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© 2025 Social Chats: Shaping Minds & Brands
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Dive into the world where education meets innovation, and leadership intertwines with personal branding. "Social Chats: Shaping Minds & Brands" is your go-to podcast for inspiring conversations with trailblazers who are redefining success in the digital age.
28 Episodes
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Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we're joined by someone who traded the baseball diamond for the boardroom and brings that same competitive fire to everything he does. Meet Mike "HOF" Hofius, a sales representative with California Fuels and Lubricants, a Shell Lubricants distributor serving California and Nevada. Before making his mark in the energy sector, Mike built his competitive foundation on the baseball field, playing at Long Beach State and later in the Pittsburgh...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Amy Mathews-Perez, Texas-born & raised. Amy has recently retired after 34 years in public education, during which she served as a General Education Teacher, Speech-Language Pathologist, Diagnostician, SPED Supervisor, Principal, Assistant Principal, and Director of Special Education. While her journey of public-school service has come to an end, she now puts energy, effort, and focus into continued service to o...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with a dedicated educator from the Coachella Valley who has spent over a decade transforming classrooms and supporting teachers. She also happens to be one of my closest friends. Meet Dr. Laura Castro, who comes from a family of educators and began her teaching career in 2012. Currently, Dr. Castro teaches middle school students in Southern California. In Dr. Castro’s classroom, she focuses on creating engaging lessons ...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Dr. Amanda Austin, who is currently serving Iberville Parish as the Director of the Iberville Math, Science, and Arts Academy East in St. Gabriel. MSA Academy East is the magnet program of East Iberville High School. With 15 years of experience, her extensive knowledge of STEAM academic and extracurricular programming in elementary, middle, and high school settings made this position a best fit. Dr. Austin’s career...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Rosalba Rodriguez, an educational leader with over 20 years of experience spanning roles as a bilingual instructional assistant, classroom teacher, site administrator, and now program designer in higher education. A proud first-generation college graduate, she currently serves as Administrator of the Bilingual Authorization Program at the Riverside County Office of Education, where she is leading the development of...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Víctor Cisneros, Coordinator of English Learners for Riverside Unified School District. Víctor brings over 20 years of educational leadership, having served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal at Ramona High School for eight years before moving to his current district role. His dedication to students has earned him multiple recognitions, including Teacher of the Year in 2011 and Secondary Principal of ...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Mayra Anguiano, a Certified Child Life Specialist at a local hospital with a passion for supporting children and families. Currently completing her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, she is transitioning from healthcare to classroom education, bringing her expertise in child development and family dynamics to her second career. As a mother of two and a Board of Education member serving her second term, Mayra offe...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Vanessa Paula, a 1st generation Latina striving to change the narrative from her own story from surviving to thriving, breaking the cycle one day at a time. South Bronx-bred and New York City Housing Authority-raised, she considers herself to be a Latina rose that grew from the concrete. She started out as yet another "statistic" from the South Bronx. She refused to accept her circumstances, so she hustled hard and ...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, I speak with Dr. Marisa Rivas, an innovative educational leader with over two decades of experience spanning classroom instruction, school administration, and district-level leadership. Currently serving as an Instructional Services Specialist in Research, Assessment & Evaluation at Riverside Unified School District, Marisa specializes in integrating data tools to create cohesive cycles of inquiry across all educational levels. Marisa'...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Jerry Frutos, a dedicated public servant and community leader whose career spans education governance, financial services, and social support systems. Currently serving as a School Board Member for the Buena Park School District, Jerry brings seven years of educational leadership experience, including time as School Board President, where he champions policies that promote equity and student success. Complementing h...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Dr. Alejandro Cisneros currently leads Family and Community Engagement and the implementation of the Community Schools program for the Alvord Unified School District in Riverside. He's been an elementary school principal in two districts and taught middle school mathematics and language arts. His doctoral studies centered on perceptions of Latinx families and the school-home partnership. His wife is a professor at ...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats, we will be speaking with Christina Fernandez, who brings over 15 years of experience in education, with a leadership journey shaped by personal self-healing and a deep commitment to emotional intelligence and trauma-responsive practices. Her leadership approach fosters safe, supportive environments where both students and staff feel valued and empowered. With a focus on empathy, resilience, and connection, Christina is committed to c...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Amy Alzina, Superintendent/Principal of Cold Spring Elementary School District in Santa Barbara. Under her leadership, this district has become one of California's top performers, with remarkable proficiency rates of 99% in English, 98% in Math, and 97% in Science. Dr. Alzina's approach integrates STEAM, arts, music, and physical education into the core curriculum while prioritizing social-emotional learning thr...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Veronica Rodriguez, the Principal at Ruth O. Harris Middle School in Colton, CA. A proud product of the Colton Joint Unified School District and Bloomington Bruin graduate, Principal Rodriguez has returned to serve the very community that shaped her educational foundation. With 22 years in education, her path has taken her from substitute teaching to special education, through assistant principalship, and now to lea...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Atikah Osman, a passionate and purpose-driven school leader who’s making waves in education by blending high expectations with heart. She serves in one of California’s largest urban school districts, where she’s known for championing equity, academic rigor, and culturally relevant teaching. Dr. Osman was named ACSA Region 17 Co-Administrator of the Year in 2024 and is a 2025 NASSP California State Finalist for A...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Yolanda Valdez, a distinguished educator whose over 30 year career is marked by a passionate commitment to enhancing student education and nurturing future leaders. With a decade of experience as Superintendent, she has demonstrated steadfast leadership, catalyzing significant academic advancements as well as facility and community development within the Cutler-Orosi School District. Beyond her administrative ...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Neil Gupta is the Superintendent of Oakwood City Schools in Ohio. He is excited to lead a high-performing district that focuses on the whole child and connects learning to relevant, real-world experiences. Dr. Gupta has presented at the state, national, and international levels on leadership, assessments, and coaching. Neil is passionate about administrative leadership, coaching teams, and working with teams usi...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Rebecca Leroux, CEO and Lead Creative Strategist for B43 Productions. As the Founder of B43Productions, she leads a team specializing in high-impact video storytelling, live-stream production, and strategic messaging- ensuring every project resonates with the right audience and drives real impact. Since 2011, she has partnered with nearly 75 LEAs, working alongside superintendents, school leaders, and communications...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Dr. Benita Scheckel, who is a joyful, visionary and transformative educational leader with extensive experience spanning K-12 teaching, arts specialization, principalship, university-level instruction and central office administration. Having recently transitioned to the role of Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, Dr. Scheckel oversees the Proposition 28 plan ...
Send Lynette a text! On this episode of Social Chats we will be speaking with Melanie Matta, a small school Superintendent/Principal whose commitment to educational equity is unwavering. For over 20 years, she has been a tireless advocate for underserved communities, working to bridge the achievement gap and create a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape. Her dedication to diversity and inclusion has had a profound impact on students and educators alike. In addition to her leader...
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