Our Guest, Dr. Gracie Branch, serves as the Associate Executive Director for Professional Learning at the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and formerly served as the Executive Director for Elementary Principals at the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA).

In her current position, Dr. Branch sustains and grows leadership opportunities by providing quality professional learning for administrators that encompasses national educational standards and initiatives. In 2011, she earned her PhDfrom the University of Oklahoma (OU) in Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision where she was named a David L. Clark Scholar by the American Educational Research Association and the University Council for EducationalAdministration (UCEA). She also holds a M.S. in Elementary Education and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Oklahoma.

In 2000, Dr. Branch received National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist. In 2016, the UCEA recognized Dr. Branch for excellence in educational leadership. Dr. Branch feels that her 46 years in education serve as a solid foundation to carry out her responsibilities at NAESP and to achieve high professional standards in our nation's schools.

Your Host: ⁠⁠Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP⁠⁠

Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences.

Register for the 2026 2.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF.

Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO 2.0, Education 2.0, Health 2.0, Founders 2.0, and the Fueld Conference.

Xcelerated Excellence Consulting. Xcelerated Excellence, LLC is dedicated to offering support to educational leaders and their organizations to meet their full potential for excellence. We do so by upholding the value of design thinking for solutions, integrity of practice, continuous quality improvement, and innovation to unlock potential.⁠

Resources:

• EDUP The Experience
• The Wallace Foundation
• Learning Policy Institute
• NAESP

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Greeting: Devin Rankin

Research Assistant: Emma Worthington

#EDUPXE #EDUCATIONALEXCELLENCE #EDUCATIONALEQUITY #NAESP

Our Guest, Dr. ⁠Sundeep R. Muppidi⁠, is a transformative higher education leader and Professor of Digital Media and Journalism at the ⁠University of Hartford⁠.

He has substantive experience driving institutional excellence through strategic innovation, adaptable program review systems, multi-year assessment models and student-centeredinitiatives. A distinguished scholar with a doctorate from ⁠Bowling Green State University⁠, Dr. Muppidi brings nearly three decades of global expertise. His research focuses on international communication, complexity, and communication for social change and empowerment.

His scholarly contributions include four co-authored/edited books, over 50 book chapters and refereed journal articles, numerous media productions, and more than a hundred refereed conference presentations and invited talks worldwide. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Asia-Pacific Media Educator, Media Asia and as the Associate Editor of the Asian Journal of Communication. He continues to serve on several disciplinary editorial boards, including for the International Journal of Politics and Media, International Communication Research Journal, and the Global Media Journal India.

A committed educator, Dr. Muppidi is recognized for his innovative teaching methods and leadership in classroomtechnology integration. He serves as a trained Peer Reviewer for the Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation (CTEI).

In 2021, he received the prestigious Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Award for Distinguished Service to the University of Hartford.

Your Host: ⁠⁠⁠Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP⁠⁠⁠

Sponsor: ⁠The 2.0 Conferences⁠. Register for the 2026 2.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF.

Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: ⁠CXO 2.0⁠, ⁠Education 2.0⁠, ⁠Health 2.0⁠, ⁠Founders 2.0⁠, and the ⁠Fueld Conference⁠.

⁠Xcelerated Excellence Consulting. ⁠Xcelerated Excellence Consulting, LLC is dedicated to offering support to education leaders and their organizations to meet their full potential for excellence⁠.

Resources:

• Dr.Sundeep R. Muppidi—21st Century Media Instruction, CriticalThinking, Polarization, and Social Responsibility (Part 1 of 2) Podcast

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• EDUPThe Experience⁠

Greeting: ⁠Jake Small⁠

#EDUPXE #EDUCATIONALEXCELLENCE #EDUCATIONALEQUITY

Our Guest, Dr. Sundeep R. Muppidi, is a transformativehigher education leader and Professor of Digital Media and Journalism at the University of Hartford.

