No One Leads Alone - Conversations with Leaders in Education

Alex Hirbe - District Technology Integration Specialist

Alex graduated from Kansas State University in 2010 with a degree in secondary education focusing on social studies, after a failed attempt at architecture. He started teaching industrial technology in 2011 at Oak Grove Middle school, and found a passion for technology education and professional development training. Over the 6 years he worked at Oak Grove, he graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a masters in educational technology. He also began to speak at several state and national conferences about the importance of quality technology education both for students and staff. In 2017 he was hired as the District Technology Integration Specialist at Basehor-Linwood School district, where he oversaw the implementation and revitalization of technology efforts with students and staff. He also currently teaches woodshop and esports at Basehor-Linwood alongside his other district duties, and will be joining the Generation Esports education team in June of 2022.

Svetlana Popovich - Dynamic Leader, Educator & Coach

Svetlana Popovic is a dynamic Educator, Leader, and Regional Education Coach currently working at Humanex Ventures supporting over 24 Chicagoland area districts from rural to urban. Her area of specialty is in culture and climate systems coaching, team/group facilitation, professional development design, and leadership coaching. Her work at Humanex encompasses areas of selection of talent, talent/team growth and development, and implementation of goals responsive to culture and climate data. She works with Superintendents, BOE, administrators, and teachers bringing about a whole systems approach to her work. Svetlana holds a BA from Elmhurst University, a double major in Psychology and Early Childhood Education, a MA in Reading,  EdS in Administration, and DEI certification from Northwestern. Her career path started as a full-day Kindergarten Teacher and progressed to Reading Specialist, K-8 Instructional Coach, and Elementary Administrator. Her passion is to inspire and equip others to lead and effect change for all students. Svetlana can be reached at:   Twitter: @SvetsThinkTank Twitter Email: SvetsThinkTank@gmail.com [SvetsThinkTank@gmail.com]

Kayla Elease - Stress Management Coach for K12 Women in Leadership

Kayla Tucker is the owner of Kayla Elease Coaching Services, LLC, a company that helps female K-12 principals effectively manage stress and prioritize health and well-being without a dependency on time management hacks, exercise, or delegation. As a school psychologist by trade with years of experience in the online wellness space, Kayla is an expert on stress management for school leaders. Using a unique framework that is founded in psychology, she helps school leaders learn how to bounce back from the day-to-day demands with ease while keeping personal sustainability at the forefront. You can connect with Kayla online via her website (kaylaelease.com [http://kaylaelease.com/]) and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @IAmKaylaElease.

Trevor Goertzen - National Digital Principal of the Year

Trevor Goertzen grew up in rural Nebraska on a corn farm. In those early years, he learned the importance of working hard and serving the community around him. He is a National Board Certified teacher and Instructional Coach of nine years and now a building-level administrator of five years. When the pandemic hit, Spring Hill Middle School Principal Trevor Goertzen and his staff quickly pivoted to online instruction to meet students’ learning needs. Working within professional learning communities, educators prioritized standards and focused on core competencies. Goertzen drew on his deep reserves of both this past year to ensure that the Spring Hill community stayed positive during tough times. Trevor is the current principal of Spring Hill Middle School in Spring Hill, KS.  passionate about living life to the fullest in honoring God, being a great husband to his wife Stephanie, and father to their three kids. He is adventurous by nature and always looking for the next activity that can keep his spirit on edge. Whether it is trail running, BMX racing, bow hunting, or inspiring his kids and friends to live the life God has given them.  Life is too short to not pursue the things that get your heart racing! Contact Information * Twitter 1  →  @SHMS_growdaily * Podcast:   →  https://kassp.podbean.com/ * Website:  →  https://trgoertzen.wixsite.com/developingdiscernmen * LinkedIn: →  https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-goertzen-90a98820/

Dr. Chris Jensen - Author, Speaker, Physician, Teacher, Health Advisor for School Districts

Dr. Christopher Jenson, a former emergency medicine physician and high school educator, now proudly serves as a senior health advisor for school districts and businesses across the United States. His recent book, After the Mask: A Guide to Caring for Students and Schools, peaked at Amazon #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release during the summer of 2021, making an impact in multiple educational and mental health-related categories. Dr. Jenson is passionate about youth mental health, focusing his work on evidence-based initiatives to improve the mental health of students AND staff. Ways to connect with Chris * Website or Blog 1 →  www.diagnosingeducation.com [http://www.diagnosingeducation.com/] * Book: After the Mask: A Guide to Caring for Students and Schools (Amazon) * LinkedIn:  → Christopher Jenson * other publications → (Co-author) - Gaming Concepts with mental health moments Click here for more information about Gaming Concepts Curriculum [https://www.highschoolesportsleague.com/gaming-concepts] This podcast is powered by Generation Esports [https://generationesports.com/]