Start with Questions

Portrait of an Educator in the Agentic AI Era

In this episode of Start With Questions, Kristy Lundstrom is joined by Vriti Saraf, co-founder and CEO of Ed3, and Jared Colley, Chief Innovation Officer at Mount Vernon, to explore the skill shifts reshaping education in the age of agentic AI. Together, they unpack what happens when AI can execute, produce, and iterate — and human value moves upstream toward framing, judgment, and question design. From Vriti's Portrait of an Educator project to Jared's research on cognitive debt and question architecture, this conversation cuts through the hype to ask the questions that matter most: What kinds of minds must we form when execution is abundant and framing is scarce? Whether you're a school leader, educator, or lifelong learner, this episode will challenge your assumptions and inspire your next move.

Why Inquiry Still Matters and What It Looks Like Now

Curiosity isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s the skill that makes learning, leadership, and decision-making work in a world that moves at lightning speed. In this episode, Kristy Lundstrom is joined by Nicole Martin, Mount Vernon Ventures, and Trevor MacKenzie [https://www.trevormackenzie.com/], global inquiry guru and educator extraordinaire, to unpack why inquiry-based learning is more vital than ever. In just 30 minutes, you’ll hear real stories, explore practical tools, and discover how inquiry transforms classrooms, organizations, and leadership itself. Whether you’re an educator, a leader, or anyone passionate about learning, this conversation will give you actionable insights to start asking better questions, modeling curiosity, and designing learning that matters. Don’t miss this opportunity to rethink how you learn, lead, and engage with the world. Click on the button and hear what inquiry looks like in action.

Perpetual Learning - How to build a system that supports both individual growth and institutional progress

In this thought-provoking episode of Start With Questions, Kristy Lundstrom, CEO of The Mount Vernon Organization, is joined by Jared Colley of Mount Vernon Ventures, [https://mvventures.org/] Meera Shah of Trey Education [https://www.treyeducation.com/], and Patrick Schuermann from Strategic Compensation and Coaching Partners [https://www.sccpartners.org/] to unpack Mount Vernon Ventures’ latest R&D Report: The Flow of Perpetual Learning [https://mvventures.org/shop/the-flow-of-perpetual-learning/]. Together, they explore how organizations can cultivate a mindset of ongoing growth, experimentation, and renewal—where learning never stops. The report is anchored by the driving question: How might we design and deploy performance management systems that promote and reinforce both individual growth and organizational progress such that personalized goals and institutional strategic initiatives remain coherently aligned? * It’s about collective commitments that meet the mission. * It’s about alignment through relationships. * And it’s about leadership through learning. From “inherited habits” to intentionally designing cultures that listen for and act on feedback and signals, the conversation blends real-world insights with bold, human-centered ideas drawn from research across the education ecosystem. Whether you’re a school leader, innovator, or lifelong learner, this episode will challenge your assumptions, spark your curiosity, and inspire your next step toward Perpetual Learning at your learning organization. Listen, reflect, and design for what’s next.

Designing the Future of Learning—Now

In the first episode of the new season of Start With Questions [https://mvventures.org/category/podcasts/], Kristy Lundstrom, CEO of the Mount Vernon Organization in Atlanta, and Sandra Nagy, Managing Director of the Future Design School in Canada, kick things off with a thought-provoking conversation about the bold ideas shaping the future of learning. Together, they connect insights from two groundbreaking reports: * Imagine Then, Act Now: Futures Literacy for Learning Organizations [https://mvventures.org/shop/spring-2024-transformation-rd-report/] — by Mount Vernon Ventures * The Future of Education 2025  [https://shop.futuredesignschool.com/pages/futureofeducation]— by Future Design School  Tune in as they explore futures literacy, design-based learning, and the importance of human-centered education in an AI-driven world. Whether you’re a school leader, teacher, or innovator, this episode will spark your imagination — and inspire your next move. Key Themes: * Futures Literacy * Student Agency * School as R&D Lab * AI — Content, Context, and Care

How Can a School Operating System Transform Strategy Into Action?

In this episode of Start With Questions [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2n6wziUUqZUoAK8QC63A5c?si=6fbde37929ad40fa], host Ann Marsh Rutledge welcomes Peter Baron, founder of Moonshot OS, [https://www.moonshotos.com/] to discuss how schools can move from strategic planning to strategic execution. Together, they unpack the concept of a "school operating system," a framework that helps schools align people, processes, and tools to bring ambitious goals to life. From building strong meeting rhythms to tracking meaningful data, this conversation explores into how thoughtful systems can empower educators, break down silos, and ultimately drive transformational change across an entire school community. Bonus: The Business Competency Self-Assessment for Independent School Leaders can be found here: https://www.moonshotos.com/independent-school-business-competency-self-assessment