Walk With Me - Liz Hofreuter

We’re back! Like we could stay away…Today, with a special bonus episode (we did promise do this from time to time), Liz walks through downtown Philly with none other than Zaretta Hammond, a self-described ‘boots on the ground’ teacher and best-selling author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. To Liz, she’s a mentor, personal advocate, and thought partner.Zaretta speaks passionately and honestly about a wide range of topics, but today we focus on the idea of shared schema and how without that, education is often disconnected from learning, which has led to overloads, out of whack expectations, and a serious mental health crisis among students.So join us on this return to the pavement. We’ll certainly be back for more. In the meantime, check out Zaretta’s books, blogs, and more, at crtandthebrain.com. Thanks everyone. Keep walking.Learn more about⁠GEN-Ed⁠.Narrated:⁠Liz Hofreuter⁠Produced:⁠Luke Hladek⁠ (⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠)

*This walk was rereleased in December, 2025, with improved audio and in honor of the life and friendship of Barb Buchwach.---Liz begins her journey onWalk With Me with her lifelong friend Barb Buchwach, who has faced pancreatic cancer with grace and resilience. In this candid conversation, they explore the lessons of prioritizing oneself, finding strength in community, and embracing life’s challenges.What You'll Hear in This Episode:How Barb navigated life and cancer with the support of her community.The impact of stress, ego, and self-care on health and well-being.Moments of unconditional love and resilience through shared experiences.Practical advice on finding balance, showing up for others, and accepting help.Reflections on the power of storytelling and living without regret.Join Liz and Barb for an inspiring walk filled with wisdom, laughter, and heartfelt moments that will leave you reflecting on what truly matters.Learn more about ⁠GEN-Ed⁠.Narrated:⁠⁠Liz Hofreuter⁠⁠Produced:⁠⁠Luke Hladek⁠⁠ (⁠⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠⁠)

Welcome to Setting the PAIS! In this inaugural episode, we thought it would make sense to take a peek behind the PAIS curtain and meet the staff that makes this whole thing go.Liz Hofreuter, the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, steps out with the staff to learn more about them in real time. They talk about professional histories, family life, and even a favorite president or two. It's about the most essential non-essesntial conversation you'll hear today, but it offers a glimpse of the real people behind the emails and the character that drives this whole organization forward.So lace em up and tag along, because today, the PAIS staff is Setting the PAIS.#SettingthePAIS #PAIS #PennsylvaniaAssociationofIndependentSchools #IndependentEducation #Storytelling #School #WalkWithMe #LearningDifferences #Leadership #Parenting #Education #InspirationLearn more about ⁠⁠GEN-Ed⁠⁠.Narrated:⁠⁠⁠Liz Hofreuter⁠⁠⁠Produced:⁠⁠⁠Luke Hladek⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠⁠⁠)

Well, it didn't take long for Liz to find her next series. We have a new season, a new gig, and a whole new set of Walkers that we're calling Pace Setters...that'll make sense later. Check it out at Setting the PAIS on Spotify, Apple, and everywhere you get your podcasts. -----It's a new day at the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, and we're here to tell the stories!Join Liz Hofreuter, director of PAIS, in Setting the PAIS, a new series highlighting the leaders of independent education, from school heads to school kids and everyone in between, as they navigate the many peaks and valleys of school.Setting the PAIS drops twice monthly, anywhere you get your podcasts. For more information on the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, their offerings, and how they are taking a larger leadership role in the region, visit PAIS.org. Learn more about ⁠⁠GEN-Ed⁠⁠.Narrated:⁠⁠⁠Liz Hofreuter⁠⁠⁠Produced:⁠⁠⁠Luke Hladek⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠⁠⁠)

What, did you think that was IT?! Cmon, you know us better than that.Today, Liz delivers an epilogue from the finish line. Not in the build-up or even beyond it, but at the line itself. Stopping and living in a mission well accomplished instead of just sprinting to the next big thing...though to be fair, that next thing is already underway.See you again soon. Keep walking.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #KeepWalking #MomandDad #Grief #Success #Celebration #ThankYou #TellThem #Epilogue #55Walks

As summer waned and we began looking at how (and when) we would wrap these walks, we kicked around a bunch of ideas to finish this project the 'right' way. Would we do something super meta or reverse roles or document the journey or try a crazy idea like...sitting instead of walking? Not to spoil anything, of course...some ideas are still good enough to try. But instead, we started concentrating on the remaining Walkers themselves. Then more were added. Then a couple more. Suddenly, we were steaming past 50 with no end in sight. And then Liz scheduled a walk with Jeff Greenfield, and with his perfect mix of fun, energy, disruption, sincerity, earnestness, and friendship (not to mention he's an experienced former educational leader carrying the occasionally good demons of a past life too often defined by the position...sound familiar?), it suddenly wasn't a question at all. Liz and Jeff walk along what sounds at first like a quiet country road, only for it to turn into a highway so Liz could tell her 'hit by a bus' joke one more time. As each explain their experiences during and after their headships, you hear what it's like not to succeed a highly influential leader, but to be succeeded. Personal identities and thought patterns and internal clocks and even dreams. It's a glimpse into the minds of people with plenty of answers behind them and plenty more still to learn...plenty more to do, to laugh at, to live well. Lessons we could all keep in mind as we push forward in this life. Finally, before we go, one more thank you to all who have had a hand in this project. Whether it's season one or chapter one or the first and final draft, this year has been a real, true, altering experience. Something deliberate. Something special. Something that gave us not just a liferaft at sea, but a purpose amidst the waves. Something that thank you doesn't satisfy, but only a thank you will do. Cheers to this and all that is next.And thanks for the walk, Jeff. What a way to close it.#WalkwithMe #MeetMeonthePlayground #Leadership #Parenting #LearningDifferences #Education #Inspiration #GENed #Harvard #HGSE #Friendship #Fun #MiddleSchool #WendyMogel #55 #Retirement #GapYear #Stories#Fearless

