Shows
Exceptionally Good: Leaders for a Better World18. Ron Rapatalo - Building Trust Like the Flash, Getting Fired and then RONward to What’s Next!Ron Rapatalo is a connector, coach, and culture-shifter. A proud New Yorker and the son of Filipino immigrants, Ron brings over two decades of experience in K-12 education, nonprofit leadership, and executive search. He's dedicated his career to cultivating equity and empowering and mission driven organizations. His experiences include leadership roles at Teach for America, New Leaders, Edgility Consulting, Stronger Consulting, and as an advisory board member at Harvard Business Review. As the host of the RONderings podcast, Ron delves into conversations around leadership, Identity wellness, exploring the superpowers that drive personal and professional transformation beyond his p...
2025-08-101h 01
At This TimeRon Rapatalo on Surviving the Ed Jobs Crunch and Staying Human in HiringAt This Time... Ron Rapatalo pulls no punches about today’s brutal job market in K–12 ed and nonprofits. He breaks down why roles feel scarce (spoiler: remote + flexible = hypercompetitive), how AI is both a gift and a gamble, and why “just starting your own search firm” isn’t the silver bullet you think it is. From redefining candidate experience to surviving as a multi-hyphenate, Ron brings sharp takes, real talk, and a reminder that the human touch still matters—even if your ATS thinks otherwise.
Want more of Ron?
Check out his podcast RONderings
And his...
2025-07-2211 min
RonderingsThe Heart of Justice is Truth-Telling with Bill Murphy True leadership is the ability to bridge gaps, translate perspectives, and foster respect, ensuring that every voice—from the visible to the unseen—is valued and heard.William (Bill) Murphy is the Chief Operations Officer for Indianapolis Public Schools, where he drives operational excellence to support academic success in one of Indiana’s largest districts. He previously led Enroll Indy, served as Vice President of Louisiana Schools for IDEA Public Schools, and was Chief School Support Officer for Jefferson Parish Public Schools, where he helped raise the district's state rating from a D to a B. Wi...
2025-03-191h 00
RonderingsInertia and Progress, Not Perfection with Donnell J. Butler It’s not about perfection out of the box—it’s about learning to learn and growing through the process.Dr. Donnell Butler is the Founder and President of Prelude, a nonprofit that partners with employers and schools to create work-based learning experiences, helping students from lower-income backgrounds gain professional skills, explore careers, and achieve economic freedom through paid internships. With over 20 years of experience, he has focused on improving college and career outcomes for underserved communities, previously serving as a dean at Franklin & Marshall College, where he co-led initiatives that significantly increased diversity and gra...
2025-03-1256 min
RonderingsFind a Way or Make the Right Tools: Lea Crusey and Mathias Probst Well-being isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.Lea Crusey is the co-founder and Head of U.S. Expansion for WOOF, a well-being tool for students and teachers. With a career in public policy, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement, she works to expand opportunities for marginalized communities. A former Teach For America corps member, Lea has focused on improving public education, founding Allies for Educational Equity, and designing an innovative pooled giving model. She has also held leadership roles at Democrats for Education Reform, StudentsFirst, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Chicago Transit Authority.Mathi...
2025-03-0559 min
RonderingsCreating the Rooms Where It Happens with Mohan Sivaloganathan Mohan Sivaloganathan is a founder of Harmonious Leadership, a keynote speaker, consultant, and coach. He is also known as the “Batman of Social Impact” and at night he is a hip-hop artist. Throughout his career, Mohan has supported local and national organizations in orchestrating sustainable transformation and systems change across corporate social responsibility, education, civic engagement, and philanthropy. He is passionate about breaking down the false choice between well-being and performance - an antiquated leadership ideology that inhibits people and organizations from advancing their boldest social impact ideas.Mohan shares his incredible journey from a fierce, driven leade...
2025-02-2655 min
RonderingsCulture: Ensuring People Are Appreciated, Supported and Valued with Niloy GangopodhyayNiloy Gangopadhyay, is a passionate educator, and leader who for over 20 years has been addressing inequities in public education as a systems, school, and nonprofit leader. He began his career as a 2002 Teach For America corps member in San Jose, California, and now serves as TFA’s Vice President for the 35th Anniversary Summit. Previously, he led state-level initiatives for at-risk students at the Texas Education Agency and co-founded Success Preparatory Academy, a K-8 charter school in New Orleans. His upbringing rooted in his parents' immigrant values of education and service—shaped Niloy’s commitm...
2025-02-191h 03
RonderingsTrust Yourself and Your Intuition with De-Lea Deane-Allen We need to create a high bar where the bar is to care about both people and performance. They are not dichotomies; they support each other.De-Lea Deane-Allen is the founder and CEO of Higher Bar Leadership LLC, dedicated to helping organizations create transformational work environments where all people can thrive. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher, school leader, and C-level executive, she specializes in leadership development, change management, and equity, driving significant improvements in representation, engagement, and performance. She is a Pahara Fellow, ICF-certified coach, and adjunct coach with The Management C...
2025-02-1251 min
Educate U.S."It’s not just about me anymore, create the space" In this episode, Stacey is joined by Ron Rapatalo, a leader in social impact hiring for over 20 years. Ron began his career in search operations, transitioned to leading recruitment & admissions efforts, has designed hiring processes for clients focused on social impact & more. He has worked with organizations such as New Leaders and Teach For America. Together, they discuss the challenges leaders face, the importance of making space for others, and the idea that citizenship should extend beyond self-interest.Educate U.S. is presented by Fresh Roasted Coffee & Positively Tea - Hot coffee, iced coffee, tea & more, n...
