Anette On Education

Today I talk with Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab , a passionate advocate for food and housing insecure college students . Sara is Professor of Higher Education Policy & Sociology at Temple University , and Founding Director of the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice in Philadelphia. She is also the Chief Strategy Officer for Emergency Aid at Edquity, a student financial success and emergency ai...

Rod Schroder, long-time educational leader, discusses the role of superintendents, board members, and community in educating our youth. Superintendent of Amarillo ISD for 15 years, Rod served as interim in Midland ISD for a year as well. Also very involved in legislative activity, both through the Texas School Alliance and other state-wide organizations, Rod also covers the legislature's role. Inv...

Learn about the importance of play in education and life from my friend, Brandi Heather! I met Brandi through The Podcasting Fellowship course I took, and we continue to learn from one another! Brandi brings a creative and innovative combination of training and subject matter expertise to her leadership role as Chief Knowledge Officer of AMPED2PLAY Inc. Brandi’s exceptional knowledge of inclusion...

Anette wrote this op-ed piece for the Amarillo Globe News during the first community study of Panhandle Twenty/20 on the issue of educational attainment. It was published on December 27th, 2006, and, sadly, is no longer archived by the local paper. Still, look around, and see what you can do in your own community! 

Jennifer is the founder and director of Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium (TEGAC--now a part of Educate Texas ), a collaboration of private, corporate and community foundations across the state working to promote, protect and improve Texas public education through advocacy and public policy. Jennifer has been working in the nonprofit space for over 15 years, first as a program and de...

Linda Pitner has long been a community leader in Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle, serving others in her various professions, her volunteer work, and as an elected official. Linda and Anette served together on the Amarillo ISD school board, and, of course, worked together with the efforts of Panhandle Twenty/20 , as well as a number of other nonprofits. She has been a go-to sounding board for Anet...

As Dr. Donna Beegle says, “Fight poverty, not the people who live in it.” Donna first brought her work to Amarillo with Panhandle Twenty/20 in 2010, and has been an important part of moving our community's work forward ever since. Growing up in generational poverty, Donna went from her GED to her doctorate in 10 years, and uses her passion and knowledge to help organizations and communities unders...

David Anderson of Hillco Partners shares his knowledge of many years of inside experience beginning as a teacher to a now long-time lobbyist. If anyone knows Texas Education policy and practice, and history, it's my friend David. Thanks for your wisdom and dedication! And enjoy the wind whistling through the windows on this chilly day in Austin! 

Dr. Michelle Smith, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Raise Your Hand Texas , shares her perspective on public education, with experience that ranges from her time as a classroom teacher to being a lobbyist at the Texas Legislature. As she says, the best policy is made in the middle of the room.

Representative Four Price, House District 87 , talks about his work in the Texas Legislature, the impact the data from Panhandle Twenty/20 had on him, his chairman positions, and how the Texas House has changed over time. Topics besides education include interim charges, opioid and substance abuse, and mental health.

Anette visits with her long-time friend, Gary Pitner, who was head of the local Council of Government, the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission . Gary was very involved in the planning and work of Panhandle Twenty/20 over the years, and he talks about the importance of making investments in our communities, not only of money, but of ourselves. He is a wonderful example of the strong local leader...

Anette and Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart have worked together since 2003, and they review some of their Panhandle Twenty/20 journey together here. Dr. Lowery-Hart is president of Amarillo College , which has won two national awards in 2019 for the poverty reduction efforts which grew out of this Collective Impact work. Read more about the work of Amarillo College in The Atlantic and The Hope Center . 

Welcome to my podcast! Listen to an overview of the exciting things to come! Thank you for listening!