BE Podcast Network: Podcasts that help you go Beyond Education. 

Latest Episodes

Ethical EdTech with Priten Soundar-Shah — How Educators Can Lead on AI and Digital Safety

Priten Soundar-Shah is CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud, which provides innovative technology solutions to help educators navigate global challenges in a rapidly evolving world, as well as founder of the civics education nonprofit United 4 Social Change. He also hosts the podcast Margin of Thought here on the Be Podcast Network. In this episode, we discuss:The guiding principles of engaging with AI. Why engage at all?Risks if schools go all in on AI — or if they don’t Other emerging technologies to look out forWhat drives ethical decision-makingDo we have to compromise between innovation and responsibility or can we have it all?Keys to making policies clear, consistent, and school-wideListen to Priten’s podcast, Margin of Thought, on the Be Podcast Network: https://listen.priten.org Listen to my previous episode with Priten, on this book AI and the Future of Education. About today’s guestPriten Shah, M. ED and B.A, Harvard, is the CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud, which provides innovative technology solutions to help educators navigate global challenges in a rapidly evolving world. Priten is also the founder of United 4 Social Change, a civics education nonprofit that focuses on helping teachers integrate interdisciplinary education into their curricula through animated videos, lesson plans, and innovative classroom activities.About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn  

Implementation Series, Part 2: Why Good Ideas Fail Quietly in Schools with Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O'Bryon

Today we're sharing part two of the implementation series from Family Engagement Lab. Co-founders Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O'Bryan join us to discuss:When schools launch family engagement initiatives, what typically happens over time?What does it mean to "fail quietly?"What it typically looks like when a strong idea starts to lose momentum in a school systemThe most common (and least visible) reasons these efforts break downWhat do we miss when we treat this as a teacher or family problem instead of a systems problem?Listen to Implementation Series, Part 1: The Missing Instructional LayerLearn more about Family Engagement Lab: https://www.familyengagementlab.orgAbout the guestsVidya Sundaram is co-founder and CEO of Family Engagement Lab. Over her nearly 20-year career in family engagement, Vidya has managed development, research, and strategy for digital resources used by more than half of US families with school-aged children. Before founding Family Engagement Lab, Vidya led research and insights at GreatSchools, championing a test and learn culture across the organization. Vidya also has an extensive background in software engineering and technology project management to engage diverse partners, and implement and study digital programs. She holds a degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, a Masters in Public Policy from UCLA and her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. Vidya is mom to two kids and proud to be part of a lively multigenerational household.​Elisabeth O'Bryon is co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of Family Engagement Lab. Elisabeth was previously the Director of Research and Evaluation at GreatSchools where she worked to design and implement evaluation projects, with a particular focus on rapid-cycle research approaches. Before GreatSchools, Elisabeth was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence where she contributed to the development and evaluation of school-based social and emotional learning programming for children, teachers, and families. Elisabeth has a doctorate in psychology and experience providing school psychological services to preschool through high school-age students in both English and Spanish. Elisabeth recently co-authored 45 Strategies that Support Young Dual Language Learners, a resource that provides practical, developmentally appropriate strategies for supporting children and families from diverse backgrounds and creating inclusive early childhood classrooms that foster the success of young DLLs. Elisabeth is enjoying the many adventures of parenthood with her husband and sons.About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and host of The Authority Podcast. Listen to The Authority at https://authoritypodcast.netLearn about more shows at https://bepodcastnetwork.com 

INCH360 2025: Benjamin Ross

This episode is a part of a special series of interviews conducted at the INCH360 Cybersecurity Conference in Spokane, Washington. Visit their website to learn more about INCH360 and their mission. Host Jethro D. Jones talks with Benjamin Ross of Torchlight about bringing enterprise-level IT and cybersecurity to small and medium businesses. Benjamin shares insights on the importance of human connection, long-term relationships, and community in the tech industry, emphasizing that technology should serve people and foster positive impact beyond just business outcomes.

"I Walked Away" — Dr. Brandon Bentz on Burnout, Survival, and Starting Over

Dr. Brandon Bentz spent over two decades as a Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist — training at Northwestern, fellowshipping at Memorial Sloan Kettering, serving as a Naval officer on September 11th, and building a career that most physicians only dream of. Then, in his final year of practice, his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his father with Alzheimer's — and his hospital posted his job without a single conversation.In this episode, we unpack Dr. Bentz's story: the residency nights, the moral injury, the emotional weight of cancer care, and the moment he made the hardest decision of his career. This is not a burnout statistic. This is what burnout actually looks like from the inside of a surgical career.If you work in healthcare — or love someone who does — this one is not optional.

From the Archives: Teaching the Language of Math with Dr. Randy Palisoc

In this episode, Gene Tavernetti speaks with Dr. Randy Palisoc, a passionate educator known for his innovative approach to teaching math. Dr. Palisoc shares his experiences and strategies for making math easy for students, focusing on the importance of understanding math as a language. They discuss Dr. Palisoc's background, including his work at Synergy Academies, the development of the Core Advantage Math Fluency System, and his current role at James Jordan Middle School. The conversation also covers the challenges of teaching math, the significance of consistent language in math instruction, and the impact of professional development.Get in touch with Randy:randypalisoc@mathfluency.com or randypalisoc@gmail.comMathFluency.comlinkedin.com/randypalisoc/Math isn't hard, it's a language | Randy Palisoc | TEDxManhattanBeach (youtube.com)

Hosts

Jethro Jones

Jethro Jones

Host of The Authority Podcast — Expert Insights and Fresh Ideas for Education Leaders
Ross Romano

Ross Romano

Host of The Authority Podcast — Expert Insights and Fresh Ideas for Education Leaders
A Jethro Jones

A Jethro Jones

Host of Transformative Principal
Mike Caldwell

Mike Caldwell

Host of Transformative Principal