Choosing Who We Become: A Conversation with Olden Carr

Who do we become when life doesn't unfold the way we expected?

Few of us escape disappointment, regret, or unexpected turns. The question isn't whether life changes us—it's how we choose to respond.

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda Anderson sits down with Olden Carr for a thoughtful conversation about accountability, faith, leadership, grace, and the lifelong work of becoming the person we are meant to be.

Although Olden grew up in New Jersey, he didn't discover football until college. The sport became an important part of his identity, teaching perseverance, discipline, teamwork, and leadership.

During those same years, one tragic event changed the course of his life. Rather than searching for excuses, Olden chose a path of accountability, reflection, healing, and purpose.

He went on to build a respected career as a business leader, earning the trust of colleagues and communities through integrity and service. Instead of allowing one chapter of his life to define him, he chose to let it shape the kind of leader, husband, father, friend, and person he wanted to become.

His journey also led him to restorative justice and conversations with leading voices in the field, including David Karp at the Kroc School of Peace Studies, where he came to understand that accountability and healing are deeply connected.

As he prepares to return to New Jersey and begin another chapter, Olden reflects on purpose, legacy, and the relationships that shaped his life.

This conversation isn't about the worst moment of one man's life.

It's about choosing responsibility, extending grace, and using life's hardest lessons to serve others.

In This Episode, You'll Hear About:

• Discovering football in college and the lessons it taught about leadership and perseverance.

• The life-changing event that reshaped Olden's future.

• Building a career rooted in integrity, trust, and service.

• How faith provided strength through seasons of challenge.

• The relationship between forgiveness, grace, and accountability.

• What restorative justice taught him about healing and redemption.

• Returning home to New Jersey and reflecting on purpose and legacy.

• Why authentic relationships matter more than titles.

• The wisdom he would share with his younger self.

Whether you've experienced regret, loss, or unexpected change, this conversation reminds us that our past does not have to define our future.

What defines us is the courage to take responsibility, continue growing, and use our experiences to make a difference in the lives of others.

Memorable Quote

"While we cannot change the past, we can choose how we respond to it—and how we use our experiences to serve others."

Connect with the PodcastIf this conversation encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who believes in the power of accountability, faith, grace, and hope.

Because moving forward isn't about pretending the past never happened.

It's about choosing, every day, the person we are becoming.

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

With Guest Host Ury Gonzalez, Prince Padania, Roxane Jablonski-Liu, and Judy Cuturrufo

Throughout our lives, we are known by many roles—educator, leader, parent, mentor, and friend.

In this special episode of Moving Forward, the spotlight turns to host Linda Anderson as the third installment in a four-part series exploring the different chapters of her life. After conversations about Linda as a wife and as a mother, this episode focuses on the role that shaped more than three decades of service: educator.

For this conversation, the microphone is handed to Ury Gonzalez, producer of the Moving Forward podcast. Since the show's beginning, Ury has worked behind the scenes to help bring each episode to life. In this special role reversal, he steps into the host's chair to guide a thoughtful conversation about Linda's own journey as an educator.

Joining Ury are three people who each represent a unique chapter of Linda's educational journey.

Prince Padania first met Linda as her sixth-grade student teacher and has since built a career as an inspiring kindergarten teacher who believes children learn best through play, curiosity, and joy. His perspective reflects the lasting influence of mentorship and the importance of investing in the next generation of educators.

Roxane Jablonski-Liu is a respected educational leader whose career has spanned classroom teaching, principalship, district leadership, and human resources. She served as Principal of Oliveira Elementary before Linda, and Linda later had the privilege of succeeding her in that role. Roxane offers the perspective of someone who understands both the opportunities and challenges of leading a school community.

Judy Cuturrufo has shared much of her professional journey with Linda. Together, they helped launch the Curriculum and Instruction Department in Fremont Unified School District, where Judy served as an instructional coach, Program Manager, and English Language Development (ELD) specialist. Today, she teaches third grade at Warwick Elementary School in Fremont, California, and serves as a Student Teacher Supervisor for San José State University.