2024-12-0239 min
RonderingsAssimilation to Self-Discovery to Healing with Analiza Quiroz WolfTrue success isn’t just about individual achievement; it’s about the collective rise of our communities.Analiza Quiroz Wolf, CEO of Women of Color Rise, coaches diverse leaders, including social entrepreneurs and C-suite executives. She recently published The Myths of Success: A Woman of Color's Guide to Leadership, drawing on research and stories from her podcast, Women of Color Rise. Analiza is a former non-profit CEO, U.S. Air Force Captain, Fulbright Scholar, and graduate of the Stakeholder Leadership Governance Institute. Analiza has experience serving on nonprofit boards and hopes to serve on a co...
2024-10-0256 min
RonderingsCuidáte: You Can't Pour From an Empty Cup with David NungaraySummary: Language has the power to connect people, to move hearts, and to do good in the world.David Nungaray is a co-founder of Gente Empowerment Network but is actually a forever dual language teacher and principal at heart no matter what his current work title is. The children and families he worked with as an educator are one of his guiding forces in the work he continues to do in education. As a son of Mexican immigrants, a native Spanish speaker, a gay educator, and a first-generation college graduate, he felt o...
2024-09-181h 01
RonderingsRaj Thakkar - Self-Care and Learning in EntrepreneurshipRaj Thakkar is the author, Founder & CEO of Charter School Business Management (CSBM) as well as FOREsight Financial Services for Good. He is an expert on nonprofit and charter school finance and has presented countless financial best practices workshops across the country. He poured all his knowledge into the book Fiscally Secure: Prepare, Protect & Propel Your CHARTER SCHOOL with Responsible Financial Management to help people learn all the steps in handling finances properly.Raj is sharing his story from a helper in a family convenience store to a finance pro and how he transformed...
2024-09-1148 min
RonderingsKendrick Harris: Own Your S**t - You Are Not Your MistakesWe know who we are, but we get away from it.Kendrick Harris is an NYU alumnus, retired Air Force officer, and former business leader with experience in real estate law, construction, and a former lawyer. He is a business owner of the Distinguished Chef and a top-notch chef.Kendrick is sharing with us his powerful testament to resilience, self-discovery, and transformation. After time spent at NYU, where Kendrick was deeply involved in student leadership and community service with Ron, he took an unexpected path, joining the Air Force...
2024-09-0448 min
RonderingsThe Misalignment of Values and Practices in Education with Tanji Reed MarshallWhy are we resting on proficiency in education?Tanji Reed Marshall CEO and Principal Consultant of Liaison Educational Partners. With more than 2 decades of experience in the classroom, district, and organization level, she has a lot of gems to share. The problem of educational inequities, and how certain groups of students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have historically been underserved and misinformed by ineffective teaching methods.The system has too many pockets and gaps - it has to change so it can serve all students suitably. Dr. Tanji advocates f...
2024-05-3058 min
RonderingsJacquelyn Davis - Stay Clever, Stay CuriousJacquelyn Davis is a nonprofit leader and transformative advisor to philanthropies who dedicated her life to the education sector and social impact. Her life and career are led by constant learning and curiosity. She has launched many organizations and initiatives. EDVolution, a boutique consulting she founded has worked with many national foundations – including the Gates Foundation, the Overdeck Foundation, New Schools Venture Fund, the Wallace Foundation, the Walton Foundation, the Rainwater Foundation, the Alice B and James A Clark Foundation, and the Kern Foundation, among others – and numerous education social impact organizations – including Teach For America, New Leaders, and many m...
2024-05-151h 02
RonderingsDiane Robinson - It All Starts in Our Minds and HeartsOur belief systems are often perpetuated by the members of our community.A 1991 Vassar graduate, Diane Robinson is a filmmaker and recognized education leader with over 25 years of experience working in the US and globally, helping start and grow social enterprises. Beginning her career through Teach for America, Diane holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, a Master of Arts in multicultural education from California State University, and a Doctor of Education Leadership from Harvard University.Diane made her first film, The Young Vote, which follows a...
2024-05-081h 05
RonderingsSurabhi Lal - Fostering Belonging: From Megaphone to MovementsBeing able to step back and observe what is going on around us is often an undervalued skill!Surabhi Lai is rooted in the belief that we can create a better future of work that is rooted in our humanity and collective belonging. Multi-passionate with a strong sense of curiosity, Surabhi uses empathy and strategy when she coaches job-seekers, entrepreneurs, and organizations to help them create a better work future. Surabhi is pursuing a PhD in Leadership and Change, where her research is focused on understanding the ecosystem of belonging in the workplace.Fascinated by...
2024-05-0151 min
RonderingsChristopher Ruszkowski - The Value of A Hard’s Day Work to Build ExpertiseGood leadership requires you to always be a student!From humble beginnings in golf caddying to becoming New Mexico’s Deputy Secretary and Secretary of Education under Gov. Susana Martinez (R) from 2016-2019, Christopher Ruszkowski is a social studies teacher by trade, recently appointed Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institution.Having spent a year in South Africa, Christopher trained as a teacher, spending his first years first in and last out in the school, taking his responsibilities seriously, especially as a rookie. In his 20 years of working within education and education reform, Christopher has a...
