Square Pizza

Jia Lin-Bothe, our Director of Family Empowerment, is in conversation with two special guests from SchermCo's family empowerment work. Keiba Young is a parent from one of our partner schools last year and attended the Parent Leadership Institute training in March 2023.
 
In this episode:
This episode features Keiba's insights and reflections from this powerful training. Arleen Vargas joins us from Innovate Pub...

The Square Pizza Pod welcomes back a guest who last appeared on March 4, 2021, Nicole Jarbo. Nicole is the interim CEO of 4.0 Schools. 4.0 connects, coaches, and invests in people to test new learning spaces and tools with their communities.

In this episode: 

• Last Interview
  • CEO of Goodbets
  • Career as a collegiate soccer player at Cal / Alex Morgan 
  • Fundraising best practices 
• Overview of Boost + her journey 
  • Star...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Irene Shih, CEO, MMBay. Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) is an education nonprofit that connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world.

In this episode:

• The story behind launching Minds Matter Bay Ar...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Ali Medina, Executive Director of the Oakland Public Education Fund. The Oakland Public Education Fund is a nonprofit that leads the development of community resources in Oakland public schools so that all students can learn, grow, and thrive.

In this episode: 

• Current Role, Executive Director, Oakland Public Education Fund
  • Sta...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Gary Officer, President & CEO of the Center for Workforce Inclusion.  CWI Labs is the largest and most experienced nonprofit dedicated exclusively to workplace inclusion and economic opportunity for low-income, older job seekers.

In this episode: 

• CWI Labs  
  • Core aspects / programs of CWI Labs?
• AI
  • Thoughts on ho...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Lacey Robinson, President/CEO of UnboundEd. UnboundEd designs learning for educators that exemplifies equitable instruction so that students experience grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful instruction.

In this episode: 

• UnboundEd 
  • Overview 
• Merger
  • Pivot Learning & UnboundEd
• UnboundEd Programs Hig...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Maria Flynn, President and CEO of Jobs for the Future. Jobs for the Future is a national nonprofit driving transformation in the American workforce and education systems. 

In this episode: 

• Connection from episode 73 with Lydia Logan, IBM 
• Jersey girl + Bruce Springsteen fan
• Jobs for the future and why their work is urgent
• Align...

We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Eric Thomas on his MASS Impact: The Education Podcast. Eric Thomas, Ph.D., is a critically acclaimed author, World-renowned speaker, educator, and pastor. As he is better known, ET has taken the world by storm with his creative, common-sense approach to living a successful, satisfying professional and personal life. Through a si...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This particular episode is a special mash-up of our top five most downloaded guests. In honor of our 100th episode coming soon, we decided to bring those guests back and check in with them. In this episode, you will learn about what they have been up to since their last episode, their work, and what it means to be in the top downloads of square pizza history. 

Guest f...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Alejandro Gibes de Gac, CEO & Founder, of Springboard Collaborative. Springboard closes the literacy gap by closing the gap between home and school.

In this episode:

FELA Methodology

• 6 basic steps of FELA methodology
• Importance of setting a winnable goal within 5 to 10 weeks
• Three cycles of FELA recommended over a...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Jia Lin-Bothe, who is our Director of Family Empowerment, is in conversation with Katura DeVane and Syrina Rice. Both are parents and part of SchermCo’s family empowerment work. 

In this episode:

• PLI in CLT
  • First-ever in-person East Coast Training!
  • 7 parents from our partner schools completed this training 
• Reflections
  • What did they gain from this opportu...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, we have two guest hosts from the SchermCo team! Alex Abisch, Director of Strategic Implementation, and Taylor James, Strategic Implementation Associate. Alex and Taylor are in conversation with Jerika Jones who is the Executive Director of INTech Foundation.

In this episode: 

• Background
• How did she get interested in Women and Gender Studies?
• How does her ...

We are excited to bring you this episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with three Charlotte Lab students, Ara Jenkins, Ahmir Lee, and Aliyah Walker, who are in 11th grade. One fun fact: this is part two of their first episode (#78) as they hold the 4th most downloaded episode in Square Pizza history. 

In this episode:

• What’s new?
• How has their educational experience changed in the past year?
• H...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, we have a guest host, Mathu Gibson, who is our Associate Director of Family Empowerment. Mathu is in conversation with Principal Glenn Starnes II, Harding University High School, and LeDuan Pratt, Garinger High School. Two Black Male Principals from our partner schools. 

In this episode: 

• Influence and Story
  • How did they get to where they are today? 
  • W...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Lakisha Young, Founder & CEO, The Oakland REACH.  

Who is Lakisha Young?

Lakisha Young is the Founder & CEO of The Oakland REACH, a parent-run organization founded in 2016. She knows from her own story that winning in education is par for the course when you already have what you need to win in life — and becau...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Jia Lin-Bothe, Director of Family Empowerment Work, Charlene Mack, Vice President, National Partnerships & Training, Innovate Public Schools, and Katura DeVane, Parent, and part of SchermCo’s family empowerment work.

What does Innovate Public Schools Do?

• Innovate Public Schools is a nonprofit organization worki...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Nehemiah Frank, Black Wall Street Time. 

The Black Wall Street Times was founded by Nehemiah in 2017. He is the descendent of two families that survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

This prosperous community was the victim of the worst act of racial violence against Black people in American history. As a means of honoring the vi...

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with another set of members from SchermCo. Alex Abisch is our Director of Strategic Implementation, and Jia Lin-Bothe is our Director of Family Empowerment. This is the second time we have interviewed team members of SchermCo, and this won't be the last! We hope you enjoy! 

In this episode:

• Alex Abisch
  • Artist and Art Therapy, Master...