Better Learning Podcast

In this episode of the Better Learning Podcast, host Jessica Westerduin talks with Amanda Vottis, an architectural designer at Mosaic Architects with over 12 years of experience in K-12 educational design. Amanda shares her winding path into school architecture, her philosophy of "radically student-centered" design, and a deep dive into the multi-year Saratoga Springs School District project — a "...

In this episode, Jeff Kubiak sits down with Dr. Heather Sánchez, Deputy Superintendent of the Bellevue School District in Washington, to explore what it looks like to lead a large public school district from both the instructional and operational sides of the house. Drawing on 26 years in education — from a border-town middle school teacher in New Mexico to overseeing HR, finance, facilities, tran...

Mark Barga talks with Larry Levato, veteran educational architect at Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates, about what it really takes to design schools that serve students, teachers, and communities alike — and why the process matters as much as the product. Takeaways: Design for teachers too. Educators spend more time in school buildings than students. Great design treats teaching as a craft that des...

In this episode of the Better Learning Podcast, host Jessica Westerduin sits down with James Liebman, senior associate at HMFH Architects, to explore how thoughtful school design can elevate student wellbeing, foster belonging, and support great teaching. Drawing on 30 years in architecture — from higher education to K–12 — James shares how the physical environment either supports or hinders learn...

In this episode of the Better Learning Podcast, host Mark Barga sits down with Dr. Tim Matlack (superintendent), Ken Bonkoski (director of facilities), and Phil Leinbach (architect, EM Architects) to tell the story of Antietam School District's response to a catastrophic flash flood on July 9, 2023 — and how a small, resource-limited district turned disaster into opportunity. Episode Takeaways: Cr...

In this episode, Matt Rogers sits down with Candice Leinneweber, Director of Design at MA+ Architecture and 2025 EdMarket NextGen Award winner, for a wide-ranging conversation about what it takes to design schools that truly serve students. Candice shares her winding path — from a family bakery in San Diego, to an accounting class that sent her running toward architecture, to teaching college cour...

Jeff Kubiak sits down with Katie Hylton, Director of Business Support Services for San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and newly elected CASBO president. Katie shares her unexpected journey from animal science major to school business leader — starting as a part-time attendance clerk and warehouse worker in Barstow, all the way to overseeing operations for a county office of education....

In this episode, host Jessica Westerduin sits down with Regan Shields Ives, principal and studio leader at Finegold Alexander Architects, and Amy Vachon, principal at Gladstone Elementary School in Cranston, Rhode Island. Together, they explore how deep collaboration between educators, students, and architects shaped the design of Gladstone's new school building — one built around project-based le...

In this episode, Yuri Calderon, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services at Orange Unified School District, discusses what it truly means to lead with students at the center — even from the business office. Yuri shares his philosophy of removing the "business hat" and instead focusing on aligning every dollar and resource as close to the classroom as possible. He reflects on lessons learned a...

In this episode, Dr. Todd Cutler, Superintendent of Lake Tahoe Unified School District, discusses what it truly means to build schools that transform communities. He shares his belief that education shapes the future of entire communities, not just individual students, and reflects on his journey through three superintendencies to find what matters most in school leadership. Dr. Cutler highlights...

In this episode, Maureen Oakley, a school business professional at Pottstown School District in Southeastern Pennsylvania, brings a refreshingly candid and relatable voice to the conversation about what it's like to build a career in school finance — and why the field is at a critical inflection point. A South Jersey native and lifelong Philly sports fan, Maureen stumbled into school business the...

In this episode, David Marshall, CSC Contract, Grant and Operations Manager for the Center for Schools and Communities — a division of the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit based in the Harrisburg area — brings a unique vantage point to the conversation: an engineering background, 16 years in corporate America, 12 years as a facilities director, and now seven years as a business manager. That...

