Shows
Transformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesThe Real Cost of Losing Community Trust in Public Education | Transformational Educators Ep. 19When communities believe “the quote unquote school system is failing,” the next question is brutal, “where is my money going, then?” In this episode of Transformational Educators, Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Andrae Townsel, Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools, to talk about the real cost of losing community trust, and what it takes to earn credibility back through transparency, consistency, and two-way communication.Dr. Townsel shares leadership lessons from a receivership turnaround, including his “fire, water, and trust” story, and the mindset he believes leaders must carry when people are tightening their pockets and gripping thei...
2026-03-0527 min
Transformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesHow Communication Can MAKE or BREAK School Leadership | Transformational Educators Ep. 18What does it take to lead with courage when your campus is in chaos? In this episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Todd Bloomer, Director of School Leadership for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, former high school principal, and author of The Blueprint: How to Survive and Thrive as a School Administrator. With nearly 30 years in education, Todd shares what it truly means to lead with clarity, composure, and servant leadership when crisis hits.From navigating post-Covid campus conflict to responding to threats and community fear, Todd walks us through how transparent communication...
2026-02-2642 min
Transformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesWhat It Takes to Repair Community Trust | Transformational Educators Ep. 17What does it look like to lead a hurting school toward healing? In this episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Matthew Flippen speaks with Julia Bielecki, award-winning education leader, former principal, and author of Leading with Grace, about rebuilding trust, navigating racial tension in schools, and leading with courage and compassion.When Julia stepped into her first principalship in 2019, she quickly discovered the role was not about management or instructional plans. It was about repairing harm, restoring trust, and guiding a fractured community toward connection. In this powerful, story-driven conversation, she shares practical strategies for school c...
2026-02-1938 min
Transformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesA Clear Vision, A Unified Community: Leading With Purpose at Scale | Transformational Educators Ep. 16What if transforming a struggling school system starts with reconnecting people to purpose?In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. LaTonya Goffney, Superintendent of Aldine ISD in Houston, Texas, to unpack what it takes to lead large-scale school transformation. From her childhood shaped by poverty and powerful teachers, to leading 67,000 students in a 100% Title I district, Dr. Goffney shares how vision, belief, and courageous leadership can move a system from despair to momentum.This is a masterclass in servant leadership, culture transformation, and raising expectations without losing compassion.
2026-02-1229 min
Transformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesHow Faith-Fueled Leadership Rebuilt a School | Transformational Educators Ep. 15What happens when a leader steps into a struggling middle school during a global crisis and chooses people first?In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen welcomes Dr. Brandi Kelley, former superintendent and two-time Principal of the Year, to share her experience leading a middle school through uncertainty, low expectations, and pandemic disruption. Dr. Kelley reflects on how student-centered leadership, human connection, and small intentional actions can transform school culture, build trust, and unlock potential in both students and staff. This conversation explores school turnaround leadership, servant leadership in education, and how calm, clarity, and...
2026-02-0526 min
Transformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesLeading with Clarity: How School Leaders Build High-Expectations Culture - Dr. Rick Surrency | Transformational Educators Ep. 14Want to transform a school’s culture and outcomes? Start with clarity.In this powerful episode, Dr. Rick Surrency, 2023 National Superintendent of the Year, shares how intentional leadership raised Putnam County’s graduation rate from 54% to 92%. From overcoming a culture of low expectations to creating systems of trust, engagement, and teacher celebration, his strategies deliver measurable change.You’ll learn how to:Set schoolwide expectations that stickTransform faculty morale through celebration ritualsBuild student engagement to reduce misbehaviorShift mindsets among veteran staffEngage families through community-first leadershipThis is a masterclass in servant leader...
