.
So whoever was on their bestbehavior and turned in their
best work.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Wow, that's the hook girl.
You found the hook, you foundthe hook, you found the hook.
You know you've had animpressive career with numerous
leadership roles in ColumbusCity Schools and now at
Pickerton Local School.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
There was a time when I first met you was over at the
.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
You were a part of small schools.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
That is correct.
Yeah, it's part of smallschools Project with small
schools, and I came as aleadership trainee and I worked
with Dr Talisa Dixon so she wasto train me, teach me everything
.
Yeah, so did that for a whileand then Talisa, or Dr Dixon,
was promoted to be the principaland she was over a small school
(11:28):
, had really worked hard on thissmall school.
It was called the LeadershipInstitute and since I had worked
closely with her, I knew thevision.
Then I became the leader of theLeadership Institute.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Then I became the leader of the Leadership
Institute.
Can you talk about some of theinitiatives and how that
experience helped you prepareyou for being a principal?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Oh, absolutely With that, because you know that was
funded by Bill and Melinda Gates.
That was with the knowledgework.
So I had a leadership coach andan instructional coach.
On top of that I got to workvery closely with Dr Dixon and
the professional developmentthat that afforded us and
(12:13):
afforded me.
I still lean on those learningstoday.
And the premise behind it wasBrookhaven was one large campus
with three small schools andwith a smaller student body.
I knew all of my kids, I knewall of their aspirations, I knew
all of their parents and then Icould be their cheerleader.
(12:36):
So it was a very I hated to seeit go away because I thought it
went really well and when youlook at the list of students
that graduated and how they'redoing today, that was an
experiment that worked outreally well.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yes, you know your first head principal position
was at Eastmore Academy.
You went there and I understandyou work with two fellow Dayton
Ohio teachers.
Yes, george Lewis over there.
You had Sean Taylor over there.
George Lewis and Sean Taylorand the word is you were kind of
their big sister over there.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Yes, they took care of me.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Yeah, they took care of you over there, but you
created this.
You know, at that time I thinkit was a staff vision statement
that you came up with and thatEastmore motto was legendary.
Oh, absolutely, I only know thebeginning of it.
I'll start.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I can do it all.
As a matter of fact, you couldcall up any young person, any
parent.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Yes, Give it to us.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Eastmore Academy students are rigorously educated
in a nurturing environment,prepared for a lifetime of
learning, leadership and service, and empowered to be
responsible citizens of theworld Wow.
Yeah, wow, and we started everyassembly with it, every PTO
(13:57):
meeting with the parents.
Anytime we came togethercollectively and at the
beginning of the year to get infootball games, our kids didn't
have their IDs.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
So they had to say the vicious statement.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
And we had some kids from Independence trying to get
in.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
They had learned the first couple of lines and then I
said, okay, you don't know.
I said well, who's theprincipal?
And they were like I don't knowwho that dude is.
I don't know who that dude is.
So I was like okay, back of theline.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
That's funny.
That's funny.
So what was your premise behindthat?
What was the meaning behind it?
Were you trying to engrave thatin the students, or what was
the focus of them learning that?
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Well, our vision statement and I have to give our
staff kudos.
We went on a retreat in thebeginning of the school year of
my first year and then we talkedabout.
I asked them does Eastmore havea vision?
They all said, yeah, yeah, wehave vision.
So I put chart paper on thetable.
I said write the vision.
(15:01):
They couldn't write it.
Well, if you can't write thevision, you don't know the
vision right.
And the purpose of a vision isfor you to see where you want to
go.
And with the staff's buy-in,the staff actually wrote it.
Wow, we tweaked it a bitgrammatically and it became the
(15:24):
vision of what we wanted forevery student, what we wanted
for every staff member in ourbuilding.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
That's good you know.
You transferred, transitioneddown to district-wide leadership
with Columbus City Schools andyou were there in that position
during COVID.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
So can you talk about and you put a lot of
initiatives, spearheading a lotof initiatives, so our students
wouldn't get behind.
Can you share some of thatinformation and some of those
things you spearheaded and whythat was so important to you?
Speaker 1 (15:55):
COVID, that pandemic was devastating.
And when you think about theisolation students can't come to
school.
And then many of our studentswe weren't a at that time.
We weren't a one-to-onedistrict, meaning every student
had their own laptop.