He has substantive experience driving institutional excellence through strategic innovation, adaptable program review systems, multi-year assessment models and student-centered initiatives. A distinguished scholar with a doctorate from Bowling Green State University, Dr. Muppidi brings nearly three decades of global expertise. His research focuses on international communication, complexity, and communication for social change and empowerment.

His scholarly contributions include four co-authored/edited books, over 50 book chapters and refereed journal articles,numerous media productions, and more than a hundred refereed conference presentations and invited talks worldwide. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Asia-Pacific Media Educator, Media Asia and as the Associate Editor of the Asian Journal of Communication. He continues to serve on several disciplinaryeditorial boards, including for the International Journal of Politics and Media, International Communication Research Journal, and the Global Media Journal India.

A committed educator, Dr. Muppidi is recognized for his innovative teaching methods and leadership in classroom technology integration. He serves as a trained Peer Reviewer for the Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation (CTEI).

In 2021, he received the prestigious Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Award for Distinguished Service to the University of Hartford.

Your Host: ⁠⁠Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP⁠⁠

Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences.Register for the 2026 2.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF.

Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO 2.0, Education 2.0, Health 2.0, Founders 2.0, and the Fueld Conference.

Xcelerated Excellence Consulting. Xcelerated Excellence Consulting, LLC is dedicated to offering support to education leaders and their organizations to meet their full potential for excellence⁠.

Resources:

EDUP The Experience

⁠

Greeting: Jake Small

#EDUPXE #EDUCATIONALEXCELLENCE #EDUCATIONALEQUITY

Our guest, Kwame Sarfo-Mensah, is the founder of Identity Talk Consulting, LLC, a global educational consulting firm that specializes in developing K-12 teachers into identity-affirming educators. Rooted in the core values of equity, empowerment, and authenticity, Identity Talk Consulting, LLC provides a range of professional learning experiences, including keynote speaking, virtual and in-person trainings, leadership consulting, and e-courses, to help educators sharpen their cultural responsiveness and anti-bias, anti-racist (ABAR) practices. The firm is licensed as a DESE-approved professional development provider and officially recognized as a Minority Owned Enterprise within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Prior to launching Identity Talk Consulting, Mr. Sarfo-Mensah served for nine years as a middle school math teacher in Philadelphia, PA and Boston, MA, where he was known not only for his instructional effectiveness but also for his student-centered, culturally affirming approach to teaching. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Temple University,where his experiences as both a student and student-leader laid the foundation for his professional and pedagogical journey.

His latest book, Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom, recently received the 2025 IPPY Gold Medal for Best Education Commentary Book and the2024 Foreword INDIES Gold Award for Best Education Book, further cementing his status as a thought leader in culturally responsive education.

Your Host: ⁠⁠Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP⁠⁠

Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences.Register for the 2026 2.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF.

Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO 2.0, Education 2.0, Health 2.0, Founders 2.0, and the Fueld Conference.

Xcelerated Excellence Consulting⁠

Resources:

Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom (Book)

EDUP The Experience

⁠

Greeting: Jake Small

#EDUPXE #EDUCATIONALEXCELLENCE #EDUCATIONALEQUITY

Our guest, Dr. Jamal Watson, is anaward-winning journalist. He has held numerous roles at Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. He has been a senior staff writer, managing editor, executiveeditor and editor-at-large. He has written and edited for the publication since 2005.

He is currently on the graduate school faculty at Trinity Washington University and has served as associate dean of the School of Business and Graduate Studies since 2022. He is a contributor to The Washington Monthly and a regular commentator on television networks. In 2025, Education Week listed him as one of the nation's top 200 university-based educators who influenced education policy in 2024.

A native of Philadelphia, Watson earned his bachelor’s degree in English and Theology from Georgetown University, a master's degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, a master's degree in Higher Education from the University of Delaware and a master's and a Ph.D. in Afro-American Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

His writings have appeared in numerous publications including The Baltimore Sun, and USA Today. He is the author of a forthcoming biography on the Reverend Al Sharpton and a book about the student debt crisis.