2024-04-2459 min
RonderingsBryan Setser - Wayfinder: Earning Trust through Insatiable CuriositySharing our stories and spending time with each other can prolong our lives!Bryan Setser is a seasoned executive edupreneur with three decades of results in K-12, higher education, non-profit, and for-profit organizations. His expertise equips leaders, teams, and organizations with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be ready for any future. Having worked as a teacher, principal, and even as the inaugural Chief Quality Officer at the Baldrige Award-winning Iredell-Statesville district, Bryan has lent his expertise as a leader of solutions practices, operating as a partner and principal at 2Revolutions and RPK Group...
2024-04-171h 10
RonderingsDiscovering And Celebrating Success In Young People with Mike MontoyaYou can be both a happy human and a strong one!Mike Montoya is the CEO and Founder of Stronger Consulting. A 30-year education sector veteran, Mike is an expert in helping organizations design, manage, and improve educational programs for young people. Mike’s identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a person of color has shaped his entrepreneurial journey, as he educates non-profit organizations to act strategically on behalf of children.Mike grew up feeling the stress in an ultra-conservative area, but found that he had adults in his life who would al...
2024-04-1039 min
RonderingsDaniel Anello - Mobilizing the Power and Genius of ParentsHow you internalize racism can destroy your sense of self.Daniel Anello is a member of the Pahara-Aspen Education Fellowship Summer 2016 cohort and the Leadership Greater Chicago 2019 cohort. He was named to the inaugural class of Presidential Leadership Scholars and he is a Board member of Chicago Urban League and Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of Kids First Chicago since 2015, and he is supporting parent-led and data-informed change within Chicago’s public schools.Today he shared how he grew up in a ru...
2024-04-0355 min
RonderingsBe Open to New Experiences and Practice Intention with Grace CruzBe open to life and to things that come your way!The oldest child of a Philippine immigrant family to the USA, Grace Cruz graduated from NYU and began a career in teaching. Grace currently works in consulting with the Centre for Powerful Public Schools in LA, intending to improve teaching and learning.Grace’s Philippine values and culture have a massive impact on the way she lives life, including how she leads in education. With a focus on community as well as individual contributions, Grace believes that if yo...
2024-03-2752 min
RonderingsDr. Rob Carpenter - Surrender to and Enjoy the Person You Want to Become"Life is so much bigger than black and white - it's full of colors.”Dr. Rob Carpenter is a UCLA faculty member, author, speaker, and filmmaker who specializes in mass communication, rhetoric, and leadership. He has published many scholarly articles and books, including "The 48 Laws of Happiness."Rob shares how he saw life from multiple perspectives at an early age - ethnic, geographic, and social. His diverse career choices, from politics to film, television, startups, and education, have made him a Renaissance man with many unique skills. He uses these skills to explore important topics in...
2024-03-2050 min
RonderingsAkinwole Garrett - Divine Right Order: God, Family then WorkTomorrow is not promised!Akinwole Garrett (Aki) is an accomplished senior strategy and business development executive with over fifteen years of data driven corporate development, business development, strategy and management experience at the intersection of technology, media and telecommunications. He sits on the Fuqua Minority Alumni Advisory Board at Duke University, the Board of Trustees of The Shipley School and is a founding General Partner of Sankofa Family Ventures, a family office committed to investing in Black and Brown VC fund managers.Aki talks about his journey from growing up in South Philly to becoming...
2024-03-1355 min
RonderingsTaylor Delhagen - Don't Be Boring, Be Trustworthy, and Integrate Work and LifeDon’t be boring!Taylor Delhagen started his early visits to the principal's office after being expelled from classes. Now he is a doctoral candidate at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education, where his studies are focused on leadership, equity, and the internationalization of higher education. He started his teaching journey in 2006 in NYC with Teach For America. After finishing his two-year commitment, Taylor was hooked and decided to stay in the classroom. He shares amazing and refreshing insights about equity and education. Taylor does not believe that “one size fits all” wh...
2024-03-061h 00
RonderingsBrandon White - A Misfit That Fits in EverywhereHow to be a misfit that could fit into a lot of different places?Brandon White is an educator, emcee, podcaster, and poet. He is a former middle school ELA and Restorative Practices educator for the Rochester City School District and has worked for seven years as a servant leader intern and site coordinator for Freedom Schools Summer Literacy Programs in Rochester, NY. For seven years he worked as an ELA Specialist for UnboundEd, and currently, he serves as a consultant and professional development provider for systems and educators who are implementing ELA and...
2024-02-281h 20
RonderingsJen Chau Fontan - Always Practicing SomethingJen Chau Fontan, a certified somatic coach, works towards helping people recreate the spaciousness that they already have.Living in Westchester, NY, after working within NYC nonprofits in management and talent/HR positions, Jen Chau Fontan transitioned into full-time coaching as an executive coach to senior leaders of progressive sector organizations through The Management Center, where she serves as an adjunct coach today. Jen created her practice, JCF Coaching, in 2018. Jen shares how she had many responsibilities in her early life, which gave her amazing experience in creating a c...
