Advertise on podcast: Square Pizza

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! Laura Demarse has spent nearly 20 years working at the intersection of higher education, workforce development, industry, and philanthropy. Today, as Vice President for Future of Work at the Charles Koch Foundation, she is focused on helping more people connect to purpose, opportunity, and economic mobility. In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg and Laura explore how higher education is evolving, why workforce development and higher ed should work more closely together, and what employers can do to create stronger pathways into meaningful careers. Laura also shares lessons from her time at Ford Motor Company, how the Charles Koch Foundation approaches partnership and social entrepreneurship, and why skilled trades are experiencing a major resurgence. The conversation also goes deeper into the Foundation’s work in Charlotte, including why the city became an important place-based investment, what Laura and her team learned from local partners, and how philanthropy can help de-risk new workforce solutions and inspire others to invest alongside them. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: Why a four-year degree should be one signal of potential, but not the only oneHow higher education and workforce development can better learn from one anotherWhat Laura learned about employer engagement and talent development from her work at FordWhy the Charles Koch Foundation is investing in skilled trades, social entrepreneurs, and place-based workforce solutionsWhat the Foundation has learned from its workforce investments and partnerships in CharlotteHow AI could disrupt early-career white-collar jobs while creating new opportunities in skilled trades, entrepreneurship, and emerging industriesWhy Laura now believes scalable change can come from small, innovative organizations—not just large institutionsSupport the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! Dad. Husband. Marathoner.Deputy Chancellor, New York City Department of EducationState Superintendent, Louisiana Department of EducationTeach For America Board MemberChief Executive Officer, Great MindsJohn White has spent his career working at nearly every level of the education system, giving him a unique perspective on leadership, reform, and what it takes to create meaningful change at scale. In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg and John discuss lessons from Louisiana, the growth and future of Great Minds, the role of artificial intelligence in education, and why strong leadership requires both ambition and trust. John also reflects on how sports shaped his approach to teamwork, how his leadership style has evolved, and why the most important parts of teaching and learning must remain deeply human. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: How John’s experiences across classrooms, districts, states, and organizations shaped his leadership philosophyThe lessons he took from Louisiana’s education reforms and open-enrollment modelHow Great Minds is balancing rapid growth with quality, implementation, and student outcomesWhere artificial intelligence can support teachers and students—and where human interaction still matters mostWhy listening, trust, and coalition-building have become increasingly important throughout John’s careerHow sports, running, and team experiences continue to influence the way he leads  Support the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Alesha Washington, President and CEO of Seattle Foundation, for a powerful conversation about philanthropy, courage, and what it means to move money like it truly matters. Alesha shares how her experiences across policy, advocacy, economic development, and philanthropy have shaped a leadership philosophy rooted in joy, community voice, and the belief that nonprofit leaders deserve the trust and resources to do their best work. Alesha also pulls back the curtain on how one of the country’s largest community foundations approaches long-term grantmaking, impact investing, affordable housing, transit, childcare, and the growing pressure on nonprofits in today’s political and economic climate. Along the way, she offers a candid look at courageous leadership, board alignment, risk, and why foundations must be willing to stand firmly in their purpose rather than retreat when the work becomes difficult. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: Why Alesha believes philanthropy should “move the money like it matters”How Seattle Foundation centers joy, belonging, and community voice in its workWhy affordable housing, childcare, and transit are deeply connected to the future of thriving regionsHow impact investing can help foundations take smart risks, unlock capital, and support community-led solutionsWhat courageous philanthropy looks like when real money, power, and institutional risk are on the tableWhy strong boards must understand their role, make space to serve, and stay focused on mission rather than managementSupport the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Tahira Stalberte, Assistant Superintendent of Communications and Community Relations at Union County Public Schools, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, trust, and what it really takes to communicate well in public education. Drawing from more than two decades in communications, from the television newsroom to one of the largest school districts in North Carolina, Tahira shares how relationship-building, consistency, and a willingness to take smart risks have shaped her approach to the work. Tahira also opens up about the real complexity of leading communications in a modern school district, from crisis response and community trust to family engagement, artificial intelligence, and the everyday challenge of making sure families feel informed, heard, and supported. Along the way, she offers practical insight on why communication and family engagement are not the same thing, what strong two-way communication should look like in schools, and how districts can better connect with families in ways that actually improve outcomes for students. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: What makes a great communicator and why trust, listening, and risk-taking matter so much in leadershipHow Tahira thinks about balancing the many audiences a school district serves, from families and staff to media and community stakeholdersWhy communication and family engagement are distinct, and why both are essential to student successWhat Union County Public Schools has learned about building stronger family engagement systems and two-way communication with parentsHow Tahira and her team are approaching artificial intelligence, crisis communication, and storytelling in a fast-changing school landscape Support the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Dan Porterfield, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Aspen Institute, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, educational opportunity, and how ideas can scale far beyond a single institution. Drawing from his upbringing in Baltimore, his years leading Georgetown and Franklin & Marshall, and now his work at Aspen, Dan reflects on the experiences that shaped his belief in talent, public service, and the power of institutions to expand opportunity for more people. Dan also shares why “scaling an idea” can sometimes matter more than scaling an operation, how the Aspen Institute grew from a postwar humanist gathering into a global platform for dialogue and leadership, and why he still believes deeply in the talent that exists in every zip code. Along the way, he offers thoughtful insight on philanthropy, higher education, nonprofit leadership, succession planning, and what it looks like to bend systems toward the public good without losing sight of the people they are meant to serve. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: Why Dan believes scaling ideas can sometimes create more impact than simply scaling operationsHow his work at Franklin & Marshall helped spark the American Talent Initiative and expand opportunity for low-income students across top collegesWhat leaders can learn from the founding story and evolution of the Aspen InstituteWhy partnerships with aligned donors and institutions can be transformative when building enduring changeHow Aspen’s new Center for Rising Generations is rethinking civic dialogue, leadership, and opportunity for young peopleWhat Dan has learned about board leadership, succession planning, and building strong people-serving institutionsSupport the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! Shamaiye Haynes is more than a school board member. She is a longtime community leader, family engagement advocate, and one of the voices helping shape the future of a $2 billion public school district. In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, she shares how years of grassroots organizing and showing up for families prepared her to lead at the district level, and why family engagement, advocacy, and community trust are still at the center of meaningful change in education. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: Why Shamaiye believes family engagement is the missing link to stronger student outcomesHow her journey from active parent advocate to school board member prepared her to lead at the district levelWhat it looks like to operationalize family engagement so schools better serve whole families, not just studentsHow she thinks about school choice, charter schools, and what a stronger public education ecosystem could look likeHow Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is approaching issues like artificial intelligence, cell phone policy, and support for teachers and familiesSupport the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Jacob Adams, Founder and Executive Director of Inner Spark Learning Lab, for a powerful conversation about what happens when schools stop asking students to fit the system and start redesigning the system to fit students. Drawing from his own journey as a first-generation college student, student athlete, Teach For America educator, and nonprofit founder, Jacob shares how his lived experience pushed him to challenge compliance-driven models of education and build something more human, adaptive, and deeply rooted in student voice. Jacob also opens up about the real work of building Inner Spark from the ground up, from taking the leap on his first school contract to designing learning environments where students help shape curriculum, choose resident teachers, and explore issues that actually matter to them. Along the way, he offers a compelling vision for why belonging, relevance, and flexibility are not extras in education, but essential conditions for real learning and long-term change. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: Why Jacob believes schools should adapt to students more than students should be forced to adapt to schoolHow his own experiences as a first-generation college student, athlete, and teacher shaped the vision behind Inner Spark Learning LabWhat he saw inside high-performing schools that made him question whether test scores alone tell the full storyHow Inner Spark creates learning spaces where students help shape projects, select teachers, and drive more meaningful engagementWhat it looks like to build a nonprofit from scratch while staying focused on depth, belonging, and real systems change Support the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg sits down with Aneesh Sohoni, Chief Executive Officer of Teach For America, for a candid conversation about leadership, purpose, and why he still believes education can be one of the most unifying forces in the country. From his own path into the classroom to now leading a national organization, Aneesh shares what it means to lead with curiosity, stay close to the front lines, and keep belief alive in a moment when many have lost it. They also dig into the future of Teach For America, how today’s young leaders are searching for purpose and community, and why artificial intelligence could either deepen learning or weaken it, depending on who shapes it. This episode is a sharp, hopeful, and timely conversation for anyone thinking about education, leadership, and the future of impact. Support the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Corey Carlesimo, CEO of Prospect HQ, and returning guest Dewey Norwood to talk about Prospect HQ, a purpose-driven hiring platform built to connect current and former student athletes with employers who value leadership, resilience, and cultural fit. They break down how Prospect HQ is rethinking the hiring process by helping athletes reflect more deeply on their values, strengths, and long-term purpose while giving employers a more authentic way to identify talent that can strengthen workplace culture. Cory and Dewey also share why they believe student athletes are uniquely prepared to lead in today’s workforce, how their own experiences in sports and corporate leadership shaped the vision for the platform, and why culture, authenticity, and community matter just as much as credentials in helping people find the right opportunities. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: Why Cory and Dewey believe student athletes are one of the most overlooked and high-impact talent pools in today’s workforceHow Prospect HQ is helping athletes move beyond just finding a job to discovering a clearer path to purposeWhat makes the platform different from a traditional job board, including its focus on cultural fit, reflection, mentorship, and authentic storytellingHow sports, coaching, failure, and teamwork prepare student athletes to thrive far beyond the field, court, or diamondSupport the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Samantha Lurie Carroll and Sylvester Chisom, co-founders of Show Me The World Project, to share how a single school trip idea grew into a multi-city nonprofit helping high school students from under-resourced communities see – and shape – the world. They walk through the journey from a “show me Costa Rica” classroom project to a yearlong program that blends leadership development, entrepreneurship, workforce skills, and first-time international travel, plus the student-driven coffee business that emerged from a visit to a Costa Rican farm. Samantha and Sylvester also open up about the real behind-the-scenes work of going from scraping together $2,500 grants to securing six-figure investments, building a trusted brand, and “responsibly replicating” their model beyond St. Louis without losing their roots in student voice and community. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: How students’ reactions to an inequitable “school swap” experience sparked the original vision for Show Me The World ProjectWhat a yearlong leadership, entrepreneurship, and global learning journey actually looks like for high school students in St. Louis and Kansas CityHow a visit to a coffee farm turned into a student-led social enterprise and the Show Me The Cause fundraising platformThe mindset shifts and concrete steps that helped Show Me The World move from tiny grassroots grants to major foundation investmentsWhy honoring your word, embracing “no” as fuel for innovation, and adding earned revenue are core to building a resilient, mission-driven nonprofitSupport the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes back Taylor James for her fourth appearance on the show and her first since earning her MBA and stepping into the role of Director of Strategic Implementation at SchermCo. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: How Taylor’s journey from classroom teacher to Director of Strategic Implementation shapes the way she leads complex strategy and project management workHow earning her MBA while working full time strengthened her “measurement muscle” and helped her shift from completing tasks to truly owning outcomes for clientsWhat it really looks like to design and implement programs like the Flight Forward aviation internship program and She Built This City’s pre-apprenticeship expansionHow Taylor approaches relaunching programs, managing stakeholders, and moving ideas from concept to executionWhy time management, trusting the process, and building real relationships remain core to meaningful social impact workSupport the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! On this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg sits down with Danielle Frazier, Special Assistant to the City Manager for Workforce Development in the City of Charlotte and longtime girls flag football coach. They talk about what it really takes to build pathways to good jobs, why a one cent sales tax for transportation is actually a mobility and opportunity strategy, and how a career that started in one local organization has grown into national leadership. From coaching high school flag football and renovating bathrooms with her dad to helping design Charlotte’s first Office of Workforce Development and chairing the United States Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council, Danielle shares a grounded, hopeful view of what is possible when cities, schools, employers, and residents pull in the same direction. In this episode, you will hear: How growing up in a football family and coaching girls flag football shapes Danielle’s leadership with young people and teamsA clear, accessible definition of workforce development and how Charlotte’s new Office of Workforce Development and strategic plan are bringing that vision to lifeWhat Charlotte’s historic transportation and mobility investment could mean for thousands of future jobs in construction, skilled trades, professional services, and small businessesHow the Education to Employment initiative with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools is creating direct pathways from high school graduation into full-time roles with the City of CharlotteWhy employer engagement and emerging tools like artificial intelligence are becoming essential to a healthy, future-ready workforce ecosystemIf you care about economic mobility, public investment, or connecting young people and adults to meaningful work in growing cities, this is a conversation you will want to hear. Support the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Erica Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Greater Nashville, for a candid conversation about leading regional change at the intersection of poverty, philanthropy, and community power. From what was supposed to be a two-year stop at United Way to more than fifteen years of growing responsibility, Erica reflects on how the work has evolved as Nashville has exploded in size and complexity. She shares how her team is moving beyond traditional workplace giving to focus on workforce pathways, neighborhood-based partnerships, and efforts like the Fifth Third Neighborhood Initiative in North Nashville that are designed with, not just for, community members. In this episode, you will hear: How a short-term role at United Way became a long-term calling to serve the regionWhat it really takes to prevent and alleviate poverty in a fast-growing cityLessons from navigating multiple nonprofit mergers—and what leaders often underestimateHow the merger with Hands On Nashville is reshaping volunteer engagement and community responseWhy affordable child care sits at the center of economic mobility for familiesHow Erica approaches leading a one-hundred-person team and a forty-plus-member boardWhy she is cautiously optimistic about artificial intelligence and what questions leaders should be asking nowIf you care about community, equity, or building stronger cities through real partnership, this is an episode you will not want to miss. Support the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Pod, Greg welcomes Shaka Mitchell, educator, policy leader, and advocate for school choice, for an engaging and candid conversation about education, leadership, and civic engagement. From his early days in Nashville to his current work shaping education policy across Tennessee, Shaka reflects on what’s changed—and what hasn’t—about how we prepare students for the future. Along the way, he shares sharp insights on the role of local leadership, the real stories behind school choice debates, and how families and communities can stay engaged in creating better systems for kids. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why Shaka believes “parents are the most important education reformers”How Tennessee’s education landscape is shifting post-pandemicLessons from the charter sector and what traditional districts can learnHis advice for building civic trust and bridging ideological dividesHow he uses music as a common ground to spark conversation and bridge differencesA few Nashville stories (and laughs) along the wayIf you care about schools, leadership, or the future of public education, this is one you don’t want to miss. Support the show

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note! In this episode of the Square Pizza Podcast, host Greg Schermbeck sits down with Rod Banks, long-time community development and philanthropy leader, for a candid conversation on leadership, career growth, and the evolving landscape of corporate social responsibility (CSR).  Rod reflects on his journey from economic development in Spartanburg to nearly two decades with Wachovia and Wells Fargo, where he has shaped philanthropic investments across housing, small business growth, and financial health. Along the way, he discusses how his calm leadership style—something inherited from his father—has influenced both his personal and professional life, and why open dialogue with nonprofits is critical for long-term community impact.  In this episode, you’ll hear:  Rod’s reflections on family influences, staying grounded, and even his passionate side as a Steelers fanThe scale of investments in Charlotte and western North Carolina, with a focus on housing, small businesses, and financial mobilityLessons from partnering with both established organizations like Gardhouse & Freedom Fighting MissionariesWhy nonprofit leaders should lean into authenticity and open conversations with funders—even when it means discussing vulnerabilitiesInsights on the growing conversation around nonprofit mergers and acquisitions, and why sustainability must be central to strategic planningHis hope for Charlotte’s CSR ecosystem: continued collaboration among funders to meet community needs with both rigor and trust This episode is for nonprofit leaders, funders, and anyone invested in community change. Rod’s steady leadership, deep experience, and practical wisdom offer a grounded perspective on how philanthropy can adapt and thrive in uncertain times. Support the show