Be A Global Citizen!
Be A Global Citizen! explores the tools, perspectives, and spirit of global citizenship. Host Scott Bower, a teacher and educator, asks who qualifies as a global citizen and what value global citizenship brings to individuals and society. The podcast maps out pathways toward a more peaceful, sustainable, and interconnected future. Listeners are invited to consider whether they themselves are global citizens.
Episodes
231. Jesus Flores: Believing in the Great Potential of Oneself and Others
Jesus Flores is an educator, author, and researcher dedicated to empowering underserved communities. He currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Diamond Ranch High School and is pursuing his Ed.D. at UCLA. Blending academic rigor with cultural relevance, Jesus is the co-founder of Foosgoneeducated and co-author of the book This Foo: 7 Lessons for Burros & Bag Chasers, where he works to b
230. Lucas Welter: Embracing Ambiguity and Wonder
Lucas Welter is a global strategy and organization development executive with more than 20 years of experience leading transformation, talent development, and network alignment across complex international organizations. He served as Chief Organization Development & Strategy Officer at AFS Intercultural Programs, where he led global strategy, organizational development, leadership development,
229. Sharon Counts: Being Artist Citizens who Lead with Collaboration and Curiosity
Sharon Counts is an Assistant Professor of Business and Design Strategies at Parsons School of Design, The New School. Her research-led creative practice explores the efficacy of social impact and community engagement programs in the arts and business. She investigates how design innovations influence emerging trends in business, leadership and community engagement. Sharon has worked broadly as an
228. Tonikiaa Orange: Cultivating Communal Spaces for Empowerment and Belonging
Dr. Tonikiaa Orange serves as the Director for the Educational Leadership Program at UCLA Ed&IS and Director for the Culture and Equity Project (CEP) at UCLA Center X. Her commitment to education spans over 20 years, and she is an expert in culturally responsive pedagogy and is the co-developer of the Reciprocal Learning Partnerships for Equity Coaching Framework. Her work focuses on preparing
227. Vivi Wei: Listening to Your Heart and Evolving What It Means to Change the World
Vivi Wei is Brand Manager and Business Development Director at Brain Co. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is a recent graduate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Education Policy and Analysis. Her learning journey has taken her from Hubei, China, to Edinburgh, Scotland, to Boston, USA. She shares about her struggles to fit into and work with the Chinese educational system. Her perspe
226. Cathleen Kong: Innovation Starts with Empathy
Cathleen Kong is a computer science educator and former software engineer at Microsoft with experience teaching, designing technology-enhanced learning experiences, and building software. She is passionate about helping students develop technical skills through engaging, real-world projects in computer science and AI. In our conversation, she shares her interdisciplinary journey of becoming a soft
225. Sarah Wider: Honoring and Learning from Glimmers of Memory through Storytelling
Dr. Sarah Ann Wider is emerita professor of English and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Colgate University. A distinguished scholar of American literature, Wider spent nearly four decades teaching at Colgate University, where she developed a wide-ranging curriculum centered on Ralph Waldo Emerson, the Transcendentalist movement, feminist autobiographical writing, and Native American lite
224. Herminio Perez: Change the World, One Smile at a Time
Herminio L. Perez, DMD, MBA, EdD is a nationally recognized leader in dental education, student affairs, diversity, and academic innovation. Herminio currently serves as Assistant Dean for Campus Life at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM). He is guided by a deep commitment to education, inclusion, and humanistic authentic leadership. In our dialogue, Herminio shares about his love for de
223. Michael Miller: You Don’t Move Through the World as a Solo Act
Dr. Michael Miller is a mission-driven executive leader with 20+ years of progressive experience across higher education, including academic affairs, student services, and institutional advancement. He is the Associate Dean at The City College of New York, The Spitzer School of Architecture. Michael shares about his foundational experiences as an actor and the ways in which he brings his full self
222. Handrio Nurham Making Human Connections through Philosophy and Opera
Handrio Durham is an anthropologist (Boston University) with an MA in philosophy (Texas Tech University). His work lies at the intersection of culture, language, ethics, and technology, with a current interest in how human meaning-making is conducted through systems. Currently, he applies his background in ethnography and critical analysis to AI qualitative evaluation at Meta, ensuring linguistic