2024-02-2140 min
RonderingsRisa Morimoto - Creating Curiosity to Tell People's StoriesWe need to think more about living with intention and growing old gracefully. Risa Morimoto is the Founder and CEO of Modern Aging and Dream Retirement in Mexico. She focuses on holistic health practices and lifestyles to optimize longevity for people in midlife. She is also an award-winning TV and documentary producer/director. She has directed over 200 episodes of House Hunters International and other programs for HGTV, Animal Planet, A&E, Hulu and others. In our society, we are not creating a safe space for conversations around aging and health. Risa...
2024-02-1455 min
RonderingsMary Rice-Boothe - Honoring Her Roots: From The Cotton Fields of ArkansasThere is power in living life in community; no one is superhuman.Mary Rice-Boothe, Ed.D., currently serves as Executive Director, Curriculum Development and Equity at the NYC Leadership Academy. She has had the opportunity to partner withschool systems across the country to support them in implementing their equity policies, as well as supporting the development of equity-focused resources for district-levelleaders looking to name and dismantle the inequitable practices they are seeing at theschool and district levels. Mary holds a BA in Metropolitan Studies from New York University...
2024-02-0750 min
RonderingsRon Summers: The Hustler Mentality: Web Designer to CEOLeadership can be a lonely place, especially for folks of color.Ron Summers is the CEO of a non-profit focused on providing equitable access to careers in technology. He is a leader with a vision of guaranteeing every K-12 student access to computer science and computational thinking. Ron has dedicated his life to advancing CS exposure, access, and inclusion for Black, brown, and female students and he shares his leadership experience, especially for people of color, and emphasizes the importance of self-care and authenticity as two main pillars of good leadership....
2024-01-3158 min
RonderingsFamily First: Serving the Public Interest with James Solomon Everybody deserves to walk down the street and feel safe.James Solomon represents downtown Jersey City as the Ward E Councilperson. As a dad, a cancer survivor, a teacher, and someone who leads from the outside, James is committed to making Jersey City a place that supports ALL families, not just the well-connected.City government is directly connected to people, and helping them is key to making the world a better place. The lesson, or the value that matters most, is always putting family first. As a politician, James finds himself pulled in different directions, b...
2024-01-2449 min
RonderingsPerseverance: Create the Life That You Love with Joselyn Martinez Each person is the director of his or her own life, and even in the face of the most challenging obstacles, is capable of shaping and painting an extraordinary life.Catapulting us on a journey of perseverance and resilience is Joselyn Martinez, a NYC-based business consultant and certified neuro coach specializing in entrepreneurship. A spokesperson for personal tragedy, she shares with us the challenge of solving the mystery of her father’s murder, as well as her success in entertainment and music as a member of an all-female band.Her mission? To help, empower women and...
2024-01-1746 min
RonderingsWho Cares? - Learning to Storytell with Hope, Love, and Agency with Rudy Valdez Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our identities, embracing our cultural roots, shaping our resilience, and illuminating the transformative power within us all.Rudy Valdez, a two-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, shares his remarkable journey, triumphing over adversities such as homelessness while underlining the underlying value of embracing one’s cultural heritage and identity. His success isn’t just about luck or money: it’s about love, passion, and a strong cultural background.The conversation is a goldmine of insights into how personal stories and cultural background shape the way we tell stories. Valdez...
2024-01-101h 01
RonderingsStephanie Zhong Who am I? Using Curiosity and Storytelling to Bridge DifferencesYour story is the single most powerful thing you own. Embrace it, share it, and watch the world transform around you.Renowned for her ability to empower leaders to unleash their full potential, Stephanie Zhong is a brand strategist and storytelling specialist with over 20 years of experience. Her journey spans diverse sectors, from non-profits to civic organizations, and her passion lies in helping individuals authentically amplify their presence.Despite cultural norms that often discourage self-promotion, Steph finds curiosity and strength in the field of storytelling — a field she has passionately embraced and recognized the transformative po...
2024-01-031h 04
RonderingsKishshana Palmer - Velvet Covered Baseball Bat: Living in DualityNavigate the dualities, overcome challenges, and lead with compassion; authentic success intertwines passion with purpose while nurturing the soul.Kishshana Palmer introduces herself as a multi-hyphenate serial social entrepreneur with diverse experience in fundraising, marketing, and policy within the social impact sector. Through candid honesty, Kishshana reveals her path towards self-understanding and embracing strengths, illuminating a journey of personal evolution. Cultural influences and the dynamics of her upbringing emerge, shedding light on their profound impact on her career, money management, and decision-making. Her journey embodies a redefinition of success, advocating for holistic well-being and a s...
2023-12-2756 min
RonderingsRecy B. Dunn - Levity and the Daily Fight: Try to Take Over the World! Education isn’t just about learning, it’s about celebrating differences and fostering inclusivity.As CEO of Ascend Public Charter Schools, Recy Dunn’s story encapsulates the transformative power of personal experiences and the resounding impact they can have on one’s pursuit of educational justice and identity exploration. Raised by a mixed-race couple in Texas, his upbringing propelled a lifelong quest to understand identity amid societal complexities, stemming from racial prejudices and fueling his mission to reshape the educational landscape to address disparities in access and opportunities based on race.An e...
2023-12-2054 min
RonderingsYou Can't Heal What You Never Reveal - Ian BuchananEmpowering minds is the spark, transforming communities is the flame that ignites a brighter future for us all.Dr. Ian Buchanan, the visionary CEO of Nia Education Group, is a role model of transformative leadership. Embracing his identity as a “Black Nerd”, he shares his path, transitioning from teacher to administrator to an inspiring entrepreneur and leadership coach.Addressing the poignant absence of diversity in education, his role amplifies the critical need to bridge cultural understanding gaps in pivotal services such as academics and social work. He champions the celebration of one’s true self and cu...
