Welcome to The Academic Boardroom, where the world’s most influential scholars, executives, and visionaries meet to bridge the gap between rigorous research and real-world results. Co-hosted by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare and Dr. Eli Joseph, this podcast provides a seat at the table for listeners who want more than just surface-level business advice—they want the data-driven strategies and behavioral insights that power global leadership.
From the research labs of our most prestigious universities to the high-pressure environments of global industry, we explore how the most complex systems in our society actually operate. We move beyond the traditional lecture hall to deconstruct the intersection of sports analytics, competitive strategy, and organizational equity with the leaders who shape these fields. Our episodes feature candid, high-stakes conversations with elite guests—distilling their lifetime of expertise into actionable intelligence for the modern professional.
We examine how the most complex systems in our society function from our finest universities' research labs to the high-pressure work of the world's largest companies. Moving beyond the traditional classroom environment, we deconstruct the relationship between the inner workings of higher education and analytics in sports, competitive strategy, and organizational equity by interviewing the leaders in each industry. Our episodes consist of candid, high-stakes discussions with elite guests, extracting from their lifetime of experience and turning it into actionable information for today's professional.
Subscribe to The Academic Boardroom for a masterclass in leadership, delivered multiple times a week. This is where the lecture ends and the execution begins.
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The Spooky Art of Ghostwriting: Tim Vandehey on AI, Authenticity, and Building a Platform That Sells Books
In the podcast, Dr. Eli Joseph and Dr. Janice Gassam Asare interview Tim Vandehey, a ghostwriter with more than three decades of experience in the profession and around 70 nonfiction books to his credit, who has been listed as a bestselling ghostwriter by the New York Times. Tim became a ghostwriter unintentionally despite his training as a journalist, working in advertising and leaving for freelance work when he was only 30. In 1999, a client asked him to write a book, and he was introduced to the world of ghostwriting through contacts made while working on the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. While by 2004 he began to write as a full-time ghostwriter, Tim describes ghostwriting as a purely journalistic undertaking requiring enough interviews and extensive structure before any actual work can be done. He is also of the opinion that being a ghostwriter is not immoral, as the practice of ghostwriting has been around for ages. According to Tim, ghostwriting is affected by the introduction of AI into publishing, with newcomers being the worst hit while veterans manage to avoid the damage as they are shielded. Tim believes that AI is capable of providing the user with a book requested rather than the book that the user needs, as AI is unable to conduct interviews or delve into someone's painful past.
Some agencies now require clients to sign the "no AI" pledge, while client expectations regarding speed have drastically transformed. Anyone seeking to join the field will have to learn about success from experience rather than through education, as there are no formal requirements for becoming a ghostwriter. Therefore, Tim mentions different online platforms and services that are worth consulting. Ghostwriters' hourly pay may be lower than the pay journalists receive, but the salaries paid to ghostwriters do increase in time and surpass journalism pay. Tim does not find it particularly encouraging to accept that first-time authors rarely feature in the bestseller list, adding that he has only experienced one first-time author who ever made it to the list. He emphasizes that Jonathan would have liked to be among bestsellers, stressing that authors should position themselves long before publishing anything. He says that an author needs to publish content regularly to be successful. Apocalyptic or tragic events become the top source of material for film or television adaptations. He takes the position that ghostwriting would not work for him. Tim highlights that books are special to their authors, which means they should be considered with care.
12 Oct 2026
The Ghost Behind the Curtains
5 Oct 2026
Bet on Yourself: 40 Years of Child Psychology, Grit, and Raising a Resilient Kid with ADHD
In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Eli Joseph and Dr. Janice Gassam Asare are joined by Dr. Jane Timmons-Mitchell, who serves as an associate clinical professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. After working as a clinical psychologist for over forty years, specializing in trauma treatment, juvenile justice, and suicide prevention, Timmons-Mitchell credits her emphasis on resilience to her parents who lived through dire poverty during the Great Depression. According to her, the experience as a parent has made her advocate more for kids and fight their issues. Dr. Timmons-Mitchell talks about her transition from treating young children affected by trauma to working with juveniles in detention and creating and implementing multisystemic therapy in Ohio. The idea is "whatever it takes," she stresses. She states that only a small percentage of people exposed to trauma require lengthy therapies, which makes it possible to develop resilience and become successful in life. Besides, she explains how the profession has changed from hospital care to community services.
The main topic of the episode is her new book co-authored with her son, who is an aerospace engineer diagnosed with ADHD. The book explains how his parents have built an encouraging and safe environment for him to avoid the impact of about twenty thousand discouraging comments an ADHD kid has to hear until he finishes school. Sports and music contributed to the development of the skills and self-confidence of the boy. She shares the experience of how this boy underwent bullying because of his tics from his medication. The hosts and their guest also discuss gatekeeper trainings that teach bus drivers, coaches, and teachers how to recognize signs of distress in people. The participants also share their concerns regarding social media dangers for teenagers, among which are grooming, sexting, and some other predicaments. Timmons-Mitchell concludes by reminding moms and dads to remain calm and patient when resolving their children's issues.
Who has been a guest on The Academic Boardroom Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Jonathan Farley
Dr Laura Sicola
Stanley Praimnath
Brian Clark
Julie Mastrine
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
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Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about The Academic Boardroom Podcast
Who hosts The Academic Boardroom Podcast?
Dr Eli Joseph and Dr Janice Gassam Asare and Eli Joseph host the show. Published by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare and Dr. Eli Joseph.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does The Academic Boardroom Podcast take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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