From Hartford to Hawaii: Dr. Christina Kishimoto's Voice 4 Equity in Leadership
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 09/10/2024
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
and I are thrilled to announce our guest, Dr. Shelley Berman, a veteran superintendent with over 28 years of experience across Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Oregon. He’s also the co-author of , a timely book co-written with Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent of Ithaca. In this episode, Shelley delves into the growing ideological divisions and attacks on public education that threaten our democratic foundations. He highlights key themes from his book, addressing how educators and leaders can foster the courage to stand firm in the face of divisiveness, while still championing...
info_outline From Hartford to Hawaii: Dr. Christina Kishimoto's Voice 4 Equity in LeadershipAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
In this episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, (of ) and I took a journey with , who shared her remarkable leadership experiences from Connecticut to Arizona to Hawaii to . We dove into the unique challenges of leading Hawaii’s only statewide school district, covering 10,000+ square miles. Christina shares how navigating leadership across vastly different communities — from high-need urban districts to middle-class suburban schools — shaped her approach to resource allocation, community engagement, and equity. 🔑 ...
info_outline Leading with Love: Dr. Luvelle Brown on Equity, Courage, and Compassion in EducationAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Welcome to Season Three of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. We’re beginning this season with something truly special—we have a co-host! , a partner and equity coach at , will be joining me this season. Jamie brings a wealth of experience in equity work and leadership coaching, and I’m thrilled to have him help us dive even deeper into the complex issues facing education leaders today. Today, we’re excited to welcome , Superintendent of Ithaca Public Schools in New York. Dr. Brown has been recognized as one of the nation’s top school leaders,...
info_outline Breaking the Rules: A Ruckus Maker's Guide to Leadership with Danny BauerAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: In this episode of An Imperfect Leader, we have a very special guest. The Chief Ruckus Maker of , Danny Bauer, is here. You might be asking yourself what makes a Ruckus Maker. I assure you, I ask Danny that in the episode. Let me set the stage a little bit about why today is exciting. Danny describes himself as: An UNORTHODOX leadership coach and who loves to ask “Why follow the rules when you can make them up?” He hosts a podcast that ranks in the TOP 0.5% of all shows worldwide with over 2 million downloads. And he is a best-selling author of ! He has mentored...
info_outline Leading with Compassion and Purpose: A Conversation with Dr. Leslie Torres-RodriguezAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Intro: Hartford, Connecticut was the location of my very first hockey game. The Hartford Whalers vs the NY Rangers. And what a scene it was. During the second period, there was an obvious offense because both benches cleared and both teams were absolutely brawling! I find myself in Hartford at least once a year and so every year, I revisit, in my mind, that very violent episode in my life. But now, after talking with my guest, Dr. Torres-Rodriguez, I have a delightful replacement memory and for that, I am grateful. My mentor, Dr. Linda Henke, the creator of the human-centered school...
info_outline Jennifer Cheatham Leads Evaluation Revelations & Discipline TransformationsAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Hello, Imperfect Leaders! INTRO: Evaluations. In every single profession, employees are evaluated. They are evaluated by their direct supervisors or evaluated by a board of directors. Often they are evaluated by the people they lead in the form of a survey (often referred to as a 360 survey). Plus, there are informal evaluations conducted by the community over social media (those can be brutal). Formal evaluations can be difficult to navigate if there is not a clear process and protocol established at the very beginning. How often have you entered an evaluation meeting only to discover...
info_outline From Finance to the Front Lines: Leading in Kentucky with Matt RobbinsAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: In this episode, Matt Robbins is my guest. Matt is the Superintendent of the Daviess County Public Schools in Daviess County, Kentucky. What’s different about Matt is that he didn’t follow a traditional route to the superintendency. His background is in finance. In this episode, we talk a little about how his past experiences help him in his current job. In Part 2, in his After Action Review, he describes a situation all superintendents should be prepared to deal with. What happens when you adopt new routing software for your bus system and it crashes? What happens when the...
info_outline Hattie Tate is Building Bridges of Hope in OaklandAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. Intro: Hope is a powerful theme for today’s conversation. ...
info_outline Andrew Dolloff Turned Mascot Mayhem into a Culture of CourageAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. INTRO: Choosing a name for a public building is a...
info_outline Matt Hornbeck Redefines Public EducationAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. INTRO: This week, Matt Hornbeck is my guest. He is the...
info_outlineIn this episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, Jamie Almanzán (of The Equity Collaborative) and I took a journey with Dr. Christina Kishimoto, who shared her remarkable leadership experiences from Connecticut to Arizona to Hawaii to Voice4Equity LLC.
We dove into the unique challenges of leading Hawaii’s only statewide school district, covering 10,000+ square miles. Christina shares how navigating leadership across vastly different communities — from high-need urban districts to middle-class suburban schools — shaped her approach to resource allocation, community engagement, and equity.
🔑 Plus, Dr. Kishimoto explains how her upbringing in the Bronx and her passion for empowering women leaders, particularly women of color, led her to found Voice4Equity LLC💡 The conversation is a deep dive into leading with intention and how the diversity of thought, culture, and experience fuels innovative leadership.
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An Imperfect Leader is sponsored by Yondr.
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At the end of every interview we have for teacher candidates, we say, “What questions do you have for us?” And they always ask, “What kind of support can I expect?” And we always say, “Don't worry, we'll give you a mentor.”
That's where partners like EdConnective step in. They provide real coaching, observations and feedback with practice. EdConnective ensures that every student thrives by facilitating exceptional educator growth. If you're looking for support for your people, for your leaders, for science of reading efforts, for recruitment and retention initiatives, check out EdConnective.com.
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Imperfect Leaders! Are you facing challenges filling open Speech-Language Pathologist positions within your district? Empat Speech understands the critical need for qualified professionals and partners with school districts with a menu of options.
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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at www.human-centeredleaders.com.
Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.
Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.