2026-01-2927 min
Transformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesLeading Staff Learning that Transforms Culture | Transformational Educators Ep. 13What happens when a young, first-time principal steps into a school reeling from a leadership change? In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Amber Shields, now Managing Director with the Commit Partnership and founder of PM Consulting, shares how she built trust from scratch, reconnected fractured staff, and turned reflective adult learning into a foundation for sustainable culture change.Listeners will learn how small daily actions and intentional relationship-building helped transform staff mindsets, rebuild community, and center professional growth on ownership and reflection. Whether you’re leading through transition or building a new foundation, Amber’s story offe...
2026-01-2220 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesLeadership Identity and Resilience | Transformational Educators Ep. 12What if the hard parts of your story were actually preparing you to lead? In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Matthew Flippen talks with Jayme Braida, Principal of Columbus Elementary and Iowa’s 2025 Elementary Principal of the Year. Jayme shares how her leadership identity was forged through childhood adversity, how her faith and purpose continue to guide her, and how she cultivates a resilient, relational school culture. If you’ve ever wondered how to lead through challenge without losing yourself, this episode will equip and inspire you. Learn how transformational leadership grows from reflection, grace, and t...
2026-01-1524 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesCreating Strong Norms and Positive Behavior Systems | Transformational Educators Ep. 11What if your leadership legacy began with a popsicle and a push-up contest?In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket, Principal of Waterloo Elementary in Maryland and coauthor of Relational Intelligence. Rachel shares the powerful story of stepping into leadership after a beloved principal and rebuilding trust through joy, humility, and consistency. She breaks down how to use relational intelligence to transform school culture, build trauma-informed behavior systems, and lead with empathy, without losing structure or accountability.If you’ve ever faced the challenge of inheriting a...
2026-01-0830 min
Lead with HOPEEpisode 74 | From Parapro to Teacher with Dr. Matthew FlippenThere are more than 1.2 million paraprofessionals working in schools across the United States—supporting instruction, building relationships with students, and keeping classrooms running every day. Many of them dream of becoming certified teachers, but cost, time, and access often stand in the way.Gracelyn University is changing that.In today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Matthew Flippen, Founder and President of Gracelyn University—an accredited, affordable online institution built specifically to help paraprofessionals earn their degrees and become certified classroom teachers. Dr. Flippen is a national leader in education innovation, partnering with districts across the co...
2025-12-2442 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesLeading from the Hallways: Everyday Habits that Build Trust and Wellness on Campus | Transformational Educators Ep. 10How do you transform a school that’s lost its way? Dr. Catherine Kennedy did it through trust, not titles.In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen speaks with Dr. Catherine Kennedy of the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. When she arrived at Valley View Middle School in El Paso, the campus was in transition, low morale, academic underperformance, and faculty uncertainty. What happened next was a multi-year journey of trust-building, vulnerability, and alignment around purpose.Dr. Kennedy shares the foundational principles she used to shift culture and outcomes, from greeting staff ea...
2025-12-1822 min
Truce - History of the Christian ChurchRepublicans and Evangelicals: Bill Bright, Campus Crusade, and CruGive to help Chris continue to make Truce
William R. “Bill” Bright was born in 1921 in Coweta, Oklahoma. Though raised in a religious environment, he initially pursued business success and personal ambition. While attending the University of Southern California, Bright experienced a dramatic spiritual transformation through the influence of Christian leaders like Henrietta Mears. This encounter led him to surrender his life to Jesus Christ and ultimately shaped his calling toward full-time evangelism.
In 1951, Bill and his wife, Vonette, founded Campus Crusade for Christ at UCLA with a vision to reach college stud...
2025-12-1653 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesRaising the Bar: Building a Culture of Trust and High Expectations | Transformational Educators Ep. 9What really happens when a new principal walks into a struggling school just two weeks before the year starts? Dr. Katrise Perera did exactly that, and what followed became a case study in transformational leadership grounded in faith, trust, and purpose.In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Perera, now a superintendent, to unpack the story of how she led one of her district’s most challenged campuses through a culture shift that redefined belief, expectations, and outcomes. From building credibility as a first-time principal to leading with vulnerability and purpose, Dr...