221. Denise Nelson Nash: Discovering Culture is Finding your Bridge to it
Dr. Denise Nelson Nash is a strategic leader and transformational project expert. She is the Vice President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees at Scripps College. She also is co-host of "Life in Higher Ed" Podcast and co-author of the book: Trinity of Leadership: Learners, Thinkers, Tinkerers. With over 25 years of experience driving transformative change, she specializes in turning
220. Hans Schattle: Patriotism and Global Citizenship in Times of Crisis
Dr. Hans Schattle is a Professor of Political Science at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. He teaches coursework in citizenship, democracy, civil society, cosmopolitanism, nationalism, global governance, political theory, political communications and politics of Europe, East Asia and the United States. He has written two books, Globalization and Citizenship and The Practices of Global Citiz
219. Sheila Nabanja: Treasure your Deep Roots while Forging a Global Identity
Sheila Nabanja is the co-founder of Musizi University in Uganda: the first liberal arts university in the country, opening its inaugural cohort in January 2027. She serves as Executive Director of the Foundation driving strategy, fundraising, governance, and stakeholder relationships across the US diaspora and Uganda. Africa's next generation of leaders needs better infrastructure, and educati
218. GC Talks with Fumihiko Tominaga: Climate Change is Linked to Your Daily Life
Fumihiko Tominaga is an environmental and social safeguards specialist working at the intersection of climate finance and policy, sustainable development, and ESG. His professional experience spans multilateral climate funds, the United Nations system, and Japanese foreign missions, with a focus on ensuring that climate and infrastructure investments deliver meaningful environmental and social out
217. HGSE Global Citizen: Casey Lartigue: Empowering North Korean Refugees to Speak Their Stories
Casey Lartigue is the co-founder and co-president of Freedom Speakers International (FSI) in Seoul, Korea. He is co-author of Songmi Han’s memoir "Greenlight to Freedom,” and he is a columnist with the Korea Times newspaper. Casey shares about his formative experiences living abroad in Taiwan and South Korea. From his work teaching English abroad to his work at the Cato Institute, he drew fro
216. GC Talks with Felipe Iwahashi: Harnessing the Complexity of Multilingual and Multicultural Identities
Felipe Iwahashi is a multilingual professional with a strong background in linguistics, cultural exchange, and educational research. He has extensive experience teaching English and Japanese. Currently, he works at the International School of Sciences and Arts in Costa Mesa as a language instructor and Project Based Learning teacher. Felipe is passionate in fostering cross-cultural communication,
215. GC Talks with Michelle Hobby-Mears: Being Anchored in Faith to Create Value
Michelle Hobby-Mears is the Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Activities at Soka University of America (SUA). She speaks about her journey to support the early years of building out SUA’s residential programs. Her strongly aligned values and calling to support students from all around the world informed her decision to work at SUA for over 26 years. She speaks about the importance
214. HGSE Global Citizen: Frank Arce: Education as a Bridge to Joy in Difficult Times
Frank Arce is the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He is a mission-driven leader who believes education is both a public good and a powerful vehicle for social mobility. His work centers on expanding access, affordability, and student success—especially for traditionally underserved populations. Check out Frank’s journey as a first
213. HGSE Global Citizen: Christine Hwang: Building Digital Tools and Environments to Facilitate Greater Human Connections
Christine Hwang is an online learning designer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is interested in civics and literacy learning design for multilingual learners as well as the role of EdTech/AI in 21st-century education. She grew up traveling between the US and China. Her experiences navigating change in different social and cultural contexts challenged her to understand her identity
212. HGSE Global Citizen: Simon Chow: Navigating Belonging as a First Gen Student in Local and International Spaces
Simon Chow is PhD candidate at the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. He is a first gen student who immigrated to the US from China with his family. His journey from Bowdoin college for undergraduates studies to Harvard for graduate studies is marked by seeking a deeper sense of belonging with his own Chinese heritage and LA upbringing. Simon shares some of the practical ways in whi