So I worked with severalorganizations I know I can
(16:24):
several organizations I know Ican Organization AEP and some
other big donors so that we canmake sure that every kid had a
laptop at home.
Now that we've tackled that,not every family had internet,
and so I worked with ourfaith-based leaders.
And so I worked with ourfaith-based leaders in the
Columbus area to open up theirchurches during the day so that
(16:49):
students could come in, connectto Wi-Fi to be able to connect
with their teachers in class,and that's how the early
learning centers were born.
So I have to really give a shoutout to the faith-based leaders,
because we had over 122learning sites for our kids and
(17:10):
then I Know I Can would go outand kind of help man sites to be
those extra hands on deckduring that time.
So we know that when you thinkabout urban education and
Columbus City Schools being thelargest district in the state of
Ohio and then you think aboutthe challenges of an urban
(17:34):
district, we could not afford tosit back and do nothing and the
community rallied behind that.
So Nationwide Children'sHospital we had plenty of
organizations working with us tomake sure our kids had what
they needed.
Nationwide Children's Hospitalused to take their mobile
(17:58):
vaccination center and we wouldshare it with families so that
they can go and get all of theirshots before school and COVID
vaccines and all of that.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
So yeah, it was a good time.
As we talk about that time andthe challenges during that time
and I know you're a strongproponent of interconnectedness
of home, school and community ina student's success you talk
about why is that so importantto you I know that's your hot
button why is that so importantto you.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
It is so important because it boils down to one
word, and that word is belief.
And at school we can pour intokids.
We believe in you, but they gotto hear it at home and they got
to hear it in the community.
And then they have to do morethan hear it.
(18:52):
We have to show them that webelieve in them and to continue
pouring into them.
And it takes that.
Some people call it athree-legged stool or a tripod.
You know, I call it braiding itaround the kid, because that
reinforces everything that ourkids need as they develop and
(19:12):
grow.
Are they going to make mistakes?
Absolutely, but you learn fromit.
I believe in you, you can dothis.
But they can't just hear it atschool.
They've got to hear it at homeand they've got to hear it in
the community.
And unfortunately, where we areright now with our current
government administration theend of DEI, the end of really
(19:36):
teaching those historical thingswe've got to do that.
That's where community andparents come in.
So we have to pick up thatslack.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
That's great.
I think I particularly lovewhat you said about the
community piece.
You know how important it isfor the community to believe in
our children.
It's also important for ourcommunity to be those models.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Because you can't be what you can't see.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
And that's representation.
You said it, Coach Brown Ifthey don't see it, they won't
aspire to be it.
And all we have to do is justgive them a spark to be it, and
all we have to do is just givethem a spark.
So it's our responsibility tobe that representation for them
(20:20):
to let them know who we are andhow we got here, which goes back
to my athletic days.
No one can outwork me.
No one can outwork me.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
And you got that from somewhere.
Yes, you know, because you knowwe grew up we watched others,
you know, absolutely.
We watched how hard our parentsworked, we watched people in
the community, you know, and wehad that school pride.
This is Dunbar.
I went to Shaw High School.
We had some pride in Shaw, weCardinals, you know.
Yes, nobody might work theCardinals now.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
And our parents worked hard.
Oh, they did.
And our grandparents workedhard and we saw it.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Yes, we saw it.
Yeah, we saw it.
So it was not too—you know, Iknow you're also a strong woman
of faith.
Can you talk about the rolefaith has?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
played in your life, in your journey.
I'm going to take it back tothat word belief.
Just like I believe that thereis a God in heaven, I believe
that he is not waiting on theother side for me, that he is
walking with me and through allof the hills, the valleys and
the challenges, those thingsthat I can look back on now and
(21:26):
say he brought me and he's herewith me.
My latest challenge, the totalknee replacement, has been
really, really tough, but I'mgetting better and better every
day, because I wake up praying,I go to bed praying and God
walks with me and we are hischildren and sometimes we lose
(21:49):
our way and sometimes there's somuch static out there.
But we have to focus on ourchildren and watch them grow up
and be there for them and pourinto them and believe in them.
You don't have to prove to methat you're worthy.
You're worthy because God madeyou right, and that's what we
(22:10):
have to tell our kids, andsometimes that's what I have to
tell myself as well.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Amen, totally honest.
We have to remind ourselves,you know when we're going
through, that we're just goingthrough.
You know we ain't staying there.
