Evolution Stories

Dr. Marta Medved Krajnovic came to her first headship convinced that anything was possible. As a board member of Stockholm International School, she pushed to relocate the school after two decades of failed attempts, only to watch the plan collapse when a real estate partner walked away, after the move had already been announced publicly. Marta traces what went wrong (a decision made without enoug...

John Gulla spent 14 years as head of The Blake School and came away with one answer when asked what he was most proud of: not the buildings, not the campaign, but the talent he attracted and retained. It was an instinct from his first divisional role at 25 that headship confirmed. As executive director of the EE Ford Foundation since 2013, Gulla has visited more than 780 independent schools across...

Before a school can pursue transformation, it has to secure its foundation. Dr. Nada Collins calls it Maslow's hierarchy for institutions: until the buses run on time and people feel safe, change leadership doesn't have a floor to stand on. That insight drove her design work redesigning physical classroom spaces to enable collaborative, data-driven instruction. Then COVID hit. What emerg...

Rand Harrington did not arrive at school leadership through a conventional path. He earned a PhD in physics, taught Tibetan monks in Dharamsala, and walked from Mexico to Canada at 18. Each experience cracked something open. By the time he took his first headship at Kent Denver School, he had a vision and the confidence to push it. What he lacked was the capacity to listen. Between headships, he s...

When generative AI hit schools, most reached for policies. Choate Rosemary Hall tried that too, and it wasn't working. Ellen Devine, Director of Studies and Chair of Choate's AI Steering Committee, describes the moment a single piece of advice changed everything: stop writing rules, write a stance. That stance, endorsing the discerning, informed, and ethical use of AI, became the foundat...

What does it actually take to lead a school through a decade of transformation without losing the people along the way? In this episode of Evolution Stories, Christian Talbot sits down with Mark Pingetore, Head of School at the American School of Barcelona, to explore what 17 years of leading change in an international school really looks like, including the lessons that only came through getting...

Lauren Jones started as a special education teacher because she wanted to change outcomes for kids other people had written off. That conviction shaped everything, including her tenure as head of school at the International School of Kigali, where she rebuilt the school's support team, replaced principals with teacher leaders, and made inclusion the central focus of the school's identity...

What turns a school building into a place where students truly flourish? In this episode of Evolution Stories, Christian Talbot sits down with Dr. Brian Kelly, Head of School at Carol Morgan School in the Dominican Republic, to explore how physical space and school culture work together to drive meaningful change. Dr. Kelly shares the thinking behind Carol Morgan's new Arts, Innovation, and D...

What really motivates people to change? In this season finale episode of Evolution Stories, Christian Talbot sits down with bestselling author Dan Pink to unpack decades of research on motivation, leadership, timing, regret, and the future of human skills. Drawing from his work in Drive, When, To Sell Is Human, and The Power of Regret, Dan explains why traditional reward systems often fail in scho...

In this episode of Evolution Stories , Middle States President Christian Talbot sits down with Elinor Scully, Head of School at National Cathedral School, for a candid and deeply reflective conversation about leadership, change, and the realities of decision-making in schools. Drawing from her journey as a classroom teacher, division head, and head of school, Elinor explores what happens when lead...

In this episode of Evolution Stories , MSA President Christian Talbot speaks with Maria Vogelei , Head of School and founding team member at the Village School in Arlington, Virginia, a learner-driven microschool built around agency, purpose, and self-directed learning. Maria shares her unconventional path into school leadership, moving from brand building and tech entrepreneurship into education...

In this episode of Evolution Stories , Jeff Selingo joins the conversation to unpack how education systems are being reshaped by shifting student needs, changing labor markets, and growing skepticism about traditional college pathways. Drawing from decades of reporting and his latest book, Dream School , Jeff explores what meaningful learning looks like today, how institutions can better align wit...