211. GC Talks with Alejandra Valencia: Confronting Social Injustices and Educating the Next Generation of Leaders as a Daughter of Migrant Workers
Alejandra Valencia is an elementary school vice principal with over three decades of teaching experience. Her story starts with the struggles of moving to the US with her family from Mexico as undocumented migrants. Despite growing up with the stress of possibly seeing her parents get deported, she was intent on focusing her efforts on education. With the support and encouragement from her parents
210. GC Talks with Yukari Hirano: Cultivating Long-Term Happiness as Foundational Curriculum in Schools
Yukari Hirano is the Vice Principal at the International School for Sciences and Culture in Costa Mesa. She is passionate about creating an inclusive and supportive community of learners where each student feels seen and loved. Her experiences as a student in Soka schools in Brazil, Japan, and the US were foundational in her own development as a global citizen. Yukari also shares about her own per
209. GC Talks with Julian Velarde: Navigating Change and Finding Meaning in Life
Julian Velarde is the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator at the Orange County Fire Authority. He is passionate about fostering an inclusive environment through strategic DE&I planning and community engagement. Prior to his work in the Fire Authority, his decades-long career in higher education cemented his ability to create safe and engaging spaces for students to feel a deeper sense of belon
208. GC Talks with Paul Sherman: Building Greater Awareness of Our Interconnection
Dr. Paul Sherman is recently retired Chair, Community Social Services program at the University of Guelph-Humber, Toronto, Canada. He is the founding and current director of the Soka Education Research Centre on Global Citizenship where he mentors undergraduate students in conducting research on topics related to the theory and practice of Soka education and global citizenship. Paul has developed
207. GC Talks with Naomi Otsuka: Finding Beauty in the Questions We Ask about Ourselves and the World
Naomi Otsuka is an actor, writer, and singer. She is interested in philosophy and the aesthetics of beauty across different cultures. Her curiosity about how people convey their emotions and articulate their values led her down the path to acting. By channeling her own lived experiences and engaging in method acting, she views the process of bringing a character to life as an act of bridging diffe
206. GC Talks with David Jackson: Igniting the Spark of Learning Within Each Student
David Jackson is the founding Head of School at the South Bay Classical Academy. Previously, he was Head of School at Canterbury School, a PK-12 independent day school in Indiana. David has over two decades of teaching experience and his subjects included Latin, AP World History, AP European History, and AP Government & Politics. David shares his passion for classical education and how he had
205. GC Talks with Toko Itaya: Small Acts of Kindness Make Big Impacts on Language Learning
Toko Itaya is a doctoral student in curriculum studies at DePaul University. She is a Japanese teacher who has taught high school and undergraduate students in Japan, Brazil, and the United States. She shares her humanistic approach to teaching as a way to open up new possibilities through language acquisition. From her own experiences of learning languages, she speaks about the difficulty of lear
204. HGSE Global Citizen: Alexis Redding: Being the Author of your own Story
Alexis Redding is a faculty member at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research interests include college access, mental health, and human development. After college, she moved to Switzerland and started a tutoring company. Her approach was grounded in a deep commitment to the success of each student and their unique strengths and learning differences. From a decade of tutoring and colleg
203. GC Talks with Gonzalo Obelleiro: Cultivating Awareness that People Experience the World Differently
Gonzalo Obelleiro is Assistant Professor of Curriculum Studies at DePaul University. His research interests include curriculum theory, philosophy of education, ethics, and cosmopolitanism. He shares his thoughts about global citizenship through his own lived experiences being from Argentina and moving abroad to the United States and Japan. Many of the anecdotes he shares help to explain global cit
202. GC Talks with Emma Sherbine: Bridging the Digital Divide in Sub Saharan Africa
Emma Sherbine is an educator, social media influencer, UN youth representative, and world traveler. She is engaged in digital outreach in Liberia where she carried out her Peace Corp mission. From South Korea to the USA to Uganda to Liberia, her passion to learn from different cultures and peoples has broadened her perspective on what it means to be a global citizen. She speaks about the digital d
201. GC insights by Nitesh Sil
Check out what Nitesh Sil has to say about being a global citizen! For the full conversation, you can search for episode 18. Enjoy!
