Proud Principals Podcast with Tony Cattani

About Proud Principals Podcast with Tony Cattani

Proud Principals Podcast celebrates the incredible work of school leaders making a difference every day. This podcast is your go-to source for recognizing, acknowledging, and sharing the best practices of educational leaders. Join us as we learn about true, proven efforts that transform schools and inspire success. Let’s learn from our Best Resources, Each Other and take pride in the amazing accomplishments happening in our schools.

Publisher

Tony Cattani

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Sept 2024

Latest episode

10 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

76 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Oct 2026

   #74 - Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket (Maryland Elem.) - Leading with Relationships First

   Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket is an award-winning principal at Waterloo Elementary School in Maryland, author, keynote speaker, and education leader with 21 years of experience in public education. She is passionate about building trust-centered school cultures where students, staff, and families feel connected, valued, and empowered to thrive.Dr. Edoho-Eket is the author of Relational Intelligence: The Key Factor to Exceptional School Leadership and The Principal’s Journey: Navigating the Path to School Leadership. She is also a TEDx speaker, adjunct professor at McDaniel College, a 2026 MAESP Connected School Leader winner, and a 2026 ISTE+ASCD 20 to Watch honoree. As a sought-after national speaker, she shares practical strategies for relational leadership, family engagement, sustainable leadership, and creating joyful, inclusive school communities. Proud Principals Podcast Show Notes Leading with Relationships First with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket What if the most powerful leadership strategy isn't a new initiative, program, or technology, but simply taking the time to connect with people? In this episode of the Proud Principals Podcast, Tony Cattani welcomes Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket, an inspiring educational leader who believes that relationships must always come first. As a leader who lives in the community she serves, Rachel has experienced something truly special: watching students she once taught in kindergarten grow up and graduate. Those relationships, built over years of meaningful interactions, have shaped her approach to leadership and reinforced her belief that schools thrive when people feel seen, valued, and connected. Rachel shares how she intentionally creates "touch points" throughout her day—opportunities to connect personally with students, staff, and families. Whether she's sitting with students at recess, welcoming new staff members, or encouraging collaboration among colleagues, her leadership is grounded in being present, accessible, and authentic. Throughout this remarkable conversation, Rachel reminds us that building trust isn't accomplished through a single event or initiative. It's the result of consistent, intentional behaviors that demonstrate genuine care for others. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Relationships Before Everything: Why meaningful connections are the foundation of a positive school culture. The Power of Touch Points: How intentional daily interactions with students, staff, and families build trust and belonging. Leading Within Your Community: The unique perspective gained from living in the community you serve and watching generations of students grow. Being Present with Students: Why something as simple as sitting with students during recess can make a lasting difference. Welcoming and Supporting New Staff: How building relationships early creates trust, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Creating a Collaborative Culture: Why strong relationships among adults are essential to developing a thriving school community. People Over Technology: Why school leaders must resist allowing the convenience of emails, texts, and digital communication to replace meaningful face-to-face conversations. Memorable Takeaway "Never let the convenience of technology replace relationships." Dr. Edoho-Eket challenges school leaders to slow down, step away from their screens, and intentionally connect with the people they serve. Her message is both simple and powerful: Sometimes the most impactful thing a school leader can do is walk down the hallway, sit beside a student, check in with a teacher, or have a conversation without an agenda. Rachel reminds us that relationships aren't something we find time for after the work is done. Relationships ARE the work. This episode is filled with practical, intentional leadership strategies that any principal, superintendent, or aspiring school leader can begin implementing tomorrow. If you enjoyed this episode:

2. 

   26 Sept 2026

   #73 - Patricia Riley (New Jersey 2026 NJPSA POY) - Every Single One!

