The Strategic Change Agenda episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 16, 2026 · 33 MIN

The Strategic Change Agenda

from LinkedUp: Breaking Boundaries in Education · host Jamie Saponaro

At a time when school districts are facing rapid change, rising complexity, and the growing influence of AI, traditional strategic plans aren’t cutting it anymore. In this episode, we explore a bold alternative: the Strategic Change Agenda.Together, Steve McCammon (President & CEO) and George Thompson (Former President & Current Director of Strategic Initiatives) at the Schlechty Center, along with Michael Leubelfeld, a superintendent who has actually led his district through this work in practice, unpack how districts can move beyond compliance and build the clarity, culture, and capacity needed to lead through uncertainty.---ABOUT OUR GUESTSSteve McCammon is the Executive Director at the National Superintendents Roundtable and the President and CEO of the Schlechty Center. He leads a team of dedicated professionals committed to improving education outcomes for students nationwide. With over 10 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, he has a proven track record of developing and implementing effective strategies that support leaders across the educational spectrum.George Thompson joined the Schlechty Center in 1995 after serving as Superintendent of Gwinnett County Schools in Georgia. Stepping aside a president in 2018, he continues to support the center as Director of Strategic Initiatives.Dr. Michael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010 and currently leads North Shore School District 112, serving the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, IL, just north of Chicago. A nationally recognized educational leader, Dr. Lubelfeld is deeply engaged in leadership development and professional growth, collaborating with state and national associations to inspire the next generation of educational leaders.---SUBSCRIBE TO THE SERIES: ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠YouTube Music⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW US: ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠POWERED BY CLASSLINK: ClassLink provides one-click single sign-on into web and Windows applications, and instant access to files at school and in the cloud. Accessible from any computer, tablet, or smartphone, ClassLink is ideal for 1to1 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠classlink.com⁠⁠⁠.

At a time when school districts are facing rapid change, rising complexity, and the growing influence of AI, traditional strategic plans aren’t cutting it anymore. In this episode, we explore a bold alternative: the Strategic Change Agenda.Together, Steve McCammon (President & CEO) and George Thompson (Former President & Current Director of Strategic Initiatives) at the Schlechty Center, along with Michael Leubelfeld, a superintendent who has actually led his district through this work in practice, unpack how districts can move beyond compliance and build the clarity, culture, and capacity needed to lead through uncertainty.---ABOUT OUR GUESTSSteve McCammon is the Executive Director at the National Superintendents Roundtable and the President and CEO of the Schlechty Center. He leads a team of dedicated professionals committed to improving education outcomes for students nationwide. With over 10 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, he has a proven track record of developing and implementing effective strategies that support leaders across the educational spectrum.George Thompson joined the Schlechty Center in 1995 after serving as Superintendent of Gwinnett County Schools in Georgia. Stepping aside a president in 2018, he continues to support the center as Director of Strategic Initiatives.Dr. Michael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010 and currently leads North Shore School District 112, serving the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, IL, just north of Chicago. A nationally recognized educational leader, Dr. Lubelfeld is deeply engaged in leadership development and professional growth, collaborating with state and national associations to inspire the next generation of educational leaders.---SUBSCRIBE TO THE SERIES: ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠YouTube Music⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW US: ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠POWERED BY CLASSLINK: ClassLink provides one-click single sign-on into web and Windows applications, and instant access to files at school and in the cloud. Accessible from any computer, tablet, or smartphone, ClassLink is ideal for 1to1 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠classlink.com⁠⁠⁠.

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The Strategic Change Agenda

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This episode is 33 minutes long.

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This episode was published on January 16, 2026.

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At a time when school districts are facing rapid change, rising complexity, and the growing influence of AI, traditional strategic plans aren’t cutting it anymore. In this episode, we explore a bold alternative: the Strategic Change Agenda.Together,...

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