200. GC insights by Lynn Harper
Check out what Lynn Harper has to say about being a global citizen! For the full conversation, you can search for episode 13. Enjoy!
199. Ryan Hayashi: Persevering through hardships to reveal the humanity of students and teachers
Ryan Hayashi is a math teacher in Arizona with over 13 years of teaching experience. He began his teaching career through Teach for America and was placed in Ciudad Juarez along the US-Mexico border. At the time, New Mexico was ranked 50 out of 50 in terms of its national ranking and the city where his school was located was considered the most dangerous city in the world according to homicide rat
198. Lisa McMillan Delehoy: Learning together and building trust with young learners
Lisa McMillan Delehoy is a dedicated educator with a passion for designing and delivering curricula that empower and educate young people while fostering intellectual and social-emotional growth. She worked in Japan as a kindergarten teacher and later as a high school teacher. In our conversation, Lisa emphasizes the importance of building trust with young people. She believes that being a global
197. HGSE Global Citizen: Barbara Best: Building healthy ecosystems of care through tight-knit roots
Barbara Best is a community organizer, youth advocate, and system change leader with 25 years of experience in nurturing the power of communities to build a more just and compassionate world for all. Her guiding compass is towards healthy interconnectedness. She serves as Executive Director of Convu, a vibrant community that builds capacity for deep listening and peer coaching in schools, workplac
196. Reflecting on 5 years of Be A Global Citizen!
Happy 5 year anniversary to Be A Global Citizen! Check out this reflection where I share the origins of the podcast, the evolution of the podcast and myself as a podcaster, and the future of it! I wish to express my deep appreciation to all my listeners and supporters.
195. HGSE Global Citizen: Charli Kemp: Looking for the light and rooting oneself in love
Charli Kemp is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Change The Tune. She is a curator of transformative learning experiences that empower individuals to build capacity within themselves and create positive systemic change. She utilizes education as a vehicle for activism and is driven by ending inequitable systems to create opportunities and access for underserved communities. Charl
194. HGSE Global Citizen: Sabrina Sheikh: Showing up as a leader for yourself and others
Sabrina Sheikh is the senior program manager at the Institute for Educational Leadership. She is committed to building inclusive systems where all young people are seen, heard, and supported to lead and thrive as they transition into adulthood. From her own upbringing as an immigrant from Somalia, Sabrina understands and has taken action to takedown the many barriers facing immigrant populations i
193. Maria Guajardo: We make the road by walking
Maria Guajardo is a goal-driven and innovative global leader. She has held government roles, non profit leadership, and university deanship. The theme of leadership is evident in her multiple career pathways. What is inspiring about Maria’s work as an educator and leader is the emphasis on student agency to take action that is rooted in purpose. Maria shares about her sense of identity as a Mexica
192. Jason Lions: Engaging in Life-to-Life Encounters to Transform the Individual and Society
Jason Lions is the regional vice president for Center for Social Dynamics. He has worked as a teacher, coordinator, principal, superintendent, and executive across public and private schools in the United States. He shares about how he was able to transform his childhood trauma into fuel for fostering young people as capable learners with a mission for society. With a deep sense of appreciation fo
191. HGSE Global Citizen: Generosa Sangco-Jackson: Examining Ancient Languages to Reaffirm our Common Humanity
Generosa Sangco-Jackson is a PhD in Classics and Classical Languages from the University of Florida and a recent graduate from the masters in Education Leadership at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a first generation college student and speaks about her journey studying and teaching Latin. Her sense of awe and wonder about ancient mythology and civilizations is still very much intact
190. HGSE Global Citizen: Larry Meadows Jr.: Being the Happiest Person You Know
Larry Meadows Jr is a recent graduate from the Education Leadership Doctorate program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His career started in finance and accounting and later shifted to the non profit space and then once again to schools. His career pursuit has been to make an impact on young people with an emphasis on family and community engagement. Larry draws from his adolescent years g
