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Tomorrow's Principal
Tomorrow’s Principal is hosted by Gene Pinkard, the Director of Practice with Aspen Education. This podcast explores how our conception of the principal’s job is putting the brakes on student achievement, and how that role needs to change if schools are going to be places where all kids can thrive. It will also discuss what the new role of the principal looks like, what this means for school systems and training programs, as all of these leaders strive for racial equity in their communities. It will also introduce a new understanding of what it means to lead racial equity work in schools.
Tomorrow's Principal
Leading Through Political Turmoil [Live from SXSW EDU 2025]
Are Principals Ready to Lead Through Challenging Times? Education leaders are facing unprecedented challenges in today's complex political and social landscape. On this episode of Tomorrow’s Principal, we’re sharing a live recording from SXSW EDU, where we consider how to lead through political turmoil.
In this episode of Tomorrow’s Principal, Gene Pinkard, Nancy Gutiérrez, Ed.L.D., Heather Harding, Ed.D., and Yetunde Reeves, Ed.D., explore how school principals can navigate difficult moments while maintaining their core mission of supporting students.
Key Takeaways:
- Principals must balance technical expertise with emotional intelligence
- Building strong community relationships is crucial for school leadership
- Empathy and understanding multiple perspectives are essential skills
- Supporting student and staff wellness goes beyond academic performance
- Principals need robust support systems to manage ongoing challenges
Reflect on your leadership approach. How can you create more supportive, empathetic spaces in your school that prioritize both academic and emotional learning? Seek out mentorship, join professional networks, and continue developing your skills as an adaptive, compassionate leader.
ABOUT THE GUESTS:
Gene Pinkard recently transitioned from his role as Director at the Aspen Education & Society Program, and now serves as President of Instruction Partners, managing the internal operations and service delivery of a national nonprofit with a mission to strengthen instructional leadership in schools, school systems, and states to ensure teachers have the support they need to improve outcomes for students—with attention to students of color, students experiencing poverty, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities. Gene’s career has focused on creating better opportunities for students and educators to thrive.
Nancy B. Gutiérrez, Ed.L.D. is President & Lead Executive Officer of The Leadership Academy, a nonprofit that helps education leaders transform systems and unleash the power and potential of every child. The nationally recognized organization has supported educators across 41 states & more than 430 school districts, state education departments, and education organizations.
Heather Harding, Ed.D., is a servant leader who believes deeply in the power of public education, values developing people to their highest potential, and prioritizes telling a data-informed story to inform policy and practice. She is currently an Executive in Residence at Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC) where she works to change the national narrative to center the needs of children and collaborates with the organization’s leadership on special projects that ensure young people of color have access to high-quality education that enables them to become critical thinkers.
Yetunde Reeves, Ed.D., has served as a transformational school leader since 2005 and is currently the Principal of Paul Laurence Dunbar HS in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2024, she was named the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Maryland Principal of the Year.
Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!
To learn more about Tomorrow’s Principal or the Aspen Insitute, head to aspeninstitute.org/education