Leader to Leader with Darryl Cobb
Leader to Leader with Darryl Cobb
Podcast Description
In Leader to Leader, host Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, sits down with exceptional school leaders from the charter school community, unpacking not only their successes, but also the profound personal stories that compel them to lead. The conversations aim to surface actionable insights and highlight what it takes to build a great school. Whether you're an educator, a leader, or someone passionate about the transformative power of education, there's something here for you. Listen to discover what makes these leaders tick and the wisdom they've gained.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers on themes such as educational leadership, charter school management, and community impact, with episodes exploring various challenges and successes encountered in the charter school sector. For instance, the episode featuring Amanda Johnson discusses launching a charter school in a rural area, while the inaugural episode with Constance Jones examines the transformative effects of the 2008 recession on charter education.
In Leader to Leader, host Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, sits down with exceptional school leaders from the charter school community, unpacking not only their successes, but also the profound personal stories that compel them to lead. The conversations aim to surface actionable insights and highlight what it takes to build a great school. Whether you’re an educator, a leader, or someone passionate about the transformative power of education, there’s something here for you. Listen to discover what makes these leaders tick and the wisdom they’ve gained.
In this special summer 2026 episode of Leader to Leader, Darryl Cobb, President of the Charter School Growth Fund, sits down with Yeime Valle, CEO and Executive Director of Brilla Public Charter Schools, a network of eight schools serving approximately 2,500 students across the Bronx.
Yeime reflects on immigrating from Panama, growing up without her mother and father present, and how her own experiences as a student shaped her belief that educators must understand the whole child, not only the behavior they see in the classroom. She shares her unconventional path from business and school operations to becoming Brilla’s first Black woman CEO, and why her journey helps students and families see what may also be possible for them.
From home visits and family partnerships to Brilla’s unapologetic focus on literacy and character formation, Yeime explains how clarity helped the network increase the percentage of students reading at grade level. She also discusses representation, leading through difficult decisions, blocking out external noise, and keeping the focus on the child directly in front of you.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.