Lead with Empower Podcast

Season III of the Lead with Empower Podcast continues with another tremendous guest! We are joined by Ken Martin for episode 2 of season III. Ken is co-owner of Colony Grill Development, LLC (Colony Grill) and has just begun his first year as an adjunct professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of New Haven. Ken does a wonderful job sharing stories and leadership insight ab...

Season III of the Lead with Empower Podcast has arrived and we could not ask for a better guest to help us get things going strong in 2021 than Sara Stirling! Sara joined the Empower Team back in 2018 and currently serves as the VP of Marketing for Empower Adventures and Empower Leadership. Sara recently published a Lead with Empower blog article titled "Making Moves in 2021" and shares her leader...

The Lead with Empower Podcast wraps up 2020 with Donna, Tony, Greg, and Matt Jaskot (my parents and siblings!) - The Jaskot Family Leads with Empower! Donna is the Assistant to the Headmaster and Principal at Xavier High School, Tony is now retired, but served as a Teacher, Coach, and Athletic Director at Xavier High School for over 40 years. Greg is the Associate Director of Advancement and Assoc...

Alyssa Caliguri , Assistant Director for 1st Year Student Success at Western New England University (WNEU), Mia Cariglia (2021), and Anthony Gelsomini (2021), both Orientation Group Leaders and Peer Advisors at WNEU, Lead with Empower. Empower Leadership has delivered a handful of team building experiences for the WNEU Orientation Group Leaders (OGL's), Peer Advisors (PA's), and 1st Year Students...

Our next guest on the Lead with Empower Podcast is Dave Fazzuoli. Dave is a physical education teachers at North Haven High School whose primary course is "Project Adventure" - a sophomore physical education elective. After spending 2 years at Ridge Road Elementary School (2003-2005), Dave took over the Project Adventure PE curriculum at North Haven High School. Since 2005, Dave has helped student...

We have a very special episode this week as we catch up with the Operations Managers at our Empower Adventure Park locations in Oldsmar, FL., Middleburg, VA., and South Windsor, CT. Calvin Joustra (Empower Adventures Tampa Bay), Chris Fox (Empower Adventures Middleburg), and Paul Cappadona (Empower Adventure Park at Nomads) join me for a great conversation about the offerings at their Empower Adve...

Dr. Jan Jones Leads with Empower Dr. Jones is the Coordinator and Lecturer for Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of New Haven and a great friend of Empower Leadership. Jan brings a wealth of valuable leadership insight to our conversation; applicable to the hospitality and tourism industry and far beyond. Jan is extremely passionate about exploring and learning, health/wellness,...

Jania Pagan (Penn Foster HS), Janaya Merced (Penn Foster HS), Jada Merced (SABIS International Charter School), Kendrick Long (Springfield Renaissance School), and James Lightfoot (Urban League of Springfield) join the Lead with Empower Podcast. Jania, Janaya, Jada, and Kendrick are all young adults living in Springfield, MA. who participate in youth development programming with James Lightfoot -...

Tanner Kern Leads with Empower! Tanner is a recent graduate from the University of Connecticut and is an endurance athlete, inspirational content creator, and freelance writer. During our conversation, you will hear about Tanner's inspirational journey from 340 pound Division I football player at Lafayette College to 200 pound endurance athlete, as well as the important role leadership has played...

Hildie Heck, the Athletic Director for Lyme Old Lyme Schools, joins the Lead with Empower for episode 8 of season 2. Hildie has been in the Athletic Director role for the Wildcats since 2016. Prior to joining the Lyme Old Lyme community, Hildie was a physical education/health instructor and coach at Classical Magnet School in Hartford. Hildie is a classmate of mine from Springfield College and sha...

Our next guest on the Lead with Empower Podcast is Steve Opalenik. Steve is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Founder of The Promethean Project - a non-profit, community-based whole body wellness services provider. I first met Steve back in 2009 during our work together with Springfield College's LACES Program and, since then, Steve has done nothing short of tremendous work in the field of me...

Jim Hofher, Defensive Analyst for Wake Forest University Football, joins the Lead with Empower Podcast! Jim has coached at both the collegiate and professional levels for 42 years since graduating from Cornell University in 1978, including his time leading the Cornell Big Red Football Program (1990-1997) and the University of Buffalo Program (2001-2005). Jim is an experienced coach and leader who...