2023-12-1350 min
RonderingsYexenia Gómez - Show Up as Yourself Everywhere You GoBring a piece of yourself into everything you do so you can be a role model for others like you.Yexenia Gómez is a renowned culinary director and educator who helps bring health and nutrition education to underprivileged people in her community. Working with businesses and children alike, Yexenia's passion is empowering people to feel more confident and creative in nourishing themselves.There is a tragic lack of diversity in the education sector, leaving a cultural understanding gap in fundamental services like academics, social work and nutritionists. This is why it is so important t...
2023-12-0655 min
RonderingsDr. Nancy B. Gutierrez and Dr. Roberto Padilla - Stay and Prevail Collective responsibility resonates strongly in supporting our communities, urging us to recognize the beauty and brilliance present within our own people.Dr. Nancy B. Gutierrez, President & Lead Executive Officer of The Leadership Academy, and Dr. Roberto Padilla, superintendent of Community School District 7 in the Bronx, share their journeys as educators and advocates for students of color. Together, they challenge the prevalent belief that success necessitates leaving one’s community.In a world that often promotes the idea that leaving one’s community is essential for success, this episode celebrates and e...
2023-11-2950 min
RonderingsKwamara Thompson - Love Yourself: Come As You AreBuilding communities is essential for creating opportunity, acceptance and prosperity.Kwamara Thompson is a leader, community builder and angel investor who pours herself into numerous organizations that foster a culture of unity and positive social change. From a young age, she has been passionate about fighting for equity and empathy-focused growth, and continues to dedicate herself to lifting others up by providing opportunities for those in need.In a world where your zip code can determine the opportunities you are given in life and promote segregation, it is more important than ever that we focus...
2023-11-2248 min
RonderingsShanita Rapatalo - How You Come is How I Will Receive YouLeading with discernment is a vital part of unlocking the greatness in others.Shanita Rapatalo is a national consultant and expert on literacy, DEI, and education, and helps to create systemic changes to the education system that promote equity, compassion and acceptance. With 20 years of experience in the education sector, she continues to follow her passion for helping to develop and strengthen leaders and practices in the industry to ensure that students can become the best versions of themselves.In order to unlock the true potential of education, it's...
2023-11-1558 min
RonderingsRick Andrews - Improv as a Pathway to AuthenticityBreak free from your scripted role and uncover your authentic self.Rick Andrews is a highly respected trainer, educator, and improv artist with expertise in team development, creativity, innovation, public speaking, and leadership. He brings a treasure trove of hands-on expertise to these key areas.Rick shares his journey through the labyrinth of improv, illuminating the trail it blazed toward personal authenticity. The narrative peels away the layers of his initial motivations for diving into improv and how it inexorably shaped his career choices. This episode is all about a profound exploration of authenticity’s irreplaceable ro...
2023-11-0859 min
RonderingsYamilée Toussaint - Know Your AnchorStudies have shown that cognition is related to movement. Using dance to transform the STEM experience for girls, has allowed Yamilée to see the progress being made, after finding out that only 5% of people in STEM are women of color.Having to initially choose between dance and STEM as she was applying for college, Yamilée has made it her mission to integrate the two.Studying at MIT as one of few women of color in the room, Yamilée could see that a shift was required. With dance, allowing girls to feel good abo...
2023-11-0143 min
RonderingsKenan Bishop: Everybody Samples - Acknowledge Your Sources Deciding that your belief system will overflow into every aspect of your life, allows you to focus on what you have decided is important.Born into a home upheld by justice and faith, Kenan worked towards a career in education. Driven by a passion for restoration and the justice he grew up desiring, Kenan has risen to a position of leadership within education equity.Being surrounded by and in relationships with people who hold a different belief, values or come from a different culture, allows an opportunity to learn and rethink the way you work a...
2023-10-2556 min
RonderingsMarcela Andrés - Making The AskRealizing the power of your connections is the key to success in business and life.Marcela is the President and CEO of designEDengagement where she co-creates roadmaps to help strengthen the partnership between families, communities and educators. In cities across the country, Marcela passionately oversees projects dedicated to cultivating the power of connections to strengthen communities and create better opportunities for students.Asking for help can feel like a shameful and transactional experience, but we all have a community of generous people who care about us and are happy...
2023-10-1847 min
Tina's SurThrival Guide to Health over 40Building Your Circle of Mentors to Guide Your Career Transitions & Growth with Ron Rapatalo, career & executive coach & best selling authorRon Rapatalo, career & executive coach, shares his experienced advice about identifying and building a circle of mentors to help one through a lifetime of career growth and transitions. He shares how to build the trust to develop one's own network of mentors that do not require us to follow the cookie cutter formula of career networking.
All his advice can also be found in his best selling book, Leverage.
About Ron
Ron Rapatalo is a talent shepherd, a career/executive/equity coach, a public speaker, a best-selling author, and a...