2025-12-1122 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesLeading with Love: How Servant Leadership Transforms a Campus from Hurting to Thriving | Transformational Educators Ep. 8Rebuilding Trust, Reclaiming Hope: Dr. Paula Patterson’s Journey at Crosby ISDWhat happens when a leader steps into a district facing crisis, fear, and financial turmoil, during a pandemic? In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Paula Patterson, Superintendent of Crosby ISD, reveals how she rebuilt a fractured district with a leadership style rooted in visibility, compassion, and deep community connection. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Flippen, this conversation dives into how trust can be restored after cultural and organizational wounds, and how courageous leadership can help schools not just survive, but thrive.Whether yo...
2025-12-0429 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesServant Leaders as Advocates: Building Trust, Influence, and Integrity in Public Engagement | Transformational Educators Ep. 7What happens when a high school dropout becomes the principal of one of the top-performing schools in the state?In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Al Johnson, former principal of Two Rivers High School and current Dean of MYP at Uplift Education Ascend High School. Dr. Johnson’s story is one of radical transformation, servant leadership, and deep healing.From walking into a grieving school community to building one of Minnesota’s top-ranked campuses, Dr. Johnson shares how vulnerability, prayer, and authentic relationship-building changed everything. You’ll hear h...
2025-11-2037 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesHow One Principal Rebuilt a Broken School Culture | Transformational Educators Ep. 6What does it really take to turn around a hurting school, without losing your soul in the process?In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Jim Vasquez, now Superintendent of Socorro ISD, to uncover the leadership journey that began at Horizon Heights Elementary, a campus with five principals in ten years. Jim shares how he built trust through one-on-one conversations, why culture must always come before strategy, and how he led with both courage and care to create sustainable change. This is a must-listen for any leader navigating a struggling school or...
2025-11-1319 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesGuiding A Campus From Hurting To Thriving | Transformational Educators Ep. 5How do you transform a hurting campus into a national model of success, without losing your soul as a leader?In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Rose Pearson, Superintendent of Carrizo Springs CISD, to unpack her remarkable journey of school transformation. As a first-year principal at Goodnight Middle School, Rose inherited a punitive culture with high suspension rates and disengaged staff. Within three years, she led the school to become a national AVID demonstration campus. This story isn’t just about programs, it’s about trust, voice, and leadership that...
2025-11-0618 min
Teach 4 the Heart362: How Servant Leadership Can Transform Your School's CultureLEARN MORE at http://teach4theheart.com/362 What if the key to a thriving school culture isn't control, but servant leadership? In this episode, we explore how the servant leadership model provides the relational and even spiritual groundwork needed to create high-capacity schools where both staff and students can flourish. Listen in as Linda sits down with Matthew Flippen from Gracelyn University to unpack how servant leadership reshapes the way we think about influence, trust, and community in education. 00:00 Introduction to Servant Leadership in Education 01:04 Building Trust and Relationships 03:52 Transformational Leadership Stories 11:10...
2025-11-0323 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesTurning Around a Hurting School | Transformational Educators Ep. 4What does it take to transform a school where hope feels lost?In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Darryl Henson, Superintendent of Hitchcock ISD, to unpack the real story of how he led a dramatic turnaround at Parkland High School in El Paso. When Dr. Henson arrived, the culture was apathetic and fractured. Within one year, the school achieved every academic distinction in Texas, one of only 1.8% to do so.Through stories marked by courage, conviction, and contagious confidence, Dr. Henson reveals how he rebuilt pride, shifted expectations...
2025-10-3017 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesReturning to the Heart of Servant Leadership | Transformational Educators Ep. 3What happens when a leader walks into a hurting school and chooses to listen first?In this episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Ramiro Nava, Superintendent of Cotulla ISD, shares the powerful story of how he led a struggling elementary campus through a season of healing, growth, and transformation.From one-on-one conversations with teachers to a game-changing meeting with a misunderstood parent, Dr. Nava reveals how servant leadership, trust, and consistency over time can rebuild an entire school culture.Whether you're a new principal or a seasoned superintendent, this story will remind...
