Moving Forward - Change, Purpose and Possibility

The Hidden Hungry, Finding Purpose, and Living Out Loud Sometimes we find our purpose in the most unexpected places. For Enid Borden, the road included dreams of becoming a folk singer in Greenwich Village, journalism, government service, nonprofit leadership—and eventually a calling she never could have predicted: helping end senior hunger in America. In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversati...

Helping Young People See: “I Can Do This. I Belong Here.” Who saw something in you before you were able to see it in yourself? For Dr. Leena Bakshi McLean, it was a grandfather who made mathematics come alive through everyday experiences and a high school science teacher who recognized her potential. In this episode of Moving Forward , Leena joins Linda to share the experiences that shaped her jou...

The Constitution, Public Service, and the Responsibility of Citizenship Special Constitution Day Episode In recognition of Constitution Day, Moving Forward is sharing a special additional episode this week. Host Linda Anderson sits down with Bob Wieckowski, attorney and former California State Senator, for a conversation about the Constitution, public service, civic responsibility, and where we fi...

Courage, Belonging, and Building a Life Far From Home What does it take to leave everything familiar behind and begin again in a country you’ve never visited? In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda welcomes Alina Zabihailo , a recent graduate of Alfred University whose journey is a powerful story of courage, resilience, gratitude, and possi...

Fifty episodes. Fifty stories. One remarkable journey. In this milestone episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , host Linda Anderson is joined by producer and friend Ury Gonzalez for a special conversation reflecting on the first 50 episodes of the podcast. This time, Ury turns the microphone around. Through a series of thoughtful questions, Linda and Ury...

Leadership Rooted in Purpose, Courage, and Hope What shapes a leader long before they ever hold a leadership title? In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with longtime educational leader Parvin Ahmadi for a thoughtful conversation about resilience, service, and the lifelong commitment to helping every child succeed. Parv...

When Kindness Becomes Prevention: A Conversation with Amvi Maheshwari & Natalie Gonzalez What if building safer schools begins with something as simple as saying hello? As a new school year begins, students are settling into classes, finding friends, joining clubs, and discovering where they belong. Yet for many young people, the first weeks of school can also be lonely. Some students feel inv...

Choosing Who We Become: A Conversation with Olden Carr Who do we become when life doesn't unfold the way we expected? Few of us escape disappointment, regret, or unexpected turns. The question isn't whether life changes us—it's how we choose to respond. In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with Olden Carr for a thoughtf...

With Guest Host Ury Gonzalez, Prince Padania, Roxane Jablonski-Liu, and Judy Cuturrufo Throughout our lives, we are known by many roles—educator, leader, parent, mentor, and friend. In this special episode of Moving Forward , the spotlight turns to host Linda Anderson as the third installment in a four-part series exploring the different chapters of her life. After conversations about Linda as a w...

Our titles may introduce us, but our stories connect us. In this heartfelt episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson welcomes educator, leadership coach, author, and Mandala Rising founder Dr. Cheryl Wozniak . After more than 35 years in education—as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and now consultant and coach—Cheryl continues...

In this episode of Moving Forward , Linda Anderson sits down with student climate advocates Sarah Adkar and Padma Balaji from Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action for a thoughtful conversation about climate, identity, leadership, and hope. As graduating seniors from Fremont Unified School District in Fremont, California, Sarah and Padma represent a generation that has grown up alongside the realiti...

Carrying the Strength of Ancestors What does it mean to honor the past while continuing to move forward with hope? In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with Dr. Diann Kitamura, educator, mentor, advocate, and lifelong champion for equity and belonging. Diann shares the family history that shaped her life and leadership,...

"The question is not simply, 'What am I doing?' The deeper question is, 'Who am I being?'" — Tovi C. Scruggs In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with Tovi C. Scruggs—transformational coach, mindfulness practitioner, educator, and advocate for belonging—for a powerful conversation about identit...

"Democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires informed, engaged citizens who understand both their rights and their responsibilities." — Cheryl Cook-Kallio In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with Cheryl Cook-Kallio—educator, civic learning leader, elected official, and lifelong advocate for public educati...

"Technology will continue to change, but the human qualities that matter most remain timeless." — Peter Cuneo  In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with Peter Cuneo — acclaimed business leader, turnaround expert, Navy veteran, and former Vice Chairman of Marvel Entertainment — for a thoughtful conversation abo...

Creativity, Courage, Authenticity, and the Relationships That Matter Most What defines a successful life? Is it the titles we hold, the awards we earn, or the accomplishments others can see? In this heartfelt conversation, George Anderson shares a journey that began in a small town in New Jersey and led to a remarkable career helping shape campaigns for some of the world's most recognizable fi...

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, I sit down with Karen Sakata, former Superintendent of the Contra Costa County Office of Education, whose career in public education has spanned more than four decades and nearly every level of educational leadership. Karen reflects on her journey from Speech Language Pathologist to Superintendent and shares...

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with Jeff Schinkel—artist, designer, storyteller, and Creative Director for Kid Scoop . Jeff’s career has spanned newspapers, illustration, marketing, educational media, and community storytelling. Before joining Kid Scoop full time in 2004, he served as Creative Services Director fo...

Today’s episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope invites us to think more deeply about leadership—not simply through policies, systems, or structures, but through the human experiences that shape the way people feel seen, valued, and supported within them. My guest is Joaquin Noguera, an educator, scholar, and practitioner whose work centers on how schools a...

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with JoAnn Jansen — renowned film choreographer, producer, acting coach, speaker, and transformative mentor — for a deeply honest conversation about resilience, creativity, reinvention, and the courage to keep rebuilding your life when circumstances change unexpectedly. JoAnn reflect...

Today’s conversation explores leadership, access, identity, and the systems that shape opportunity—especially in a moment when technology and artificial intelligence are rapidly changing the world around us. My guest is Richard Zapien, an educator and leader whose work spans more than 25 years across teaching, instructional coaching, site leadership, and district administration within the San Fran...

The Generations That Shape Us: A Conversation on Motherhood, Loss, and What Carries Forward Episode Description: This episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope is a deeply personal one—shared on Mother’s Day. For the first time, the roles are reversed. Linda Anderson sits on the other side of the conversation—interviewed by her daughter, Lindsay. What unfolds...

Building Something Together: Design, Identity, and the Meaning of Home What does it mean to build something beautiful together? In this episode of Moving Forward , Linda Anderson sits down with sisters and co-founders Michaeline Fernandez and Kelly Daab of butter+velvet HOME · DESIGN for a conversation about creativity, partnership, and the journey of growing something over time. Michaeline began...

Seeing What Others Overlook: Youth Voice, Storytelling, and Courage in Action Some conversations remind us that leadership isn’t defined by age, title, or experience. It begins with awareness. With curiosity. With the courage to notice what others overlook—and to act. In this episode of Moving Forward , Linda Anderson sits down with Emma Wang, a high school senior and emerging filmmaker whose work...

Growth as a Standard: Building It Into the DNA A Conversation with Aspen Moulden What does it mean to lead with growth—not as an initiative, but as a standard? In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope , Linda Anderson sits down with Aspen Moulden, Chief Marketing Officer for Logitech for Business, for a direct and grounded conversation about leadersh...