HyphenatEdD Leader

✨ Season 2 is coming to a close. 📺 Watch the final episode on YouTube As always, check out prior episodes and like, subscribe, and comment to support the podcast at the Substack: https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/ Get full access to HyphenatEdD Leader at hyphenateddleader.substack.com/subscribe

In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Rochelle Smarr shares the real story of how she built her multi-hyphenate career—not the polished LinkedIn version, but the one with detours, pivots, moments of doubt, and a whole lot of grit. From organizing the Student Homeless Alliance as an undergraduate at San Jose State to cofounding the Gulf Coast Civic Works Project after Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Smarr tr...

In this episode, Dr. Rochelle Smarr sits down with Dr. Nadia Bennett — educator, advocate, disrupter, and founder of When Brown Girls Lead — for a powerful conversation on leading from the margins with discernment, disruption, and deep purpose. From being underestimated in school leadership spaces to walking away from public disrespect with nothing lined up next, Dr. Bennett shares how trusting he...

This week on Voices from the Huddle , Dr. Sinai Cota shares what it really looks like to navigate higher education while staying grounded in authenticity, mentorship, and community. 💭 From ageism in higher ed…💭 To the power attached to “Dr.”…💭 To learning how to protect your peace… This episode is a reminder that leadership doesn’t always arrive loudly. Learn more at the HypheantEdD Leader Subs...

How are you pouring into your HyphenatEdD leader self beyond what's expected of you? In this episode, Dr. Smarr explores what it means to center joy and creativity in a life filled with multiple roles: mentor, advocate, scholar, director, parent, researcher, and yes, reader. This conversation is about moving joy from the margins to the center of your life and recognizing that leadership isn't just...

In this week’s Voices from the Huddle interview of the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast, Dr. Rochelle Smarr connects with fellow BWEL author, Dr. Monisha Rosby. In this moving conversation, Dr. Rosby shares her transformative journey from single mother to wife to Ed. D. graduate to Associate Principal. All while building a mentorship empire and small business. She opens up about navigating spaces not or...

Join Dr. Smarr, host, for an inspiring Voices from the Huddle episode of the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast , interview with Dr. Darby, a founding school leader based in the UAE. She reminds us that attacks often come when your brilliance shines brightest. Dr. Darby discusses the unique challenges women of color face in educational leadership, from navigating patriarchal systems to the exhausting real...

In this powerful episode, Dr. Rochelle Smarr gets real about what it’s like to lead as a Black woman—managing white male staff, leading courageously when you’re scared, and setting boundaries when your authority is questioned directly and aggressively. This is real talk about leaning on God, faith, and accountability when the weight feels too much. If you’ve ever doubted yourself in these moments,...

What happens when your hyphens are rooted in something deeper than a title or a role? On this Voices from the Huddle episode of the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast , Dr. Rochelle Smarr , connects with Dr. Nicole Sesay joins us for a soul-stirring conversation about leading from the margins. Dr. Sesay unpacks the hyphens that shape who she is as a leader . She shares candid stories of facing resistance...

In this Voices from the Huddle episode of the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast, Dr. Rochelle Smarr sits down with Dr. Shanelle Watkins for a conversation as layered and intentional as the hyphens she carries into her leadership. Dr. Watkins opens up about how each of her identities shows up in her daily leadership, why she chose the Ed. D. over the Ph. D., and what earning that doctorate finally gave he...

What happens when you dare to tell your story beyond the degrees and titles? In this episode of the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast, Dr. Smarr reflects on her experience attending the “Telling Your Equity Educator Story” workshop with Kim Cawkwell and explores how your equity story becomes a powerful leadership tool. This isn’t about the deficit—it’s about the assets you bring by being uniquely, fully,...

Season 2, Episode 4 | In this week’s episode of the HyphenatEdD Leader Podcast with Dr. Rochelle Smarr brings you a Voices from the Huddle conversation with Dr. Sharon H. Porter . Dr. Porter breaks down why she chose the EdD over the PhD (spoiler: she’s a doer who believes research has to leap off the page and make real change), and shares the winding road to actually getting that degree. She show...

