Through stories and practical reflections from Dr. Rochelle Smarr — a practitioner--scholar-administrator-dreamer-podcaster — HyphenatEdD Leader offers a grounded lens into the often-invisible labor of leading with passion and purpose in complex educational systems.
hyphenateddleader.substack.com (https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/s/podcast-episodes?utm_medium=podcast)
✨ Season 2 is coming to a close.
📺 Watch the final episode on YouTube
As always, check out prior episodes and like, subscribe, and comment to support the podcast at the Substack: https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/ (https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/)
Get full access to HyphenatEdD Leader at hyphenateddleader.substack.com/subscribe (https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
4 Jun 2026
How I Built My Multi-Hyphenate Career
In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Rochelle Smarr shares the real story of how she built her multi-hyphenate career—not the polished LinkedIn version, but the one with detours, pivots, moments of doubt, and a whole lot of grit. From organizing the Student Homeless Alliance as an undergraduate at San Jose State to cofounding the Gulf Coast Civic Works Project after Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Smarr traces her journey from organizer to scholar to director to advocate.
This episode explores the power of the pivot, the necessity of grit, the beauty of grace, and what it means to build a career that refuses linear definitions. If you're navigating multiple identities and wondering if your path makes sense, this is your reminder: your career doesn't have to follow someone else's blueprint. Trust the pivot and let your hyphens strengthen—not scatter—your path.
As always, listen to prior episodes on the Substack (https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/): like, subscribe, and comment to support the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast.
HyphenatEdD Leader is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Get full access to HyphenatEdD Leader at hyphenateddleader.substack.com/subscribe (https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
28 May 2026
Underestimated No More: Leading with Discernment, Disruption, and Deep Purpose
In this episode, Dr. Rochelle Smarr sits down with Dr. Nadia Bennett — educator, advocate, disrupter, and founder of When Brown Girls Lead — for a powerful conversation on leading from the margins with discernment, disruption, and deep purpose.
From being underestimated in school leadership spaces to walking away from public disrespect with nothing lined up next, Dr. Bennett shares how trusting herself, listening to the “tap” toward change, and leaning into authentic community transformed both her leadership and her life.
Together, they discuss racism and sexism in educational leadership, reclaiming joy through coaching, the importance of purpose-driven work, and why community with people who truly understand your work is essential for survival and growth.
✨ “They keep sleeping on me — and that’s exactly my superpower.”
This episode is for educators, advocates, and leaders committed to leading boldly, authentically, and unapologetically.
🎧 Listen now on the HyphenatEdD Leader podcast (https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/s/podcast-episodes)
▶️ Watch the interview now on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@rochellesmarrheddl?si=-PvQ9CqDqFGZM4vt)🔗 Learn more at the HyphenatEdD Leader (https://hyphenateddleader.substack.com/)
#HyphenatEdDLeader #VoicesFromTheHuddle #LeadingFromTheMargins #WhenBrownGirlsLead #BlackWomenLead #LeadWithPurpose
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