Moving Forward: Your Story Matters

We often know people by their titles, their work, or what we see on social media. But how much do we really know about the person behind all of that? That’s where my conversation with Dr. Renae Bryant begins.

Renae is an educator, author, speaker, consultant, professor, and podcast host. She began her career as a bilingual special education instructional assistant, and her journey since then has taken her through many different roles in education and leadership. I wanted to know more about that journey.

We talked about where Renae comes from, some of the experiences that have shaped her, and why telling our own stories is so important. We also talked about identity and belonging, finding your voice, and how easy it can be for other people to form an idea of who we are without really knowing us.

Our conversation also took us into leadership, educational branding, and the relationships we build along the way. Renae has created several spaces that bring people together, including Leadership Book Chat and The Your Story Matters Podcast. For her, connection isn't just part of the work. It matters personally.

We also spent time talking about sister circles and why women need other women in their lives who will support them, celebrate them, and sometimes push them. I've had the opportunity to be part of one of the communities Renae created, so this part of our conversation was especially meaningful to me. What I enjoyed about our conversation is that we didn't just talk about what Renae has accomplished. We talked about the person behind all of those accomplishments.

And maybe that's something we can all think about. How much of our story do people really know? And how much of it are we willing to tell? I hope you'll listen to my conversation with Dr. Renae Bryant.

🎙️ Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope

Every person has a story. Every story has the power to encourage someone else.

Until next time...keep moving forward.

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Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

The Hidden Hungry, Finding Purpose, and Living Out Loud

Sometimes we find our purpose in the most unexpected places.

For Enid Borden, the road included dreams of becoming a folk singer in Greenwich Village, journalism, government service, nonprofit leadership—and eventually a calling she never could have predicted: helping end senior hunger in America.

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, I sit down with Enid, Founder and CEO of the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, for a conversation that is about so much more than food.

We talk about the older adults Enid calls the "hidden hungry"—people who may be struggling quietly and whose stories can easily go unseen. We talk about dignity, loneliness, isolation, and the importance of simply knowing that someone sees you and cares.

Enid also shares what nearly three decades of this work have taught her about the way we value older adults—and why she believes younger generations need to be part of the conversation.

But one of my favorite parts of our conversation is Enid's own story.

We share a connection to Alfred University, and I loved hearing her reflect on how those years helped her find her voice. We also talked about the twists and turns that came afterward—and the things that may have felt like failures at the time but ultimately helped lead her to her purpose.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Enid's unexpected journey to finding her purpose

• Who the "hidden hungry" are and why they can be so easy to overlook

• The connection between hunger, loneliness, dignity, and human connection

• What decades of advocacy have taught her about creating change

• Why generations need one another

• Finding purpose at any age—and having the courage to "live out loud"

Enid reminded me that we don't have to have our entire lives figured out.

Sometimes we have to try something. Sometimes it won't work. Sometimes what feels like a failure may simply be pointing us in another direction.

And if we're willing to keep trying, keep caring, and keep showing up, we may just find the work we were meant to do.

"Try it. Live out loud."

I hope you'll join us for this very special conversation.

Every person has a story. Every story has the power to encourage someone else.

Until next time...keep moving forward.

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Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

Helping Young People See: “I Can Do This. I Belong Here.”

Who saw something in you before you were able to see it in yourself?

For Dr. Leena Bakshi McLean, it was a grandfather who made mathematics come alive through everyday experiences and a high school science teacher who recognized her potential.

In this episode of Moving Forward, Leena joins Linda to share the experiences that shaped her journey as an educator, author, and founder of STEM4Real. She reflects on how her family connected mathematics to culture, why relationships with students and families transformed her teaching, and how those experiences strengthened her belief in multiple pathways to success.

Leena also discusses the inequities that prevent many students from accessing meaningful STEM learning. Too often, hands-on science, engineering, and robotics experiences are reserved for students already identified as advanced or high-achieving. Through STEM4Real, Leena works to make STEM culturally responsive, relevant, and accessible to every learner.