You know we're just goingthrough, passing through.
Wow, that's great.
You know you're currentlyworking in the Pickerington
local school district asassistant superintendent.
Can you tell the audience aboutsome of those current
(22:35):
initiatives that you're workingon?
I know you're working on some.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Yes, yes we are.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
We've got some stuff going.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
So you know, coming from Columbus City Schools and a
lot of that was trial and error, but we know if, whatever we do
, we have the best interests ofthe child and we really want our
parents to and our communitysee our kids in a different
light.
When I first got to, it's beenfour years since I've been in
(23:00):
Pickerington and there's aprogram called College Credits
Plus College Credit Plus andthat is where high school kids
can take college courses at nocost to their parents.
So I looked at the demographicsof who are these kids that are
taking these courses?
Well, it wasn't very diverse,and so I challenged our building
(23:25):
administrators, I challengedour counselors and had several
meetings with parents,challenging them.
Because Pickerington is a placewhere, for advanced coursework,
you used to have to have arecommendation from another
teacher.
They did away with that, so nowanyone can take advanced
(23:47):
coursework.
So I look at the advancedcoursework list not diverse.
And they were like well, wedon't have barriers.
And I said but you're notinviting them in.
If you believe in them, you'regoing to invite them in.
So invite them into the course,because you've you had that
gate up there for so long.
Now that it's gone, they'reconditioned to just walk past
(24:10):
the class.
Now that it's gone, they'reconditioned to just walk past
the class.
So I can say that we havedoubled our diversity in our
College Credit Plus and in ourAdvanced Courses, ap classes.
So those are some of the thingsthat I'm most proud of.
So there are a plethora ofinitiatives.
We do a big block party in thebeginning of the year of
(24:32):
initiatives.
We do a big block party in thebeginning of the year that's for
the entire community to comeout, see our kids food trucks,
live bands, games for kids andjust a really good time for the
community to set the year offright.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
That's great.
You're at that stage now.
Someone on the podcast talkedabout it's good to have a mentor
.
It was Jordan Miller.
It's good to have a mentor.
But we need sponsors.
Yes, and you're that nowbecause you're the one in the
room pounding the tableAbsolutely, and they're pounding
.
Give these kids a chance, youknow.
Expose them to it.
(25:05):
They can do it, they can do it.
Just give them that opportunity.
You know, and the Lord hasblessed you to be at that level
now where you're that sponsorand I'm just so proud of you and
all those things that you'redoing.
You know, this is a legacypodcast.
What is the legacy of Dr AliciaGillison?
What is your legacy, drGillison?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
It goes back to.
This is a two words.
So I talked about belief, butthere is a belief gap in society
and that is the belief thatinner city kids, urban students,
special education students,english learners, can't achieve
like their suburban counterparts.
(25:45):
That's false.
We have to close that gap.
So, once we continue to closethat gap and pour in and you see
it, when you think about thekids from from Brookhaven's
Lorraine Levels, who is now DrDr Lorraine Butler, kareem
(26:06):
McCants, chris Johnson, youthink about Seth Towns, you
think about Leslie Turner Icould go on and on Jaleesa
Capers these are young peoplethat we poured into and it has
manifested in greatness andthat's what we have to continue
doing.
Coach, you said something aboutrepresentation.
(26:27):
We've got to represent and, yes, we have some young people out
there doing things we don'tnecessarily improve of, but you
don't chastise them.
You sit down and you talk aboutthem and you talk to them and
you tell them that you believethat there's greatness in them,
because there is, because theyare a child of God.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Amen, what a legacy.
Yes, well, this brings us tothe end of today's episode with
Dr Gillis.
I want to thank you for sharingyour story with us today.
I love that DJ story.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And also thank you for your commitment to education
and the community is trulyinspiring.
Thank you for answering thatcall, educating our children,
and your leadership at thedistrict, district wide level.
You are truly a role model,inspiration.
Young educators See you in aposition of education leadership
.
They know they can do it aswell, absolutely so.
I want to thank you for beingon the show.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Thank you so much for having me.
It's been an honor to audience.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
You can always make sure you subscribe to the
podcast, where you can keep upto date on all our latest
episodes.
Once again, continue to build alifelong legacy.
I'm your host, coach Tim Brown.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it
with family and friends.
The Be A Baller podcast isavailable on all major podcast
platforms.
This podcast was created byCoach Tim Brown and recorded and
edited by the video productionclass of Worthington Christian
High School.
Be sure to come back next weekas we continue to discuss on how
to build a lifelong legacy.
(28:02):
Until then, don't forget to bea baller.
And my latest challenge, the total knee
replacement, has been really,really tough, but I'm getting
better and better every day,because I wake up praying, I go
to bed praying and God walkswith me and we are His children.
Sometimes we lose our way andsometimes there's so much static
out there, but we have to focuson our children and watch them
(00:21):
grow up and be there for themand pour into them and believe
in them.
You don't have to prove to methat you're worthy.
You're worthy because God madeyou.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to Be A Baller where we're building a
lifelong legacy for our families, communities and the world.
Your host, coach Tim Brown, isexcited for you to join him on
this journey.
On each episode, we'll betalking about how to be
intentional about building alasting legacy.
We'll be exploring what itmeans to leave a mark that goes
beyond just our lives but has apositive impact on those around
(00:55):
us and even generations to come.
So if you're looking forinspiration, guidance and
practical tips on how to build alasting legacy that makes a
difference, then you're in theright place.
So grab your earbuds, getcomfortable and let's dive in.
It's time to be a baller.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Welcome to Be a Baller podcast.
I'm your host, coach Tim Brown.
On this podcast, we celebrateindividuals who have made a
lasting impact on theircommunity.
Today we're joined by Dr LisaGillison, the Chief Academic
Officer and AssistantSuperintendent for Pickerton
Local School District in Ohio.
Dr Gillison has been a championfor students, parents and
(01:33):
community engagement forsuccessful schools.
Dr Gillison, welcome to Be ABaller podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Thank you.
Thank you so much, coach Brown,and it's an honor.
You know, I've looked at someof the folks that you had on
this podcast and to think that Icould actually be sitting in
front of this microphone.
I have to thank you as humblyas I can.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
You're a baller, and you were definitely a baller at
Dayton Dunbar that's the word onthe streets is that you just
didn't run track, you were atrack star.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
That is correct.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Love it, I love it.
The word is that you were thefirst female to compete in the
state state finals in the 400,doing a little research, and you
anchored that four by two andthat four by four relay team.
I have done your research.
I ain't playing now, absolutely.
I went to the archives and whenI saw, when I say you anchored
it, you anchored that too.
I anchored it.
Yes, but when you was, you werea junior then, weren't you?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I was a junior in high school in 1981.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
And set the record in the 400-meter dash.
And four by two when I got thebaton, we were in last place.
When we crossed the line, wewere in second place when I
crossed the line we were insecond place.
Come on now.
I just needed a couple moresteps.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
You got that.
That's good.
That's good.
Now, at that time were theyrunning in a horseshoe?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yes, we were in a horseshoe.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Can you share that experience?
I know that was something.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Oh it was.
Share that experience.
I know that was something.
Oh it was, you could go upunder the horseshoe and that's
where you kind of warmed up.
And then you came out and it wasjust crowds of folks, and
what's so funny is folks used tosit up there and they used to
gamble like bet who was going towin, oh Lord.
(03:22):
And it was my first time in asingle event, and so everyone
was betting against me.
I had no idea any of this wasgoing on, and so my mom was
there.
Mom says I'm going to bet onthe little skinny girl right
there, and so everybody isplacing their bets and
everything, because they'd neverheard of me, right?
(03:43):
And then I won and set therecord.
Mom won some money.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Mom did all right Mom did all right.
Well, I bet if it was NIL timesyou'd really been good.
That's good stuff, you know.
Can you share with the audiencethat experience and life
lessons you learned fromcompeting in athletics audience
that?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
experience and life lessons you learned from
competing in athletics.
When you compete in athletics,track and field is a little
different than basketball andfootball, lacrosse and those
others, because there's anindividual component, but
nevertheless, you still have tooperate as a team.
Everybody has a job to do andjust working as a team and
(04:29):
believing in your team the onething no team could say is that
they outworked us.
We worked really hard and weknew that when we stepped on the
track.
Each and every one of us, weknow we deserve to be here and
we could look to our left tolane four, look to my right in
(04:49):
lanes two and one, and know thatnobody has worked harder than
I've worked.
And I found that lesson.
It translates to education andit translates to life.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Work hard.
That's good, you know.