There was a thought at the start of this project that maybe the setting would mean as much as the title. That the physical space would reflect the walker as much as the content. So walks took place in city centers, at sports arenas, in shopping malls for those who knew the ‘secret’ mall walker entrances. Our subseries, Meet Me on the Playground, was originally meant to meet school leaders on...you guessed it...the playgrounds of their schools. It was a fun idea to find another bit of connection or comfort within the piece, if also not a little extra and unnecessary. And while we didn’t abandon it completely, many times, we just met when and where we could, which also meant Liz took special trips on occasion, flying around the country even when it didn’t exactly match the travel schedule at hand. And then today, she walked with an old friend along Lake Tahoe, with sounds of the unending waves slapping against the shore in the distance, droplets separating briefly before reentering as one, and it feels like we’re ending this whole thing in about the most on-the-nose place yet.Today, Liz walked with William Peters, the author of At Heaven’s Door and founder of the @sharedcrossingproject, and someone who has dedicated much of his life to compassionate care for others at the end of theirs. He talks about some of his early experiences with death, from his own injury to working in a hospice ward, and Liz speaks to his invaluable guidance during her own parents’ passing, particularly when it came to closing unfinished business and accepting the peace that came with it. They also talk about the general mindset around ‘fighting’ death and how a medical model based around framing the most predetermined thing in existence as a failure may need some adjustments.Thank you. I love you. Goodbye.What a remarkable conversation. Thanks for walking, William.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #SharedCrossingProject #AtHeavensDoor #SharedDeathExperience #Healing #Hope #Love #Harvard #Friendship #Compassion

The home stretch continues to...stretch...the official Walk count for this project. Again, maybe it's the first season, maybe the first iteration, we're not completely sure. But considering this project seemed to begin with a bit of a blank slate, it's fitting to end with something similarly murky. It sure has worked for us so far! And, to be fair, it's not for lack of planning or outlining and certainly not for lack of steps, but instead it's changed our outlook. Much like a comedian struggling to experience mundanity without finding the funny, we've begun struggling to find impactful people or have impactful conversations without sharing the story. As Liz says, sometimes, 'I don't really know why some of them were involved...yet we're standing in the midst of a conversation and I knew it had to be part of the series.'Today is one of those stories. Inspiring, connected experiences shared among friends Monica Williams and Carolyn Greenfield, worthy of being shared with others. They walk and talk about aging and how it fits in with modern culture, from social media to medical IEPs, and how the 'Crone Stage' is one of the most beautifully overlooked phases of life.Thanks for Walking, Monica and Carolyn.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #CroneStage #Crone #Aging #Wisdom #Healthcare #COVID #Jewelry #Passion #HumanDoing

*BONUS WALK WEEK!*That's right. Fifty schfifty. We're powering right through, though we do have an endpoint in mind. We're coming up on a calendar year since the very first release and we're closing things out with a similar cadence as we began. So, for the next couple of weeks, you'll have a couple of walks to enjoy. Then, in the weeks after that, we'll talk about what's next.Speaking of mirroring the beginning, today we have a close friend and confidant and someone who Liz has asked for advice on more than one occasion, Jon (JD) Grandstaff. Someone who prides himself on gift giving, personally and professionally, in a unique kind of way...by seeing something in plain sight that others may not see in themselves, or...their companies. Sound familiar? Talk about another theme for these Walks. But JD's gift is not just meant for clients, but also for those the clients then serve. It's the byproduct of a life spent finding heart hidden in the data, speaking with steady, sometimes brutal honesty, and believing we're all part of the team if we all know the goal.Thanks for walking, JD. And thanks for being that (tall) lighthouse in the storm. #WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Friendship #WritersBlock #Storytelling #Insurance #Lighthouse #Gift

It’s not every day you find someone that you’re able to joke, rant, and just be with, wholly, no matter how much time goes by between visits. Long, philosophical monologues followed by long silences and somehow longer laughs. A single word, ‘Yeah’, providing everything from ‘I agree’ to ‘I’m here’. It’s even rarer to find them in a highly professional setting. And rarer still to find that person across from you in an accreditation review. That last one is pretty specific, to be fair, but the point stands. These relationships come around a handful of times in life. And somehow, as we’ve found throughout this project, finding an hour to talk deliberately, to be interviewed, to tour around the suburbs, well, those times may not happen more than once. So it’s fitting to extend our 50 walks with one of those people, Luke Felker. Luke is the head of school at The Bay School in San Francisco. He’s someone that believes in the power of that position and in the potential of his school, while simultaneously demanding joy and holding onto enough self awareness and humility to find perspectives beyond his ‘bubble’…and at times in a snow cone maker.Thanks for meeting on the playground, Luke. Thanks for playing tour guide. And thanks for walking. #WalkwithMe #MeetMeonthePlayground #Leadership #Parenting #LearningDifferences #Education #Inspiration #GENed #BaySchool #SanFrancisco #Generations #MaryTylerMoore #Moonshot #Joy #BlueSkies #SnowCones

'...this is not going to be a presentation. This is going to be a class discussion...I'm a teacher and a coach at heart.'If you're hard pressed to choose whether Liz or our 50th (!!) Walker, Kermit Cook, said those words, no one would blame you. When education is in your bones, it spills out in all ways, at all times...no matter where your path leads.But it was Kermit who said those words, during his hiring process that led to his becoming CEO of Penn Foster, an ever-growing online educational system with roots in helping miners find safer jobs and branches touching thousands of learners who just do not fit into the traditional mold. He embodies that heritage, initially enrolling in the very programs he was set to lead in order to feel the roadblocks for himself. Like a player-coach, the 'student-CEO'. The Bill Russell of vet-tech programming. Kermit is a living example of the 'beginner's mind', of patience in career paths, and of actively learning every step along the way. What a pleasure.So tag along for our 50th Walk and the newest in the Meet Me on the Playground subseries. Thanks for walking, Kermit.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #PennFosterGroup #OnlineEducation #Teacher #Coach #TeachforAmerica #PrivateEquity #CEO #BeginnersMind #BHAG-----And before we go...50?! FIFTY?! We sat down over a year ago to outline this project, and boy, has this been a labor of love. You can scroll through the blog and see how the writing has changed, how the production has improved, how the walks have expanded. There will be plenty of reflection ahead, but it's important to put a marker down sometimes. And 50 is one for the books. Let us all thank Liz Hofreuter for bringing us together once again.

What improves the quality of one's life? It's easy to think it's the big accomplishments or the great achievements...the wins. But to Jane Fleming, those are just moments. Exciting, life-changing 'bragging rights', to be fair, but moments all the same. It's really about doing what you love, often in the service of others or the greater good. 'In the Nations Service and the Service of Humanity' as scrawled on the crossroads at Princeton's Nassau Hall. Living the motto.What else? How about going for a walk while REALLY talking to a decades-long friend?Join Jane and Liz as they talk about the days going left when others went right, embracing mistakes to fail forward, and stepping up to do the special things, even when they don't have to.Thanks for walking, Jane.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Teammate #Crew #Princeton #PrincetonCrew #NationalChampion #Coxswain #Princeton89 #Disney #Zombies4 #OpenWater #BowBall

Some of these walks are just wonderful. You get rare insights into people you may have known for years. You hear stories both harrowing and heartfelt and everything in between. Origin stories and quiet struggles and altered perceptions and so many lessons learned along the way. And sometimes, you get a glimpse into 'the life'. An honest, raw, all-over-the-place look at the world of a leader...particularly, in this case, a school leader. The Head. Today's walk is one of those. James Calleroz White is a school head whose style is built on trust, support, action, and looking at things a little differently...oh and a big, world-defining laugh. He's also real about this job. James doesn't sugarcoat the hard times, like the COVID years, and he doesn't pretend this was the position he always wanted. Instead, James talks about how much respect he's gained as he's lived it. That ever-changing, ever-challenging position and how much work it really entails...deserves.But that's the job. That exhausting, exhilarating, important, joyful job. In service to everyone and unpredictably everything. What a blast.#WalkwithMe #MeetMeonthePlayground #Leadership #Parenting #LearningDifferences #Education #Inspiration #GENed #COVID #HeadofSchool #DwightEnglewood #NorthernNJ #Laughter

We've talked about a lot of themes over the last 40 some odd walks, and yesterday we mentioned a newly emerging one with COVID, medicine, and the pandemic. But something that has permeated throughout many of these stories, particularly those centered around traumatic or difficult subjects, is isolation. Folks feeling as if, after so long, they become burdensome or disappointing. The questions, 'how are you?' or 'how's it going?' aren't meant to elicit deep conversations or even honest responses. They're as throwaway as a head nod on the street. Courteous, yes, kind even, but not much more. And often the most needed bit of care is an honest ear and a curious conversation. And as Stacey Farlie, today's walker and someone still dealing with the impact of Long COVID three years on, puts it, 'just being heard is support.'So keep sending the texts, making the calls, even asking the throwaway questions, but settle in for a real response and appreciate when someone who needs to, puts themselves first.And as Ginny Delaney advised, have yourself an apple too...Thanks for the Walk, Stacey.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #COVID #LongCOVID #SelfAdvocacy #Princeton #Princeton89

In a conversation with one of the most influential and successful educational minds in the region, one who has received millions of dollars for reimagining and upending the status quo, one whose goal upon entering her leadership position Carlow University was professional boundaries, you may not expect so much of the credit to be dispersed to a friend. Such is life when knowing Dr. Keely Baronak.A personal relationship is certainly not meant to downplay the professional brilliance of Dr. Rae Ann Hirsch, the dynamic professor and friend Keely discusses, and whose name adorns the Apprentiship Program at Carlow. It was her vision. And it has blossomed into a signature, transformative workforce development initiative with meaningful impact across Pennsylvania. It's also an example of the way Keely sees her role in education at large...Connect the people. Manage the project. Find the money. And really, really care about what you're doing.This walk was a pleasure and one that's been walked many times over the last 20 years...one that will likely be walked for years to come. Thanks for the time, Keely. Until the next one.#WalkwithMe #MeetMeonthePlayground #Leadership #Parenting #LearningDifferences #Education #Friendship #Inspiration #GENed #CarlowUniversity #Carlow #Apprenticeship #PAIS #Educator #WomenInEducationalLeadership

