Autonome

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton sits down with Dr. Rebecca DeVries, Director of K–12 School Counseling for Schenectady City School District. Leading a team of more than 40 counselors across 22 schools, Dr. DeVries shares how her district is building a comprehensive counseling model that supports students from elementary school through graduation. Drawing on her background as a school...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton sits down with Matthew Kaemmerer, Director of Pupil Services at Oshkosh Area School District. Serving nearly 10,000 students, Matthew shares how his district transformed its approach to student mental health by moving from reactive crisis response to a proactive, integrated system that supports both students and educators. Drawing from his background i...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton speaks with Amy Graeber, Chief Instructional Officer at Uvalde CISD in Texas. With over 18 years in education and a deeply personal journey shaped by adversity, Amy brings a powerful perspective on what it truly means to serve students who are often overlooked or underestimated. Amy shares how her lived experiences fuel her leadership approach, one cen...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton sits down with Dr. Alison Hanks-Sloan, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Salinas Union High School District in California. Alison brings a powerful global perspective shaped by her early work with the Peace Corps in Ethiopia and her leadership in founding the International High School at Largo, a school designed to serve multilingual learners f...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton, Founder and Creator of Autonome, sits down with Rusty Gordon, Director of Pupil Services at Marysville Joint Unified School District in California. Rusty leads special education, pupil welfare, and student support systems from preschool through adult transition programs, focusing on building inclusive, equitable environments that serve both students a...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton, Founder and Creator of Autonome, sits down with Nicole Tyo, Director of Special Education at South Western City Schools in Ohio. Nicole oversees services for students ages 3 to 22, leading comprehensive systems that integrate IDEA compliance, inclusive practices, mental health supports, and proactive wellbeing. Fran and Nicole explore what it truly ta...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton, Founder and Creator of Autonome, sits down with Andrew Morton, MTSS Behavior Coordinator and Director of Student Services at Mount Vernon R-V School District in Missouri. Andrew shares a powerful leadership journey that began with being a disengaged student, detoured through a career in golf, and ultimately led to special education after a life-alteri...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton, Founder and Creator of Autonome, sits down with Moises M. Merlos, Director of Student Services at Banning Unified School District. With more than two decades in public education, Moises shares how his journey, from aspiring medical professional to district leader, shaped a deeply student-centered approach to systems change. Fran and Moises explore how...

In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton sits down with Dr. Bonny Porter, Director of Student Services at Tehachapi Unified School District. Dr. Porter shares how his 33-year journey from elementary teacher to district leader shaped his commitment to student wellness, safety, and systems that support educators, families, and community needs. Fran and Dr. Porter discuss building coordinated su...

In the very first episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton, Founder and Creator of Autonome, sits down with Jarrad Grandy, Executive Director of Student Services at Oakland Schools. Serving more than 176,000 students across 28 districts, Jarrad shares how his journey from teacher to administrator to countywide leader shaped his mission to help every student become career ready. Fran and Jarrad discus...