   Every Single One Featuring Patricia Riley, Principal of Hopewell Valley Central High School, New Jersey. Patricia Riley has dedicated over twenty years to education, including a decade as a high school administrator, supporting students and staff with a focus on growth and excellence. Driven by a lifelong passion for learning, Patricia holds degrees from The College of New Jersey and Rider University and is currently pursuing her doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania. She is passionate about service learning and fostering meaningful community engagement. Known for her relationship-based leadership, Patricia prioritizes connections, collaboration, and celebration as she strives to ensure that every member of her school community feels seen and valued. Every Single One - Show Notes What happens when a principal makes it her mission to ensure that every single student feels seen, valued, and connected? In this episode of the Proud Principals Podcast, I sit down with Patricia Riley, Principal of Hopewell Valley Central High School in New Jersey and the 2026 NJPSA Visionary Secondary School Leader of the Year. With approximately 1,100 students, Patricia understands that creating a strong school culture doesn't happen through one big initiative. It happens through intentional behaviors, repeated consistently, that communicate to students and staff that they matter. In This Episode, Patricia Shares Positive Phone CallsPatricia challenges herself and her staff to make positive calls home, including a 100 calls in a day challenge, to make sure families hear about the good things their students are doing. Positive Praise ReferralsCreating opportunities to recognize all students, not just those who traditionally receive recognition. Birthday Cards for Every StudentA simple gesture that creates a personal connection and helps students feel known and valued. Notes of AppreciationPatricia uses faculty meetings as opportunities for staff to write notes of appreciation to students. The Bigger Mindshift At the heart of Patricia's approach is a simple but powerful shift: training ourselves to look for what's going right. Rather than waiting for students to make a mistake or for something to go wrong, Patricia challenges herself and her staff to intentionally look for the positive. When we change what we're looking for, we often change what we see. And when students and staff consistently experience being seen, valued, and connected, culture begins to change. In This Episode The importance of making every student feel seen and valued The 100 Positive Phone Calls challenge Positive praise referrals Birthday cards for every student Creating a culture of appreciation among staff The power of intentional leadership behaviors Shifting from looking for problems to looking for the positive Building connection in a school of 1,100 students Why small gestures can have a big impact Creating a culture where every single one matters Every Single One is a reminder that school culture isn't just about reaching the majority. It's about making sure every single one knows they matter. Patricia Riley Instagram - @hopewell_valley_central_hs  @patriciariley Email - patriciariley@hvrsd.org

3. 

   13 Sept 2026

   #72- Dave Walker (New Jersey) - Character Building Through Tiger Teams

   Dave Walker is an educator, leader, and lifelong learner who believes that schools should be places where students feel safe, valued, and inspired. He currently serves as the Principal of School No. 1 in Linden, New Jersey, and has spent nearly two decades in education serving in the roles of substitute teacher, teacher, department chair, Vice-Principal, Principal, and district leader.Dave is an Apple Distinguished Educator, adjunct professor of history at Middlesex College, doctoral student, and passionate advocate for innovation in education, leadership development, and building positive school cultures. Beyond the school walls, Dave is a husband, father of four daughters, content creator, history enthusiast, and someone who believes every day is an opportunity to learn, lead, and make a difference. After serving in a district leadership role, he made the intentional decision to return to the principalship because he truly believes the greatest impact happens when you are working directly alongside students, staff, and families each day. This was his proudest personal career decision, and is critical to his leadership story. He has found that the most important thing was to follow his purpose, not just climb the ladder. One of his proudest efforts as a principal has been working alongside students, staff, and families to strengthen a school culture where everyone feels valued, connected, and supported. Coming to School No. 1, after there had been several leadership changes at the building in the past few years, his focus was on providing consistency, building relationships, and continuing to move the school forward together. This year, working with his amazing Vice-Principal and School Climate Team, they launched Tiger Teams to provide students with character-building opportunities while encouraging leadership and positive choices. Supporting teachers has also been an important focus. Through two unconference-style professional development events, they provided staff members with greater voice and choice in their own learning by allowing them to select PD experiences connected to their interests and needs. Just as they want students to have ownership of their learning, they want educators to feel empowered as professionals. Ultimately, Dave's greatest pride comes from helping create the conditions where students and educators feel supported, trusted, and excited to grow together. Students should be running into the school excited each day, as should staff! TikTok - @mrwalkerjournals Instagram - @mr. Walkerjournals  and @school1tigers

Who has been a guest on Proud Principals Podcast with Tony Cattani

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Jonathon Guthrie
• Miguel Salazar
• Adam Lancto
• Kelly Whittaker
• Dr Jason Di Giulio

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 30 / 100

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

Quality

46

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Proud Principals Podcast with Tony Cattani

Guest appearances

Books guests

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

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