189. HGSE Global Citizen: Reem Olaby: We rise by lifting up others
Reem Olaby is an accomplished pharmacist, educator, researcher, and leadership trainer with more than 15 years of scientific research experience and 14 years of higher education teaching. She currently serves as an Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Biotechnology at California Northstate University and is pursuing her master’s in higher education leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of
188. HGSE Global Citizen: Alex Smith: Partnering with Families to Inspire Hope for the Future
Alex Smith is the Executive Director of an Early Childhood Center in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He has taught at the preschool and kindergarten levels for over 20 years and is passionate about shaping young learners to uncover their unique interests and strengths. He is driven by the philosophy that every child deserves excellent educational opportunities and that we achieve that by partnering with
187. Chirag Patel: Human Connections and the Willingness to Engage with Others
Chirag Patel is an educator, writer, and media specialist who lives in Los Angeles. He is the son of immigrants and was taught by his parents the value of grit and resilience. Throughout his studies and career, Chirag has been driven to learn from others and reflect on his own impact. Our conversation centers on the role that friendship plays in cultivating oneself as a global citizen. From each i
186. HGSE Global Citizen: Rasheen Jamison-Richardson: Reauthoring your Narrative and Owning your Legacy
Rasheen Jamison-Richardson is the non profit founder of Legacy School of Performing Arts. With over two decades of teaching experience in music, she created her own school to cultivate the creativity and passion of youth through musical expression. Her educator journey has been one of transforming suffering and hardship into strength and resilience. Despite suffering a stroke, Rasheen drew strengt
185. HGSE Global Citizen: Cristi Marchetti: Saying Yes to the Things that Matter
Cristi Marchetti is passionate about making a positive impact through her love of literature and teaching. She has experience as an independent publicist in her early career and later discovered that working with young people and cultivating their curiosity about the world is where she wanted to make her greatest impact. She speaks about her desire to connect the local with the global and the impo
184. HGSE Global Citizen: Sandy Arntzen: Being the Cheerleader that Every Student Deserves
Sandy Arntzen is a Los Angeles-based educator who works with children to help them achieve their fullest potential. She takes the time to build trust with students one-on-one and addresses both their academic and emotional needs through various approaches that cultivates their innate desire to learn and be their authentic selves. She mostly works with clients from ages 3 to 21 with autism and atte
183. HGSE Global Citizen: Neera Sameda: Using Courage to Pivot for your American Dream
Neera Sameda is the Director of Customer Success and College Coaching for CollegeConsulting.US. She comes from an immigrant family and speaks to her own childhood, navigating the beaches of Trinidad and Tobago and the urban streets of New Jersey. A big part of her story centers on her parent’s story of the American Dream. Neera speaks about her struggle to carve out her own narrative of the Americ
182. Ian Read: Cultivating Radical Empathy to Transform Differences through Dialogue
Ian Read is the Associate Dean of Faculty at Soka University of America. He is a professor of Latin American Studies and his research has focused on the social, economic, and medical history of Brazil, particularly the history of slavery, race, and public health in the nineteenth century. Ian shares about what passion is and the implications of being passionate over the long run as a means to crea
181. HGSE Global Citizen: Maryke Luijendijk: Finding Common Ground in an Ocean of Diversity
Maryke Luijendijk has worked in higher education for two decades in countries such as South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Her path was informed by historic events like working on a large project in her early career to help merge two universities in South Africa in the wake of Apartheid. Other formative experiences of hotel management overseas in the UK were also important to show her the va
180. HGSE Global Citizen: Elaine De Velez: Democratizing Education to Unleash Young People’s Full Potential
