Leading While Human Season 2 Premiere
Featuring Dr. Amanda Austin

What does it mean to lead with courage, purpose, and humanity in a world that often asks leaders to do more with less?

In the Season 2 premiere of Leading While Human, hosts Sean Gaillard and Sonia Matthew welcome Dr. Amanda Austin, the 2025 Louisiana Principal of the Year, educational leader, and advocate for building schools where relationships, teamwork, and student success remain at the center of the work.

From reopening a school that had been closed for more than a decade to leading innovative STEM and magnet programs, Amanda's leadership journey is a testament to what is possible when vision is paired with people first leadership.

Together, Sean, Sonia, and Amanda explore the realities of leadership beyond the title. They discuss the challenges, victories, moments of doubt, and relationships that sustain leaders through change and uncertainty. Amanda shares lessons learned from her leadership journey, the importance of leaning on others rather than leading alone, and why keeping the focus on students and human connection matters more than ever.

This conversation is heartfelt, practical, and inspiring. It is a reminder that leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about showing up, staying grounded in purpose, and helping others become the best versions of themselves.

Because at the end of the day, leadership is human work.

Listen. Reflect. Grow. Welcome to Season 2 of Leading While Human.

In this special bonus episode of Leading While Human, co-hosts Sean Gaillard and Dr. Sonia Matthew sit down with acclaimed author and executive leadership coach Marcel Schwantes, author of Humane Leadership: Lead with Radical Love. Be a Kick-Ass Boss. Together they explore what it truly means to lead with heart, courage, and compassion in a world that too often celebrates hierarchy over humanity.

Marcel shares powerful insights on how leaders can cultivate trust, foster belonging, and practice radical love in everyday leadership. They dive into actionable strategies for building teams where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to do their best work not through fear or command, but through genuine connection and purpose. Whether you’re leading a classroom, a corporate team, or a community, this conversation will leave you inspired to show up more human in every room you enter.

Learn more about Marcel’s work at https://www.marcelschwantes.com/ and discover how humane leadership can transform your teams, your culture, and your impact.

Tune in to reimagine what leadership can be: human first, always.

🎙 Season Finale of Leading While Human

In this season finale episode, hosts Dr. Sonia Matthew and Sean Gaillard welcome the inspiring and insightful Dr. Donya Ball for a powerful and upbeat conversation centered on what it truly means to lead while human.

Dr. Donya Ball is an internationally respected keynote speaker, leadership expert, professor, and executive coach with more than two decades of experience supporting leaders across education and organizational spaces. Her work is grounded in clarity, courage, and practical wisdom, helping leaders navigate complexity while staying rooted in purpose and people first practices. You can learn more about her work and order her books at https://www.donyaball.com/.

Donya is the author of two impactful leadership books available on her site, Against The Wind: Leadership At 36,000 Feet and Adjusting The Sails: Weathering The Storms of Administrative Leadership. Both works offer timely guidance for leaders facing turbulence, change, and the weight of responsibility.

In this episode, Donya shares her powerful concept of the Leadership Trifecta, offering a thoughtful and actionable framework that challenges leaders to reflect on how they show up, how they serve others, and how they sustain themselves in the work.

This season finale is filled with energy, honesty, and hope. It is a fitting close to a season devoted to belonging, courage, and leading with humanity at the center.