EdTech & Innovation · Monthly
Exploring the greatest minds in academia and the trends shaping the future of learning.
Join host Chris Garcia as he explores the greatest and most influential minds in academia, delving into cutting-edge topics and trends shaping the future of learning and discovery. From AI and Esports to pedagogy and current research, the podcast uncovers insights that empower learners to enhance their craft and stay ahead. Discover emerging learning trends, career opportunities for students, and strategies to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
Host
Host, Innovative Pedagogy Podcast · EdTech leader
📍 San Diego, California
Chris Garcia is an educational technology leader and the host of the Innovative Pedagogy Podcast. Drawing from experience across classrooms, school sites, district systems, higher education, and professional organizations, he explores cutting-edge topics and trends shaping the future of learning.
Chief Information Officer, Wichita Public Schools
📍 Wichita, Kansas
Rob Dickson is the Chief Information Officer for Wichita Public Schools and a recognized voice in purposeful digital leadership. He shares how trust, collaboration, and strong relationships form the infrastructure that makes lasting EdTech impact possible.
View full profile →Director of Research, Evaluation & Educational Technology, Sweetwater Union High School District
📍 San Diego County, California
Dr. Daniel Winters is a district leader whose career spans coaching, school administration, and system-level direction. He reflects on how emotional intelligence shapes leadership decisions, the realities of opening new schools, and what it takes to sustain leadership in education over decades.
View full profile →Chief Academic Officer, Elite Academic Academy · former President, CALIE/CUE
📍 California
Dr. Laura K. Spencer is Chief Academic Officer at Elite Academic Academy and a former President of CALIE through CUE. She shapes vision, culture, and responsibility at the field level, helping leaders pursue innovation without chasing trends — particularly in AR, VR, and AI-supported learning.
View full profile →Coordinator of Innovation, Chula Vista Elementary School District
📍 Chula Vista, California
Lolita Rico is Coordinator of Innovation at Chula Vista Elementary School District. She advances digital citizenship as a foundation for student identity and wellness, approaches AI as a thought partner for teachers, and designs professional learning that avoids initiative fatigue while maximizing student impact.
View full profile →Vice President Academic, Conestoga College
📍 Ontario, Canada
Pejman Salehi is Vice President Academic at Conestoga College, where he leads work on how esports, gaming, and immersive technologies reshape higher education — building digital skills, strengthening collaboration, and increasing student engagement while keeping equity and future readiness at the center.
View full profile →Education strategist, CDW
📍 United States
Dr. Jennette Vanderpool is an education strategist with CDW whose experience as a teacher, administrator, and board member shapes her approach to efficient spending and smart decision-making in schools. She guides leaders on balancing innovation with responsibility in areas like AI, cybersecurity, and sustainable classroom modernization.
View full profile →Author & education consultant (AI Optimism)
📍 United States
Becky Keene is an education consultant and the author of AI Optimism: A Guide to Redefining Artificial Intelligence in Education. She helps educators and leaders see AI as a tool that can transform learning, address equity and access, and prepare students for an unknown future — starting with practical first steps and a mindset of optimism over fear.
View full profile →Chris Garcia sits down with Rob Dickson, Chief Information Officer for Wichita Public Schools, to discuss how trust and collaboration shape meaningful work in educational technology — and why strong relationships are part of the infrastructure that makes lasting impact possible.
Dr. Daniel Winters reflects on his leadership journey from coach to assistant superintendent, exploring how emotional intelligence shapes leadership decisions, the realities of opening a new school, and the self-awareness required to sustain leadership in education.
Dr. Laura K. Spencer on leadership beyond a single organization — shaping vision, culture, and responsibility at the field level. She explores when immersive technologies add real instructional value and how professional organizations can support thoughtful, human-centered decision-making.
Lolita Rico on how digital citizenship has evolved into a core foundation for student identity and wellness, how leaders can approach AI as a thought partner, and what makes professional learning meaningful without adding to initiative fatigue.
Host Chris Garcia shares the vision for the Leadership Series, reflecting on how leadership is shaped by practice across classrooms, school sites, district systems, higher education, and professional organizations — and why intentional reflection matters before crisis forces growth.
Pejman Salehi, Vice President Academic at Conestoga College, on how esports, gaming, and immersive technologies build digital skills, strengthen collaboration, and increase student engagement — while keeping equity, access, and future readiness at the center.
Dr. Jennette Vanderpool from CDW on what it means to lead smarter in today's schools — where to focus when budgets are tight, how to balance innovation with responsibility, and why collaboration between school and IT leaders turns smart investments into better learning.
Becky Keene, author of AI Optimism, shares how AI can transform learning, address equity and access, and prepare students for success in an unknown future — and why optimism, rather than fear, should shape AI's role in our classrooms.