In this episode, Nicholas Erickson, Director of Technology Services at Waynesboro School District in South Central Pennsylvania, shares what it's like to be the person responsible for everything with a plug — from pencil sharpeners to AI and robotics. With 18 years in education, 16 of them at Waynesboro, Nick offers a grounded and collaborative perspective on how technology serves as the connectiv...

In this episode, Wayne Gehris, Chief Financial Officer for the Reading School District, delivers one of the most compelling full-circle stories in this entire PASBO conference series. A proud Reading graduate (class of '93) who attended a high school of 5,000 students before heading to nearby Albright College, Wayne spent 17 years in public accounting before getting a call that would change everyt...

In this episode, Siobhan McMahon, Deputy Executive Director of the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International, pulls back the curtain on the organization that supports roughly 11,000 school business professionals across North America. She shares how ASBO works behind the scenes — not in classrooms or districts, but providing the tools, resources, professional development, and ad...

In this episode, Lori McCoy, Director of Food Services at Colonial School District in the Philadelphia suburbs, brings a refreshingly different perspective— one focused not on budgets or buildings, but on what students eat, how they eat, and why it matters deeply for learning. A registered dietician with nearly 20 years in the role, Lori oversees food service operations across seven schools servin...

In this episode, Sidney Clark, School Business Manager at Shanksville-Stonycreek School District in rural South Central Pennsylvania, offers a heartfelt look at what it means to serve one of the smallest school districts in the state — just 285 pre-K through 12th grade students. He shares how the tight-knit, community-centered environment shapes every financial decision he makes, treating all 285...

In this episode, Ellen Darlington, Director of Solutions and Customer Success from C&A Scientific, discusses the company's mission to provide affordable, high-quality hands-on STEM learning kits for K–12 students. She makes a compelling case for why physical, tactile learning experiences — like that classic exploding volcano — are irreplaceable, and why the neuroscience clearly supports hands-on e...

In this episode, Scott A. Chappell, Business Administrator at Derry Area School District, brings a deeply personal perspective to school finance — he's a graduate of the very district he now leads. That full-circle story shapes everything about the way Scott approaches his work, from understanding the community's values to feeling a genuine sense of pride and responsibility every time a dollar is...

In this episode, Brian Pawling, Director of Business Administration at Radnor Township School District in Delaware County outside Philadelphia, shares his unconventional path from aspiring history teacher to 25-year school business veteran. What started as a first job out of college in the business side of a school district turned into a career he never planned — one that took him from small rural...

In this episode, Jason McMillen, Director of Business Programs and Services at Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8, shares his unexpected journey from aerospace engineer to school business leader with over 17 years of experience. He explains the role of Pennsylvania's 29 intermediate units, originally created to provide special education services, and how they continue to support school districts acros...

In this episode, Dr. Marcia Stokes, Chief Financial Officer for Harrisburg School District, brings a truly remarkable breadth of experience to the conversation — having worked in school finance and operations across a Native American reservation in New York, post-Katrina New Orleans, and now one of Pennsylvania's most challenged urban school districts. Her career is a testament to the power of ada...

In this episode, Randy S. Williams, Sr., M.Ed., Director of Transportation for Wilson School District in Pennsylvania, discusses the often-overlooked role that school transportation plays in shaping students' daily experiences. He shares his journey from 34 years in transportation to pursuing his educational doctorate and superintendent certification at Wilkes University, driven by a desire to giv...

In this episode, Joseph P. Lubitsky, Director of Administrative Services at the Chester County Intermediate Unit, brings over three decades of experience in school business operations to a wide-ranging conversation about peer networks, stewardship, and what it really means to support learning from the business side.  Learn More About Kay-Twelve: Website: https://kay-twelve.com/ LinkedIn: https://w...

In this episode, Dr. Joni Mansmann, Director of Business & Finance at Canon-McMillan School District, shares her remarkable journey from Mellon Bank in downtown Pittsburgh to nearly two decades leading school business operations — armed with a teaching degree, a doctorate in education, and a deep passion for the mission of public schools. She's living proof that school business officials are far m...