Have you ever realized that the best lessons in leadership come from both the great and not-so-great leaders you’ve experienced? In this replay episode, I’m joined by Kathleen Pietrasanta, a lifelong educator and leader, to talk about the powerful impact that real-life leadership examples can have on your own development. Kathleen shares stories from her years in education, including experiences that tested her boundaries, inspired her confidence, and ultimately propelled her into leadership.

Kathleen and I discuss how our personal and professional identities blend to influence the kind of leaders we strive to become as well as the importance of integrity and empathy in leadership. Kathleen shares lessons she’s learned through her experiences and offers real, practical insight for anyone who wants to lead with more heart and impact. Whether you’re just stepping into leadership or if you’ve been on this path for a while, this conversation will leave you feeling encouraged to continue to grow on your leadership journey.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

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Ever found yourself at a crossroads, wondering what the next version of you might look like and if you’re ready for it?

I’m taking you with me as I pause and reflect on the powerful stories, lessons, and leadership journeys from this season, exploring how leadership isn’t a destination but a process of becoming. From moments of transition and the evolution of identity to discovering how real leadership is more about influence, connection, and courage than it is about roles or titles, I’m digging into what truly shapes us as leaders.

Together, we’ll revisit the stand-out moments and lessons shared by each guest - from the mentors who called us into leadership before we were ready, to those who reminded us that integrity and empathy are foundational, not optional. I’ll talk about what it means to step into discomfort, why emotional intelligence is at the heart of real leadership, and how our professional and personal selves are inseparable in how we lead.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

• Check out her website
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Leadership doesn’t start with a title—it starts when someone sees something in you that you may not yet see in yourself.

In this episode of Rise Up and Lead: Real Lessons, Real Stories, Real Talk, Dr. Kim sits down with Jonathan Coats, an elementary school principal whose leadership journey began not with ambition—but with enlistment.

From an unexpected start in education to a life-changing conversation with a colleague who called him into leadership, Jonathan shares how one person’s belief can alter your trajectory forever. In one of the most powerful moments of the conversation, he reflects on the reality that the person who “enlisted” him into leadership did not live to see who he would become.

This episode is a reminder that leadership is not just developed—it is spoken into existence, called forward, and carried on.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

1. Check out her website
2. Follow her on Instagram @drkimleadership
3. Follow her on TikTok @drkimleadership
4. Follow her in X @drkimleadership
5. Like her page on Facebook
6. Connect with her on LinkedIn

In this episode of Rise Up and Lead: Real Lessons, Real Stories, Real Talk, Dr. Kim sits down with George Valetti to explore what happens when leadership finds you before you feel ready.

George shares how his leadership journey didn’t begin with a title—it began with a tap on the shoulder. When a superintendent saw something in him he hadn’t fully recognized in himself, he was “enlisted to lead” through a district-wide innovation project that started with nothing more than a conversation over coffee.

What followed was not just the development of a successful program, but the formation of a leadership identity grounded in people, trust, and purpose.

Together, Dr. Kim and George unpack what it means to lead in a people-centered profession, where influence matters more than position and where success depends on relationships, not transactions. George reflects on the difference between transformational and transactional leadership, the power of listening to understand rather than respond, and the responsibility that comes with being seen as a leader.

This conversation is especially powerful for new and emerging leaders who are stepping into roles without feeling fully prepared—and for anyone who has ever been “voluntold” into leadership.

At the heart of this episode is a simple but profound leadership truth:

People matter—and leadership begins by giving value before expecting results.

Listeners will walk away reflecting on:

• Who saw leadership potential in them before they saw it in themselves
• How to build trust through listening and relationships
• What it means to lead with value in both supportive and challenging leadership environments

Because leadership isn’t just a role you step into—it’s a responsibility you grow into.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

• Check out her website
• Follow her on Instagram @drkimleadership
• Follow her on TikTok @drkimleadership
• Follow her in X @drkimleadership
• Like her page on Facebook
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In this episode of Rise Up and Lead: Real Lessons, Real Stories, Real Talk, Dr. Kim sits down with Dr. Shanae Herron, Director of Federal Programs, to explore what it truly means to lead with clarity, integrity, and data.