You're also a member of theDane Dunbar Wall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
That is correct, that was.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Now you know, some schools have a Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
You know, dunbar, y'all got a Wall of Fame.
Yes, sir.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
So how was that honor ?
Speaker 1 (05:20):
What does that honor mean to you?
It was an amazing honor One.
I was one of the first femalesto be inducted in the.
Hall of Fame because I was thefirst to actually win a state
championship and all of mycoaches came.
That I have not seen in yearsand, believe it or not, I
(05:42):
graduated in 1982.
The class of 1982 came out tocelebrate with me and my family.
It was beautiful.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
That's good stuff, you know from there.
You attended SouthernUniversity in Baton Rouge,
louisiana.
How did a young lady fromDayton Ohio choose a school?
I'm not talking about the South.
Baton Rouge is deep south, deepsouth lsu country.
You know how did you choose toattend school there?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
so, um, I always wanted to go to hbcu and back in
the 80s southern university wasthe largest hbcu in the nation
and the coach came up, visitedfamily, showed me pictures of
palm trees, told me about theweather.
And it was a full scholarshipbooks, lodging, everything A
(06:34):
full four-year scholarship.
So I had offers from LSU, butit wasn't an HBCU, other
universities, osu.
At the time Mamie Rollins wasthe coach there at OSU but I
needed to get away from the snow.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And I wanted to be at an HBCU.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Wow, how was that experience?
How was that HBU experience inthe 80s?
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Back in the 80s, just seeing so many people that
looked just like you and havinginstructors who only accepted
your best.
I had a class and I turned inmy final project and, professor
Rochon, she looked at it and shesaid, you know, this is not
your best.
(07:18):
And I'm like, yeah, it's mybest.
And she was like, well, if it'syour best, I'm going to take it
, but if you think you could dobetter, I'm going to give it
back to you and give you 24hours to turn it in again.
And if you think in ordinaryclassrooms they would have just
accepted your work and I was acollege student kind of feeling
(07:41):
myself down there at SouthernUniversity and it was not my
best.
But she gave it back to me, Iturned it in and it was the best
and it's a promo that they wereusing to recruit other students
to Southern.
My bachelor's was in radio andtelevision broadcasting so I had
(08:01):
created a commercial that theyturned into a promo.
Nice, so she got her best outof me.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Oh yeah, yes, Now, speaking of that, you started
out in radio television producerand a radio air personality.
Absolutely.
What was your name on the air?
Give us something, spit outsomething for us now.
Come on.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
At least you can see the mixtress of melody Right
there.
I worked at WDAO in Dayton Ohio, WDAO.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Yes, yes, so you was a homegirl coming back home.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Homegirl coming back home yeah.
I had lots of fun with that aswell, so you did.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So I know you shipped education.
You earned a teacher's license,master's degree in educational
leadership.
What led you to become aneducator and a coach?
I know you coached as well.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Coached as well, and that is a very good question.
So when I was in airpersonality, I loved it.
So when I was an heirpersonality, I loved it.
Dayton is a relatively smallmarket and I was a single parent
at the time and the insuranceit was tough being a single
parent.
And so then I said, well, maybeI can work two jobs.
(09:15):
And so then I startedsubstitute teaching.
And I started my substituteteaching at a middle school
sixth, seventh and eighth gradeand I was there.
The teacher had broken herankle, so I was there for about
a week and then I was sent toanother school.
(09:37):
The teacher came back.
When I went back to thisparticular school, the principal
said the teacher really wantsto meet you.
He introduced us.
She said I've never had asubstitute that had the kids
doing all of their work and itwas quality work.
And the caveat I had over thekids was, since I was an air
(09:58):
personality, I would play their,tell them the tune and I'd play
their song Come on now.
Come on now.
And the principal shared withme.
He said if you go back toschool to get your teaching,
license he said, I will keep youhere at.
Fairview Middle School until youget your license, and then I
will hire you.
So that is exactly what I did.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Wow, wow, that's a great story.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
So you was playing their request.
Yes, I was playing theirrequest, the request line this
goes out to, and they loved itand they couldn't wait for me to
come in the next day and theywould have.
So whoever was on their bestbehavior and turned in their
best work.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Wow, that's the hook girl.
You found the hook, you foundthe hook, you found the hook.
You know you've had animpressive career with numerous
leadership roles in ColumbusCity Schools and now at
Pickerton Local School.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
There was a time when I first met you was over at the
.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
You were a part of small schools.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
That is correct.
Yeah, it's part of smallschools Project with small
schools, and I came as aleadership trainee and I worked
with Dr Talisa Dixon so she wasto train me, teach me everything
.
Yeah, so did that for a whileand then Talisa, or Dr Dixon,
was promoted to be the principaland she was over a small school
(11:28):
, had really worked hard on thissmall school.
It was called the LeadershipInstitute and since I had worked
closely with her, I knew thevision.
Then I became the leader of theLeadership Institute.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Then I became the leader of the Leadership
Institute.
Can you talk about some of theinitiatives and how that
experience helped you prepareyou for being a principal?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Oh, absolutely With that, because you know that was
funded by Bill and Melinda Gates.
That was with the knowledgework.
So I had a leadership coach andan instructional coach.
On top of that I got to workvery closely with Dr Dixon and
the professional developmentthat that afforded us and
(12:13):
afforded me.
I still lean on those learningstoday.
And the premise behind it wasBrookhaven was one large campus
with three small schools andwith a smaller student body.
I knew all of my kids, I knewall of their aspirations, I knew
all of their parents and then Icould be their cheerleader.
(12:36):
So it was a very I hated to seeit go away because I thought it
went really well and when youlook at the list of students
that graduated and how they'redoing today, that was an
experiment that worked outreally well.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yes, you know your first head principal position
was at Eastmore Academy.
You went there and I understandyou work with two fellow Dayton
Ohio teachers.
Yes, george Lewis over there.
You had Sean Taylor over there.
George Lewis and Sean Taylorand the word is you were kind of
their big sister over there.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Yes, they took care of me.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Yeah, they took care of you over there, but you
created this.
You know, at that time I thinkit was a staff vision statement
that you came up with and thatEastmore motto was legendary.
Oh, absolutely, I only know thebeginning of it.
I'll start.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I can do it all.
As a matter of fact, you couldcall up any young person, any
parent.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Yes, Give it to us.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Eastmore Academy students are rigorously educated
in a nurturing environment,prepared for a lifetime of
learning, leadership and service, and empowered to be
responsible citizens of theworld Wow.
Yeah, wow, and we started everyassembly with it, every PTO
(13:57):
meeting with the parents.
Anytime we came togethercollectively and at the
beginning of the year to get infootball games, our kids didn't
have their IDs.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
So they had to say the vicious statement.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
And we had some kids from Independence trying to get
in.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
They had learned the first couple of lines and then I
said, okay, you don't know.
I said well, who's theprincipal?
And they were like I don't knowwho that dude is.
I don't know who that dude is.
So I was like okay, back of theline.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
That's funny.
That's funny.
So what was your premise behindthat?
What was the meaning behind it?
Were you trying to engrave thatin the students, or what was
the focus of them learning that?
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Well, our vision statement and I have to give our
staff kudos.
We went on a retreat in thebeginning of the school year of
my first year and then we talkedabout.
I asked them does Eastmore havea vision?
They all said, yeah, yeah, wehave vision.
So I put chart paper on thetable.
I said write the vision.
(15:01):
They couldn't write it.
Well, if you can't write thevision, you don't know the
vision right.
And the purpose of a vision isfor you to see where you want to
go.
And with the staff's buy-in,the staff actually wrote it.
Wow, we tweaked it a bitgrammatically and it became the
(15:24):
vision of what we wanted forevery student, what we wanted
for every staff member in ourbuilding.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
That's good you know.
You transferred, transitioneddown to district-wide leadership
with Columbus City Schools andyou were there in that position
during COVID.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
So can you talk about and you put a lot of
initiatives, spearheading a lotof initiatives, so our students
wouldn't get behind.
Can you share some of thatinformation and some of those
things you spearheaded and whythat was so important to you?
Speaker 1 (15:55):
COVID, that pandemic was devastating.
And when you think about theisolation students can't come to
school.
And then many of our studentswe weren't a at that time.
We weren't a one-to-onedistrict, meaning every student
had their own laptop.
So I worked with severalorganizations I know I can
(16:24):
several organizations I know Ican Organization AEP and some
other big donors so that we canmake sure that every kid had a
laptop at home.
Now that we've tackled that,not every family had internet,
and so I worked with ourfaith-based leaders.
