The Out of the Trenches Podcast

During the live stream of the 400th episode, yours truly was having some connectivity issues so my guests took over and had a great conversation! They were:

Dr. Robert A. Martinez, most recently Superintendent/Chief of Human Resources - has retired from the Antioch Unified School District after 38 years in public education. Dr. Martinez has continually focused on improving and expanding educational opportunities for students. He strives to advance understanding of resiliency research for all his employees, students, and their families. He frequently says, “Let the lives we help others live be the measure of our success”.

Dr. Tim Cusack is the Dean of Education at Concordia University of Edmonton and the Commanding Officer of HMCS Nonsuch in the Canadian Naval Reserve. With extensive experience in educational leadership, teacher development, and mentorship, Tim has dedicated his career to supporting educators and leaders at every stage of their professional journey.

Josh Tovar is the Memorial Pathway Academy Principal in Garland Independent School District NE of Dallas since 2016 & Host of the #PGPPODCAST Sundays 5 pm.

Find them online: Rob: @ResiliencyGuy on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn

Tim: @CusackTim or find me on Linked IN

Josh: X @MPA_GOJAGUARS or X @JTSPOTLIGHTS YouTube @ Josh Tovar IG @jtspotlights

Lulu Buck is a children’s Book author who is currently serving as a coordinator for a local school district in Northern CO. Previously, Lulu held the position of English Language Development and World Language Senior Consultant at the Colorado Department of Education, where she also contributed her expertise to the Standards and Instructional Support Office. Notably, she served as a state trainer for cultural responsiveness, impacting thirty-eight Colorado school districts. Lulu's teaching journey spans a decade, during which she passionately taught English and Spanish in public secondary schools.

"Sue's Sky," Lulu's debut book, recently translated into Spanish as "El Cielo de Susana," delves into the important themes of acceptance and friendship.

Find Lulu online: Twitter/X: @c_lu_lu FB: @Bucks Books Consulting

Insta: @lulubuckster Website: https://lulubuck.org/

Dr. James Lane is a dynamic leader in education whose journey—from classroom teacher and band director to state superintendent and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Education—is as inspiring as it is impactful. Now serving as Managing Director of K–16 at ETS, Dr. Lane is at the forefront of transforming how we connect high school, college, and career readiness. His insights span leadership, policy, equity, and innovation—making him an ideal guest for podcasts focused on education, leadership, public service, or personal growth. A former principal, band director, and lifelong trumpet player, Dr. Lane is also a Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame inductee with The Castaways.

Find James online: https://www.instagram.com/drjameslane/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflane 

His book is called Leading with Laser Focus- avail on Amazon now. www.laserfocus.education

Dave Nagel and Bruce Potter are co-founders of The Center for Collaborative Expertise. Dave’s work focuses on helping schools and districts implement Visible Learning research, assessment and feedback, and effective grading reform at both school and classroom levels. He has supported schools in building impactful PLCs and is a thought leader in the PLC+ framework. Dave has authored seven books, 4 of which are best sellers–aligned to the PLC+ Suite of publications, and contributed to publications such as Principal Leadership, Educational Leadership, and The Learning Professional. He regularly presents at national conferences. Bruce Potter is a school administrator with over 30 years experience. Bruce began his career as a classroom teacher and has held leadership roles at the building level as a principal and at the district level as a superintendent for 11 years. Bruce brings a wealth of experience in implementing Visible Learning research, guiding districts, schools, and teachers in transforming their practices. His schools have earned national recognition for innovative approaches that redefine success for traditionally underserved students.

Find them online: www.centerforcollaborativeexpertise.com

& on LinkedIn

Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh is a National Board Certified Teacher, CEO of LCT-E Learning Solutions®, and founder of Restful Teacher® and Empty2Empowered™. A globally recognized education leader, Michelle champions equity, innovation, and well-being in education. Her EQUAL Methodology™ equips educators and leaders with research-based strategies and emerging technologies to create inclusive and engaging learning environments.

Find Michelle online: www.connectwithmichelle.com it will email you all the resources. www.Restfulteacher.com

Russell Van Brocklen- aka the Dyslexia Professor, shifts daily reading frustrations into confident academic wins for students facing dyslexia.Dyslexia touches as many as 15–20 % of all learners, yet most families still hear “wait and see.” He flips that script. As the Dyslexia Professor, he translates structured-literacy methods proven most effective for struggling readers into bite-size actions parents can use right away.

Find Russell online: website: www.dyslexiaclasses.com

https://www.facebook.com/dyslexiaclasses/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_cqwfxn9FqFx1Idl0YbeHg

https://www.instagram.com/dyslexiaclassesus/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-van-brocklen-2007ab87

Dr. Anthony Muhammad is a highly sought-after educational speaker and presenter. With nearly 20 years of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, he has transformed school cultures and student proficiency globally. He was named the Michigan Middle School Principal of the Year in 2005.

Dr. Muhammad has also been honored by the Global Gurus organization as one of the 30 Most Influential Educators in the world in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. His most recent books include The Way Forward: PLC at Work and the Bright Future of Education (2024), Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work, 4th Edition (2024).

Find him online: www.newfrontier21.com there you will find links to upcoming events, books, videos, etc. He is on FB & LinkedIn.

Jackie Pelegrin is an Instructional Designer and Adjunct Instructor. Jackie leverages decades of experience as an instructional designer within both higher education and the corporate world. She holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology, both acquired through online learning. In addition to her full-time role as a curriculum writer, Jackie serves as an adjunct instructor, teaching online courses at Grand Canyon University.

Find Jackie online: https://designingwithlove.buzzsprout.com/

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/instructorpelegrin/home

Dr. Janet Patti wrote Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders a former school leader, is CEO of Star Factor Coaching, a founding member of CASEL, and professor emeritus at Hunter College School of Education at City University of New York, where her teaching and research concentrated on educational leadership.

Dr. Robin Stern is the cofounder and senior advisor to the director at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, a licensed psychoanalyst with 30 years of experience, and the author of The Gaslight Effect.

They are cocreators of the STAR Factor Coaching model, which helps educational leaders enhance their emotional intelligence skills.

Find them online: www.starfactorcoaching.com they have online courses Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI). https://medicine.yale.edu/childstudy/services/community-and-schools-programs/center-for-emotional-intelligence/

Shira Wolff Cohen brings 25 years of experience in youth workforce development and education. Over a decade of her career was spent in school leadership at a Philadelphia charter school. As a Teacher, Program Director, Dean, Vice Principal, and Principal, she championed student engagement, innovative instruction, and strong community partnerships to create impactful learning experiences.

Shira is the co-founder of Innovageous, where she focuses on building partnerships, designing programs, and improving instruction in both school-based and out-of-school settings. She wrote Leading Future-Focused Schools- came out July 2025.

Find her online: www.innovageous.com to set up a meeting Linked in, IG, FB both her & @innovageous