EPISODE #23 | Valerie Groth – ​How and Why I Started a School

In this conversation with Val you’ll be inspired to take action on your BIG idea. This is a heart warming and motivating episode.In this episode with Val we dive into: – What Val’s motivation was to start a school that focused on social and emotional learning and trauma-informed care– The process of actually starting a school– How students came to be at Ryan Banks Academy– How she came to be on the Ellen Show– PLUS MUCH MORE More About Valerie GrothA social entrepreneur and experienced nonprofit executive, Val is passionate about working with organisations whose missions lie at the intersection of innovation, impact, and purpose.  After formerly working as a school social worker, she then served as founder and CEO of Ryan Banks Academy, a nonprofit named after a former student of hers who was lost to gun violence and which focuses on mental health, trauma-informed care, and providing holistic support to students and their families. With Master’s degrees in Social Work and Educational Leadership, Val is also a certified life coach where she works with social workers, founders, educators, and other visionaries who wish to use their skills to make the world a better place.  She is also an international speaker and the author of the book The Power of the Possible: The Dire State of Inner City Education and One Woman’s Revolution to Fix It, and recently completed the manuscript for her second book, a fictional thriller novel centred around social justice.  Val has been honoured to receive accolades such as being chosen as 2023 Alumna of the Year at her MSW alma mater, being a featured guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for her work at Ryan Banks, being featured in the I Am Chicago campaign, as well as in various media features ranging from the Chicago Tribune to CBS and NBC. You can reach Val here:[email protected]://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriegroth/valeriegroth.comVal on The Ellen Show