Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. Each week The Your Story Matters Podcast will feature a new guest sharing their "why" and stories. On this episode of The Your Story Matters Podcast I am privileged to have a conversation with Dr. David Calvo. Dr. Calvo has served as an educator and leader for 30 years, including as a teacher in Florida and then principal both in Florida and California. He most recently served the Director of Development and before that the Director of Family and Community Engagement with the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE). He has served as a school board member and in elected positions in both Florida and California. I am so excited for you to get to know and learn from Dr. David Calvo today!

LI: Dr. David Calvo

On this episode of the Your Story Matters Podcast I have a conversation with not one but two incredible leaders, Cheryl Abla and Lisa Maxfield. Long time educators, Cheryl and Lisa co-wrote, Teachables: Bite-Size Strategies that Make Major Impact in the Classroom.

Cheryl Abla is a passionate and results-driven consultant dedicated to creating learning environments where both educators and students thrive. With expertise in student engagement, instructional best practices, and leadership support, she helps schools turn research into action.

Her work spans from coaching educators on effective teaching strategies to guiding administrators in using classroom walkthrough data to drive meaningful change. She specializes in making complex instructional concepts accessible, ensuring that every learner, especially multilingual students, feels valued, motivated, and successful.

Lisa Maxfield helps organizations implement tools and strategies that drive adoption, retention, and measurable success. With over ten years of experience leading complex SaaS rollouts, training initiatives, and cross-functional projects, she partners with leaders to turn challenges into outcomes.

Her approach is rooted in authentic relationships. she listens, asks thoughtful questions, and collaborates with clients to build clear success plans, anticipate needs, and provide proactive support. By strengthening trust through consistency and follow-through, she creates partnerships that drive engagement and long-term results.

I am excited for you all to get to know and learn from Lisa and Cheryl.

LI: Lisa Maxfield

LI: Cheryl Abla

Our brains are hardwired for connection and stories. This podcast is all about amplifying both. Now more than ever our stories matter. On this episode of The Your Story Matters Podcast I am privileged to have a conversation with Dr. Simone Charles. Dr. Simone Charles is a high school principal in Los Angeles and Option Schools Principal of the Year for ACSA Region 16. In 2025 she became the President of the Council of Equity Leaders at state ACSA. The lasting impact of a solid education is paramount to Charles. Continuing her life’s work to support diverse students, Charles focuses on racial and gender inequality within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Her goal is to expand the trajectory of females of color in STEM and enable them to pursue higher learning opportunities. Charles holds a B.A. in Communications, a M.A. in Bilingual Multicultural Education from California State University Dominguez Hills, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy (ELAP) at Pepperdine University. Charles was honored as one of Councilman Curren Price’s 2017 SHeros for her accomplishments working with minority students and she presided over the Council of Black Administrators (COBA) as president from 2016-2018. A committed educator for over 30 years, Charles’ achievements include serving as a Spanish language bilingual and primary language classroom teacher, mentor teacher, grade-level chair, and demonstration teacher and mentor principal. Now, as Principal of the Year and Administrator of the Year, Charles continues to exhibit her love of education and the endless possibilities it holds for students. I am so excited for you to get to learn about and from Dr. Simone Charles today!

LinkedIn: Dr. Simone Charles