Ken Watson (Dean of Students) and Victoria Alderman (Community Relations Coordinator) from the Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg (FL) join the Lead with Empower Podcast. Ken and Victoria are both wonderful people doing some tremendous work with the Academy Prep scholars. Academy Prep ( https://stpete.academyprep.org/ ) is a nationally accredited non-profit middle school that empowers students...

Episode IV, Season II of the Lead with Empower Podcast features Dr. Terrell Hill - Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources (Windsor Public Schools) and the Founder and President of Black Leaders & Administrators, Inc. (BLAC). With over 27 years of experience in education and educational leadership, Dr. Hill brings tremendous insight, passion, and experience to our conversation. We learn a...

Episode III, Season II of the Lead with Empower Podcast features a great conversation with Al Carbone - the Commissioner of the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC), a high school athletics conference in Connecticut. Al, in his 17th year as Commissioner of the SCC, brings a ton of leadership insight into the current state of high school sports in Connecticut. We discuss a range of topics, includi...

Season II of the Lead with Empower Podcast keeps rolling along with a wonderful, thought-provoking conversation with Mr. James Lightfoot III. James currently serves as the Director of Youth and Education Programs for the Urban League of Springfield, Inc. In his role, James is responsible for the design and delivery of in-school and out-of-school programming for teens and young adults in Springfiel...

Season II of the Lead with Empower Podcast begins with a tremendous guest - Dr. Ted France from Springfield College. Ted is a professor and co-department chair of the Physical Education and Health Education major at Springfield College. Ted also serves as the President of the Faculty Senate. I've known Ted since the Fall of 1999, first as one of his students, next as his graduate assistant, and no...

The first season of the Lead with Empower podcast comes to an end with the final episode - featuring Empower's Founders, Joe DeRing and Dan Jaskot. In a bit of a "dueling interview" format, Joe and Dan talk about the early years of entrepreneurship in 2009, the learning experiences and growth of both Empower Adventures and Empower Leadership, the "why" behind Empower, the challenges of COVID-19, a...

Coach Kevin Gilbride, most recently the Head Coach of the XFL's New York Guardians, Leads with Empower. Coach Gilbride has coached at the collegiate and professional levels for 40 years and is the proud owner of two Super Bowl Rings from his time as the Offensive Coordinator with the New York Giants. You will hear about Kevin's journey from student-athlete at North Haven High School to coaching at...

Anthony Petruzzi, Head Coach of the Football Program at Raritan High School in Hazlet, New Jersey, joins the Lead with Empower Podcast. I first met Coach Petruzzi in 2011 during the first (of what is now 9) consecutive summer leadership intensive programs I have had the pleasure of leading for Raritan Football's raising senior student-athletes. Coach Petruzzi is one of the best leaders I've every...

Nick Cerreta, Dean of Students and Head Coach of the Varsity Baseball Program at Xavier High School, Leads with Empower. Nick has been at Xavier High School since 2005, starting as an English Teacher and assistant in the Campus Ministry department before becoming the Dean of Students. Nick shares insight into how the Xavier Community responded to the COVID-19 situation - distance learning, cancell...

Today's guest on the Lead with Empower Podcast is Pat D'Amato. Pat is originally from Wethersfield, CT., graduated from Xavier High School in 2012, and attended Stony Brook University on a full athletic scholarship (football) from 2012-2016. Pat is currently working for the Robert E. Morris Company; providing CNC machine tool solutions for manufacturers of precision parts in Northern and Central N...

Coach Kevin Loney joins the Lead with Empower Podcast! Kevin coaches in the Football Program Bowdoin College (Safeties & Running Backs) and is also their Director of Player Development. Kevin has an extensive coaching career of 20 years, including stops at Wesleyan University, the University of Notre Dame, and Nichols College. After graduating from Xavier High School, Kevin's leadership journe...

Coach John Vigue Leads with Empower. John is a former collegiate and pro baseball player and current manager of the Lady Alliance Softball Club - an elite travel softball organization based out of Clearwater, FL. In addition to his playing career, John has an extensive coaching past - including stints at the High School, Collegiate, and Semi-Pro levels. Leadership Notes and Other Highlights: John...

Dr. Lisa Hill Leads with Empower! Dr. Hill is currently the Chair of the Department of History at Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, CT. Lisa has over 20 years of teaching and administrative experience at the secondary and collegiate level and shares wonderful insight into her leadership journey from student to educator. Lisa is a life-long learner - earning a BA in Liberal Studies from the...