2025-10-2223 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesServant Leadership in Action: Stories from the Field | Transformational Educators Ep. 1What if the secret to transforming a school isn’t a new program, but a new posture of leadership?In this inaugural episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Darrell Floyd, Superintendent of Blue Ridge ISD and former Regional Superintendent of the Year, shares how he turned around a fractured high school by building trust, empowering teachers, and focusing on what truly matters. With over four decades in education, Dr. Floyd reveals how relational leadership and practical strategy can bring struggling campuses back to life.Whether you're a principal, aspiring leader, or district administrator, this episode will eq...
2025-10-1618 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesStrategic Leadership Begins with Listening | Transformational Educators Ep. 2What does it take to turn around a failing school without losing yourself in the process?In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Karen Engle, Superintendent of Clear Creek ISD, whose leadership transformed Clearview, a struggling, at-risk alternative campus, into one of the district’s highest-performing schools. Recognized as a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award, Dr. Engle shares how listening, learning, and responding became the foundation for deep cultural change and academic success.Whether you’re a new leader stepping into a tough role or a ve...
2025-10-1615 minTransformational Educators | School Leadership StoriesPodcast TrailerThe most impactful educators don’t just teach lessons, they inspire change, build communities, and lead with purpose.Transformational Educators is a podcast for school leaders, teacher-leaders, superintendents, and change-makers who want to grow as leaders and shape the future of education. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Flippen, President of Gracelyn University, each episode features real stories and lived experiences from the people driving school transformation.From leadership strategies and instructional coaching to culture change and professional development, this podcast brings you the conversations that matter most. You’ll hear how educators overcome challenges, insp...
2025-10-0900 min
Motley Fool MoneyA Rough Day for Dividend KnightsBetween battered industries and overlooked opportunities, plenty of dividend-paying companies have slipped to the bottom of the earnings jar. Today, Emily Flippen, Matt Argersinger, and Ant Schiavone dig into:
The shrinking ranks of “Dividend Knight” contenders
Healthcare stocks with hard times but high yields
What investors should prioritize in dividend-paying stocks
Companies discussed: NVO, UNH, WHR, PLD, CNQ, SCHDHost: Emily Flippen, Anthony Schiavone, Matthew ArgersingerProducer: Anand ChokkaveluEngineer: Adam Landfair, Natasha HallDisclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verif...
2025-07-2919 min
Grace in the ShadowsInterview with Matthew Flippen, President of Hartwell UniversitySend a textDr. Marla and Dr. Jonathan Behler interview Matthew Flippen, President of Hartwell University, a Christian online university preparing future teachers!For more information about Hartwell University, please visit their website:https://hartwell-education.org/https://www.linkedin.com/company/hartwell-university/about/If you would like to partner with Hartwell University through a donation or scholarship, please visit:https://hartwell-education.org/contribute/ You can contact us:graceintheshadowsor.org
2023-05-1024 min
The Path ForwardEmpowering and Supporting The Next Generation of TeachersWelcome to the 27th episode of The Path Forward! Today Dr. Rick Fernandez is joined by Dr. Bryan Hallmark, Hannah Gibson, Matthew Flippen. Today’s discussion covers how Hartwell University is pairing with Sealy ISD’s to remove the barriers for potential teachers to earn a degree in education. Listen in to hear from each party from the partnership including the experience of a passionate paraprofessional from Sealy ISD who is enrolled in Hartwell’s Program. The panel also discusses ways to retain teaching staff, district innovation, how the program is benefiting the community, and many other topics. For more i...
2023-01-0531 min
Chip Baker- The Success ChroniclesTSC S2 #147- Matthew FlippenMatthew Flippen is the President at Hartwell University. He is innovating higher education to ensure all children have a caring, prepared and amazing teacher.
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2022-09-0415 min