It's been years since the required reading days at Wheeling Country Day School and the thesis that would guide our general baseline with kids, and our general conversations with parents (from the book, The Blessings of a Skinned Knee, by Dr. Wendy Mogel): 'Try to see your child as a seed that came in a packet without a label. Your job is to provide the right environment and nutrients and to pull the weeds. You can’t decide what kind of flower you’ll get or in which season it will bloom.' But when you live by that belief in the differences of children, you jump at the opportunity to walk amidst a little field of wildflowers with a child. So was this Walk.This week, we find ourselves in Montana walking with a former Linsly student (and former dorm child to Liz), Chrissy Knoff (Hoag). She talks about her own journey to motherhood, her past advocacy for children, and her drive to support as many as she can through her own pediatric social work position focusing on perinatal care.Hear from Liz and Chrissy and our youngest ever walker in what became a wonderfully full circle example of the wildflowers in our lives.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #IVF #Wildflowers #Lupine #DormMother #WendyMogel #Montana #Garden #SocialWork

How often do we have real, long-form, interview-esque conversations with our friends? How often do we get to talk about the news of our lives when it's no longer the news of the day? When the pain or joy or perspective from a loss is seemingly supposed to be gone, or found? It's one of the beautiful things about this project. It may seem odd or uncomfortable or even out of place to be a friend and be part of these walks. But they provide an outlet for the stories or the memories that are often silently relegated to one's own mind. And who better to speak to than the friend who's standing at your side? Today, three of those friends talk about home.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Loss #Caregiving #Friendship #Grief #Support #SeasonsofLife

Walking with Jane Werner is anything but linear. It's not just A to B, and there will always be stops along the way...most of the time to play. This was never truer than the day we joined her at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, where she has tinkered since the early 1990s.We started in the MAKESHOP, and this space came to represent all the wonderful ways the Children's Museum, and its diverse partnerships, have captured what Eleanor Duckworth called The Having of Wonderful Ideas.'We try.' Jane says, humbly.The truth is, the MAKESHOP is now an eye-catching, highly popular feature within the already feature-filled museum. But it didn't start out that way, and the roots of cardboard, some yarn, and the freedom to discover always allow it to resist feeling 'fully formed'. That resistance has also helped fuel the accessibility of the Maker movement around the country, with the Museum helping over 400 other organizations create maker spaces of their own.But, MAKESHOP aside, Children's Museum aside, really, Jane Werner is a beacon of light for those of us in the business of helping kids. She's a student of Mister Rogers, so to speak, but she doesn't look at him as a sanctified judge, but an inspiration for action. It's not about what he would do, but what will YOU do for children?And just like the digressions to tinker or call or laugh or play, Jane does.

We are back on the playground with another head of school, or in this case, Director of Schools, plural, for the Cranbrook Educational Community. Talking to Jeff, who not so long ago led the accreditation team for Wheeling Country Day School, was a glimpse both into the past and future. With a history as a regional education leader and affection for none other than Mr. Rogers (another unexpected theme popping up in these Walks), as well as his penchant for what he calls 'continually interrogating and reinterpreting' practices, even ones misunderstood to be traditions, Jeff embodies what the modern school can be. He sees potential in open space, opportunities in mistakes, and a responsibility to take an active leadership role in the greater community. Cranbrook, located in greater Detroit, is a living, breathing example of the ever-evolving 'neighborhood' Fred Rogers spoke of for so many years, with its publicly-facing spaces, reimagined...well, everything, and its potential for sharing in the greatest responsibility of all: the growth and education of children. What a place.#MeetMeonthePlayground #Leadership #Parenting #LearningDifferences #Education #Inspiration #GENed #Cranbrook #MrRodgers #FalkSchool #Campus #Outdooreducation #CommunityEducation #PlaceBasedEducation #ModernEducation

Today we talk Kaizen, good change. One percent better.It's a gentle and accessible philosophy that can be applied to nearly every aspect of personal and professional life, which is ironic, considering it was born out of the post-WWII capitalist boom. The difference between Kaizen and most other business philosophies, however, is its focus on modest, incremental improvements instead of splashy results or 'big-bang' takeovers. It's about process, not policy, and certainly not perfection. And the beauty of Kaizen is how it can apply to each of us in our own way.So sit a little straighter today. Maybe walk a little farther. Believe in yourself a little more. Support your students a little better. And then do it a little more tomorrow, and a little more the next day. Before you know it, you're changing your small part of this big world. Kaizen.Next week, we return to our regularly scheduled programming with a new addition to our Meet Me at the Playground subseries. We'll also continue with extra videos and episodes and some fun ways to say thank you as we round this special project into home.Thanks, everyone. Keep walking.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Kaizen #OnePercentEveryday #Philosophy #Japan

As Liz mentions regularly, today's Walk is based around a topic she has long struggled to feel comfortable discussing unless around those who have experienced the same. It's also a story that, in large part, feels like the one we didn't know this project was building toward. So with that in mind, she walked with five others who share an invaluable bond that each wishes the other didn't share: child loss.Sometimes, the flowery language and the perfect caption just aren't necessary. There aren't 'right words' and searching for them often leaves the recipient more frustrated than they began. So in the immortal words of Ginny Delaney, 'Shit. That sucks.' And to those out there dealing with a similar, isolating feeling, you're not alone. We hope this small community can offer you the slightest glimmer of light.And finally, a sincere thank you to Jessica, Jon, Amanda, Chris, Mark, and Liz, for the time and the stories.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #StillBorn #InfantLoss #Grief

