Z-Rated Success

About Z-Rated Success

Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Educational Leaders is where educators, leaders, and student success professionals unpack the decisions that shape students, teams, campuses, and communities. Hosted by Nick “The Zebra” Zizi, this podcast goes beyond surface-level success stories to explore the real choices, turning points, leadership lessons, and even the “knuckleheaded decisions” that help us grow. Each conversation is designed to be insightful, practical, and engaging—giving educational leaders fresh perspective, useful takeaways, and better questions to bring back to their work. Because in education, every decision is a direction. Better decisions. Better outcomes.

Publisher

NICK ZIZI

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 May 2020

Latest episode

6 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

48 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Aug 2026

   Collaboration or Compliance? Wade Stanford on Shared Leadership and Execution

   Most leadership decisions are handed down instead of developed. Former superintendent Wade Stanford believes that inviting people into a meeting does not automatically make a decision collaborative. When leaders arrive with the answer already determined, they may be creating compliance, not genuine ownership. In this episode of Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Education Leaders, Wade draws from 43 years in education, including 10 years as a superintendent, to share practical lessons abou...

2. 

   16 Jul 2026

   You Belong in the Room: Access, Advocacy, and Student Success with Dr. Alana Simmons

   Many students do not lack ability. They need access, exposure, support, and someone who reminds them that they belong. In this episode of Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Education Leaders, Nick “The Zebra” Zizi sits down with Dr. Alana Simmons, an education leader with more than 20 years of experience across workforce development, correctional education, GEAR UP, and higher education. Drawing from her leadership with GEAR UP Dougherty and her transition into a new chapter in higher educ...

3. 

   7 Jul 2026

   AI Literacy, Equity, and Human-Centered Teaching with Kimberly A. Freeman

   AI is changing education, but many educators are still trying to figure out where to begin. In this episode, Kimberly A. Freeman joins Z-Rated Success to discuss how educators can leverage AI without fear, reclaim time, and use technology in ways that support teaching and learning. Kimberly shares why AI literacy matters, especially for ESL and multilingual students, and why educators need clear systems instead of more overwhelm. The conversation explores how AI can help with lesson planning,...

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

11 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Contact Z-Rated Success

Guest appearances

Books guests

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