Elaine De Velez is the CEO and Co-Founder of FrontLearners, an e-learning content and solution provider to boost student competency and to increase school enrollment. From her early childhood experiences of studying hard to make the most out of limited opportunities, she is committed to democratizing education in the Philippines by creating more avenues for young people to access high quality e-le
179. Kumiko Hayashi: Balancing the Heart and Mind Towards Creative Coexistence
Kumiko Hayashi is a director, producer, and educator who is passionate about uplifting and amplifying indigenous voices and their cultures through the art of storytelling. She has worked on media projects that document the traditions of indigenous communities who are seeking and building new paths of coexistence and harmony. This conversation provides insight into global citizenship as a way to br
178. HGSE Global Citizen: Amy White: Fighting for Diversity towards a more Human Centered Education System
Amy White is an African American History Professor at Harlem Children’s Zone. She teaches 3rd–5th grade students to critically engage with history, identity, and the world around them. She is committed to equity, justice, and the limitless potential of every child. In our conversation, her passion for combatting systems of oppression is evident in her spirit to envision new pathways within educati
177. HGSE Global Citizen: Logan Stamey: Recognizing the limitless power of young people
Logan Stamey is the Class Dean at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut. From an early age, he knew that teaching was his calling. Logan shares about how the belief that his teachers saw in him reflected in his own approach to mentoring young men to build their integrity and sense of responsibility. By making the most of each opportunity, Logan found his passion in teaching, theater, and
176. HGSE Global Citizen: Dora Pan: Embracing the uniqueness of your own identity and leading with empathy
Dora Pan is passionate about emergent technologies and the value of education in an ever changing society. She recently graduated from Harvard’s Learning Design, Innovation and Technology program. Prior to coming to Harvard, she worked as a high school English teacher at an innovative high school called Moonshot Academy in Beijing, China. She grew as an educator and engaged students in open inquir
175. HGSE Global Citizen: Margarita Adame: Bravely Follow Your Passion
Margarita Adame is a learning strategist at the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has decades of teaching experience as an elementary school teacher in various school districts across the United States. She speaks to her passion for conflict resolution as a tool in and outside of the classroom. As an undergraduate at Chapman University in Peace Studies, she jumped at an opport
174. HGSE Global Citizen: Lydia Musliu: Learn, Live, and Lead with Excellence
Lydia Musliu is the Elementary School Principal at Kosovo Leadership Academy. She is a dedicated teacher and school leader who is fostering the next generation of leaders in Kosovo. Her educator journey was largely influenced by her mother who used creativity to spark interest in all subjects. Lydia started teaching since she was in the 7th grade, and has built on her skills to serve teachers and
173. HGSE Global Citizen: Joe Aleardi: Valuing Connections with People and Fostering Capable Youth in the Community
Joe Aleardi is the Executive Director at Horizons Bridgeport, a non-profit created to serve the local youth in Bridgeport, Connecticut with academic and enrichment programs. His early career was spent as a lawyer and then a private wealth manager. With a strong desire to connect with people and extend his impact, he pivoted to teaching where he became an elementary teacher for Teach For America. W
172. HGSE Global Citizen: Byron Jon Aho: Building a Solid Foundation for an Uncertain Future
Byron Jon Aho is a cyber security specialist, project manager, and educator. His background is in construction and he incorporates much of his trade knowledge and skill into his leadership and business development for cyberspace security. He believes in creating a strong foundation to anchor oneself amidst an ever changing world. There are several values that he brings into the discussion like hum
171. HGSE Global Citizen: Gayl Porter-Laurel: Quality Education for the Children, For the Country
Gayl Porter-Laurel is the Chief Technical Policy Officer of the Second Congressional Commission on Education who is based in the Philippines. She started off her educator journey as an early childhood teacher who genuinely loved teaching, playing, and learning with her students. Her passion for teaching young people led her down new uncharted paths. From curriculum design to policy reform to syste