Together, Prince, Roxane, and Judy ask the questions that invite Linda to reflect on the experiences, people, and moments that shaped her career—from discovering her calling as an educator to navigating leadership challenges, building meaningful relationships, mentoring others, and finding hope in every season.

The conversation concludes with a fun round of rapid-fire questions from Prince, revealing another side of Linda beyond the principal's office.

More than a conversation about one career, this episode is a celebration of the relationships that define a life in education. It reminds us that leadership is not measured by titles or accomplishments alone, but by the people we encourage, the communities we build, and the opportunities we create for others.

Whether you're an educator, school leader, parent, or someone reflecting on your own journey, this conversation is a reminder that our greatest legacy is found in the lives we help shape.

Connect with Linda Anderson

Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope explores the stories that shape who we are and the experiences that help us move forward with purpose.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, share it with someone who would appreciate Linda's story, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.

You can also continue the conversation through Linda's weekly Substack, Open Doors, where she writes about leadership, identity, belonging, and the unexpected doors that continue to open throughout life's journey.

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

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

Our titles may introduce us, but our stories connect us.

In this heartfelt episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda Anderson welcomes educator, leadership coach, author, and Mandala Rising founder Dr. Cheryl Wozniak.

After more than 35 years in education—as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and now consultant and coach—Cheryl continues to help schools create environments where every child and every adult feels seen, valued, and like they belong. But this conversation reaches far beyond education.

Together, Linda and Cheryl explore what it truly means to believe, "I am enough."

Drawing from her children's book, I Am Enough Just As I Am, Cheryl reflects on the experiences that shaped her life, the importance of quieting our inner critic, and why so many of us spend our lives trying to earn worth that has always been ours.

They also discuss:

• Why belonging begins within ourselves.

• How our experiences of being seen—and unseen—shape the way we lead.

• The evolution of leadership from managing people to nurturing humanity.

• Supporting educators while protecting their own well-being.

• Why retirement wasn't the end of Cheryl's purpose, but the beginning of a new chapter through Mandala Rising.

• The wisdom her grandchildren continue to teach her about joy, curiosity, play, and being fully present.

• Her hopes for the future of education—and for a world where every child knows they matter.

Whether you're an educator, leader, parent, or someone navigating your own journey of identity and purpose, this conversation offers a powerful reminder that our value is not something we achieve—it's something we already possess.

As Cheryl beautifully reminds us:

"You are enough, just as you are."

If this episode encourages you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.

Connect with Dr. Cheryl Wozniak

• Mandala Rising• I Am Enough Just As I Am (Children's Book)

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

Hosted by Linda Anderson, Moving Forward features conversations with educators, leaders, authors, and changemakers whose stories inspire us to grow, heal, and move forward with hope and purpose.

Because our titles may introduce us...

...but our stories connect us.

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

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

In this episode of Moving Forward, Linda Anderson sits down with student climate advocates Sarah Adkar and Padma Balaji from Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action for a thoughtful conversation about climate, identity, leadership, and hope.

As graduating seniors from Fremont Unified School District in Fremont, California, Sarah and Padma represent a generation that has grown up alongside the realities of climate change—but their work goes far beyond politics or protest. Both share how personal experiences shaped their commitment to environmental advocacy and community action.

Padma reflects on the influence of family traditions, sustainability practices rooted in culture, and the emotional impact of witnessing devastating flooding affect relatives in Chennai, India. She also speaks openly about climate anxiety, the importance of community, and how connection can transform fear into meaningful action.

Sarah shares how her own health challenges connected to wildfire smoke and environmental exposure led her to explore the relationship between climate and human health through environmental neuroscience. She discusses what people often misunderstand about climate’s impact on the body and why youth leadership and climate education matter now more than ever.

Together, Sarah and Padma discuss what gives them hope, what they’ve learned from organizing with other students, and how they hope to continue creating change as they head into the next chapter of their lives.

This conversation is a reminder that leadership is not always about being the loudest voice in the room—it is often about staying engaged, asking difficult questions, building community, and continuing to show up with hope.