In this powerful Voices from the Huddle conversation, Dr. Rochelle Smarr connects with with Dr. Latrese Younger, educator, learner, data analyst, bibliophile, and middle school principal. She shares how her hyphenated identities shape her leadership from the margins. She reflects on pivoting through her career with faith as her compass, moving wherever God sends her to ensure “someone gets what th...

From navigating emotional reactions to making tough decisions about contracts and transitions, Dr. Smarr walk’s through the realities of managing staff, holding honest conversations, and choosing what’s best for your team and programs. She also reflect on another moment earlier in my career when she had to end a partnership with a leader after a successful international trip. Reminding us that lea...

In this Season 2 opener, Dr. Rochelle Smarr introduces the theme “ Leading from the Margins to the Center ” and explores what it means to claim authority, tell your truth, and build a career that honors all of who you are! Even when the spaces you lead in weren’t designed with you in mind. This episode unpacks why we’ve been taught to lead small, shrink our expertise, and apologize for taking up s...

In this reflective year-end episode, Dr. Smarr looks back on 2025—a year marked by grit, grace, and God’s goodness. From leadership milestones and major professional wins to spiritual growth and global adventures, she walks through her 2025 “brag sheet,” reminding listeners that celebrating wins is just as important as learning from failures. This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and ac...

Feeling grateful for where you are, but hungry for more? In this episode, Dr. Smarr shares personal stories of self-funded professional development and explores how to advocate for yourself, create your own opportunities, and invest in your growth—professionally, spiritually, and personally. Learn actionable tips to stay relevant, build accountability, and pair faith with action as you refine your...

This week on HyphenatEdD Leader , Dr. Smarr is reflecting on what it means to lead through chaos — when the structure shifts, the support fades, and you’re left reimagining your purpose in the middle of it all. It’s an honest look at higher ed’s new reality: doing less with less — and finding the courage to lead, pivot, or pause with intention. Listen to the episode and share how you’re learning h...

How learning to fall forward became the foundation of leadership, resilience, and purpose. In this episode of HyphenatEdD , Dr. Smarr explores how failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s a prerequisite for it. Through personal stories from her leadership journey—from SJSU to SEIU to CSUSM—she unpacks how early missteps shaped her philosophy on succession planning, empowerment, and resilience. R...

Being a HyphenatEdD Leader means recognizing that your multiple hyphens—your roles, responsibilities, and impact—do not go unnoticed. In this episode, Dr. Smarr recount a moment when she didn’t even need a nametag. People already recognized her and the work she bring to the table. It was one of those moments of validation we all need , reminding us that our contributions matter and are being seen....

After attending a powerful poetry reading by 2023-24 San Diego Poet Laureate, Jason Magabo Perez , at UC San Diego, Dr. Smarr reflects on how Perez weaves his doctoral journey, artistry, and commitment to social justice into every part of his life’s work. In this episode, Dr. Smarr spotlights Perez’s poem “We Deserve the Unthinkable” and invites you to pause and ask yourself: * How is your passion...

In this episode of HyphenatEdD Leader , we explore what it means to lead, organize, and show up during complicated political and social times. Dr. Smarr will share her personal takeaways from the field, what’s at stake in 2025, and reads the powerful piece “Our Ancestors Prepared Us for This Moment.” This is a call to act—not in grand gestures, but in small, intentional ways. Get full access to Hy...

IARSLCE turns 25 this year—and I’m honored to serve as Chair during this moment of reflection, tension, and transformation. In this episode of #HyphenatEdD, I share how I navigated a recent board meeting, what the global research report really means, and how grace and grit help me lead with intention. Get full access to HyphenatEdD Leader at hyphenateddleader.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of HyphenatEdD , Dr. Rochelle Smarr shares the story behind the podcast’s title and why she chose to pursue an Ed. D. (Doctor of Education) rather than a Ph. D. (Doctor of Philosophy). She breaks down what makes the Ed. D. a practitioner’s degree, reflecting on the factors that influenced her decision, including her desire to become a Practitioner-SME (Subject Matter Expert) ground...

I hope you enjoyed today’s staff huddle on the HyphenatEdD Leader. Be sure to engage with me in the comments on this podcast episode page. Be sure to follow and engage with me on Instagram at “HyphenatEdD_Leader” to keep the discussion going. See you at the next staff huddle! Get full access to HyphenatEdD Leader at hyphenateddleader.substack.com/subscribe