In this episode of Evolution Stories, Christian Talbot sits down with Laura Light, Executive Director of AAIE and one of the most trusted conveners in international education. Laura has a unique view into the complexities facing school leaders around the globe, from geopolitical conflict to enrollment volatility to the rapid emergence of AI. She reflects on her own journey as a third culture kid t...

In this episode of Evolution Stories, Christian Talbot talks with Dr. Timothy S. Stuart, a global education leader whose career has spanned more than 30 years across schools, systems, and continents. Tim currently serves as Director of Leadership Recruitment and Global Partnerships at Search Associates and previously worked as a Regional Education Officer for the U.S. Department of State, supporti...

In this episode of Evolution Stories , host Christian Talbot speaks with Liz Perry, Assistant Head of School for Academics at St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, Connecticut. Perry brings a remarkable breadth of experience, having taught and led in schools from Brooklyn to Brazil to Pine Ridge, South Dakota. She reflects on how her diverse teaching and leadership roles—including at Berkeley Carroll,...

In this episode of Evolution Stories, Christian Talbot sits down with Catarina Song Chen, a true third culture kid whose leadership journey spans South Korea, Paraguay, the United States, and Brazil. Catarina shares how she stumbled into teaching after a career in fashion and ultimately became head of an international school facing severe challenges, including losing accreditation, unstable leader...

“Microschools are giving families agency, educators freedom, and students a chance to thrive outside of one-size-fits-all systems.” – Don Soifer In this episode of Evolution Stories , Christian Talbot sits down with Don Soifer, CEO of the National Microschooling Center. A national leader in the microschooling movement, Soifer has played a key role in transforming education through innovation and p...

 In this second episode of Season II Evolution Stories , host Christian Talbot sits down with Suzanna Jemsby, Head of School at Washington International School and a Commissioner with the Middle States Association. A lifelong educator fluent in four languages, Suzanna’s global journey has taken her from classrooms in England and Syria to leadership roles in Atlanta and Washington, DC. She candidly...

 In this Season II opening episode of Evolution Stories , host Christian Talbot welcomes back Michael Horn, renowned author, speaker, and leading thinker in education innovation. Horn was the very first guest in Middle States’ live conversations nearly three years ago, and he returns to discuss his influential work on school reinvention and systemic change. He shares insights from his book From Re...

In this episode, Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy and author of "Alchemy," shares his perspective on leading change, particularly in schools. Sutherland argues for the importance of incorporating psychology into change initiatives, suggesting that an over-reliance on numerical metrics can be detrimental.   Drawing from his experience in advertising, he emphasizes the need to unde...

This episode features leaders from Beyond 8, a pioneering learning studio in India, who share how their model disrupts traditional ideas of school. Rooted in student agency and human connection, Beyond 8 empowers young people to co-design their learning journey through real-world projects, interest-based exploration, and authentic assessments. The conversation explores the limitations of standardi...

In this episode, Homa Tavangar, co-founder of the Big Questions Institute (BQI), discusses her work in education and international development. BQI engages schools worldwide in inquiry to prepare children for an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.   Tavangar, author of "Growing Up Global," shares her insights on how to prepare children to succeed as happy and informed global...

In this episode, Dr. Renée Rattray, Lead Education Advisor for the XQ Institute, shares her origin story in education. Rattray's journey began in Jamaica, where she worked as a special education teacher and later became a school principal. The conversation reveals the profound influence of Rattray's family, whom she describes as "givers" with a strong commitment to social justi...

In this episode, Jalaj Desai, Head of School at Saddle River Day School, NJ, discusses his experiences in leading change within an independent school setting. He recounts taking on the headship during a period of instability and shares his strategies for building a strong team and fostering a positive school culture. The conversation explores Desai's emphasis on simple yet creative solutions,...

In this episode, Dr. Kapono Ciotti, CEO of the Pacific American Foundation, discusses his views on education as a powerful tool for social justice. Ciotti credits his upbringing by two educators and his early schooling experiences for shaping his perspective.   He fondly recalls his time at a progressive school in Hawaii, where the emphasis was on integrated thematic units and project-based learni...