EDUP Xcelerated Excellence

Our guest, Jerrica Thurman , is the visionary founder behind Elation Communications , a trailblazing firm helping mission-driven organizations amplify their voice, elevate their brand, and accelerate impact. With more than two decades of leadership at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and social change, Jerrica is redefining what it means to lead with purpose in today’s fast-moving world...

Our guest, Nicholas D. Hartlep , Ph. D., holds the Robert Charles Billings Endowed Chair in Education at Berea College wherehe has Chaired the Education Studies Department since 2019. He is currently enjoying a research sabbatical year (2025–2026).   A scholar of educational foundations and critical pedagogy, Dr. Hartlep’s research critically interrogates the modelminority stereotype, urban teache...

Our guest, Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez , serves as the Chief Executive Officer at the National Center for Learning Disabilities , where she leads a team at the forefrontof the learning disabilities rights movement. Her unwavering passion for promoting learning accessibility and equitable assessments drives the center’s efforts in developing impactful strategies, forging partnerships, making policy re...

Our guest, Xiomara J. Giordano , is Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY Empire . Xiamara holds a Master of Science in Educational Policy and Leadership with a focus on Higher Education from the State University of New York at Albany and received her BA in Spanish and Portuguese Literature from Smith College .   Previously, Xiomara worked...

Our guest, Antrina Leeth , is an educator with over 18 years of experience. She currently serves as Senior Outreach and Development Manager for the International BaccalaureateOrganization (IBO) . Her initial introduction to IB began as a Primary Years Programme (PYP) teacher, before moving into the role of IB Coordinator for 5 years. Prior to joining the International Baccalaureate Organization, A...

Dr. Felecia S. Russell , author of Amplifying Black Undocumented Student Voices in Higher Education . Listen to her EDUP Xcelerated Excellence podcast episode: Drs. Miriam Feldblum and Felecia Russell—Advocating for Immigrant Equity in Higher Education ! Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences . Register for the 20262.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excel...

Our guest, Kaplan Mobray , is globally acclaimed as one of the world’s most dynamic and inspirational  business speakers and award-winning author of  “The 10Ks of Personal Branding”.  Educated at the University of Pennsylvania’s   Wharton School , he has been featured across global media outlets including CNN, Biz Asia, FOX Business, Businessweek, The Wall Street Journal, and shares his message to...

Our guest, Mario Jovan , is a world-renowned Leadership Coach and Founder of Messy Roots, LLC . He has developed a specialized coaching curriculum focused on Diversity, Equity,Inclusion & Belonging (DEI) to empower leaders of color. Drawing from his extensive leadership experience, which includes spearheading a multi-million-dollar non-profit, Mario used coaching techniques to foster team memb...

Our guest, Robert Kelty , is Head of Outreach, Government Relations, and Development for the International Baccalaureate (IB) North America.  Robert embarked onhis career journey in Crownpoint, New Mexico, nestled within the Navajo Nation , when he joined Teach For America in 2001. The IB, renowned globally as an esteemed education foundation, operates across more than 6,000 schools worldwide and...

Our guest, Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy , Ph. D., currently serves as the president and CEO of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education). She joined AACTE in January 2025, after serving as a distinguished professor and dean of the Schoolof Education at American University (AU) in Washington, D.C., for over eight years.   During her tenure at AU, Holcomb-McCoy implemented various progr...

Our guest, Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz , Ph. D. (she/her), is a Professor of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University . In May, 2024 Yolanda was recognized with the prestigious Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award from New York University. She is co-editor of five books and is co-author of the multiple award-winning book Advancing Racial Literacies in Teacher Education: Activism for...

Xcelerate educational excellence and equity with Dr. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen , author of Radical Care: Leading for Justice in Urban Schools. Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences . Register for the 20262.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF .    Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO 2.0 , Education 2.0 ,   Health...