Gratitude...Compassion...Love...Patience...Self-Respect...Humility. Six words to recite each morning. Six words to live by from man who's lived a half dozen lives...a doctor, lawyer, ethics mediator, husband, father, Princeton man. He acknowledges that his words aren't necessarily your words, or even the right words, but in listening to his story you'll hear each one ringing true.This is the story of Dr. David Meyerberg, a man who, in the 1980s, helped pioneer the field of neonatal care and, in turn, save countless families the heartache of unnecessary loss. A man who then turned his sights to ethics in the field and supported colleagues with compassion, and finally to the law, bringing real, practical experience to the last leg of a 'three-legged stool.' Incredible.Liz called Dr. Meyerberg, a man whose name she knew from Linsly and Princeton networks, at the request of one of her students, his son Jonah. In doing so, she found the first walker she didn't already know. Thirty-nine walks with friends, family, colleagues, students, and boy, did she find a good one for 40.And while we're talking numbers, we're in the home stretch of this project originally called '50 Walks'. So be on the lookout for some special bonus episodes, pieces of flair, giveaways, and whatever else we can cook up to mark the occasion. But first and foremost, listen, read, catch up, and keep walking.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Doctor #Neonatal #SIDS #KennedyBaby #JFK #BirthScore #Pivot #MedicalEthics #Attorney #WestVirginia

Sarah Tucker is a force. She's an impact maker to the highest degree. A dedicated public servant who has spent years navigating political minefields and coming out the other side as a trusted voice pushing for yeses in a room much more known for nos. When Dr. Tucker, the Chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia, finds a problem, particularly a problem for the students she is called to serve, she doesn't shrug it off as an unfortunate part of life. She and her team find a solution. It's not always the right fix. It doesn't always last. But the state, and the kids within, are lucky to find her when they go looking for help.That dedication - the protectiveness that has made her such an effective educational leader - also permeates into her personal life. You'll find in this Walk a couple of professional parents, in different stages of motherhood, perpetually learning to balance the work they love with the ones they love a whole lot more. The 24-hour-a-day, nose-to-the-grindstone priority shift. You'll hear the ebbing and flowing of impostor syndrome, the grief of loss and the impact it has on future decisions, the uncertainty of the next step with July 1 always on the horizon...and the joy of coming home.What a walk. Thanks, Dr. Tucker.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Chancellor #Action #Motherhood #Loss #WVPol #FoodInsecurity #HigherEd #WestVirginia #CommunityCollege

When Ed Lando enters your orbit, whether as a trusted teenage safety net or a friend heading for a walk, he is locked in. He is presence in every sense of the word. He's looking you in the eye...direct, decisive, and warm. And he's ready to talk. Such was the man who walked for more than an hour, speaking to philosophies of business that more than doubled as philosophies of life and certainly carried more depth than their base mantra of 'keep it simple.'Ed spoke about his key pillars of leadership: sincerity and trust, but also adds a bit of faith in the future and agency in the present to reinforce those beliefs. These are evident in this discussion and any other you may be lucky enough to have with the man. Call it ego ('there's a difference between ego and arrogance') or faith ('it's going to work out in the end'), but he believes in his...your...everyone's ability to make it work ('and if it's unworkable, then fix that') through positive actions based on two small words.Not much simpler than that. Thanks for the Walk, Ed. #WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Culture #Simple #Trust #Sincerity #SimonSinek #Business #Recruiting

Last week we talked about not sweating the big stuff by accepting and appreciating the fact that life always moves on. The sun will come out tomorrow and all that. This week, we're talking about the small stuff. The first thing in the morning, easy but sometimes annoyingly tedious tasks that make the world the slightest bit more welcoming at night. You know, the stuff that makes 12 and a half year old Jadon ask, 'but why?' and makes his mother, Jessica say the words she swore she'd never say...'because I said so.'But these small wins aren't important just because someone said so. Or just so you get into a clean bed at night. Or just for the sake of passing the time. They are important because they give us hope, they prepare us for the road ahead, and they offer a hint of success when we feel like we're 'doing literally everything wrong'.As this Walk stretched beyond the parent and gave the child a voice too, we found the words 'big and small' popping up in a variety of ways. Of course, making your bed as soon as you wake up is a small way to set the tone for the day. But finding your voice and embracing your faults are small ways to help you feel big. Or at least keep you from feeling small. Trying and failing and learning and trying again help establish 'keystone habits' and resiliency from the pressures of perfectionism. And accepting the vision of yourself from the eyes of your children...well that can change the whole game.Here's to small wins and growing big. Thanks for Walking, Jessica and Jadon.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #MakeYourBed #Preteen #Anxiety #WendyMogel #PanicAttacks #HockeyMom

You can't prove a negative and life isn't lived in the rearview mirror, so it's hard to say what path we 'stepped off' in order to find the experiences that make us who we are. But it sure feels like a blind leap of faith when it's happening. Whether you're burnt out and need a refresh in the Old World, or just not interested in looking for it, life can find a way of giving you just what you need, just when you need it. Such was the case for Sharon, a former college roommate and one of Liz's first examples of chasing what feels right above what seems next.From new mantras like 'don't sweat the BIG stuff' to finding the beauty in the meandering nature of life, Sharon is a source of comfort, of grace, and of the courage it takes to step off the treadmill whenever it's meant to be.

Have you ever heard of 'Rubber Ducking'? (scroll to the bottom for a quick poll) While it sounds like a classic Kenan Thompson bit from the 90s, it's a term used by computer programmers like Justin Hinerman to help them break down their code and find flaws. It's kind of like mixing the phrase 'explain this to me like I'm a 5-year-old' and talking to yourself, except you use an inanimate object...like a rubber duck...to remove the issues clouded by your own understanding. By explaining complex problems to someone, or something, that has no context for what you're talking about, you often find hidden bugs and flaws in logic.Now, we're not saying Liz is a rubber duck...quite the contrary. She was the 90s-era computer teacher, just when the Internet was taking education by storm and terrifying the old guard. And she was the one who saw the future in her students (one in particular) and the power in trusting them. But as she and Justin talked, the parallels from the mid-90s became clearer and clearer...a new, overwhelming tech spilling into classrooms and scaring everyone, students starting miles ahead of the old guard, and Justin's 13 year old child at the center, a kid the same age he was when he met 'Miss H'. It was like rubber ducking the code of 2025 and it even made Justin take pause. 'I'm thinking I need to adjust my posture a bit when it comes to my kids and technology...less 'restriction and limitation' and more 'teaching and trust...with safeguards'.Rubber Duck Debugging at its best. 🦆⁉️📱PARENTS: What is your strategy when it comes to emerging tech like smartphones, social media, and AI?#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Linsly #Softball #Editing #AI #Tech #Alumni #RubberDucking

As we round into the final stretch of this project, we're going to offer a few 'bottle' episodes, as it were. Some side conversations or special videos that don't quite fit the format of our Walks, but add context or flesh out the series...or maybe they'll just be silly and fun.Today, we take our first little detour on our path to 50 to share a special Q&A with Carole Ann Al-Din, a counselor with unique knowledge of EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. EMDR is a technique for treating trauma that focuses on the darting movements of the eyes, and something we've noticed may be helping facilitate the deep conversations with our walkers.It's a fascinating look into the mind and the connection we seem to have stumbled upon (pardon the pun...). We hope you enjoy!

There are often only a handful of people in our lives who get to see us in all our glory, or non-glory, as it were. So, poetically, when Anne first set out on this Walk, the mics failed to record. Then the voiceover recording failed. In fact, even the video we originally planned to promote this Walk failed too. One of those weeks, I suppose. But with every setback, there was this little voice saying, 'well, at least it's Anne.' Not because she matters less, quite the contrary, but because she's been there for you before and she'll be there again. Plus, who couldn't use an excuse for another stroll with a true friend?On this re-walk, Anne discusses a new project, something that's been quietly bubbling for some time now. Something that, with the help of a partner who amplifies her strengths, may just transform the market for affordable housing in urban areas. When a private passion serves a public purpose, you discover a calling, and we're so fortunate to have recorded (this time) a snapshot of how it feels right at the start.So enjoy two friends talking, sometimes over each other, in short hand, for support, for accountability, and to share the excitement in realizing a idea and taking a big, bold leap....and get excited because she is about to change some things.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Architect #Business #ManufacturedHousing #Urban #YesAnd

As kids and families around the country wrap up another school year and prepare to dive headlong into summer, Liz took some time to walk with a few of those kiddos and discuss it all...learning, failures, teaching, friendships...giving us a snapshot into the minds of elementary-aged children at such an important part of their growth and development. Some of it was surprising, some of it was...age appropriate, and some of it was downright profound.These Walks with children weren't on the list when this project began, but they've quickly become some of the most poignant and meaningful of all. Take the time to ask the questions and listen to the answers, because they have more to say about who they are and what they need than you might think.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Childhood #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Playground #schoolsoutforsummer #wheeling

For nearly a decade now, Tabatha has been interrupting conversations. She does so with grace and respect, and while there are times she waits quietly for patrons to finish a thought, many other times she provides the pause a difficult conversation so desperately needs. Such is her presence. Calming, positive, and full of care. When she leaves work, sometimes she jumps off the treadmill of life for an adventure to the Finger Lakes or the Gorge or a nondescript cliff face overlooking the world. And sometimes, she sits in the car for a while and takes in the silence. But she doesn't waste time wanting another dollar or another pair of shoes. She's more likely to lose a moment to a passing chipmunk or a patch of mushrooms growing through concrete cracks.But it's not all mushrooms and chipmunks, or rainbows and pretty views. Stepping off the treadmill also takes strength and courage, as well as a commitment to a highly personal way of living. That's something that doesn't always get talked about for folks living the 'nomad life'. It's not wishy-washy, much as she describes her post-planning trips as 'willy-nilly'. It's a deliberate choice to live the way that works best for her, not by the next step in society's plans. So hop in the van and take your time. Whatever that means for you. Pause. Give yourself moments to wander. And leave a little bit of room for the white space of life.Oh, and follow tabandvin_ventures and to find out where they're heading next. #WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #VanLife #Nomad #WhiteSpace

For someone whose brain switches subjects and bounces topics so quickly...so quickly...Eric Hersey also has long-range, singular focus...at least for specific periods of time. He's a bit of an enigma in that way. He will post once a day for 365 straight days, just for the bit. He will create one-word mantras and stick to them for years. He will answer the promise of a 16-year-old alter-ego named Hostile with a gift no one else you know owns. He believes in the power of consistency, especially in his line of work at Strong Minded.And then he'll hang a sharp left up an alley and nearly leave you behind.Given his penchant for productive walking (often the only way he can enjoy a walk is when there is a photo to find or a blog to imagine) it should have been no surprise how seamlessly Eric opened up about things he doesn't regularly talk about. It's a relatively common occurrence in this project, after all, people opening up. (More on that in a special one-off 'episode') But for Eric, we started and ended our Walk with the word 'Fun', which wasn't exactly the most obvious route to legacy and family and fatherhood and Ricki Lake and IMDB. So we just followed the path and let our feet fall where they would.What we found was the beauty in trusting instincts over rules, embracing fun over money, and finding balance in his superpower, even if it takes a trip to Disney to turn it all off...#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #gened #backyardwrestling #legacy #StrongMindedAgency #EricHersey #WaltDisneyWorld

TBD

'In your life, what's the big event?'Think of yours. What was it? It's funny how often life's most difficult moments spring to the top. (Not funny, 'haha', of course, but...curious.) It's not a defect or a mistake or anything, it's natural, or it sure seems to be based on this project. But it does beg the question:Why can we so clearly relive our past pain while the joy in our lives seems to flitter away with the breeze?Tammy Augustine relives her big event on this walk, and then seems to stumble upon an even bigger one. One of hope and joy and tears for the best of reasons. But it wasn't the thing that forged her strength, I suppose. That came from adversity, from fear, and from the split-second moment that her entire perspective changed. She's rocked in the checkout line ever since.She's also allowed herself to appreciate simpler things and (mostly) overcome life's little speed bumps a little easier and sometimes, she'll just take a walk.We'd all be lucky to find such strength.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Strength #Stroke #Kindergarten #Perspective

'I always say, did you let your freak flag fly?'What a catchphrase to live by. It's a wild contradiction, the anxiety just being 'ourselves' can cause when it almost always feels better to let it be, to be authentic, to let the freak flag fly. But sometimes we need permission to push past arbitrary societal norms, and that's exactly what that question does. It gives permission to just...be. A family-friendly rave at a bowling alley can help too...With a shared mantra of people over profit, service over speed, and a shared history of difficult roads changing the course of a life expected, Liz and Dr. Jeff seemed in lockstep throughout this walk. It's always refreshing to hear philosophies apply across industries, especially when it comes to connecting with people in a human way and providing autonomy to their health and future. Be yourself. The world needs it. Let the freak flag fly.

Walking with Gregg Behr is so pleasant and so energizing, you hardly notice the soaked shins and constant raindrops until you listen back to the recording on dry land.This child of Western Pennsylvania was challenged long ago to set his sights on the stratosphere and make meaningful change, especially in the world of innovative educational programs designed to inspire kids (and adults) and improve the community they call home. Change the system. Boy, did he take that to heart.Now the Executive Director of the Grable Foundation and a founding leader of Remake Learning, as well as an author, speaker, and one of the most fervent believers in the Fred Rodgers legacy, Gregg has never lost sight of that challenge. From his '30,000 ft perch', it can be incredibly rewarding and daunting at the same time. We talked about that feeling of 'never enough', the urgency of a mission like his, and how the little things can add up to something truly special. Little things, like a Walk in the rain.The Luckiest Kid in Pittsburgh, indeed.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Pittsburgh #RemakeLearning #GrableFoundation #Philanthropy #Education #Wonder #RainyDay #MrRodgers #WontYouBeMyNeighbor

As we mentioned yesterday, Ashley Battle was originally scheduled for next week. But, given how intricately involved she was in our last walk with Brean Vaske, and especially given the championship run of her former team, the UConn Huskies (Ashley is a 3x champion herself, no biggie), we thought it was only right to jump start the second half of this project with a true gamer.We didn't talk a lot about Ashley's pedigree, although it's fairly unavoidable at some point. She is a national champion, former defensive player of the year, WNBA veteran, and current scout for the Boston Celtics, after all. But instead we focused on mindset, respecting the voices of children, and meaning it when we say the all-too-sarcastic phrase, 'living the dream'.I'd say it was worth the trip...Head to hofreuter.com/livin-the-dream to read more! Thanks, AB.

'...you make me sound like a superhero.''I see your cape.'If that doesn't sum up the crux of these walks.First of all, the efforts and belief that Brean displayed during some of the most challenging moments any of us could imagine were nothing short of heroic. Let's start there. But beyond that, it's wildly difficult to turn the gaze upon yourself, especially in the moment, without immediately finding our limitations. 'I should have done more. I should do more today. Things are good but...' It often takes hindsight to smooth the vibrations of trauma and gain any kind of proper perspective. And sometimes it takes a Walk, and a flight, and two quick days at the Garden to finally share your suffering.Put your oxygen mask on first, breathe, and let the lotus grow from the mud. Thanks for Walking, Brean.#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Suffering #Joy #GetReal #OxygenMask #Flight #LoganAirport #Boston

These Walks can be a labor of love. A responsibility to do right by those trusting in us to find a line. Or let go of one. They've taken days or weeks to compile. They're emotional. They're beautiful. They're...exhausting. But each time they finish. Each time the words start sounding garbled or wrong. Each time we prepare to put stories to the world and need a first listen, there's Rick Paolina.He folds his paper towel (in case it gets windy and his eyes need a dab), locks his gaze, and turns off the world in order to listen to what's been found. He doesn't even have to say anything. If he's laughed and if his eyes have been wiped, we're ready. What else can you ask for, really?#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Business #Kindness #Listening #Bellaire

With a quiet confidence and grace, Ashl...I mean Lala Woods talks about overcoming one of life's many pivots and how reacting with optimism is the only way to go.It's quite a thing to realize a child isn't quite a child anymore, even when the face you see staring back at you seems feathered by memories and ornery youth. But to talk to Lala now is to talk to someone who has lived a bit. Someone who's felt challenged and who's had to adjust to life on the sidelines before stepping back onto the court. And someone who recognizes the power of one caring adult, the safe space they offer, and the impact they can have.

It's not easy to describe someone who is so open about struggle and so fair about fault. Someone so willing to accept responsibility but so clear about heroes. But here in this space, we find Gus, a child turned man who was always ready to speak and who has inspired, who continues to inspire, long-necessary changes in education.He doesn't describe himself this way, at least not yet, but Gus is an advocate. He's been profiled and called upon again and again since he was 10 years old, and each time, he has stepped forward to matter-of-factly bless those within earshot with a face for the purpose. A person for the challenge. And a story of success on which to build.That success doesn't come without setbacks, sometimes overwhelming ones, but growth isn't linear and failures are new opportunities to learn. Gus is taking hi

Small steps and big affirmations, two keys in sharing humanity. In other words, walk the walk if you're encouraging the world to do hard things.Theresa Kowcheck is the best in humanity. She has dedicated her life to being the person who sees your potential. And yours. And yours too. She has struggled and overcome and struggles still, yet she inspires by believing, even when you don't. It's no surprise how many she's touched.So read and listen to Theresa as she and Liz hike a steeper than expected trail, taking small steps forward, together.

As one rounds into the twilight of a career, there is often a twinge to stay relevant, stay important, stay in charge. But, as Angi Evans puts it, when it starts feeling like 'my school' and not 'the school', it's time for educational leaders to decide 'Who's Got Next'. It's something that Evan Smith writes should begin on day one, but hey, the next best time to plant a tree is today, right?In the meantime, though, Angi is there, leading Harbor Day School and the 400+ students and staff. Leading through crises. Leading with the humility to make mistakes. And leading by holding space for the next one up...even when that feels like being a potted plant.Join Angi and Liz as they walk Lady Bird Lake in Austin, TX and reflect on 'the best job in the world'.Head to hofreuter.com/whos-got-next to hear from Angi, and stick around to read the 20 or so others to Walk with Me so far.Learn more about⁠⁠GEN-Ed⁠⁠.Narrated: ⁠⁠Liz Hofreuter⁠⁠Produced: ⁠⁠Luke Hladek⁠⁠ (⁠⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠⁠)

Walking with a college roommate was supposed to be an easy one. You were so close in those formative years. You keep in touch and go to the reunions and participate in the group texts. You know everything about each other, right? Wrong. If these Walks have shed light on anything, it's the mountain of lived experience lying just beneath the surface, waiting to be expressed, no matter the age or relationship of the walker. It's amazing what comes out when you walk, unfocused and grounded, eyes darting around the world in front of you.With Stacy Blain it was no different as she shared parallel stories with a forever friend walking alongside her. It was cathartic and funny and inspiring and worth every single second.I'm just happy I remembered to hit record.

'If you're out there taking the most cautious grants so that everything works out, then that's the fast track to mediocrity.'🗣️ Say it louder for the ones in the back, Uncle Jimmy! People over progress reports. Strive for something more.Fail better.Working alongside Jim Denova for the past decade has taught me that relationships and partnerships will always outweigh proposals and policies. That the value of collaborative dreamers is infinitely higher than the short-term, risk-free success merchants hiding beneath the guise of 'efficiency'. Get into rooms with people smarter than you, challenge each other to reach a common goal, try and fail and try again. Oh, and spend the money it takes to take risks because the alternative is a gray world built upon perpetually playing it safe. He makes it sound so simple, and I hope, collectively, we learn to heed his advice.Plus, he's funny and kind and loves himself a trip to Wheeling, WV. What a pleasure this was.

Parker has been a mainstay in my videos over the years. From the first time we expected a cute kid to be seen and not heard (only to find ourselves inspired to examine a rotten walnut together), Parker would never relegate himself to a silent prop.And today, wise beyond his 10 lived years, he walks us through life lessons, challenges us to leave room for wonder, and reminds us to listen and love, truly, above all else. Fitting he would be the first child to Walk with Me. How lucky we are he agreed.

'BOW TO YOUR SENSEI!'Four words you won't hear (unless he's quoting a movie line) come out of IJ Kalcum, a man with the quiet grace of a master and the boundless energy of one of the children he supports each day. Instead, you'll hear 'How are you?' and you'll see the eyes of a friend who won't settle for 'Fine'.What a pleasure it was to Walk with this anomaly of an art teacher. To enter his room and exhale, because it's right where I needed to be.

When was the last time you watched a video of Mr. Rogers? If it's been a while, go ahead and take a minute and search for his Dartmouth commencement speech on YouTube, or one of his many monologues at the end of a show, and find yourself transported back to your childhood living room. Then get some tissues because you won't even realize it's happening...Such is the world I entered when I first met Ryan Rydzewski, co-author of When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids, and my latest Walking partner. Ryan is a disarmingly kind person. It's a striking feature when you first meet him. Then maybe you question it after a little while. And then he confirms it. Yep, he is who he is.He's a devoted father and husband and friend and someone who takes seriously the legacy of one, Fred Rogers. So much so that his career has, at the moment, been inextricably linked to Fred. So much so that he sometimes feels he hides behind that thin cardigan-clad frame. But what I see is the next step in the Fred Rogers experience. An interpretation of a lifetime of work, and a steward of a message made accessible to the next generation.I hope you enjoy your time with Ryan as much as I did.

I've known Chad Barnett for decades, and while I haven't seen him up close for a few years, there was a clear picture in my mind. But when I saw him this time, it wasn't just the missing blazer that seemed different, it was the very notion of what a 'school man' could mean.May we all ditch our perceived uniform for our authentic selves and lead from the heart. Just like Chad.

Good morning, my morning people!I'm excited to share our newest Walk with Carrie Ochap, ready to listen and read at hofreuter.com. Carrie is one of those people who steps forward when asked...well, before she is asked...well, before anyone is asked really. So when this project was first getting off the ground, guess who stepped forward?Here's to the hockey moms. To the teacher moms. To the leader and coach and shouldering it all moms. And to the 5:45 am coffee and catch up 'date night' moms.As a side note: wow can I tell this is an early Walk. The style and length and especially my interviewing skills have evolved quite a bit since Carrie and I set out, but it takes me back to those early, unclear days when I was mostly just taking a stroll with a friend. I'm glad she was willing.