And so I worked with ourfaith-based leaders in the
Columbus area to open up theirchurches during the day so that
(16:49):
students could come in, connectto Wi-Fi to be able to connect
with their teachers in class,and that's how the early
learning centers were born.
So I have to really give a shoutout to the faith-based leaders,
because we had over 122learning sites for our kids and
(17:10):
then I Know I Can would go outand kind of help man sites to be
those extra hands on deckduring that time.
So we know that when you thinkabout urban education and
Columbus City Schools being thelargest district in the state of
Ohio and then you think aboutthe challenges of an urban
(17:34):
district, we could not afford tosit back and do nothing and the
community rallied behind that.
So Nationwide Children'sHospital we had plenty of
organizations working with us tomake sure our kids had what
they needed.
Nationwide Children's Hospitalused to take their mobile
(17:58):
vaccination center and we wouldshare it with families so that
they can go and get all of theirshots before school and COVID
vaccines and all of that.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
So yeah, it was a good time.
As we talk about that time andthe challenges during that time
and I know you're a strongproponent of interconnectedness
of home, school and community ina student's success you talk
about why is that so importantto you I know that's your hot
button why is that so importantto you.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
It is so important because it boils down to one
word, and that word is belief.
And at school we can pour intokids.
We believe in you, but they gotto hear it at home and they got
to hear it in the community.
And then they have to do morethan hear it.
(18:52):
We have to show them that webelieve in them and to continue
pouring into them.
And it takes that.
Some people call it athree-legged stool or a tripod.
You know, I call it braiding itaround the kid, because that
reinforces everything that ourkids need as they develop and
(19:12):
grow.
Are they going to make mistakes?
Absolutely, but you learn fromit.
I believe in you, you can dothis.
But they can't just hear it atschool.
They've got to hear it at homeand they've got to hear it in
the community.
And unfortunately, where we areright now with our current
government administration theend of DEI, the end of really
(19:36):
teaching those historical thingswe've got to do that.
That's where community andparents come in.
So we have to pick up thatslack.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
That's great.
I think I particularly lovewhat you said about the
community piece.
You know how important it isfor the community to believe in
our children.
It's also important for ourcommunity to be those models.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Because you can't be what you can't see.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
And that's representation.
You said it, Coach Brown Ifthey don't see it, they won't
aspire to be it.
And all we have to do is justgive them a spark to be it, and
all we have to do is just givethem a spark.
So it's our responsibility tobe that representation for them
(20:20):
to let them know who we are andhow we got here, which goes back
to my athletic days.
No one can outwork me.
No one can outwork me.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
And you got that from somewhere.
Yes, you know, because you knowwe grew up we watched others,
you know, absolutely.
We watched how hard our parentsworked, we watched people in
the community, you know, and wehad that school pride.
This is Dunbar.
I went to Shaw High School.
We had some pride in Shaw, weCardinals, you know.
Yes, nobody might work theCardinals now.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
And our parents worked hard.
Oh, they did.
And our grandparents workedhard and we saw it.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Yes, we saw it.
Yeah, we saw it.
So it was not too—you know, Iknow you're also a strong woman
of faith.
Can you talk about the rolefaith has?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
played in your life, in your journey.
I'm going to take it back tothat word belief.
Just like I believe that thereis a God in heaven, I believe
that he is not waiting on theother side for me, that he is
walking with me and through allof the hills, the valleys and
the challenges, those thingsthat I can look back on now and
(21:26):
say he brought me and he's herewith me.
My latest challenge, the totalknee replacement, has been
really, really tough, but I'mgetting better and better every
day, because I wake up praying,I go to bed praying and God
walks with me and we are hischildren and sometimes we lose
(21:49):
our way and sometimes there's somuch static out there.
But we have to focus on ourchildren and watch them grow up
and be there for them and pourinto them and believe in them.
You don't have to prove to methat you're worthy.
You're worthy because God madeyou right, and that's what we
(22:10):
have to tell our kids, andsometimes that's what I have to
tell myself as well.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Amen, totally honest.
We have to remind ourselves,you know when we're going
through, that we're just goingthrough.
You know we ain't staying there.
You know we're just goingthrough, passing through.
Wow, that's great.
You know you're currentlyworking in the Pickerington
local school district asassistant superintendent.
Can you tell the audience aboutsome of those current
(22:35):
initiatives that you're workingon?
