​Darcy Bakkegard
Co-Founder & Change Consultant,
The Educators' Lab
 
Quotes of the Podcast:
“Think of what you want to be different and start from there.” Priya Parker, The Art of Gathering
 
“While individual curiosity can produce incredible feats, our collective curiosity is the motor behind humanity’s biggest innovations. Conversations feed our imagination, and collaboration enables us to dream bigger. In fact, we are wired to function at our best when tapping into shared knowledge and the support of a community.” Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Tiny Experiments
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
Darcy believes in the power of education to change lives and the power of TEACHERS to lead that change. To help teachers do this work, she co-founded The Educators' Lab USA and is a board member of The Educators’ Lab Global. She designed and facilitated The Teacher Empowerment Incubator, a pilot program that supports rural teachers as community collaborators and problem-solvers.
 
A classroom teacher for over a decade, Darcy creates the type of PD she always wanted, driving change in education and empowering teachers as changemakers. Through her work, teachers reconnect with their purpose, rekindle their spark for teaching, and reignite the JOY of teaching and learning.
 
In addition to her joy work, Darcy is the co-author of The Startup Teacher Playbook, a frequent contributor to Edutopia, holds a Master’s of Secondary Education, is an ISTE Certified Educator, and is an experienced international presenter and keynote speaker. She's ALWAYS up to brainstorm and collaborate. She lives in Fargo, ND, with her husband and their triplets.
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.
 

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• The lessons Education CAN learn from business
• Why Joy & How Joy helps spark ACTION
• The importance of play (playing with ideas, playing in the classroom, PLAY!)
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

 
Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts
Book I Wrote: The Startup Teacher Playbook Books I recommend: Wintering, The Art of Gathering, Tiny Experiments- ALL GREAT reads Website: TheEducatorsLab.com

PODCAST Season 5 EPISODE 4
 
Marj Atkinson
CEO
The Research Sage
 
Quotes of the Podcast:
Make yourself an example of good works with integrity, dignity and incorruptibility in your teaching. Titus 2:7 CSB
 
What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education. -Harold Howe.
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
Marj Atkinson received her Master of Library Science from Texas Woman's University in 2012 (as a true nontraditional grad student). She is an academic success coach specializing in personalized support for nontraditional graduate students and research solutions for authors, faculty, small businesses, and nonprofits. She leads engaging workshops including resource organization, literature reviews, AI best practices, and market research tools. With a background spanning libraries, financial services, IT, and nonprofits, Marj is known for helping people find exactly what they need—so if you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, ask Marj!
 
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.
 

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• Challenges of nontraditional Grad students in online programs and the lack of resources they receive, especially at but not exclusive to under-resourced schools such as HBCUs.
• Also discussions on AI and academic integrity. And the
• lack of "pipelines" in so many professions from K12 to Higher Ed.
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

 
Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts
I'm featured in Careers in Library and Information Services, by Priscilla K. Shontz, editor
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/careers-in-library-and-information-services-9798216185772/
 
Podcasts: A Way with Words, an upbeat and lively public radio show and podcast about language examined through culture, history, and family. https://waywordradio.org/
Code Sw!tch (while NPR is still a thing). It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch
​

PODCAST Season 5 EPISODE 3 
Dr. Cassidy Sugimoto
School Chair, Tom and Marie Patton Chair, Professor Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy Georgia Institute of Technology

Quote of the Podcast: 
Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Introduction of Guest BIO – 
Dr. Cassidy R. Sugimoto holds multiple roles at Georgia Tech. She is School Chair, the Tom and Marie Patton Chair, and Professor of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. Her research explores how knowledge is created, shared, and supported—with a strong focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in science and academia. She holds three degrees from UNC Chapel Hill, including a Ph.D. in Information and Library Science. A recognized leader in her field, Dr. Sugimoto has earned multiple teaching, leadership, and service awards and is known for her thought leadership at the intersection of policy, research, and inclusion.
 Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• What do you love about what you do?
• Information dissemination
• Importance of Higher Education
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

Support the show
Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

PODCAST Season 5 EPISODE 2
 
Will Richardson
Founder
Future Serious School
 
Quote of the Podcast:
"The end of the world as we know it is not the end of the world, full stop." ~Dougald Hine
 
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
Will is a lifelong educator who, after 22 years in the classroom, has worked with educators in over 25 countries to push their thinking about the purpose and practice of schooling in a time of deepening challenges and emerging opportunities for change. He is a parent, an author of six books, and the founder of Future Serious Schools. His recent manifesto "Confronting Education in a Time of Complexity, Chaos, and Collapse" is a provocation for a new "why" of schooling and the foundation for a seven-week workshop of the same title which is now entering its third cohort.
 
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.
 

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• Tell us about Future Serious Schools
• Share the essence of your Manifesto
• Share what people will gain from participating in your next cohort
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

 
Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts
 
Website: https://futureserious.school/
Manifesto: https://futureserious.school/manifestoedu/
Books: Hospicing Modernity, Education in a Time Between Worlds, At Work in the Ruins, Pedagogies of Collapse.
Podcasts: The Great Turning, The Great Simplification, Future Learning Design.
 
Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions
​

PODCAST Season 5 EPISODE 1
 
Dr. Demetrus Liggins
Fayette County Public Schools
Superintendent
 
Quote of the Podcast:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit" -Aristotle
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
Today’s guest is Dr. Demetrus Liggins, superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools since 2021. A former English and ESL teacher, Dr. Liggins has served in nearly every role in education—from classroom teacher to high school principal to area superintendent—across California and Texas. Before coming to Lexington, he led Greenville ISD near Dallas, where he transformed a struggling district into one with significantly improved academic and financial ratings, earning state recognition.
Bilingual and deeply committed to equity, Dr. Liggins launched innovative programs like a citywide literacy initiative, a dual-language track, a STEM academy, and an Early College High School. His leadership has earned him national accolades, including being named a Superintendent to Watch and Kentucky’s 2026 Superintendent of the Year. With advanced degrees in education and policy and a passion for student success, Dr. Liggins is widely respected for his results-driven leadership and deep investment in mentoring the next generation of educators.
​
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.
 

