Education Influencers

About Education Influencers

This show features individuals who are influencing education through thought leadership and hard work. They are making strides toward improving educational experiences and outcomes for all students and all teachers.

Publisher

Dr. Carla Sparks

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 May 2025

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

23 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Plugging Profit Leaks with Education with Johnny Havey

   Today on Education Influencers, Dr. Carla Sparks interviews Johnny Havey, founder of eLearning Partners and former PwC IT auditor and CPA, about using education as a competitive advantage to increase product adoption, customer acquisition, and customer and employee retention. Havey explains how uninspiring online CPE courses led him to build more engaging e-learning programs and consult clients from solopreneurs to S&P 500 teams. He introduces the Plug the Profit Leak Challenge, a multi-day group consulting experience based on aligning “ROI Pie” across business, customers, buyers, and employees to uncover profit leaks, often finding at least $100K quickly. He outlines an ROI framework—define ROI, set KPIs, then choose tactics and measure results—plus the Pareto Principle (80/20) and 64/4 rule to focus time and energy on what drives outcomes. He shares resources at elearningpartners.com and plugtheprofitleak.com. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:30 Meet Johnny Havey 01:41 Why eLearning Partners Started 04:32 Who Businesses Serve 05:32 Plug the Profit Leak 10:38 ROI for Educators 13:08 Profit Equation and KPIs 19:22 Education Meets Business 23:06 Time Energy and 80 20 31:59 Where to Find Johnny 33:20 Startup Tips for Founders 35:50 Relationships Build Trust 37:42 Final Takeaways and Thanks

2. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Tricia Conyers on Inspiring Women to Be Brilliant, Brave, and Bold

   On Education Influencers, Dr. Carla Sparks interviews Tricia Conyers, founder of Inspire Her Coaching, about helping women close the gap between who they are and who they know they can become by taking action in the presence of fear, self-doubt, and uncertainty. Tricia explains that confidence is built through action, not waiting to feel ready, and shares her Confidence Wheel framework—nurturing the brilliant self (self-knowledge and authenticity), brave self (courage, growth, and stepping outside the comfort zone), and bold self (visibility, owning wins, and expanding networks). She discusses creating coaching programs, retreats, workshops, and deeper conversation spaces for connection and momentum. Conyers also highlights her co-hosted podcast, Every Little Model, and announces her book Confidence Is Action, launching September 14 on Amazon and major online retailers. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome to Education Influencers 00:28 Meet Tricia Conyers 02:26 Why Inspire Her Exists 06:50 Defining the Gap 12:03 Confidence Is Action Book 16:24 Launch Date and No Preorder 17:26 Confidence Wheel Framework 22:01 Comfort Zone and Fear 25:23 Creating Connection Spaces 27:48 Every Little Model Podcast 30:11 Final Thoughts and Farewell #EducationInfluencers #CarlaSparks #TriciaConyers #InspireHerCoaching #WomenInLeadership #WomenEmpowerment #ConfidenceBuilding #ConfidenceIsAction #BehaviorChange #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #MindsetCoaching #CareerGrowth #Entrepreneurship #WomenEntrepreneurs #BoldLeadership #BraveSelf #AuthenticConfidence #SelfBelief #ComfortZone #GoalSetting #CoachingForWomen #RetreatsAndWorkshops #EveryLittleModel #ConfidenceWheel

3. 

   14 Aug 2026

   Dr. Rachel Maldonado on Dropout Recovery and Charter School Transformation

   Today Dr. Carla Sparks interviews Dr. Rachel Maldonado, CEO of Irvington Community Schools and an EdD graduate of National Louis University (Dec. 2025). Dr. Maldonado shares her experience leading school transformation across Florida and Indiana in Title I urban settings, including building Duval Micro School into a nationally recognized dropout recovery model with a 96.2% graduation rate. She explains how funding structures, charter autonomy, and state legislation can create barriers for marginalized students, and describes navigating policy to move students to graduation. Dr. Maldonado highlights NLU’s mentoring and the disciplined focus needed to complete a doctorate while leading a dropout prevention school. She emphasizes relationship-building, listening to understand, transparent communication, cross-training staff, managing resistance, and ethical innovation (including AI/CTE) as keys to sustainable improvement amid staffing shortages and increasing political pressure. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:41 Meet Dr Rachel Maldonado 03:52 Influencing School Transformation 07:31 Doctoral Journey at NLU 09:15 Finishing the Dissertation 14:28 Impactful Change and Dropout Prevention 16:46 Humble Beginnings and Equity Lens 21:28 New CEO Role in Indiana 25:43 Relationships and Listening to Lead 30:06 Valuing Staff Without Big Pay 30:39 Transparent Leadership Communication 31:56 College Access and Scholarships 32:54 Risk Taking for School Turnarounds 34:17 AI CTE and Legislative Barriers 37:14 Hybrid Learning and Future Proofing 39:35 Speaking Up and Charter Warnings 41:22 Lessons Learned and Letting Go 42:35 Tips for Education Change Makers 46:01 Managing Resistance Inside Out 48:06 Irvington Challenges and Momentum 51:54 Gratitude and Closing Reflections #EducationLeadership #SchoolTransformation #CharterSchools #PublicEducation #DropoutPrevention #DropoutRecovery #TitleOneSchools #UrbanEducation #EquityInEducation #Inclusion #StudentSuccess #GraduationRate #EducationalPolicy #SchoolFunding #TeacherRetention #InstructionalLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #CEOInEducation #NationalLouisUniversity #EdD #Dissertation #CommunitySchools #AIinEducation #CTE

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

60

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

26

Social presence

0

YouTube

65

Engagement

32

Contact Education Influencers

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Education Influencers