306. The Leader Inside: Featuring Lauren Kaufman

In this episode of Aspire to Lead, we sit down with Lauren Kaufman, author of "The Leader Inside," to explore the untapped greatness that lies within each of us. Lauren shares her journey and insights on why mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth, and how mentors—whether we realize it or not—are often closer than we think. From discovering your inner leader to recognizing the mentors already in your life, this conversation is filled with meaningful reflections and practical takeaways that challenge conventional thinking. Tune in to discover how to harness the power of mentorship and unlock the potential within yourself and those around you, paving the way for transformative leadership. About Lauren Kaufman: Lauren Kaufman is the Director of Literacy K-12 for a school district in Long Island, New York.  With over 17 years in education, she has served as an assistant principal, elementary instructional coach, an elementary and middle school reading specialist, new teacher mentor coordinator K-12, creativity camp enrichment program supervisor, and a 2nd and 5th-grade classroom teacher. Lauren is a lifelong learner whose professional passion is to empower teachers to lead so they can share their gifts with others and develop lifelong literacy practices in all learners. She has led teams developing 73 Units of Study in reading and writing K-5, has provided educators with job-embedded professional learning that supported a balanced literacy approach, and guided new teachers with acclimating to the culture and climate of a school system. She has organized Long Beach Literacy Day and has presented at local and national conferences including, NCTE, #LBLit, LIASCD, #EDCampLI, Long Island Technology Summit, Long Island Language Arts Council, #NerdcampLI, and Literacy Matters Conferences. Lauren enjoys sharing her learning through blogging on her own platform, is a contributing author in George Couros’ book Because of a Teacher, Lainie Rowell’s book Evolving With Gratitude, IGI Global’s Designing Effective Distance and Blended Learning Environments K-12, is an author for Edutopia, and a guest blogger for the Teach Better Team, Future Ready Schools, and Defined. Lauren appreciates sharing best literacy practices with colleagues, and wholeheartedly believes in developing powerful professional learning communities and networks that cultivate meaningful, relevant learning and growth. Follow Lauren Kaufman: Website: LaurenMKaufman.com Twitter: @Lau7210 Instagram: laurenmkaufman Facebook: Lauren M. Kaufman https://www.amazon.com/Leader-Inside-Stories-Mentorship-Inspire/dp/1948334755?&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=aspirewebsite-20&amp;linkId=a166df890467924abd65345491e3b602&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl – Magic Mind If you are a long time listener, an ASPIRE Leader, You know I only work with brands that I believe in myself and I integrate in my everyday life, so I’m super happy to talk to you guys about Magic Mind! I started drinking Magic Mind a while back as I was looking for several things, specifically in the afternoon. A boost of energy Healthy Ingredients Easy to drink throughout the day Magic Mind Subscriptions Experience the power of productivity with Magic Mind subscriptions! Packed with natural ingredients like matcha, adaptogens, and nootropics, Magic Mind is designed to boost your focus, energy, and creativity. With a convenient subscription, you’ll never run out of this magical elixir. Say goodbye to afternoon slumps and hello to sustained, healthy energy. Subscribe today and discover why so many people love starting their day with Magic Mind! https://magicmind.com/ASPIRETOLEAD20  – 20% off for one-time purchases and subscriptions Use the code ASPIRETOLEAD20 at checkout for 20% off! — Student Behavior Solutions Summit Dealing with student behavior issues already? I’m joining forces with other industry experts to give you PRACTICAL STRATEGIES that will help. Join us FREE at this live, virtual event on Sept. 30 from 5pm - 9pm ET. REGISTER HERE 👉 https://www.thrivingeducator.org/summit -- Need a Presenter for a conference or school PD? Contact Joshua Stamper  for presentations on Leadership Capacity, Mental Health Strategies, Alternative Behavior Practices, Leadership Development, and Innovative campus systems. [caption id="attachment_5255" align="alignnone" width="456"] Joshua Stamper Keynote Presentation, Enhancing Your Capacity with Healthy Habits[/caption] Follow the Host, Joshua Stamper: Contact: https://joshstamper.com/contact/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/Joshua__Stamper Instagram: www.instagram.com/joshua__stamper Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AspirePodcast Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aspire-the-leadership-development-podcast/id1384210762?mt=2 &nbsp; Aspire to Lead Won the FireBird Award! I’m happy to announce that my book, “Aspire to Lead”, won the 2022 Leadership Book Award from Speak Up Talk Radio!  It is a great honor to get this kind of recognition and I really appreciate all your support! The book is available for purchase on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1953852386/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1953852386&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=aspirewebsite-20&amp;linkId=0d9c336e3db6ab16cbb08421ef3e4175 Review the Podcast <span style="font-weight:...