The Education Road

Mike Biocchi
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This podcast will talk to interesting people who will share their journey from the classroom to where they are now. How did their education play a role in who they are today and where they ended up? The education road is windy because there isn’t necessarily one path that leads you on your journey.

  1. 4d ago

    Interview with Katie DeMatteis

    In this episode of The Education Road, we chat with Katie DeMatteis, the Director of Content and Brand at GitGuardian, who describes her educational path as both linear and nonlinear. Katie reflects on her early years balancing high academic achievement with intensive musical theater and dance training. Wanting an institution that valued her academic accomplishments rather than strictly her performance skills, she attended Vassar College. There, she earned a double major in Drama and Political Science (a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science), completing a study abroad program at BADA in London. Her time abroad helped her realize that while she loved performing, she did not want to rely on theater for her primary livelihood or risk losing her passion for it. The conversation explores Katie's transition into marketing, which began with summer internships in language strategy, social media, and digital marketing. Driven by a desire for career stability and continuous learning alongside non-traditional, intelligent colleagues, she transitioned into the tech sector. She built a specialized career in cybersecurity content marketing through roles at companies such as Zylotech, Carbon Black (VMware), Okta, and Snyk, while also consulting for early-stage startups. Katie shares her approach to content strategy, brand messaging, and navigating the evolving landscape of digital search and AI. She emphasizes using AI tools for process optimization rather than creative creation. She highlights the importance of preserving an authentic, distinct human brand voice without relying on AI clichés. Closing out the episode, Katie touches on her personal creative endeavors outside of work, including writing, playing tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), and co-hosting a D&D actual-play podcast. She advises young people to stay curious, explore their passions without overthinking the future, and always maintain creative outlets outside of their professional lives. Check out Amateurish Productions here: https://amateurishproductions.libsyn.com/ And her dad's latest novella on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Future-J-M-DeMatteis-ebook/dp/B0G5KLL1TX

  2. Aug 5

    Interview with Scott Wheeler

    A journalist's education story In this episode of The Education Road, we speak with Scott Wheeler, a national NHL reporter for The Athletic, who describes his learning journey as "never-ending". Unlike many who navigate uncertainty during their high school years, Scott knew from a very young age that he wanted to pursue sports journalism. He chose Carleton University for its strong academic foundation, minoring in law as a potential backup plan while benefiting from the school's prestigious journalism program and extensive internship network. During the interview, Scott highlights the critical role early hustle played in shaping his career. Coming up during the dawn of sports blogging and Twitter, he aggressively pitched local newspapers as a teenager, built a personal online following, and secured high-profile internships at The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and The Toronto Star. His time at The Toronto Star exposed him to fast-paced newsroom dynamics, covering everything from real estate to court cases, which ultimately taught him how to bring deep humanity and compelling storytelling into his sports writing. Now a decade into his career at The Athletic, Scott shares valuable insights on honing a distinct writing voice, learning to embrace criticism, and transitioning to a more conversational, listening-focused interview style. He also reflects on modern challenges in the field, including online hostility from fans, the public perception gap surrounding mainstream media, and the rising threat of AI generative tools on basic literacy, critical thinking, and authentic human expression. Closing out the conversation, Scott advises aspiring writers to start small, build an online presence early, and continuously pursue hands-on experience wherever possible.

  3. Jul 28

    Interview with David Alter

    Navigating a turbulent career in media with a positive outcome In this episode of The Education Road, we chat with David Alter, a sports journalist, Maple Leafs reporter, and Toronto site manager for The Hockey News, who describes his academic and career path as ongoing and never-ending. David reflects on his initial plans to pursue a career in statistics and actuarial science at Western University, driven by a strong aptitude for math and a desire for financial stability coming from an immigrant family. However, his trajectory shifted dramatically when he fell in love with Western's campus radio station, eventually switching his major to economics to focus his energy on broadcasting and finding his true passion. Throughout the conversation, David details his transition from an energetic campus volunteer into a versatile media professional with experience across radio, television, print, and digital platforms. He shares stories from his early days at The Fan 590, covering Olympic Games in Vancouver and London, and navigating the harsh realities of the media industry. David highlights how combining his mathematical background with an early adoption of technology allowed him to build a unique edge, whether it's breaking down complex NHL collective bargaining agreements, understanding travel economics to run his own business, or engaging audiences through modern digital formats like Twitter and TikTok. Now operating in an entrepreneurial structure that gives him the freedom to cover the game on his own terms, David emphasizes the irreplaceable value of boots-on-the-ground, human-to-human reporting in a world increasingly filled with AI aggregation. He offers valuable advice for the next generation of journalists, encouraging them to find their personal edge, set continuous six-month goals, and maintain a resilient, positive mindset through industry turbulence.

  4. Jul 21

    Interview with Clinton Herget

    The most important learning is meta In this episode of The Education Road, we chat with Clinton Herget, a principal analyst at Forrester who summarizes his academic and professional journey as "meta" in the most classic sense. Clinton explains how his formal education taught him very little about what he actually does day-to-day in his career, but everything about how to think, question, and navigate the world. He discusses his non-traditional path into tech, which began at William & Mary with a double major in government and philosophy. While he originally envisioned a political career as a presidential speechwriter in Washington, D.C., his self-taught coding skills quickly pulled him into technical roles for political campaigns and advocacy organizations, setting the stage for a unique career at the intersection of technology, humanities, and communication. Throughout the conversation, Clinton reflects on how his background in critical theory, linguistic philosophy, and theater shaped his approach to software engineering and technical leadership. He shares insights from his time running a digital consulting firm, leading engineering teams for federal science agencies like NASA, and serving as a field CTO in cybersecurity. Rather than relying on a traditional computer science background, Clinton emphasizes that the vast majority of technology work involves interacting with people, organizing information, and telling compelling stories, making clear communication and logical thinking the ultimate skill sets in an era increasingly dominated by AI tools. The episode also features a deep dive into the modern technological landscape, where Clinton offers a skeptical, highly disciplined perspective on artificial intelligence, tech bubbles, and the ethical responsibility of public policy in regulating private digital power. Now evaluating the industry as an analyst, Clinton reflects on the importance of maintaining an authentic point of view, holding strong opinions loosely, and encouraging the next generation to never stop questioning authority or authority's narratives.

  5. Jul 8

    Interview with Hope Thompson

    Night School, etcetera In this episode of The Education Road, we chat with Hope Thompson, a Toronto-based screenwriter, author, and instructor who describes her unique academic and professional journey as mysterious. Hope shares how her lifelong dream of being an artist led her to a classic fine arts undergraduate degree at Mount Allison University. However, the reality of making a living in the arts prompted her to weave a thread of continuous learning through her life, relying heavily on night school courses in graphic and computer design to build a sustainable career while staying connected to her creative drive. Over time, Hope transitioned from visual arts into the world of storytelling, exploring theater, filmmaking, and ultimately screenwriting. This evolution was supported by prestigious writing residencies in Italy and Banff, as well as a remote master's degree in creative writing from the University of British Columbia. These experiences helped her build a strong community of fellow artists, landing her exciting opportunities like working in the writer's room for a CBC comedy series. Currently, Hope is channeling her love for classic film noir and crime fiction into prose writing, with a true crime book co-written alongside a private investigator set to release next spring. She balances this heavy creative load with a strict discipline of writing one thousand words a day and teaching screenwriting online for OCAD. Check out her previous novel, Dark Thoughts & Other Stories!

  6. May 18

    Interview with Jaclyn Manishen

    Hustle never stops! In this episode of The Education Road, we explores the wild adventure of Jaclyn Manishen, a creative professional whose career has spanned advertising, freelance producing, and business development. Jaclyn shares how her childhood ambition that was inspired by the movie Sweet November and encouraged by her grandfather that led her to pursue a career as a creative director. Her path took her from a communications program at the University of Ottawa to a specialized postgraduate copywriting certificate at Humber College, where she eventually found her people and began the rigorous process of building a professional portfolio. The conversation dives into the often brutal reality of the advertising industry, as Jaclyn describes her early experiences navigating high-stakes internships at major agencies like Leo Burnett. She speaks candidly about the steep learning curve of receiving harsh creative feedback and how those formative years taught her to build a thick skin. Today, Jaclyn balances roles as a freelance producer and the managing director of Good Counsel, a business she co-founded with her father to create educational video content. Her journey serves as a powerful reminder that the hustle never stops and that being open to pivots can lead to unexpected and rewarding opportunities.

  7. May 11

    Interview with Julian Nasielski

    The Name of the Game! In this episode of The Education Road, we connect with Julian Nasielski, a level designer at Ubisoft Montreal whose career path was defined by what he describes as a "bumpy road with a couple of detours". Julian shares how his childhood passion for games, sparked by surreal and whimsical titles like Earthworm Jim and Rayman 2, eventually transformed from a hobby into a professional mission. Despite knowing he wanted to design games since he was eight years old, he reveals the internal and external pressures that nearly led him toward a career in medicine before he fully committed to his creative roots. The conversation dives into Julian's academic transition at John Abbott College, where he initially struggled with sciences like calculus and chemistry before finding his stride in the Creative Arts program. He reflects on the formative power of the CEGEP system in Quebec, which allowed him to experiment with everything from radio production and filmmaking to horror film classes and digital media. This period of exploration was crucial in helping him to see behind the curtain of the gaming industry, moving him closer to the specialized field of level design as he realized that the industry was much more vast and varied than he had initially understood as a child. Beyond his personal history, Julian offers a candid look at the modern landscape of game development, discussing the differences between what makes for a great level and what doesn't. He emphasizes the accessibility of the industry today, noting that free tools and Game Jams provide a low barrier to entry for those willing to persevere. The episode concludes with advice for aspiring creators to never give up and to keep making games, serving as an inspiring roadmap for anyone navigating their own non-linear path into the technical and creative arts.

  8. Apr 24

    Interview with Ross Lazerowitz

    The Journey from Staples to Founder In this episode, we explore the career journey of Ross, co-founder and CEO of Mirage Security. Ross traces his origins from his early days as a local IT handyman and a retail associate at Staples. He emphasizes the value of retail work for anyone entering the tech field, arguing that it builds essential empathy and a first-hand understanding of the corporate structures that dominate the professional world. This early exposure to the human side of technology eventually led him to Syracuse University, where a cybersecurity internship at JP Morgan Chase convinced him to switch from a general IT track to more rigorous software engineering. Ross explains how his unconventional academic background, which paired software engineering with a minor in cognitive science and entrepreneurship, became a unique professional asset. Today, his work at Mirage Security focuses on defending the "human element" against sophisticated social engineering and AI-generated deepfakes, recognizing that while technology has deterministic controls, people remain the final and most vulnerable path for modern attackers. The conversation concludes with a deep dive into the AI revolution and its disruptive impact on both the workforce and the classroom. Ross shares his perspective on AI as a "universal tutor" capable of providing individualized instruction, while also addressing the growing challenge for junior developers who now find themselves mentoring AI agents rather than learning through traditional boilerplate tasks. He reflects on the rigor of academic weed-out courses like functional programming in Haskell and offers a final piece of advice for the next generation: in an era of generalist AI, specialized expertise in technical fields like engineering or math is a far more secure foundation than a general business degree.

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About

This podcast will talk to interesting people who will share their journey from the classroom to where they are now. How did their education play a role in who they are today and where they ended up? The education road is windy because there isn’t necessarily one path that leads you on your journey.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Biocchi
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mike Biocchi
  • Show Website
    The Education Road