Topics include:• Youth climate leadership• Climate anxiety and resilience• Environmental justice• Climate and human health• Sustainability and cultural traditions• Community organizing and education• Hope and purpose in the next generation

Thank you for listening to Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope.

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

Carrying the Strength of Ancestors

What does it mean to honor the past while continuing to move forward with hope?

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing and Hope, Linda Anderson sits down with Dr. Diann Kitamura, educator, mentor, advocate, and lifelong champion for equity and belonging.

Diann shares the family history that shaped her life and leadership, including her mother's experience as a child incarcerated at the Amache internment camp during World War II and the discrimination her family faced after returning home. Those experiences became a powerful foundation for her commitment to education, justice, and service.

Together, Linda and Diann explore identity, resilience, healing across generations, leadership during crisis, and the enduring importance of equity and community. Diann reflects on leading Santa Rosa City Schools through devastating wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, offering lessons about courage, humanity, and hope in times of uncertainty.

The conversation also explores purpose beyond professional titles, the responsibility of mentoring future leaders, and what it means to carry the stories of those who came before us while creating opportunities for those who will come after.

This is a powerful conversation about heritage, healing, leadership, and the strength we inherit—and pass on—to future generations.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The lasting impact of Japanese American incarceration during World War II

• Family stories, identity, and intergenerational resilience

• Healing from historical and personal trauma

• Why education became a pathway for change

• Leading through wildfires, COVID-19, and community crisis

• The human side of leadership during times of uncertainty

• The evolution of equity work in education

• Mentoring the next generation of leaders

• Finding purpose beyond professional titles

• Honoring the past while moving forward with hope

A Quote to Carry Forward

"I carry with me the strength of my ancestors and the hopes of future generations."— Dr. Diann Kitamura

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

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

"The question is not simply, 'What am I doing?' The deeper question is, 'Who am I being?'" — Tovi C. Scruggs

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda Anderson sits down with Tovi C. Scruggs—transformational coach, mindfulness practitioner, educator, and advocate for belonging—for a powerful conversation about identity, self-discovery, courage, and the lifelong journey of becoming.

For nearly three decades, Tovi has helped individuals and organizations navigate change by shifting the focus from what we do to who we are being. Her groundbreaking work on Leadership Do-ing to Leadership BE-ing challenges conventional ideas about success and invites us to look beyond titles, accomplishments, and expectations to discover the deeper values, beliefs, and experiences that shape our lives.

Drawing from her experiences as an educator, former high school principal, certified Integral Coach, and Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator trained by Brené Brown, Tovi shares insights that are both deeply personal and universally relevant.

Together, Linda and Tovi explore:

• What it means to live beyond the labels, roles, and titles that often define us

• How belonging shapes our identity and our sense of possibility

• The lessons learned from nearly 30 years of daily meditation and silent retreats

• Why many of us struggle to sit quietly with ourselves

• The connection between self-transformation and systemic transformation

• What compassion, healing, and courage have in common

• How connection can help bridge division and foster understanding

• The qualities that create cultures where people feel seen, valued, and safe

• Navigating life's transitions, uncertainty, and the "messy middle"

• What gives Tovi hope about the next generation of leaders and changemakers

• The transformative power of asking, "Who am I being?"

Throughout the conversation, Tovi reflects on the importance of authenticity, self-mastery, joy, and connection. She speaks candidly about learning to reconnect with herself, embracing vulnerability, and discovering that true leadership begins not with authority or accomplishment, but with awareness, courage, and presence.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and reconnect with the parts of ourselves that often get lost beneath responsibilities, expectations, and achievement. Tovi reminds us that meaningful transformation begins when we create space to understand who we are, what matters most, and how we want to show up in the world.

Whether you are navigating a career transition, retirement, loss, caregiving, personal growth, or simply searching for a deeper sense of purpose, this conversation offers wisdom, hope, and a powerful reminder that who you are becoming may be more important than anything you accomplish.