2023-10-0349 min
Rethinc PodcastLeveraging Relationships as a Currency to Heal Your Workplace w/ Talent Shepherd & Career Coach, Ron RapataloRethinc co-founder, Kenan Bishop and guest, Ron Rapatalo explore leveraging relationships as a currency to build trust in the workplace. Ron Rapatalo is an entrepreneur, talent shepherd, career/executive/equity coach, public speaker, podcaster, best-selling author, and currently the president and CEO of the Rapatalo Group LLC.Ron’s career vision is coaching, connecting and inspiring others to find their best selves through healthier living, increased mindfulness and interconnection, and stronger intention and strategy. He believes in...
2023-10-0242 min
RonderingsMarc Etienne - Marc Etienne - Be Who You Are Being confident in your identity is the key to growth.Marc Etienne is a Partner at Rethinc where he helps to provide the support and coaching needed to evolve communities and organizations away from inequitable practices. With over 25 years of experience in helping students achieve their potential, regardless of their background, Marc continues to follow his passionate pursuit of the dismantling of systemic racism.A big part of unsubscribing from systemic racism and inequitable traditions is breaking free from the chains, refusing to conform, and being comfortable and confident with who we a...
2023-07-261h 17
RonderingsStephanie Morimoto - Decoupling Productivity from Work and Your HumanityWhat you accomplish is not a measure of your value as a human.Stephanie Morimoto is the owner and CEO of Asutra where she shares her passion for self-care through her products and business practices. With nearly 20 years of compassionate leadership and serving those in need under her belt, she continues to provide equitable career pathways and opportunities to her employees and her community.Many people today are stuck on the proverbial hamster wheel and don't stop to appreciate the journey or take care of themselves along the way...
2023-07-1959 min
RonderingsAtnre Alleyne - Sharpness + Proximity + Community = EmpowermentLearning ways to hack the system is the key to living the lives we deserve to live.Atnre Alleyne is the founder of The Proximity Project, where he advocates for diversity and inclusion and helps organizations build authentic connections with marginalized communities. Founding multiple advocacy organizations, Atnre is an impassioned leader that empowers other leaders with equity-centered values as he fights for racial justice.Despite the dependence on funding that many advocacy groups have, the system is designed to hand over resources to the most privileged, so it's imperative that we build...
2023-07-121h 01
RonderingsAlli Myatt - Slowing Down to Redesign and Recover To fight inequity, we must slow down enough to review and understand the behaviors that contribute to it. Alli Myatt is the co-founder of The Equity Practice and helps organizations redesign themselves to embody more equitable practices. Throughout her life and her long career in advising organizations, Alli has followed her passion of advocating for more human connection and liberatory principles in the workplace.Business is inherently about performance, urgency, and moving at a fast pace to meet deadlines and achieve milestones, but many of these structures are deeply ingrained with patterns of...
2023-07-051h 01
RonderingsLaura Donald - Centering People Of ColorSelf-care is essential in the mission to advance inclusivity and racial equity.Laura Donald is the founder and CEO of Axis Talent Partners, where she focuses on supporting leaders of color in accessing positions of power. Through a career in teaching and recruiting, Laura has followed her lifelong passion for spreading a culture of liberation and leaving a positive impact with her liberatory values.Centering the experiences of people of color and cultivating a sense of belonging is a challenging goal in the fight to advance equity and justice...
2023-06-2854 min
RonderingsIfy Walker - When Values Are Clear, Decisions Are EasyIn the fight to create more equitable job opportunities, transparency is a must.Ify Walker is the founder and CEO of Offor, where she leads with her values to ensure equitable opportunities for marginalized groups in the executive search industry. From teaching to attending law school, Ify has followed her passion for identifying and understanding broken systems and designing equitable solutions.It’s no secret that we still live in a world where meritocracy is overshadowed by the unfortunate truth that opportunities are awarded to people inequitably based on ra...
2023-06-211h 02
RonderingsKate Gerson - There is Room for Everyone to Heal and Be LovedIn order to continue the fight against inequality, we need to create a culture where people are taking care of each other.Kate Gerson is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Rethnic, where she partners with leaders to create evolved workspaces that promote healthier and happier work cultures through inclusivity. Throughout her journey, Kate has been the architect of numerous successful organizations, where she has poured her passion for anti-racism and dismantling systems of inequality into crafting disruptive education programs and training strategies.It’s no secret that many DEI initiatives are getting it wr...
2023-06-1453 min
RonderingsRuss Finkelstein - Discomfort to Spark Possibilities for OthersLearning who you are and what values you represent is the key to leading and networking with others authentically.Russ Finkelstein is a career coach and advisor who helps other people become aware of their possibilities. Acting as a conduit and connector of people, Russ’s passion is in his idealist approach, where he combines empathy and structure to help people discover who they truly are.Making a connection requires trust, and the best way to gain trust is to show up consistently as your authentic self. Without a sense of connection, people can feel is...
2023-06-0753 min
RonderingsRon J. Williams - Inclusion IS Innovation. Helping real people make real progressUsing inclusion and innovation to align the interests of all humans is the best strategy to move forward into a more positive future.Ron J. Williams is a venture builder and corporate innovation leader that focuses on companies that want to build a better future. From making tutoring accessible to underprivileged kids to helping startups make positive impacts in their communities, Ron continues to pursue his passion for helping real people make real progress.Today’s society is filled with selfish systems that don’t align with consumer needs, and don’t internalize the cost of the...
2023-05-311h 07
Nonprofit Lowdown#238 - AAPI Leadership with Ronald RapataloFriends, join me and my brother from another mother Ron Rapatalo to talk all about the Asian things.