Dr. Herron shares her unconventional journey from higher education to an uncertified high school English teacher—and how building strong relationships with students led to exceptional outcomes. As her leadership responsibilities expanded to the district and state levels, she learned that effective leadership requires more than passion or instinct.

At the state level, Dr. Herron faced a critical leadership challenge when a program she oversaw began to fail. Through that experience, she developed a powerful leadership stance: decisions must be grounded in data, not opinion.

This episode challenges leaders to move beyond “I think” and “I feel” and instead lead with evidence, documentation, and integrity—especially when making difficult decisions.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

• Check out her website
• Follow her on Instagram @drkimleadership
• Follow her on TikTok @drkimleadership
• Follow her in X @drkimleadership
• Like her page on Facebook
• Connect with her on LinkedIn

In this episode of Rise Up and Lead: Real Lessons, Real Stories, Real Talk, Dr. Kim sits down with Tonika McElvin, a clinical mental health counselor working with women in recovery.

Tonika shares how she initially resisted the idea of being a leader. Like many professionals in helping fields, she entered her work simply wanting to support others. But over time, she realized that when people depend on you for guidance, perspective, and encouragement, leadership naturally emerges.

Through her work in a residential rehabilitation program, Tonika helps women develop emotional regulation and healthier thinking patterns using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Along the way, she discovered that leadership is not always about titles—it often grows out of responsibility, compassion, and the willingness to show up for others.

This conversation explores the moment when helping others becomes something more: leadership through influence, accountability, and care.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

1. Check out her website
2. Follow her on Instagram @drkimleadership
3. Follow her on TikTok @drkimleadership
4. Follow her in X @drkimleadership
5. Like her page on Facebook
6. Connect with her on LinkedIn

Ever felt like you didn’t set out to lead, but leadership found you anyway? In this episode, I sit down with Starlene Aydlett, whose journey from first-generation college graduate with a criminal justice degree to school counselor, and eventually to unexpected school leader, offers a powerful look at how growth often emerges from the moments we least expect. Together, we unpack the surprises, struggles, and small victories that come with inheriting leadership, from navigating challenging transitions to finding confidence with the help of supportive mentors.

Starlene shares how her experiences in criminal justice and mental health counseling shaped her perspective, ultimately leading to a role where she discovered the importance of seeing and hearing others. We discuss the challenges of moving from colleague to authority, building trust and influence, and the lessons learned when you’re called to lead before you feel ready. You’ll hear about the courage it takes to step out of your comfort zone, why authenticity matters, and how the best leaders focus on giving people what they truly need to thrive.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

1. Check out her website
2. Follow her on Instagram @drkimleadership
3. Follow her on TikTok @drkimleadership
4. Follow her in X @drkimleadership
5. Like her page on Facebook
6. Connect with her on LinkedIn

What happens when leadership finds you before you feel ready? In this episode, Ellarese Harvey opens up about her unexpected journey into leadership and how saying “yes” to a challenge she didn’t seek became the turning point for her personal and spiritual growth.

Ellarese shares how being asked to serve as a worship leader forced her to confront self-doubt and imposter syndrome, ultimately revealing strengths she didn’t know she had. Through faith, mentorship, and perseverance, she learned that leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about influence, service, and the courage to grow through discomfort.

We explore how Ellarese balances her many roles as a university professional, fitness instructor, and worship leader, and how each has shaped her understanding of purpose and community. This episode is a reminder that leadership often begins where comfort ends—and that the most powerful leaders are those who rise with authenticity, humility, and faith.

Connect with Dr. Kim Richardson

1. Check out her website
2. Follow her on Instagram @drkimleadership
3. Follow her on TikTok @drkimleadership
4. Follow her in X @drkimleadership
5. Like her page on Facebook
6. Connect with her on LinkedIn