In This Episode

Linda and Leena explore:

• The people who first recognized Leena’s potential

• How culture, identity, and relationships shape learning

• Why one chapter in a student’s life should never define their future

• The importance of expanding access to meaningful STEM opportunities

• How educators and leaders can help young people see themselves as problem-solvers and innovators

About Dr. Leena Bakshi McLeanDr. Leena Bakshi McLean is an educator, author, and founder of STEM4Real, an organization committed to making STEM education equitable, culturally responsive, and meaningful for all students. She is the author of STEM4ALL and the children’s book There’s Something in the Water.

Leena encourages young people to observe the world around them and ask:

“How can I make this better?”

Every person has a story. Every story has the power to encourage someone else.

Listen to Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and YouTube Podcasts.

Until next time...keep moving forward.

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Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

The Constitution, Public Service, and the Responsibility of Citizenship Special Constitution Day Episode

In recognition of Constitution Day, Moving Forward is sharing a special additional episode this week.

Host Linda Anderson sits down with Bob Wieckowski, attorney and former California State Senator, for a conversation about the Constitution, public service, civic responsibility, and where we find ourselves as a country today.

Bob has spent much of his career in public service—from the Fremont City Council to the California State Assembly and State Senate. He reflects on what first drew him to this work, some of the experiences that shaped him along the way, and what he learned from representing a diverse community.

And yes, the conversation gets political.

Bob shares his perspectives on some of the issues facing our country today, while he and Linda explore the Constitution, the role of government, civic engagement, and what it means to participate in a democracy—especially when we don’t all see things the same way.

That’s part of what makes this conversation especially fitting for Constitution Day.

We don’t have to agree on everything to listen to one another, ask questions, and stay engaged. Perhaps that willingness to listen and keep talking matters now more than ever.

You may agree with Bob. You may disagree with him. The hope is that this conversation gives you something to think about—and maybe even something to talk about with someone else.

Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope

Until next time...keep moving forward.

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Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

Courage, Belonging, and Building a Life Far From Home

What does it take to leave everything familiar behind and begin again in a country you’ve never visited?

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda welcomes Alina Zabihailo, a recent graduate of Alfred University whose journey is a powerful story of courage, resilience, gratitude, and possibility.

Alina arrived in the United States from Ukraine on the very day she began college at Alfred University. Over the next four years, she not only found a sense of belonging—she became deeply woven into the life of the university.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude with degrees in Business Administration, Data Analytics, and Music, along with a minor in Marketing. During her time at Alfred, she competed as a varsity tennis player, founded the Ukrainian Students Association and TEDxAlfred University, served as a student ambassador, helped lead the campus radio station, studied abroad in London, performed as a musician, and found countless ways to create opportunities for others.

But this conversation goes far beyond her accomplishments.

Alina shares what it was like to build a new life thousands of miles from her family while her homeland endured war, how her Ukrainian identity continues to shape her, and the people and experiences that helped Alfred become a second home.

Linda and Alina also explore the meaning of resilience, gratitude, leadership, and responsibility—and why some of the most important qualities we carry into the future can never be measured on a résumé.

As Alina prepares for her next chapter at Johns Hopkins University, where she will pursue graduate studies in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence as a Dean’s Scholarship recipient, she reflects on how quickly life can change and what she would tell the young woman who stepped off that plane four years ago.

In this conversation:

• Beginning again in a country you’ve never visited

• How culture and home shape identity

• Finding belonging far from family

• Pursuing your dreams while carrying concern for a country at war

• Leadership as service and creating opportunities for others

• The people who shape us along the way

• Gratitude, resilience, and staying grounded

• Why human qualities matter even more in an age of artificial intelligence

• What it means to move forward when the path ahead is uncertain

Alina’s story is a reminder that courage doesn’t always mean knowing exactly where the road will lead. Sometimes it means taking the first step, trusting that you will find your way, and remaining open to the people and opportunities that meet you along the journey.

Every person has a story. And every story has the power to encourage someone else.

Until next time...keep moving forward.