In this riveting podcast episode, the incredible Ron Rapatalo chats about being a leading advocate for AAPI representation, allyship, and girl dadhood. Ron, a visionary author of "Leverage People: What I Know About People to Personally and Professionally Win," shared his enlightening views on AAPI invisibility, collaborating with other BIPOC leaders, embracing fatherhood, and finding inspiration in Elsa. Join us as we delve into Ron's powerful insights and connect with him on LinkedIn at Ron Rapatalo LinkedIn and grab a...
2023-05-2949 min
RonderingsTony DelaRosa - Isang Bagsak: If One Falls, We All FallTony Delarosa is the Author of Teaching the Invisible Race: Embodying a Pro-Asian American Lens in Schools. He is a Filipino American anti-bias and anti-racist educator who studies ethnic policies and practices and fights to instill a pro-Asian lens in the education sector. With his work featured on many prestigious platforms, Tony continues to pursue his passion for Asian American activism and fighting for a more expansive racial equity narrative.Racial equity in America is an endless uphill battle, but with each step forward, we must continue to broaden the goal to include more...
2023-04-051h 00
RonderingsFinding Your Voice And Choice with Elsa MarquezDiscovering your voice and choice is the key to growth and success.Elsa Marquez is an executive leadership coach who works with individuals and organizations to help them fulfill their full potential and become the best version of themselves. With a long and passionate career in leadership and coaching, Elsa fosters leadership-based culture and values that drive individuals and organizations toward valuable changes and success.Many people struggle with a lack of self-awareness that prevents them from adequately identifying and taking action on their goals. Once you are ready...
2023-03-2942 min
RonderingsTo Be and Lead in Service To Others with Delvin BurtonWhen we help others, the world becomes a better place for everybody.Delvin Burton is a professional leadership coach who uses his leadership skills to develop leadership programs and help businesses and people become the best versions of themselves. Delvin was raised by and surrounded by leaders and mentors through childhood and naturally grew into the man of diverse leadership talent he is today, where he uses his passion for creating a positive impact on people and businesses across the many facets of his professional career.Everybody’s personal an...
2023-03-221h 05
RonderingsTravonnie Mackey - How do we create access?Society needs to re-evaluate its expectations to make room for identity. Travonnie Mackey is an associate partner and leader at Edgility, where she fiercely advocates for equitable access and works to close wage and opportunity gaps in the workplace. Through her journey of understanding how her identity and location have impacted her opportunities in life as a child, a teacher, a mother, and a leader, she has followed her passion for challenging existing systems and creating space for marginalized groups to be seen, heard, and valued. Today’s workplace is p...
2023-03-151h 08
RonderingsChristian Simamora - Learning and Living at The IntersectionsChristian Simamora is a father, educator, learning experience designer, facilitator, and writer. His craft is designing spaces where people can reflect, be vulnerable, and feel a connection. His sacred practice is loving his two boys better, more deeply, and more devoutly every day. Currently, he's a Fellow at Stanford's Life Design Lab, where he teaches classes that help people figure out what they want to grow into at any stage of life. While he lives now in Oakland with his wife and sons, he was born and raised in Brooklyn to two immigrant parents who he hopes his life...
2023-03-081h 06
RonderingsTina Tang - Follow Your Changing CuriosityChase and explore your curiosities, and you might just find your next passion. Tina Tang is a strength training coach who mentors middle-aged women on their fitness journey and helps them take control of their bodies. From financial analyst at Goldman Sachs to a jewelry crafting mogul with multiple storefronts and now an award-winning personal trainer, Tina has persevered through the ups and downs of the ever-changing economy while chasing her curiosity and passions.It is normal to change your career many times throughout your life, but if you a...
2023-03-0146 min
RonderingsJudith A. Yáñez - Be Like WaterYou need to heal yourself before you can adequately hold space for others.Judith A. Yáñez is the Founder and Executive Director of RootED Northwest Arkansas, which educates parents and helps them to use their power and voice to advance educational and economic opportunities for their families. After ascending from a working-class childhood of trauma and dysfunction and later becoming a math teacher who saw the disconnect between school systems and the families they were meant to serve firsthand, Judith shares her journey in helping ensure Latinx immigrants stay engaged in their child's ed...
2023-02-2247 min
RonderingsJonathan Santos Silva - We Are All RelatedInvesting in other people's freedom and success is the key to making an impact.Jonathan Santos Silva is the Founder of The Liber Institute and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Cambiar Education. From being a school founder, high school principal, instructional coach, education consultant, and an on-the-ground technical support provider under South Dakota’s Native American Achievement Schools Grant, Jonathan shares his journey through discovering his voice for social issues and paving his way into a career of leadership in the education industry as a passionate equity warrior. Many schools across Ame...
2023-02-151h 03
All in a Day's WorkEpisode 44: Interview Special - Echo Ma (ep. 2), Ron Rapatalo (ep. 30), and Emmanuel Moses (ep. 41)Not too long ago, we took to our Instagram story and asked our listeners what kind of career advice they wanted to hear on our show the most. The overwhelming majority of you said that you wanted to learn more about how to interview. So we asked some of our past guests to come back on the show and give their advice on how job applicants can make the most out of their interviews. These guests are Ron Rapatalo, a career coach and associate partner at Edgility Consulting, Emmanuel Moses, Associate Director of College Guidance & Transition at The Opportunity...