To learn more about Tovi's work, coaching, speaking, and transformational leadership programs, visit:

Tovi C. Scruggs Leadership and Coaching Resources

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

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

"Democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires informed, engaged citizens who understand both their rights and their responsibilities." — Cheryl Cook-Kallio

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda Anderson sits down with Cheryl Cook-Kallio—educator, civic learning leader, elected official, and lifelong advocate for public education—for a timely conversation about democracy, citizenship, and the power of education to shape the future.

Over the course of a remarkable 40-year career in public education, Cheryl helped generations of students understand not only how government works, but why their voices matter. As a teacher, nationally recognized We the People coach, elected official, and a current board member of the Alameda County Office of Education in California, she has dedicated her life to helping young people become informed, engaged participants in civic life.

Today, Cheryl continues that work as California's We the People and Project Citizen Coordinator, supporting civic education programs that empower students to explore the Constitution, public policy, and democratic participation.

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Cheryl offers thoughtful insights into the enduring importance of the Constitution, civic responsibility, and the role education plays in sustaining a healthy democracy.

Together, Linda and Cheryl explore:

• Why education and democracy are deeply connected

• The importance of civic learning in today's world

• What the Constitution can still teach us 250 years later

• Lessons students have taught her about leadership, citizenship, and hope

• The value of civil discourse and respectful disagreement

• The role public education plays in strengthening democratic institutions

• What young people need to understand about their power to make a difference

• Why Cheryl remains hopeful about the future of civic engagement in America

Throughout the conversation, Cheryl reflects on the educators, experiences, and students who shaped her own journey and shares why she believes civic education remains one of the most important responsibilities of public schools. She speaks passionately about helping young people discover that their voices matter, their participation matters, and their engagement can help strengthen the communities and democracy they will one day inherit.

This episode is a reminder that democracy is not something we simply inherit. It is something each generation must learn, practice, strengthen, and pass forward. As our nation reflects on 250 years of history, Cheryl challenges us to consider not only what democracy has given us, but what responsibilities it asks of us in return.

Whether you are an educator, student, parent, community leader, or citizen seeking reasons for hope, this conversation offers a thoughtful reminder that informed, engaged people remain the foundation of every healthy democracy.

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

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

"Technology will continue to change, but the human qualities that matter most remain timeless." — Peter Cuneo

In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda Anderson sits down with Peter Cuneo — acclaimed business leader, turnaround expert, Navy veteran, and former Vice Chairman of Marvel Entertainment — for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, resilience, purpose, and the human qualities that matter most in times of change.

Peter's journey spans decades of leadership across industries, including roles at Clairol, Black & Decker, Remington, and Marvel. Best known for helping guide Marvel from bankruptcy to becoming one of the most successful entertainment companies in the world, Peter has spent his career helping organizations navigate uncertainty, rebuild trust, and create a vision for the future.

But as Peter shares throughout this conversation, successful leadership is rarely about strategy alone.

Drawing from experiences that began at Alfred University and continued through military service and the corporate world, Peter reflects on the values that shaped him long before the titles and accomplishments arrived. He discusses the importance of character, integrity, relationships, and the lessons learned from both successes and setbacks.

Together, Linda and Peter explore:

• The experiences and values that shaped Peter's leadership journey

• Why culture and trust are often more important than strategy

• What people misunderstand about the Marvel turnaround

• The leadership lessons that took the longest to learn

• How adversity and setbacks can become powerful teachers

• Why relationships are often the true measure of success

• The importance of creativity, teamwork, and collaboration in today's world

• How young people can balance technology with curiosity, learning, and human connection

• The skills that will remain essential no matter how much technology advances

• What it means to build a life of purpose beyond titles and accomplishments

Throughout the conversation, Peter offers practical wisdom gained from a lifetime of leadership while reminding us that success is not defined solely by what we achieve, but by how we treat people, the trust we build, and the impact we leave behind.

This episode is a powerful reminder that while industries, organizations, and technologies continue to evolve, the qualities that make great leaders - character, curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and service to others — remain timeless.

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

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Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez