EdTech · Weekly
Innovators UnscriptED
Backstage pass to the Google Certified Innovator Program.
Real stories. Real struggles. Real Innovation. Innovators UnscriptED is your backstage pass to the Google Certified Innovator Program. Hosted by two Innovator Academy alumni, Tina and Liz, the show unscripts the journeys of educators who are reshaping classrooms, schools, and the global EdTech community.
Host
Tina and Liz are Google Certified Innovator Academy alumni who host Innovators UnscriptED, interviewing fellow Innovators about their projects, pivots, and the realities of leading change in K-12 education.
All episodes
17 episodesYou can have the best technology in the world, but without a community behind it, you are just working in isolation. In Episode 17 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz are absolutely thrilled to welcome the non-stop, powerhouse educator known as The Google Goddess: Judy Keller (AMS24)! Judy is a master at drawing…
June 22, 2026·27:15We are back! After a brief hiatus, Innovators UnscriptED returns with a powerful challenge: Stop being afraid to ask the hard questions about the problems in your school.
June 16, 2026·31:01If you want to know how to push past the limits of your own school building, you need to talk to the person who helped connect the entire world. Today on Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz sit down with Global Google Innovator Abid Patel (LON19). Abidâs journey is a masterclass in community building. He takes us…
May 25, 2026·55:26What happens when you take a great idea working in your own classroom and actually share it with the world? You might just start an international movement. In Episode 14 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz are joined by the incredible Lisa Nowakowski, a TOSA Technology Specialist, author, and Google Teacher Academy…
May 19, 2026·36:44What do you do when your passion project doesn't fit the Google Innovator Academy application themes? If you are Denise Spina, you cry, make up a new problem, and you fake it till you make it! In Episode 13 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz welcome the powerhouse of positivity that is Denise Spina from their very…
May 11, 2026·35:28Sometimes, failing forward is the best thing that can happen to your Innovator project. In Episode 12 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz sit down with Dr. Alfonso Mendozaâbetter known as "Dr. Fonz"âthe host of the incredibly successful My EdTech Life podcast. We travel back to the Virtual Innovator Academy of…
May 04, 2026·39:51You don't need to completely overhaul your curriculum to make a student feel seen. Sometimes, the most profound advocacy starts with small, daily actions. Welcome back to Innovators UnscriptED! Today, we are joined by Instructional Technology Facilitator and fellow Chicago '24 cohort member, Kaylee Baldwin. Kaylee's…
April 27, 2026·38:36What happens when your Google Innovator project hits a roadblock? You realize the project wasn't the actual prizeâthe new way your brain works is. In Episode 10 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz sit down with Dr. Michelle Eckler (VIA24) for a conversation that went beautifully off-script. While we started out…
April 20, 2026·36:58How does an Instructional Technology Coach and Special Education teacher end up becoming a Program Manager at Google? By never losing their "educator's lens." In Episode 9 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz are joined by the incredible Nick Aguina (Washington D.C. '17). Nick unscripts his amazing career…
April 13, 2026·38:03Google certifications? Check. ISTE credentials? Check. Five Different Teaching Licenses? Check. But which of these badges are actually worth the grind? In Episode 8 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz sit down with the hilariously honest Rick Ballew (NYC '19). Rick unscripts his wild career pivot from middle…
April 06, 2026·31:19Professional development rarely sparks joy. But what if it could actually make your school irresistible? In Episode 7 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz sit down with their fellow Chicago '24 cohort member, Jessica Holloway! Jessica is an instructional coach on a mission to validate and amplify teacher voices. She…
March 30, 2026·51:51What was the Innovator Academy like before it was even called the Innovator Academy? Let's hop in the time machine back to 2009! In Episode 6 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz sit down with John Sowash, one of the earliest members of the community (Boulder '09) and a true "Champion of Google Champions." John…
March 23, 2026·39:50There is no straight line to innovation, and sometimes, the most important projects are the ones we leave unfinished. In Episode 5 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz sit down with the humbling and inspiring Theresa (LON17). Theresaâs Innovator journey was interrupted by a very real life challenge, but she came…
March 16, 2026·28:31The Google Innovator Academy leaves a permanent mark on your career! â¦and sometimes, it leaves a permanent mark on your arm. In Episode 4 of Innovators UnscriptED, Tina and Liz are joined by Adam Juarez, an instructional coach from California and a proud member of the quirky, high-energy Sydney 2017 cohort. Adam…
March 09, 2026·32:06Sometimes the best way to solve a global problem isn't by building a new framework or appâ¦itâs by passing the mic. ðï¸
March 02, 2026·33:04What happens when you get rejected from the Google Innovator Academy? You apply again. And again.
February 24, 2026·36:54Welcome to the very first episode of Innovators UnscriptED! We promise to live up to our name... eventually. But for this debut episode, we admit: we might have written a few things down just to keep the excitement from taking over. Join your hosts, Tina (New Mexico) and Liz (Massachusetts), as we rewind the clock to…
February 10, 2026·18:17