I know you're working on some.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Yes, yes we are.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
We've got some stuff going.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
So you know, coming from Columbus City Schools and a
lot of that was trial and error, but we know if, whatever we do
, we have the best interests ofthe child and we really want our
parents to and our communitysee our kids in a different
light.
When I first got to, it's beenfour years since I've been in
(23:00):
Pickerington and there's aprogram called College Credits
Plus College Credit Plus andthat is where high school kids
can take college courses at nocost to their parents.
So I looked at the demographicsof who are these kids that are
taking these courses?
Well, it wasn't very diverse,and so I challenged our building
(23:25):
administrators, I challengedour counselors and had several
meetings with parents,challenging them.
Because Pickerington is a placewhere, for advanced coursework,
you used to have to have arecommendation from another
teacher.
They did away with that, so nowanyone can take advanced
(23:47):
coursework.
So I look at the advancedcoursework list not diverse.
And they were like well, wedon't have barriers.
And I said but you're notinviting them in.
If you believe in them, you'regoing to invite them in.
So invite them into the course,because you've you had that
gate up there for so long.
Now that it's gone, they'reconditioned to just walk past
(24:10):
the class.
Now that it's gone, they'reconditioned to just walk past
the class.
So I can say that we havedoubled our diversity in our
College Credit Plus and in ourAdvanced Courses, ap classes.
So those are some of the thingsthat I'm most proud of.
So there are a plethora ofinitiatives.
We do a big block party in thebeginning of the year of
(24:32):
initiatives.
We do a big block party in thebeginning of the year that's for
the entire community to comeout, see our kids food trucks,
live bands, games for kids andjust a really good time for the
community to set the year offright.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
That's great.
You're at that stage now.
Someone on the podcast talkedabout it's good to have a mentor
.
It was Jordan Miller.
It's good to have a mentor.
But we need sponsors.
Yes, and you're that nowbecause you're the one in the
room pounding the tableAbsolutely, and they're pounding
.
Give these kids a chance, youknow.
Expose them to it.
(25:05):
They can do it, they can do it.
Just give them that opportunity.
You know, and the Lord hasblessed you to be at that level
now where you're that sponsorand I'm just so proud of you and
all those things that you'redoing.
You know, this is a legacypodcast.
What is the legacy of Dr AliciaGillison?
What is your legacy, drGillison?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
It goes back to.
This is a two words.
So I talked about belief, butthere is a belief gap in society
and that is the belief thatinner city kids, urban students,
special education students,english learners, can't achieve
like their suburban counterparts.
(25:45):
That's false.
We have to close that gap.
So, once we continue to closethat gap and pour in and you see
it, when you think about thekids from from Brookhaven's
Lorraine Levels, who is now DrDr Lorraine Butler, kareem
(26:06):
McCants, chris Johnson, youthink about Seth Towns, you
think about Leslie Turner Icould go on and on Jaleesa
Capers these are young peoplethat we poured into and it has
manifested in greatness andthat's what we have to continue
doing.
Coach, you said something aboutrepresentation.
(26:27):
We've got to represent and, yes, we have some young people out
there doing things we don'tnecessarily improve of, but you
don't chastise them.
You sit down and you talk aboutthem and you talk to them and
you tell them that you believethat there's greatness in them,
because there is, because theyare a child of God.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Amen, what a legacy.
Yes, well, this brings us tothe end of today's episode with
Dr Gillis.
I want to thank you for sharingyour story with us today.
I love that DJ story.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And also thank you for your commitment to education
and the community is trulyinspiring.
Thank you for answering thatcall, educating our children,
and your leadership at thedistrict, district wide level.
You are truly a role model,inspiration.
Young educators See you in aposition of education leadership
.
They know they can do it aswell, absolutely so.
I want to thank you for beingon the show.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Thank you so much for having me.
It's been an honor to audience.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
You can always make sure you subscribe to the
podcast, where you can keep upto date on all our latest
episodes.
Once again, continue to build alifelong legacy.
I'm your host, coach Tim Brown.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
If you've enjoyed this episode, please share it
with family and friends.
The Be A Baller podcast isavailable on all major podcast
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This podcast was created byCoach Tim Brown and recorded and
edited by the video productionclass of Worthington Christian
High School.
Be sure to come back next weekas we continue to discuss on how
to build a lifelong legacy.
(28:02):
Until then, don't forget to bea baller.
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