Social Chats: Shaping Minds & Brands

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we chat with Andy Ragano, a school communications professional, small business owner, and community advocate, currently wrapping up her fifth year working in school public relations. She is the founder and CEO of Ragano Photo & Video, a communications and multimedia company celebrating its one-year anniversary in February. Through her work,...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we're joined by someone who traded the baseball diamond for the boardroom and brings that same competitive fire to everything he does. Meet Mike "HOF" Hofius, a sales representative with California Fuels and Lubricants, a Shell Lubricants distributor serving California and Nevada. Before making his mark in the energy sector, Mike...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Amy Mathews-Perez, Texas-born & raised. Amy has recently retired after 34 years in public education, during which she served as a General Education Teacher, Speech-Language Pathologist, Diagnostician, SPED Supervisor, Principal, Assistant Principal, and Director of Special Education. While her journey of public-scho...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with a dedicated educator from the Coachella Valley who has spent over a decade transforming classrooms and supporting teachers. She also happens to be one of my closest friends. Meet Dr. Laura Castro, who comes from a family of educators and began her teaching career in 2012. Currently, Dr. Castro teaches middle school stud...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Dr. Amanda Austin, who is currently serving Iberville Parish as the Director of the Iberville Math, Science, and Arts Academy East in St. Gabriel. MSA Academy East is the magnet program of East Iberville High School. With 15 years of experience, her extensive knowledge of STEAM academic and extracurricular programming i...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Rosalba Rodriguez, an educational leader with over 20 years of experience spanning roles as a bilingual instructional assistant, classroom teacher, site administrator, and now program designer in higher education. A proud first-generation college graduate, she currently serves as Administrator of the Bilingual Authoriza...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Víctor Cisneros, Coordinator of English Learners for Riverside Unified School District. Víctor brings over 20 years of educational leadership, having served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal at Ramona High School for eight years before moving to his current district role. His dedication to students has ea...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Mayra Anguiano, a Certified Child Life Specialist at a local hospital with a passion for supporting children and families. Currently completing her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, she is transitioning from healthcare to classroom education, bringing her expertise in child development and family dynamics to her seco...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Vanessa Paula, a 1st generation Latina striving to change the narrative from her own story from surviving to thriving, breaking the cycle one day at a time. South Bronx-bred and New York City Housing Authority-raised, she considers herself to be a Latina rose that grew from the concrete. She started out as yet another &q...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, I speak with Dr. Marisa Rivas, an innovative educational leader with over two decades of experience spanning classroom instruction, school administration, and district-level leadership. Currently serving as an Instructional Services Specialist in Research, Assessment & Evaluation at Riverside Unified School District, Marisa specializes in i...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Jerry Frutos, a dedicated public servant and community leader whose career spans education governance, financial services, and social support systems. Currently serving as a School Board Member for the Buena Park School District, Jerry brings seven years of educational leadership experience, including time as School Boar...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Dr. Alejandro Cisneros currently leads Family and Community Engagement and the implementation of the Community Schools program for the Alvord Unified School District in Riverside. He's been an elementary school principal in two districts and taught middle school mathematics and language arts. His doctoral studies c...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Christina Fernandez, who brings over 15 years of experience in education, with a leadership journey shaped by personal self-healing and a deep commitment to emotional intelligence and trauma-responsive practices.  Her leadership approach fosters safe, supportive environments where both students and staff feel valued and...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Amy Alzina, Superintendent/Principal of Cold Spring Elementary School District in Santa Barbara. Under her leadership, this district has become one of California's top performers, with remarkable proficiency rates of 99% in English, 98% in Math, and 97% in Science. Dr. Alzina's approach integrates STEAM, ar...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Veronica Rodriguez, the Principal at Ruth O. Harris Middle School in Colton, CA. A proud product of the Colton Joint Unified School District and Bloomington Bruin graduate, Principal Rodriguez has returned to serve the very community that shaped her educational foundation. With 22 years in education, her path has taken h...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Atikah Osman, a passionate and purpose-driven school leader who’s making waves in education by blending high expectations with heart. She serves in one of California’s largest urban school districts, where she’s known for championing equity, academic rigor, and culturally relevant teaching. Dr. Osman was named ACSA R...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Yolanda Valdez, a distinguished educator whose over 30 year career is marked by a passionate commitment to enhancing student education and nurturing future leaders.  With a decade of experience as Superintendent, she has demonstrated steadfast leadership, catalyzing significant academic advancements as well as facility a...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Neil Gupta is the Superintendent of Oakwood City Schools in Ohio. He is excited to lead a high-performing district that focuses on the whole child and connects learning to relevant, real-world experiences. Dr. Gupta has presented at the state, national, and international levels on leadership, assessments, and coachin...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Rebecca Leroux, CEO and Lead Creative Strategist for B43 Productions. As the Founder of B43Productions, she leads a team specializing in high-impact video storytelling, live-stream production, and strategic messaging- ensuring every project resonates with the right audience and drives real impact. Since 2011, she has par...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Benita Scheckel, who is a joyful, visionary and transformative educational leader with extensive experience spanning K-12 teaching, arts specialization, principalship, university-level instruction and central office administration. Having recently transitioned to the role of Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Melanie Matta, a small school Superintendent/Principal whose commitment to educational equity is unwavering. For over 20 years, she has been a tireless advocate for underserved communities, working to bridge the achievement gap and create a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape. Her dedication to diversity a...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats I will be speaking with Marco Ibarra, who currently serves as Coordinator III for the Center for Advancement of Racial Equity Unit within the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Division at the Los Angeles County Office of Education. He collaborates with various Local Education Agencies to provide professional development focused on implicit bias,...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Jaime Carias, nationally award-winning educator, bilingual author, and highly sought-after empowerment speaker known for his expertise in Family and Community engagement. With over 20 years of experience in education, Jaime equips educators, parents, and students with the mindsets and skill sets needed to thrive in the A...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats I speak with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket, an author, speaker and educator with decades of experience in public education. Dr. Edoho-Eket's belief in fostering meaningful relationships serves as the foundation for everything she does, and her highly effective teaching and leadership style continues to inspire up-and-coming aspiring teacher leaders...

Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we speak with Dr. DONYA BALL, Superintendent, Keynote speaker, author, and recently had an incredible TedTalk ! With over two decades of experience, Dr. Ball’s extensive leadership experience at the highest levels gives her a uniquely informed perspective. Her passion lies in building up leaders and she is an incredible person. Website TedX Tal...