Our guest, Rick Benbow , is the Regional Vice President (West) at Western Governors University , the nation’s largest competency-based university. He leads efforts to expand access to affordable, high-quality education for adult learners by advancing strategic partnerships and driving student success across the region.   Rick earned his MBA degree at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Scho...

Our guest, Curtis Valentine, MPP ,  has dedicated over 20 years to the field of public education. Curtis is Founder of Real Men Teach , a community of educators striving to recruit and retain male educators of color. Curtis also serves as Co-Director of the Progressive Policy Institute's Reinventing America's Schools Project and as Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland. For over...

Our guests, Dr. Joe Sallustio and Elvin Freytes are co-founders and hosts of The EdUP Experience podcast, America's leading platform for higher education insights, featuring interviews with prominent global leaders. Joe stands out as a leading expert and influential voice in the world of higher education. His unique blend of experience across operations, finance, and academics positions him as a r...

Our guest, Joel Nomdarkham , is a dynamic marketing strategist with a gift for transforming both personal brands and corporate identities into powerful, market-ready forces. With nearly a decade of experience, Joel has carved a unique niche at the intersection of personal branding, corporate marketing, and social impact—helping professionals and organizations alike unlock their full potential. Joe...

Our podcast Turn ONE! In just one year, episodes havebeen heard around the globe and the EDUP Xcelerated Excellence community continues to grow. We are member of the nation’s largest podcast network dedicated to thefield of education, EDUP The Experience . At EDUP Xcelerated Excellence, educators, entrepreneurs,researchers, advocates, and policy makers are welcome to share their talents, resources...

Our Guest, Devin Rankin, is Marketing and Community Relations Coordinator for Profound Gentlemen and Founder of Rankin Legacy Ventures .   Devin is a versatile community specialist with a strong background in education, non-profit management, and youth development. His Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Winston-Salem State University laid the foundation for a career dedicated to empo...

Our guest, Dr. Fred A. Bonner, II , is Professor and Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership and Counseling and Founding Executive Director and Chief Scientist of the Minority Achievement, Creativity and High-Ability (MACH-III) Center at PrairieView A&M University .  He is formerly the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education in the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University an...

Our guest, JAKE Small , is a justice-driven researcher, education equity consultant, and public speaker. He believes that high-quality public education is always a worthwhile pursuit andis passionate about advancing high-quality education for all children. JAKE is a TEDx speaker and the author of FOR EVERY BLACK BOY, a poetry book amplifying his research on the mattering of Black boys as a tool fo...

Our guest, Aashna Khurana , is a PhD student at The Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education and Human Development , Boston College .  Aashna is a contributor to the 2025 ICSEI Dialogic. She shares her insights on “Systems Change Efforts for Inclusive Education: Lessons from Effective Districts (AUDIO).” This Inspirational Short was recorded during the 2025 International Congress for Scho...

Our guest, Dr. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen , is an educator with over 20 years of experience working in NYC public schools and higher education settings. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Rivera-McCutchen’s research, teaching, and activism areinformed by her experiences and center on achieving racial equity through what she calls Radical Care. Her book, Radical Care: Leading for Justice in Urban...

Our guest, Brent Miller , is a highly respected Senior Architect and Managing Principal at HED , one of the oldest and largest integrated architecture-engineering design firms in the United States. His work focuses on developing Student Life projects that integrate innovative “learning spaces” within the campus environment, fostering connections between people and places. Brent's notable proje...

Our guests, Dr. Micia Mosely , Founder and Director of the Black Teacher Project , advances the mission of creating opportunities for Black teachers to see schools as places of liberated learning. In developing leaders, she explains that leadership is not about a title nor more work. Leadership development is one condition that positively impact teacher effectiveness and retention. Dr. Mosley prof...

Our guests, Cheryl Delk-Le Good , Executive Director of EnglishUSA , and Dr. Adil Bentahar , Associate Professor at the University of Delaware (UD), explore the world of English language learning for international students. They focus on English learning nationally and on university campuses. Cheryl shares her experiences in various leadership positions, highlighting the importance of the big pict...