170. HGSE Global Citizen: Marijke Conklin: Navigating Change and Negotiating Power in Early Childhood Learning
Marijke Conklin is an elementary school teacher and instructional coach for the Oakland Unified School District. Her international perspective began in childhood where she spent her formative elementary school years living in Saudi Arabia. With a major change to return to the United States at the age of ten, she had to learn to navigate differences while building her sense of identity. Marijke has
169. HGSE Global Citizen: Benjamin Gulla: Using the Humanities to Reveal Our Interconnectedness
Benjamin Gulla is an experienced educator whose journey has taken him all over the world to places like South Africa and Colombia. His drive to learn more about the world around him through travel, books, and people speaks to his solid sense of being a global citizen. From designing classroom curricula to reimagining study abroad experiences, he is passionate about bringing students into new learn
168. HGSE Global Citizen: Lauren Jensen: Owning Your Narrative Through Brave Writing
Lauren Jensen is a High School English teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience. Her journey as a teacher is about deepening her connection and impact with students. She is happiest in the classroom where she engages students to explore their identity and voice through writing. With the help of past mentor figures and current students, she is committed to highlighting the interconnectedne
167. HGSE Global Citizen: Robb Meade: Thriving amidst Chaos and Serving Veterans in Transitional Periods
Robb Meade is a transition assistance program manager. He spent nearly a decade working in the US Navy. With a diverse skill set and adaptable mindset to try new and challenging things, Robb thrived in chaotic situations. His training came from being a pastry chef, and even extends back to his childhood years spent doing meal prep with his father in the kitchen. Robb has a unique journey of naviga
166. HGSE Global Citizen: Lauren Ebersol: From Classroom to Homeschool to World Changer
Lauren Ebersol shares her journey as an educator and mother, detailing her transition from teaching in traditional classrooms to homeschooling her children. She discusses the challenges and joys of parenting, the importance of adaptability in education, and her experiences in a homeschool co-op. Within the homeschool co-op, she served on the Board of Directors and played a pivotal role during the
165. HGSE Global Citizen: Ankitt Agarwal: Paying It Forward as a Role Model and Empowering the Next Generation of Learners
Ankitt Agarwal is working on a masters of Learning Design, Innovation and Technology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is originally from India and speaks to his childhood role models who helped him to pursue his education. From growing up in a rural village on the border of India and Nepal, Ankitt has broadened his global perspective by traveling within and outside of his home count
164. HGSE Global Citizen: Mandy Krause: Following Your Passion and Leaning into Complexity
Mandy Krause is a teacher and school leader based out of Lake Forest, Illinois.She reflects on her early global experiences, including studying abroad in Australia and teaching in China, which shaped her perspective on education and global citizenship. Mandy discusses the challenges of balancing her career and personal life, especially when she was a single mother, and emphasizes the importance of
163. HGSE Global Citizen: Kedaar Sridhar: Pushing the Envelope to Expand Access for All Learners
Kedaar Sridhar is currently doing a masters in Learning Design, Innovation and Technology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was born and raised in Oman by immigrant parents from India and attended an international school from kindergarten up until high school. With such diverse influences, he identifies as a Third Culture kid and Global Citizen. Kedaar is passionate about the interse
162. HGSE Global Citizen: Xian Hui Ang: Walking Your Path to Success by Embracing Vulnerability
Xian Hui Ang is currently pursuing her masters in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She was a risk consultant in Malaysia for seven years working to build structures that mitigated crisis situations. However, her early career interests were in teaching. From the initial step of working at a kindergarten, she has maintained a strong desire to support learn
161. HGSE Global Citizen: Chuck Chaoke: Deeper Roots Lead to a Deeper Sense of Purpose
