Meet Our Guest:

About Mercedes Johnson:
In 1995, Mercedes Ramirez Johnson narrowly survived a commercial airplane crash that killed 160 people, including her parents. She presents her proprietary Second Chance Living concept, an innovative mindset and approach with a proven track record, to organizations such as General Electric, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, NASA, Chevron, and the various branches of the US Armed Forces.

Before becoming a speaker, Mercedes spent nearly a decade in high-level sales in the pharmaceutical and medical software industries. A record-breaking, multimillion dollar producer, she became the youngest female and sole Latino account executive at Cerner Corporation. She is an active leader in philanthropic organizations advocating for special needs children and children’s health initiatives, notably for Make-A-Wish and The National MPS Society. Mercedes and her story have been the subject of considerable national and international media coverage.

Connect with Mercedes Ramirez Johnson:
Website: https://www.mercedesramirezjohnson.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercedes-ramirez-johnson-5536234/
X: https://x.com/MRamirezJohnson

About Katie Riley:
Katie Riley’s extensive career reflects a strong dedication to transforming education, particularly for students with diverse learning needs. With 25 years of experience in various educational settings, including public and private schools, and her work in parish schools, she has built a reputation as an educator passionate about making a difference for all students.

Her journey began in the challenging but rewarding environments of Chicago Public Schools and Dallas Independent School Districts, where she was determined to improve educational outcomes for students with different learning styles. As her career progressed, her expertise expanded, and she took on leadership roles as an educational consultant and an administrator of high-impact schools in Dallas.

Katie continues her deep commitment to innovation in education and a drive to advocate for students who may otherwise be overlooked. She is currently an educational consultant who works with schools and families to help ensure all students find an environment where they can be successful.

Watch on YouTube:

Takeaways:

• Everyone wants to be special and normal at the same time
• Teachers aren’t the only adults that can have an impact
• Everyone has their own superpowers
• Different is okay

The Host:

Host, Kevin Stoller:
Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.

Connect with Kevin:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

Connect with co-host, Carla Cummins:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-cummins-01449659/

Our Partners:

For more information on our partners:
Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) – https://www.a4le.org/
Education Leaders’ Organization – https://www.ed-leaders.org/
Second Class Foundation – https://secondclassfoundation.org/
EDmarket – https://www.edmarket.org/
Catapult @ Penn GSE – https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/