An Educated Guest
An Educated Guest is a podcast that dives deep into the innovations and trends shaping the future of education. The host is Todd Zipper who has over two decades as an entrepreneur, executive, and investor across K-12, Higher Education, and Workforce Development. He brings together visionaries, innovators, and operators from the education industry to explore the solutions that are transforming learning and work.
Episodes
61 episodes
S3E22 | Scaling Experiential Learning with Dana Stephenson: Solving the "No Experience, No Job" Paradox
It is an all-too-common story: a student graduates with a degree but is rejected from entry-level jobs because they lack "real-world experience." On this episode of An Educated Guest, Todd Zipper sits down with Dana Stephenson, ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 22
•
50:48
S3E21 | The Entrepreneurial Investor: Sabari Raja on Venture Capital for the Frontline Workforce & the $1 Trillion Infrastructure Boom
Sabari Raja, Managing Partner at JFF Ventures, joins us to discuss her unique journey from founder (NEPRIS, now Pathful) to leading a pioneering venture fund focused on economic mobility. JFF Ventures operates at the intersection of philanthrop...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 21
•
46:04
S3E20 | The Parent Power Tipping Point: Jeanne Allen on School Choice and the Future of K-12 Education
In this insightful episode, host Todd Zipper sits down with Jeanne Allen, Founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform (CER). Jeanne walks us through her three decades of relentless advocacy, tracing the evolution of education refo...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 20
•
46:51
S3E19 | From Stanford to Skilled Trades: Shaun McAlmont's Vision for Career Pathways in Education
Join us on Educated Guest as we sit down with Dr. Shaun McAlmont, a true visionary in the education sector. With an extraordinary career spanning three decades, Shaun has impacted every level of learning, from K-12 to higher education an...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 19
•
47:17
S3E18 | Scaling Learning with Agentic AI: Mark Naufel on Building the New OS for Education
The AI Agent Revolution: Mark Naufel on Why the $1.8T Higher Ed System Must Change NowMark Naufel is not just talking about the future of education; he’s building it. As the Founder of Axio Education and the President of the Unive...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 18
•
58:22
S3E17 | Elevating Life Skills: Advocacy, Innovation, and the Future of Family & Consumer Sciences with AAFCS Karin Athanas
In this insightful episode, we sit down with Karin Athanas, Executive Director of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Karin shares her strategic vision for the organization, focusing on how FCS profes...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 17
•
53:20
S3E16 | The Co-Creation Engine: Katie Boody Adorno on Why Teachers and Community Must Lead EdTech Design
In this insightful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Katie Boody Adorno, Founder and CEO of LEANLAB Education. Katie shares her journey from the front lines of a middle school classroom to becoming a national ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 16
•
45:08
S3E15 | The Innovator's Mindset: D2L’s John Baker on Why EdTech Should Stop Solving Yesterday's Problems
In this exclusive episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with John Baker, the visionary Founder and CEO of D2L. John shares the remarkable 25-year journey of D2L, tracing its evolution from a student startup into...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 15
•
45:37
S3E14 | Education Freedom: Shaka Mitchell on School Choice, Opportunity, and the American Dream
In this deeply personal and timely episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Shaka Mitchell, Senior Fellow at the American Federation for Children. Shaka shares his compelling journey from the classroom and the courtr...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 14
•
55:00
S3E13 | Chaos and Opportunity: Michael Moe on AI, The Seven C's, and the Future of Education Investment
In this powerful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Michael Moe, Founder and CEO of GSV Ventures, to discuss the seismic shifts occurring across the entire learning ecosystem. Michael, who was a key figure in a...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 13
•
55:46
S3E12 | A Founder's Journey: Matthew Pittinsky on Blackboard, Parchment, and the Future of Ed-Tech
In this fascinating episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Matthew Pittinsky, a true pioneer in education technology. Matt, the co-founder of Blackboard and former CEO of Parchment, shares his incredible journey fr...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 12
•
56:16
S3E11 | K-12's Moment of Truth: Sari Factor on the Evolution of Education and the Future of Learning
In this illuminating episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Sari Factor, the Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer of Imagine Learning, to discuss the monumental shifts occurring in K-12 education. With a career sp...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 11
•
55:18
S3E10 | Outcomes at Scale: Carl Madi on Stepful's Mission to Close the Healthcare Skills Gap
In this powerful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Carl Madi, the founder and CEO of Stepful. Carl shares his journey from Uber and Handy, where he developed a passion for creating career mobility for workers,...
•
44:39
S3E9 | The Expertise Upheaval: Matt Sigelman on AI, The Experience Paradox, and Reshaping the Workforce
In this eye-opening episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Matt Sigelman, CEO of the Burning Glass Institute, to decode the seismic shifts occurring in the labor market. Matt shares data-driven insights from his gr...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 9
•
55:03
S3E8 | The Age of AI: Raoul-Gabriel Urma on Education, Entrepreneurship, and a Future of Creative Work
In this engaging episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Raoul-Gabriel Urma, the founder and CEO of Cambridge Spark. Raoul shares his unique journey from a self-taught coder to leading a company at the forefront of ...
•
Season 3
•
44:08
S3 E7 | Minds Matter: Erika Halstead on Mentorship, Equity, and the Power of People to End Poverty Through Education
In this deeply inspiring episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Erika Halstead, CEO of Minds Matter National, an organization close to Todd's heart. Erika shares her personal journey from starting her career as a b...
•
45:20
S3E6 | The Kaplan Way: Andy Rosen on Reinvention, Global Scale, and the Future of Outcomes-Driven Education
In this insightful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper welcomes Andy Rosen, CEO of Kaplan, for a deep dive into the evolution of one of the world's most enduring education companies. Andy shares his personal journey at Kaplan,...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 6
•
42:45
S3 E5 | From Princeton Review to Noodle: John Katzman on Reinventing Higher Ed and Fixing K-12
In this provocative and incredibly insightful episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with John Katzman, a serial entrepreneur and one of the most influential figures in education, known for founding The Princeton Review...
•
46:01
S3E4 | The Job-First Degree: Reach University's Apprenticeship Revolution - with Joe Ross
In this illuminating episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Joe Ross, CEO of Reach University, a pioneering non-profit college. Joe shares his compelling personal journey to education leadership and unpacks Reach U...
•
43:26
S3E3 | Paul LeBlanc: AI in Education - From Systemic Traps to Intelligent Human Solutions
In this highly anticipated return episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper welcomes back Paul LeBlanc, former President of SNHU and current Chairman of the new AI education startup, Matter and Space. This captivating conversation d...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 3
•
54:58
Decoding Human Behavior: Dr. Robert Rohm on the Transformative Power of DISC in Work, Life, and Education
In this captivating episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper sits down with Dr. Robert Rohm, a renowned expert in human behavior and the DISC model, for a deep dive into understanding ourselves and others. Dr. Rohm shares the fascinating ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 2
•
58:58
S3 E1 | How Employer Brands are Redefining Education's Role in the Workforce with Brandon Busteed
In this premiere episode of An Educated Guest Season 3, host Todd Zipper sits down with Brandon Busteed, CEO of BrandEd, for a compelling conversation about the seismic shifts occurring at the intersection of education and workforce development...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 1
•
43:28
S2 E12 | Closing the Opportunity Divide - with Gerald Chertavian
How do you build skills and cause proven, sustained wage gains for young adults in the US? Just ask Gerald Chertavian, founder and CEO of the youth workforce development non-profit, Year Up. Tune into this episode of An Educated Guest and join ...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 12
•
49:16
S2 E11 | Serving Equitable Learning for Life - with Michelle Marks
What does it mean to be an equity-serving institution? And how can universities actually serve learners for life? Michelle Marks, Chancellor of the University of Colorado, Denver (CU Denver), sheds light on these topics in the que...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 11
•
40:20
S2 E10 | Student Centricity from CBE to ChatGPT - with Dr. Gregory Fowler
To value student centricity is easy. But to prove these values are actualized in student outcomes bears asking, “How do we really know we do what we say we do?” This is one among many spirited insights from guest Dr. Gregory Fowle...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 10
•
58:24