Chuck Chaoke is the Head of Counselors and Coaching at Moonshot Academy in Beijing. His passion is to support his school community in finding their purpose through various curricula that he designs and implements. His school values the importance of reflective practices that are coupled with immersive experiences such as visiting and partnering with communities near and far. Chuck draws from his p
160. HGSE Global Citizens: Kiran Faridi: Building Diverse Communities for a More Harmonious World
Kiran Faridi is the founder and president of IAWV Elementary School. Her passion for education and commitment to fulfilling the needs of the Charleston Muslim community led her to lay the foundation of the first Islamic school in the state of West Virginia in 2019. Ms. Faridi has been devoted to education for over a decade. After earning her Islamic education speakers training from the Islamic Net
159. HGSE Global Citizen: Ashley Aluko: Taking Your Shoes off at the Doorstep of Other Cultures
Ashley Aluko is an Associate Director of DEI at a private school in Lakeville, Connecticut. She is passionate for history and has implemented innovative approaches to teaching history through pop culture references and meaningful role play. Ashley speaks to the need of using history as a lens through which we can better understand ourselves and the world around us. Her own ancestral roots in the C
158. HGSE Global Citizen: Roni Pavick: Cultivating a Constellation of Hope and Launching into a Bright New Future
Roni Pavick is an interdisciplinary art and astronomy teacher at Boston Public Schools. She is also the astronomy director working with Harvard Smithsonian, and she is a lecturer and presenter at NASA on space exploration and the history of the space program. She shares how watching space launches and pursuing her passions in the arts blazed a unique path for her as an educator. Her perspective ch
157. HGSE Global Citizen: Greg Daniel: In Order to Change the World, You Have to See the World
Greg Daniel is the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Chancellor of the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning (DIAL) for the NYC Department of Education. He is a seasoned teacher and school leader who had his start with Teach For America. With a passion for servant leadership and empowering students in underserved communities to find and use their voice, he shares about his extensive work with
156. HGSE Global Citizen: Pili Lindley: Discovering One’s Voice and Path through Model United Nations
Pili Lindley is the Co-Founder and Head Counselor at the non profit organization SCORE in Lima, Peru. She is passionate about supporting students navigate through the college admissions process and cultivating within them the soft skills needed to find their way towards achieving career success. A major influence on Pili’s own education journey was her college experience debating in Model United N
155. HGSE Global Citizen: Rommel Mejia: Inspiring All Learners to Build Authentic Communities
Rommel Mejia is a special education teacher and school leader with 15 years of experience in the classroom. He is passionate about family and community engagement with an emphasis on social justice, inclusion, and culturally-responsive learning. From his own experiences going through schooling in the Philippines with the support of both his school and family, he advocates for students to feel a gr
154. HGSE Global Citizen: Lucia Sanchez: The Importance of Honoring and Uplifting One’s Community
Lucia Sanchez is a Special Education teacher in the Franklin McKinley School District. She grew up on the east side of San Jose and her story is closely tied to her parent’s struggle in achieving the American Dream as Mexican immigrants. For her parents, it was about working multiple jobs with very little money to create the best conditions for their family. Education was a high priority, and Luci
153. HGSE Global Citizen: Mayra Da Rocha: Naming Your Connections and Meeting the Needs of SLIFE
Mayra Da Rocha is a SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) teacher at Boston Public Schools. She is the daughter of Brazilian immigrants who dedicated themselves to building community and advocating for legal protections for other immigrants in the Boston area. Mayra speaks about the profound influence her parent’s advocacy work had on her views on social justice. There are
152. GC Talks with Aaron Seria: Building Connection Leads to Trust
Aaron Seria has a background in accounting, finance analysis, grants management, and leadership education. Currently, he works for Sound Transit in Seattle, Washington as their Senior Project Control Specialist. He shares a story about his ambition to build a small company out of a garage when he was in high school. From small beginnings to larger endeavors in governmental roles, he would continue