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• What do you love about what you do?
• Portrait of a Graduate and Deeper Learning
• Local Accountability
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

 
Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts
 
 
Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

PODCAST Season 4 EPISODE 8
 
Sen Reggie Thomas
KY State Senator
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
Reggie Thomas graduated from Bryan Station High School in 1971. He earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1975 and a Juris Doctor from Harvard University in 1978. His career experience includes working as an assistant professor at Kentucky State University.

​Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

•  30,000 Ft. View – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• You are on the Senate Education Committee, What drew you to education?
• Role of Government in Education
• Changing role of education for our new economy
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision-makers to know?

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts
 
 
Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Ayo Jones
Educator| Author |Creator
 
Quote of the Podcast:
 
“Forward ever, backward never.” – Kwame Nkrumah
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
 
Ayo Jones is an educator, instructional designer, and the author of Teaching with AI: The PEACE Framework. She’s all about helping teachers integrate AI into their classrooms to build the critical skills students need for the future. With years of experience working with students who have complex access needs, Ayo is passionate about making learning more engaging, accessible, and relevant for every student. Her goal? To help educators rethink what's possible and create classrooms that prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

•  30,000 Ft. View – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• AI in education and rethinking instructional pedagogy.
• AI as assistive tech for those with disabilities
• Changing role of education for our new economy
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision-makers to know?

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts
 
Teaching with AI: The PEACE Framework
 
NoodleNook
 
 www.peaceframework.com/
 

Will Powers
Adult Policy Partner
Kentucky Student Voice Team
Quote of the Podcast: 
“I believe in angels, something good in everything I see”
Introduction of Guest BIO – 
Will Powers is a graduate of Occidental College, where he studied diplomacy and world affairs and graduated as an Obama Scholar. He has worked for the Brookings Institution, Blue Haven Initiative, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee advancing social impact through policy making. Will is currently the policy and public engagement partner for the Kentucky Student Voice Team helping lead the Rose Revival campaign and supporting high school students to facilitate a series of public hearings related to issues raised in KSVT's recently-filed legal complaint, Kentucky Student Voice Team v. The Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

•  30,000 Ft. View – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• KSVT Legislation
• Addressing skepticism about the KSVT litigation (learned pessimism about systematic reform)
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision-makers to know?

Podcast/book shoutouts
Books: The Places in Between by Rory Stewart
Mobilizing Citizens for Better Schools​

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions
Support the show
Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Kalimah Fergus Ayele
Head of Campus
The Winchendon School
 
Quote of the Podcast:
"Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it."
--- Marian Wright Edelman, Former president and the Children's Defense Fund
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
Kalimah Fergus Ayele is the Head of NYC Campus for The Winchendon School, an oasis in the heart of Manhattan where students are guided through real-world learning to connect with their passion through a unique city-wide field study program. Her experience in schools started as a Peace Corps Volunteer where she taught Chemistry in East Africa and over her 30 year career, she has taught in 5 countries. She earned her bachelor's degree in Chemistry at Stanford University and masters degrees at Teachers College Columbia University, including an Ed M in Organization Leadership through the Klingenstein program. A native of Brooklyn, NY, Kalimah Fergus Ayele has always been committed to building thriving, inclusive communities where participants experience a sense of belonging and have the opportunity to build the necessary tools to design and create a more equitable world.
 
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

•  30,000 Ft. View – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• innovative schools and using design thinking techniques to "design for belonging" in school communities.
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision-makers to know?

Podcast/book shoutouts
Shout out to "The Management Center" a training program that helps organization design and implement equitable management systems;
"The Landscape Model for Learning"
"What School Could Be"
for their commitment to moving the conversation about innovation in education forward.
 
Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions
​

Adam Smith
Founder and Lead Education Consultant
Smith Education Consultants
 
Quote of the Podcast:
We all do better, when we all do better - Senator Paul Wellstone
 
Introduction of Guest BIO –
Adam A. Smith is a first-generation college graduate who has dedicated his almost three-decade career to ensuring college access and success for all Americans. He served as the founding Director of the TRIO Upward Bound program at Rock Valley College and later as the college’s Dean of Students. He taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois, and was appointed to serve as the City of Rockford’s (IL) “Education Czar” to former mayor Lawrence J. Morrissey. Adam worked at Metropolitan State University as Director of Multicultural, American Indian and Retention Services, The University of Alabama as Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising and Student Success and at The University of Akron as Assistant Vice President of Student Success. He also has undergraduate admissions experience from his time at The University of Tennessee. Smith currently works at the University of Kentucky as Executive Director for University Academic Advising and has a vibrant public speaking and educational consulting firm, Smith Education Associates, LLC and is the host of The Get Uncomfortable podcast and is represented by the Institute of Democratic Education & Culture, “SpeakOut”, the nation’s only social justice speaker agency. Adam has built successful coalitions and initiatives that have transformed high school graduation rates, college enrollment and success for students throughout the nation.
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

•  30,000 Ft. View – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• Higher education.
• College students since the return for lock down,
• Student success, student mental health and well-being,
• The impact of anti-DEI legislation on student success and belonging
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision-makers to know?

Podcast/book shoutouts
The Get Uncomfortable Podcast, Smith Education Associates, LLC,
SpeakOut - The Institute for Democratic Education and Culture
 
Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions