Empowered Educator: Leadership in Motion | Educational Leadership, Principal Leadership, Teachers as Leaders

Dr. Mel Vandevort - Educational Leadership, Educational Consultancy, Teacher Transition Coach, Educational Administration, Educational Entrepreneurship

Are you a passionate educator stepping into leadership—or thinking about making that leap? Maybe you just accepted your first admin role and feel the weight of leading well. Or you’re a classroom teacher who feels the calling to lead with purpose and impact. The Empowered Educator Show is your space to grow as a leader without losing who you are. I’m Dr. Mel—former administrator turned leadership and instructional coach, educational consultant, and now your guide to navigating the real work of school leadership. With over 25 years in education, I help new and aspiring leaders shift their mindset, strengthen their strategies, and build Confident Classrooms—where teachers feel supported, students are engaged, and learning thrives. Each episode I bring you real talk, practical tools, and heart-centered leadership support designed to help you: Create a school culture rooted in confidence, clarity, and trust Develop teachers who feel empowered, not overwhelmed Lead with boldness, even when the road gets bumpy It’s about becoming the kind of leader who creates ripple effects across classrooms, campuses, and communities. Let’s power up your purpose and put your leadership in motion.

  1. 2D AGO

    The Craft of Clarity with Casey Watts #222

    Send us a text Casey Watts is a dynamic speaker, author, and expert in team leadership with over 20 years in education and 10 years of experience coaching educators, entrepreneurs, and leaders. She is the creator of the Clarity Cycle Framework, helping leaders bridge gaps, foster commitment, and create sustainable alignment. Casey is also the founder and host of The Catching Up with Casey podcast, where she and her guests bring clarity to the seemingly small things in leadership that make a big difference.  Casey talks about how clarity precedes capacity, She hits on three types of clarity. She discusses how leaders can transfer ownership to teachers and hold them accountable without micromanaging.  But it requires clarity– clarity of direction, clarity of collaboration, and clarity of identity.  This episode is perfect for aspiring leaders.  Website: Catching Up with Casey LinkedIn The Craft of Clarity Book Free Preview of The Craft of Clarity Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    34 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Power Surge⚡Finish Strong Without Burning Out #221

    Send us a text Second semester doesn’t start slow — it starts heavy. The calendar is full, expectations are high, and leadership fatigue is real. In today’s Power Surge, you’re reminded that finishing strong isn’t about doing more — it’s about leading with intention and protecting your energy. This episode is a reset for leaders who are capable, committed, and quietly exhausted. Power Surge Reminder You don’t need to push harder to prove your leadership.  You need to manage your energy so you can lead with clarity and purpose. Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    7 min

  3. JAN 2

    Quality Over Quantity: Living Out “New Year, Same Mission” in Second Semester #220

    Send us a text Second semester doesn’t need more initiatives—it needs more intention. In this episode, Dr. Mel reinforces a message she’s already been naming all year: strong leadership isn’t about adding more, it’s about protecting what matters most. As the pressure ramps up and fatigue sets in, this conversation centers on choosing quality over quantity, leading with presence, and staying aligned to the mission so your people can finish the year strong. This episode is a reminder that New Year, Same Mission isn’t just a mindset—it’s a leadership practice, especially in second semester. Power Statement from This Episode: “I stay aligned to the mission by leading with focus, presence, and follow-through—so my people can finish the year strong.” Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    11 min

  4. JAN 1

    🧭The One Word That Will Shape Your Leadership This Year #219

    Send us a text As a new year begins, it’s easy for leaders to feel pressure to set big goals, make sweeping changes, or “fix” everything at once. In this episode, Dr. Mel invites building leaders to pause—and choose something far more powerful than a resolution: one word to guide their leadership all year long. Listen to Episode #117 – Realign, Refocus, and Tackle 2025, for the steps to picking your word of the year.  Reflection Questions for Leaders What do my staff, students, and community need most from me this year?Where do I need to lead with more consistency instead of intensity?What kind of leader am I intentionally becoming?When pressure rises, what word do I want guiding my response?Related Episode 🎧 Episode #117 – Realign, Refocus, and Tackle 2025 This episode builds on the foundation of realignment and focus by helping leaders clarify who they are choosing to be as they lead into the new year. Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    9 min

