The Out of the Trenches Podcast

Dr. Lindsay Whorton is proud to be a founding member of The Holdsworth Center. She helped design the Center’s programming and has served as president since 2019. She is the author of “A New School Leadership Architecture,” which calls for a fundamental redesign of how leadership roles are structured and practiced in schools, offering a bold new blueprint to make jobs sustainable and give teachers...

Jeanette Mihalchik is a National Board Certified Elementary General Music Specialist with over 2 decades of experience teaching general music, choir, and music ensembles from PreK to 8th grade. She is a certified music educator and has a Master of Science in Elementary Education with a Specialization in Literacy and has her Orff Certification. Jeanette has spent her career studying and growing as...

Paris Woods is an award-winning education leader and bestselling author of The Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom. Her recently published book, The Student’s Guide to Financial Freedom, speaks directly to a growing concern across K–12 and higher education: how students’ financial instability undermines retention and long-term success. Dr. Woods has held senior leadership roles across multiple...

Repeat guest Craig Randall is the developer and author of Trust-Based Observations, an Amazon number one best seller in five countries. Craig has spent the last 30 plus years in education working as a counselor, coach, teacher, and principal. Craig spends the majority of his time training school leaders in Trust-Based Observations (TBO), building mastery, and transforming the world of teacher obse...

Dr. Robb Kelly provides mentorship and guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs. He invests & encourages others to invest in startup ventures. He devotes countless hours sharing his expertise through conferences and workshops, utilizing others who've also overcome the challenges associated with lifestyle changes, habit formation, childhood traumas, startup obstacles, etc. He has created educational...

Tim Shanahan is distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as the director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools, is the former president of the International Literacy Association, and served on the advisory board of the National Institute for Literacy under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. In 2007, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of F...

Patty McGee is a nationally recognized literacy consultant, speaker, and educator with a passion for transforming classrooms into spaces where language and learning come alive. With decades of experience as a teacher, coach, and advocate for delightful literacy practices, Patty has worked alongside educators across the country, partnering to unlock the full potential of their students through inno...

Brig Leane is an education consultant and former principal of Fruita Middle School in Colorado, which under his leadership became a national Model Professional Learning Community. A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, he began his 2nd career as an educator in 2000, and has served as a principal, assistant principal, and teacher at the middle and high school levels in inner-city, suburban, an...

Return guest Andrea Bitner is an English Language Learner (ELL) educator, author, and speaker based in Philadelphia, PA. With 25 years in public education, she has taught K–12 students from around the world. Her debut book, Take Me Home (2021), shares the powerful true stories of 11 former EL students navigating bilingualism in America, while her second book, When Niagara Falls, inspires resilienc...

Jen Otte is an innovative educational leader with over 20 years of experience as both a teacher and an administrator. After teaching high school social studies for 17 years, Jen stepped into her current role as a high school associate principal. In both positions, and as a stepmom of two teenagers for over a decade, Jen began to realize there was a lot that she - and her fellow educators - needed...

Decoteau J. Irby, PhD's life work focuses on creating and sustaining organizations that contribute to Black people’s self-determined well-being, development, and positive life outcomes. He is Professor at University of Illinois at Chicago in the Department of Educational Policy Studies. He is the author of Stuck Improving: Racial Equity and School Leadership. Dr. Ann M. Ishimaru is an award-winnin...

Josh Tovar is the Principal at Memorial Pathway Academy (6-12) in Garland Independent School District NE of Dallas since 2016 & the Host of the #PGPPODCAST Sundays 5 pm CST. Find Josh online: Twitter/X: @MPA_GOJAGUARS @JTSOTLIGHTS IG: @jtspotlightd FB: @Mpa Jaguars LinkedIn YOUTUBE @ JOSH TOVAR

Brenna Muldoon is in her 23rd year in education. She is currently the K-12 Director for World Languages and ENL in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District in upstate New York and serves as the co-director of the NYCAL Exam Consortium and Chair of the Capital Area Language Leaders. She started her career as a German teacher in the North Colonie School District. She is the recipient of the 202...

Barbara Oakley, PhD is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan; Michigan’s Distinguished Professor of the Year; and Coursera’s inaugural “Innovation Instructor.” Her work focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior. Dr. Oakley’s research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal. She is a New York...

Michelle has taught elementary/middle school students for 27 years, four of those years, she was an administrator. She holds certifications in Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. She's taught in private, public, charter, and magnet school arenas across the country. Although she has retired, her life’s mission is dedicated to Generation Alpha. She wrote "52 Insights for Gen Alpha: A Conscious Curriculum...

During the live stream of the 400th episode, yours truly was having some connectivity issues so my guests took over and had a great conversation! They were: Dr. Robert A. Martinez, most recently Superintendent/Chief of Human Resources - has retired from the Antioch Unified School District after 38 years in public education. Dr. Martinez has continually focused on improving and expanding educationa...

Lulu Buck is a children’s Book author who is currently serving as a coordinator for a local school district in Northern CO. Previously, Lulu held the position of English Language Development and World Language Senior Consultant at the Colorado Department of Education, where she also contributed her expertise to the Standards and Instructional Support Office. Notably, she served as a state trainer...

Dr. James Lane is a dynamic leader in education whose journey—from classroom teacher and band director to state superintendent and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Education—is as inspiring as it is impactful. Now serving as Managing Director of K–16 at ETS, Dr. Lane is at the forefront of transforming how we connect high school, college, and career readiness. His insights span leadership,...

Dave Nagel and Bruce Potter are co-founders of The Center for Collaborative Expertise. Dave’s work focuses on helping schools and districts implement Visible Learning research, assessment and feedback, and effective grading reform at both school and classroom levels. He has supported schools in building impactful PLCs and is a thought leader in the PLC+ framework. Dave has authored seven books, 4...

Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh is a National Board Certified Teacher, CEO of LCT-E Learning Solutions®, and founder of Restful Teacher® and Empty2Empowered™. A globally recognized education leader, Michelle champions equity, innovation, and well-being in education. Her EQUAL Methodology™ equips educators and leaders with research-based strategies and emerging technologies to create inclusive and engagi...

Russell Van Brocklen- aka the Dyslexia Professor, shifts daily reading frustrations into confident academic wins for students facing dyslexia. Dyslexia touches as many as 15–20 % of all learners, yet most families still hear “wait and see.” He flips that script. As the Dyslexia Professor, he translates structured-literacy methods proven most effective for struggling readers into bite-size actions...

Dr. Anthony Muhammad is a highly sought-after educational speaker and presenter. With nearly 20 years of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, he has transformed school cultures and student proficiency globally. He was named the Michigan Middle School Principal of the Year in 2005. Dr. Muhammad has also been honored by the Global Gurus organization as one of the 30 Most Infl...

Jackie Pelegrin is an Instructional Designer and Adjunct Instructor. Jackie leverages decades of experience as an instructional designer within both higher education and the corporate world. She holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology, both acquired through online learning. In addition to her full-time role as a curriculum writer, Jackie serves as an adjunct ins...

Dr. Janet Patti wrote Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders a former school leader, is CEO of Star Factor Coaching, a founding member of CASEL, and professor emeritus at Hunter College School of Education at City University of New York, where her teaching and research concentrated on educational leadership. Dr. Robin Stern is the cofounder and senior advisor to the director at the Yale Center...

Shira Wolff Cohen brings 25 years of experience in youth workforce development and education. Over a decade of her career was spent in school leadership at a Philadelphia charter school. As a Teacher, Program Director, Dean, Vice Principal, and Principal, she championed student engagement, innovative instruction, and strong community partnerships to create impactful learning experiences. Shira is...