Episodes

Pete Upham has worked inside schools across multiple functional roles, from admission and development to college counseling, before spending 15 years leading a school association and working with hundreds of institutions. Today he runs his own consulting practice, and about 70% of his projects circle back to the same challenge: enrollment. What draws him to this work isn’t just the analytics. It’s the gap he keeps seeing between the data schools already have and the decisions they’re actually ma...

Rich Suttie got into the ChatGPT beta nearly four years ago and hasn’t stopped experimenting since. As a former Navy Top Gun instructor turned school head turned educational consultant, he’s delivered over 50 webinars on AI to private schools across the country. His consistent finding? Most educators still rate themselves a 2-4 out of 10 on AI familiarity. Meanwhile, students are already logged in. This conversation isn’t about whether AI belongs in schools. That ship has sailed. It’s about movi...

In this episode of the Help 100 Schools Podcast, host Karl Boehm speaks with Highley Thompson, Partner and Search Consultant at Educational Directions, about how independent schools can approach leadership transitions as moments of opportunity rather than disruption. Drawing on his decades of experience as a teacher, coach, division head, and consultant, Highley shares a deeply human perspective on how to find and nurture the right leaders—those who not only match a school’s mission, but also el...

Most schools do not struggle because of strategy. They struggle because of staff culture that was never intentionally built. Meredith Herrera works with school leadership teams navigating conflict, transition, burnout, and alignment challenges. In this conversation, she explains how staff culture shapes leadership effectiveness, retention, and ultimately enrollment stability. Meredith didn’t plan to start a consulting business. She left school administration after years as a senior leader and,...

Sylvie Mensah lives in two worlds that rarely overlap. By day, she guides privileged families through admissions at the British School of Lomé in Togo. The rest of her time, she runs La Touche, providing education and hope to youth in juvenile detention centers and underserved communities across the same city. Moving between these extremes—opportunity and abandonment, resources and deprivation—has fundamentally reshaped how Sylvie sees potential in every child. Her work embodies a philosophy roo...

What does authentic leadership look like in the face of crisis? In this harrowing episode, Help 100 Schools host Karl Boehm speaks with Leigh Toomey, founder of LeadHership Educational Solutions and former Head of School, about navigating tragedy, rebuilding community, and redefining leadership through courage and compassion. Drawing from her experience leading a school during the Covenant School shooting, Leigh shares actionable insights on crisis management, communication, and healing—while in...

Authenticity and courage aren’t just buzzwords—they’re essential to thriving school communities. In this episode, Karl Boehm interviews Nicole McDermott, a certified Dare to Lead™ facilitator and former head of school, about how daring leadership principles can reshape independent schools. Nicole shares her personal journey, lessons from working directly with Brené Brown, and practical ways educators at all levels can embrace vulnerability, curiosity, and connection to strengthen culture and tru...

AI-generated deep fakes are no longer science fiction—they’re creating real risks for schools today. In this episode, Karl Boehm interviews Evan Harris, president of Pathos Consulting Group, about the rise of synthetic media threats, from sextortion to fake crisis videos. Learn how schools can update policies, train staff, engage parents, and prepare crisis responses to protect students and communities.

A cyberattack just hit your school—do you know what to do next? In this episode, Karl Boehm talks with Mikel Pearce of CyberClan about how independent schools can prepare for, respond to, and recover from a breach. 🔹 Signs your school has been targeted 🔹 First steps when a breach occurs 🔹 Ransomware: should you pay? 🔹 Communicating without email access 🔹 Long-term cybersecurity strategies This is a must-listen for school leaders, IT teams, and administrators who want to stay prepared and protect...

Kindergarten is no longer what it used to be. In this episode, Karl Boehm sits down with Elizabeth Fraley, CEO of Kinder Ready Inc., about the changing landscape of early education—from academic shifts in math and reading to the fading role of play. Learn how private schools can adapt, partner with families, and prepare children for long-term success with a balanced, personalized approach. Shownotes available here: https://help100schools.com/podcast/early-education-trends-private-schools