  5. 12/31/2025

    ⚡Power Surge New Year, Same Mission — Stronger Leadership #218

    Send us a text  As the calendar year comes to a close, Dr. Mel reminds building leaders that effective leadership doesn’t require reinvention — it requires recommitment. In this Power Surge episode, she encourages principals and school leaders to enter the new year grounded in purpose, aligned to mission, and focused on consistency over constant change.  Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    4 min

  6. 12/26/2025

    Power Surge ⚡It’s Not Too Late to Change the Ending #217

    Send us a text In this Power Surge follow-up episode, Dr. Mel reminds building leaders that leadership growth doesn’t require a new role, a new year, or perfect timing. Inspired by A Christmas Carol, this short reflection challenges principals and school leaders to remember that even late in the school year, small, intentional leadership shifts can change culture and impact. Reflection Question: 👉 What is one small leadership decision I can make this week that changes the ending of this school year? Perfect For: Principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, superintendents, and aspiring building leaders who need encouragement and clarity during the busy holiday season. Inspired By: Dickens, C. (1843). A Christmas Carol. Chapman & Hall. Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    4 min

  7. 12/25/2025

    Lessons From A Christmas Carol About Leadership, Legacy, and More #216

    Send us a text In this holiday episode of The Empowered Educator Show, Dr. Mel reflects on leadership lessons from A Christmas Carol and connects them to the real work of building leaders. This episode focuses on reflection, relationships, school culture, leadership legacy, and the power of transformation. What I Cover: Why relationships matter more than authorityHow leadership experiences shape decision-makingWhat school culture reveals about leadership impactWhy legacy matters more than titleHow leaders can change course at any point in the yearBest For: Principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, superintendents, and aspiring school leaders. Resource Mentioned: Dickens, C. (1843). A Christmas Carol. Chapman & Hall. Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    10 min

  8. 12/24/2025

    Peace Over Pressure: A Christmas Eve Power Surge #215

    Send us a text On Christmas Eve, the noise fades and the pace slows—inviting leaders to pause in a way they rarely allow themselves to do. In this special Power Surge episode, Mel speaks directly to school leaders who have been carrying responsibility, expectations, and unseen weight all year long. This episode is a reminder that leadership doesn’t always look like doing more. Sometimes, the most faithful leadership choice is stillness, trust, and rest. Grounded in the Christmas story and Scripture, this episode encourages leaders to release pressure, reflect with gratitude, and remember that God often works most powerfully in quiet moments. Scripture Referenced: Matthew 1:21 — Hope entering the world quietlyPsalm 46:10 — The power of stillness and trust Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase! Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points. Calling All Educators! I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more. I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources. I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant. Join here: Empowered Educator Community Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success Grab a complimentary POWER Session With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery. email: melinda@empowere...

    2 min
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5
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Are you a passionate educator stepping into leadership—or thinking about making that leap? Maybe you just accepted your first admin role and feel the weight of leading well. Or you’re a classroom teacher who feels the calling to lead with purpose and impact. The Empowered Educator Show is your space to grow as a leader without losing who you are. I’m Dr. Mel—former administrator turned leadership and instructional coach, educational consultant, and now your guide to navigating the real work of school leadership. With over 25 years in education, I help new and aspiring leaders shift their mindset, strengthen their strategies, and build Confident Classrooms—where teachers feel supported, students are engaged, and learning thrives. Each episode I bring you real talk, practical tools, and heart-centered leadership support designed to help you: Create a school culture rooted in confidence, clarity, and trust Develop teachers who feel empowered, not overwhelmed Lead with boldness, even when the road gets bumpy It’s about becoming the kind of leader who creates ripple effects across classrooms, campuses, and communities. Let’s power up your purpose and put your leadership in motion.

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