2022-10-0119 min
All in a Day's WorkEpisode 30: Ron Rapatalo, Edgility ConsultingIn this episode, Sarah Rosenthal speaks with NYU alumnus, Ron Rapatalo, about finding work that you’re passionate about, deciding if and when to monetize hobbies, recovering after an unexpected career setback, and leveraging your social media presence.
Ron Rapatalo’s career vision is coaching, connecting, and inspiring others to find their best selves through healthier living, increased mindfulness/interconnection, and stronger intention/strategy. He believes in the power of intuition and deepening one’s self-awareness and impact on others. He also believes that we must dismantle systems of oppression and racism to recover our fullest humanity. Ron ha...
2021-12-1522 min
Welcome To Fatherhood InterviewsEpisode 35- Ron RapataloIn this episode of Welcome To Fatherhood Interviews, Sir Royce Briales and Dr. Raheem Young talk to Ron Rapatalo -Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Talent Shepherd | Career Therapist | Anti-Racist | Fitness Fanatic | Men’s Stylist | Entrepreneur | Trusted Connector | Yankees Fan | NYU Alumni Mayor| Native New Yorker about how his dad is his Super Hero until he died when he was 10. We also talk about how he met his wife and how she is similar to his Mom and him to her dad. Please leave a review and share!!
What does Fatherhood mean to you, Ron?
E...
2021-10-0659 min
Toxic Leadership: Tales of TransformationExploring Identity And The Racialized Impact Of Toxicity With Ron RapataloRon Rapatalo is a coach, connector, and catalyst leader who encourages others to live authentic and inspiring lives.This episode is important to me because of Ron's insight through personal experience and coaching related to toxicity as we examine the intersection of racial identity.Ron has been a talent shepherd for 15+ years, recruiting and selecting thousands of candidates to become education and nonprofit leaders so he has a wealth of knowledge and experience to learn from.The Toxic Leadership PodcastInstagram: @ToxicLeadershipPodcast
2021-05-2636 min
The Bored of EdS1, Ep12: Reunited, and It Feels So GoodThe mythology of scarcity often leads us into long, hard hours of lonely work believing that there is only so much power, influence, or success to go around. Over the course of this season our Bored members have consistently disrupted that mythology, establishing that the sum of us is greater than any one of us. In this vibrant and wide-ranging dialogue, Malika Ali (Director of Pedagogy, Highlander Institute), David Johns (Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition), Ron Rapatalo (Principal, Edgility Consulting), and Anashay "Teach Em" Wright (Chief Executive Disruptor, Disruptive Partners) return to inspire, embolden, and challenge each of...
2020-10-131h 23The Bored of EdS1 Ep8: Now You Know What It's LikeWhen some politicians and media members began referring to COVID-19 as the “China virus” in the spring of 2020, they shattered the Model Minority Myth. Seemingly overnight, Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities experienced a rise in racially-motivated violence and aggressive verbal confrontations from people who had taken the bait and were blaming AAPI folks for the spread of the virus. In this XL episode, Ron Rapatalo (Principal at Edgility Consulting) joins Jonathan and Doc in a wide-ranging conversation about the Model Minority Myth, what it takes to build power across lines of difference, and what it means to be a tr...
2020-09-1544 minThe Bored of EdS1 Ep7: Thank You For Being a FriendAs we reach the midpoint of season one, Jonathan and Doc engage new Bored Members Malika Ali, Keina Newell, Ron Rapatalo, Dr. Darryl Tonemah, and Karla Vigil in the conversation that launched this podcast: "20 years from now, we could be looking back on the response to COVID-19 as the disruption that led to a vastly different and more equitable education system. How does that system operate and what did we do to create it?"
2020-09-0833 min
Conversations on Careers and Professional LifeRon Rapatalo on Networking, Career Changing, and Men's StylingRon Rapatalo talks about his own career journey from pre-med to nonprofit education and executive search, the importance of networking and generosity, and men's styling. Links from this episode: RonRapatalo.com The Tao Of Networking Adam Grant's website for podcasts and books Reciprocity Ring, Adam Grant's "Giving Circle" Akimbo, Seth Godin's podcast J Hilburn Clothes
2019-06-0749 min
Where R.A. Now?Episode 58: Ronald Rapatalo '97 CAS (Life Coach, Executive Search, Consultant & more! with co-host Dylan Tossavainen (RCA - Lipton Hall)Ron has been a talent shepherd for 15 years, recruiting and selecting hundreds of candidates to become education leaders. He is a Principal at Edgility Consulting, a national boutique executive search firm that finds the leaders that education organizations need to make a difference. Before that he built his own search firm, consulting, leading and supporting hiring searches for school districts, charter schools and non-profits.
Ron is also a coach, giving career advice on how to navigate career transitions and present oneself from networking to interviewing. He also supports others on how to live healthier...
2019-04-0130 min
All Possibilities with Julie Chan090 – Ron Rapatalo – Best SelfSelf awareness: this may be an undervalued resource — but for Ron Rapatalo self awareness may be an art form. His focus has led him to success and exceptional personal growth: tips for getting hired in senior leadership roles, about bias and racism in hiring, and why our action and habits matter, the power ofintuition when you’re networking, how Ron has been discovering his own identity as an empath, and the way a recent intuitive purpose reading has tangibly impacted his life…
Ron Rapatalo, an Executive Search expert in K-12 education, a mens personal stylist, a fitness trainer, and self proclaim...
2019-01-281h 04