Your Host: ⁠⁠Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP⁠⁠

Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences. Register for the 2026 2.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF.

Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO 2.0, Education 2.0, Health 2.0, Founders 2.0, and the Fueld Conference.

Xcelerated Excellence Consulting⁠

Resources:

Jamal Watson

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education

The Student Debt Crisis: America’s Moral Urgency (Book)

EDUP The Experience

⁠

Greeting: Jake Small

#EDUPXE #EDUCATIONALEXCELLENCE #EDUCATIONALEQUITY

Our guest, Dr. Jamal Watson, is an award-winning journalist. He has held numerous roles at Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. He has been a senior staff writer, managing editor, executiveeditor and editor-at-large.

He has written and edited for the publication since 2005. He is currently on the graduate school faculty at Trinity Washington University and has served as associate dean of the School of Business and Graduate Studies since 2022.

He is a contributor to The Washington Monthly and a regular commentator on television networks. In 2025, Education Week listed him as one of the nation's top 200 university-based educators who influenced education policy in 2024.

A native of Philadelphia, Watson earned his bachelor’s degree in English and Theology from Georgetown University, a master's degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, a master's degree in Higher Education from the University of Delaware and a master's and a Ph.D. in Afro-American Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His writings have appeared in numerous publicationsincluding The Baltimore Sun, and USA Today.

He is the author of a forthcoming biography on the Reverend Al Sharpton and a book about the student debt crisis.

Your Host: ⁠⁠Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP⁠⁠

Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences. Register for the 20262.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF.

Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO 2.0, Education 2.0, Health 2.0, Founders 2.0, and the Fueld Conference.

Xcelerated Excellence Consulting

⁠

Resources:

Jamal Watson

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education

The Student Debt Crisis: America’s Moral Urgency (Book)

EDUP The Experience

⁠

Greeting: Jake Small

#EDUPXE #EDUCATIONALEXCELLENCE #EDUCATIONALEQUITY

Our guest, Jerrica Thurman, is the visionary founder behind Elation Communications, a trailblazing firm helping mission-driven organizations amplify their voice, elevate their brand, and accelerate impact. With more than two decades of leadership at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and social change, Jerrica is redefining what it means to lead with purpose in today’s fast-moving world.

As President & CEO of Elation Communications, Jerrica is not just building a company—she’s building a movement. She leads with bold vision and creative edge, bringing fresh energy to brand strategy, organizational growth, and inclusive communications. Under her leadership, Elation has become a go-to partner for nonprofits, foundations, and purpose-led enterprises ready to reimagine how they show up and stand out in a crowded media landscape.

Jerrica’s career is marked by transformative wins—including securing a game-changing $15 million federal grant for people with disabilities, repositioning national associations, andleading communications campaigns that drive equity, innovation, and influence. Her award-winning work has earned national recognition—including the 2024 APEX Award for Publication Excellence in Campaigns, Programs & Plans for Public Service and the 2021 APEX Award in COVID-19 Media – Education & Training, further cementing her reputation as a leader who delivers both strategy and substance.

Your Host: ⁠⁠Jacob Easley II, PhD, PMP⁠⁠

Sponsor: The 2.0 Conferences.Register for the 2026 2.0 Conferences in Las Vegas, Nevada and receive a discount courtesy of EDUP Xcelerated Excellence with the code EDUPXE15OFF.

Your choice of the 2.0 Conferences include: CXO2.0, Education 2.0, Health 2.0, Founders 2.0, and the Fueld Conference.

Xcelerated Excellence Consulting⁠

Resources:

Elation Communications

EDUP The Experience

Greeting: Curtis Valentine

#EDUPXE #EDUCATIONALEXCELLENCE #EDUCATIONALEQUITY