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Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

Fifty episodes. Fifty stories. One remarkable journey.

In this milestone episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, host Linda Anderson is joined by producer and friend Ury Gonzalez for a special conversation reflecting on the first 50 episodes of the podcast.

This time, Ury turns the microphone around.

Through a series of thoughtful questions, Linda and Ury look back at the conversations that have shaped Moving Forward—and at the lessons that have emerged from listening to educators, students, military leaders, physicians, nonprofit founders, business executives, authors, artists, athletes, and community leaders share their stories.

Together, they reflect on the beginnings of the podcast, the guests and moments that have stayed with them, and the common threads that have connected people whose lives may look very different on the surface.

They talk about purpose and identity. Authenticity and vulnerability. Loss and healing. Leadership and service. The unexpected doors that open when one chapter ends—and the many different ways people find the courage to keep moving forward.

They also explore some of the questions that have become central to the podcast:

Who are we beyond our titles and accomplishments?

Why do authentic stories often connect us more deeply than stories of success?

What does it really mean to move forward when life doesn't go as planned?

Can purpose change without disappearing?

And what can happen when someone is willing to share their story—and someone else is willing to truly listen?

Looking back at the first 50 episodes, one lesson rises above the rest:

Our lives are shaped less by what we achieve than by who we become and what we choose to do with our experiences.

Episode 50 isn't simply a celebration of reaching a number.

It's a chance to look back at the people, stories, lessons, laughter, difficult moments, and unexpected wisdom that have shaped the first year of Moving Forward—and to look ahead to the conversations still waiting to be had.

Because after 50 episodes, the message that began this journey feels more meaningful than ever:

Every person has a story. And every story has the power to encourage someone else.

And sometimes, sharing those stories is exactly what helps all of us keep moving forward.

Thank you for being part of these first fifty stories.

We can't wait to share the next fifty with you.

If this conversation encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need a little hope today.

Until next time...keep moving forward.

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Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

Leadership Rooted in Purpose, Courage, and Hope

What shapes a leader long before they ever hold a leadership title?

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda Anderson sits down with longtime educational leader Parvin Ahmadi for a thoughtful conversation about resilience, service, and the lifelong commitment to helping every child succeed.

Parvin's journey began in Iran before she came to the United States as a high school exchange student without speaking English. That experience would become the foundation for a remarkable career spanning nearly four decades in public education—from classroom teacher to principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent of both the Pleasanton and Castro Valley Unified School Districts, President of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), university instructor, and executive leadership coach.

Throughout the conversation, Parvin reflects on the experiences that shaped her leadership, the importance of remaining connected to classrooms, and why listening may be one of the most powerful leadership skills we can develop. She shares lessons learned while leading through uncertainty, developing future leaders, and making difficult decisions with compassion and integrity.

Together, Linda and Parvin explore what it means to lead with calm, serve with humility, and remember that every decision ultimately comes back to the children we serve.

Whether you are an educator, administrator, parent, or anyone interested in purposeful leadership, this conversation offers wisdom that extends far beyond schools.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Growing up in Iran and immigrating to the United States as a teenager

• Finding a calling in education and choosing purpose over expectations

• Lessons learned through nearly 40 years of educational leadership

• Leading schools and communities through uncertainty and change

• Why calm, compassionate leadership builds trust

• Developing and mentoring the next generation of leaders

• How becoming a grandmother reshaped her perspective on legacy

• The importance of listening before leading

• Why equity begins with seeing every child as capable

• The message engraved on her bracelet that has guided her career:"Nothing you do for children is ever wasted."

Memorable Quote"Nothing you do for children is ever wasted."

Connect with Linda AndersonIf this conversation encouraged you, please subscribe, share this episode with someone who inspires others through leadership, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

You can also continue the conversation by subscribing to Open Doors, Linda's weekly reflections on purpose, leadership, and life's unexpected invitations.

Because every person has a story...and every story has the power to encourage someone else.

If you have a comment or question please email us at themovingforwardpodcast@gmail.com

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Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez