Dr. Cynthia Rapaido, a highly accomplished educator, holds an Ed.D. in International and Multicultural Education and an M.A. in Educational Administration from the University of San Francisco. She earned her B.S. in Applied Arts and Sciences Biology from San Diego State University. With over 30 years of experience in K–12 education, she has served as a high school principal, assistant principal, and teacher, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the educational landscape across various schools and districts in California.

Dr. Rapaido’s dedication extends to higher education, where she has contributed significantly as a faculty lecturer, dissertation advisor, and university field supervisor at esteemed institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, University of San Francisco, and California State University, East Bay. Her passion for teaching, mentoring, and coaching educators is evident in her continuing role as an educational leadership coach and consultant. She also mentors graduate and doctoral students at her alma maters.

Often actively engaged in research, Dr. Rapaido participates in academic peer review panels and presents her work at conferences, covering diverse topics within education and leadership. Her research interests include educational leadership, teacher education, school climate, diversity sensitivity, multicultural competency, social justice, emotional intelligence, and the impact of colonialism and imperialism.

Dr. Rapaido was honored by the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) in 2011 as one of “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States”. She was commended by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and received the “2013 California Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year” award. The following year, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) recognized her as a finalist for the prestigious “Assistant Principal of the Year” award for the State of California, highlighting her outstanding, active, and front-line leadership.

In July 2024, Dr. Rapaido published her first book, “Step Up Your School Leadership Game ~ The New Administrators’ Guide ~ Lessons to Navigate Big and Small Challenges with Confidence and Purpose”.

Takeaways:

1. Dr. Cynthia Rapaido possesses over 30 years of experience in K12 education, contributing to various roles.
2. Her extensive career includes positions as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in California schools.
3. In 2024, Dr. Rapaido authored her first book, which serves as a guide for aspiring school leaders.
4. She emphasizes the importance of mentorship for new educators and administrators entering the field.
5. Dr. Rapaido advocates for building relationships with both students and parents to enhance educational outcomes.
6. The podcast discusses the critical transitions students face from elementary to high school, highlighting the need for support.

Chapters:

1. 00:02 – Introducing Dr. Cynthia Rapaido
2. 06:10 – Transitions in Education
3. 16:50 – Transitioning from Education to Writing
4. 20:53 – Understanding Leadership in Education
5. 24:20 – Understanding Leadership Through Experience
6. 35:01 – Navigating the Transition from Teacher to Administrator

www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-rapaido-ed-d

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/

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Marie-Claire Parsons is the project lead for Harry’s Rainbow, a charity that support bereaved children in Milton Keynes. She has 30 years experience in schools culminating in founding a 6 school federation and being the executive headteacher. Marie-Claire has been a family liaison officer, education lead and beneficiary lead for the charity. She has just completed leading on an art project where 15 young people explored their grief through graffiti, entitled ‘Grieffiti’! Harry’s Rainbow offer activity based support groups to children bereaved of a parent or sibling, set up by Odette Mould MBE almost 15 years ago after the death of her son, Harry.

Takeaways:

1. Harry’s Rainbow is a charity that provides vital support to bereaved children in Milton Keynes, having been established nearly 15 years ago following the tragic loss of a child.
2. The charity organizes various support groups, which are activity-based, catering to children from ages 1 to 25, thereby fostering a sense of community among grieving families.
3. Through collaborative artistic projects, bereaved children are encouraged to express their grief and emotions in creative ways, helping them to process their experiences.
4. Understanding that grief is not linear is essential; people may experience a myriad of emotions simultaneously, which underscores the importance of having sensitive support structures in place.
5. The role of educational institutions in recognizing and addressing bereavement among students is crucial, as ongoing support can significantly impact a child’s ability to cope with loss.
6. An urgent need exists for schools to implement bereavement policies and support systems that acknowledge the unique challenges faced by bereaved children and their families.

Chapters:

1. 00:02 – Introduction to Harry’s Rainbow
2. 08:09 – The Importance of Discussing Grief and Bereavement
3. 12:48 – The Importance of Support in Grief
4. 14:06 – Understanding Grief and Its Impact on Life
5. 24:54 – Understanding Bereavement in Schools
6. 34:13 – Supporting Children Through Grief and Loss
7. 44:31 – Understanding Grief and Support
8. 45:39 – The Stages of Grief: A Reassessment

https://harrysrainbow.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-harry-s-rainbow-charitable-trust/

https://www.instagram.com/harrys_rainbow_/

https://www.facebook.com/HarrysRainbow/

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

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Jenna Udenberg is a lifelong resident from the Northshore of Minnesota and is a former music educator of 19 years. She has used a manual wheelchair since the age of 8 due to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Jenna is a 2017 Blandin Foundation Community Leader, a 2020 Bush Fellow, and a 2025 Shannon Leadership Institute Fellow.

Writing for the Lake County Press in her column, Local View from 4 foot 2, inspires vulnerability and the sharing of lived experiences from the seated perspective. Within My Spokes: A Tapestry of Pain, Growth & Freedom is Jenna’s published memoir which you can find on the A&BWU website, on Amazon or wherever you find your books.

In her free time, you can find Jenna outdoors on paved trails or fishing with friends, playing board and card games, as well as coaching the Robo Dweebs, a LEGO robotics team. Jenna is the founder of the non-profit, Above & Beyond With U, which works to increase accessibility and inclusion in Minnesota and beyond.

Takeaways:

1. Jenna Udenberg emphasizes the importance of creating accessible and inclusive environments for all individuals.
2. The principle of universal design plays a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to spaces and services.
3. A significant aspect of Jenna’s work is fostering conversations around disability and breaking down societal misconceptions.
4. The sentiment that all humans have needs is central to Jenna’s advocacy for kindness and understanding in community interactions.
5. Jenna’s experiences as a wheelchair user illuminate the barriers present in everyday environments and the need for thoughtful design.
6. The phrase ‘nothing for us without us’ encapsulates the necessity of including disabled individuals in discussions about accessibility.

Chapters:

1. 00:10 – Jenna Udenberg: A Journey of Resilience
2. 01:29 – Creating Inclusive Spaces: The Mission of Above and Beyond
3. 10:24 – Understanding Disability and Accessibility
4. 25:56 – Understanding Disability in Education
5. 32:51 – Reflections on Teaching and Growth Mindset
6. 37:18 – Empowerment and Resilience in Leadership

https://www.aboveandbeyondwithu.org/

https://www.instagram.com/aboveandbeyondwithu

https://www.facebook.com/people/Above-Beyond-With-U/100091881005060/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/91173822

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

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Victoria Lenormand is a former police detective turned holistic coach, Reiki master, and passionate advocate for alternative education and social justice. With a 28-year career in public service behind her, Victoria’s lens is both compassionate and sharp: she’s witnessed firsthand how institutions can sometimes fail those they claim to serve. Her journey took a transformative turn when her youngest son’s autism diagnosis revealed the flaws in rigid educational and medical systems. Choosing to home educate, she and her family embraced a life of flexibility, healing, and empowerment—living in a motorhome before settling in Scotland and exploring a more intuitive way of living. Her family’s transformation, sparked by a combination of diet, environment, and deep listening, revealed the healing power of choice and the cost of ignoring it.

Today, through Gemini Directions, Victoria now works with families and individuals who feel stuck inside systems not made for them. Her work draws on training in wellness coaching, trauma-informed care, and energy work—but more than anything, it’s shaped by real-world experience: managing crisis with calm, asking better questions, making space when the default is to push through. Victoria speaks to parents at breaking point, professionals navigating burnout, and educators or policymakers open to doing things differently. Her conversations centre around those day-to-day quiet acts of courage: advocating for yourself, questioning “normal,” and moving toward something slower, more responsive, and often more effective.

Takeaways:

1. The value of a child is often revealed in the challenges they face, not just in their successes.
2. When traditional education fails to meet a child’s needs, parents must explore alternative educational paths.
3. Creating a supportive community is essential for families navigating the complexities of education and special needs.
4. Empowering children to take charge of their own learning fosters autonomy and encourages a love for education.
5. Resilience is cultivated through overcoming challenges and learning to adapt in the face of adversity.
6. The holistic approach to education recognizes the interconnectedness of emotional, physical, and academic well-being.

Chapters:

1. 00:20 – Choosing to Withdraw: A New Direction
2. 06:20 – The Journey of Learning and Discovery
3. 08:23 – The Journey of Learning and Inclusion
4. 18:51 – Navigating Educational Change
5. 22:49 – Rethinking Education: Navigating New Possibilities
6. 28:20 – The Journey of Personalization in Learning
7. 34:45 – Navigating Educational Change and Personal Growth
8. 40:01 – The Importance of Community Support in Challenging Times
9. 42:38 – The Power of Resilience and Community

https://geminidirections.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geminidirections.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geminidirections

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

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In the summer of 2024, Irise brought together a diverse group of young people from across the UK, alongside their allies and educators to directly inform a ‘Toilet Policy Toolkit’, to equip schools with the tools they need to create a Toilet Policy that works for everyone. 

https://www.irise.org.uk/uk-schools-toilet-policy-toolkit

Kelly Greenaway is phs Group’s period equality lead. Over the past nine years with the hygiene provider she has led a number of thought-leadership campaigns, which have eventually been sewn into the identity of the business.

From tackling period inequality and campaigning for better access to period products for people in a variety of locations, to championing the need for dignified disposal for men, Kelly has put purpose at the heart of phs.

Chrissy Cattle – CEO of Irise International 

Irise is an award winning, global leader in menstrual justice programming, policy and research. 

Takeaways:

• The podcast discusses a newly developed toilet policy toolkit aimed at enhancing period equity in schools.
• This toolkit was co-created by educators and young activists to address the issue of toilet access.
• Research indicates that many students face significant barriers when trying to access school toilets, including the need for permission and limited availability.
• The conversation emphasizes the importance of listening to young people’s experiences and incorporating their feedback into effective policy-making.
• The podcast highlights the collaboration between organizations to drive change in menstrual health and hygiene education.
• Both guests underscore the necessity of improving toilet accessibility to support students’ health and well-being during their menstrual cycles.

Chapters:

• 00:02 – Introduction to the Toilet Policy Toolkit
• 04:55 – Understanding the Challenges of Period Equality in Schools
• 09:46 – The Toolkit and Its Implementation
• 20:09 – Advocating for Period Equity: Insights and Initiatives
• 26:49 – Empowerment through Leadership Programs

Kelly Greenaway – phs Group

 https://www.phs.co.uk/

 https://x.com/phsgroup

Chrissy Cattle – Irise International 

https://www.irise.org.uk/

 https://www.instagram.com/irise_international/

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

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