In this episode of the Boys of EdTech, the crew is joined by Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer, CEO and Founder of Women Leading Ed, for an inspiring and deeply insightful conversation on leadership, resilience, and transforming education systems at scale.
Julia shares her powerful journey from starting as a special education teacher in the Bronx to becoming a nationally recognized leader shaping policy, talent, and system-level change. Drawing from her own experiences as a student with non-visible disabilities, she reflects on how early challenges shaped her passion for creating more equitable and responsive education systems.
The conversation explores a defining moment early in her career that reshaped her perspective on leadership and systems. From that point forward, Julia became focused on understanding how strong leadership and thoughtful policy can drive real change for students and educators alike.
The discussion dives into her work building multiple organizations, including Women Leading Ed, and how she approaches leadership development through personalized support, coaching, and intentional talent building. She highlights the importance of sponsorship over mentorship, the role of self-awareness in leadership, and why strong teams are built through systems, structures, and clarity rather than individual performance alone.
The group also explores the future of education, including the growing role of AI, the need for faster and more adaptive strategic planning, and how leaders can navigate complexity while maintaining focus on impact. Julia brings a unique lens that blends discipline from her background as a competitive athlete with a deep commitment to developing leaders who can thrive in high-pressure environments.
Connect with the Boyz
Rick Fernandez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rick-fernandez-40692434/
Matthew Millstein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-millstein/
Jacob Kantor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejacobkantor/
Ryan Patenaude: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanpatenaude/
Jeff Piontek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpiontek/
Key Moments
02:11 Early challenges in special education systems
04:17 Writing to the NYC Chancellor and system-level change
06:08 Applying individualized support to leadership development
07:40 Why women often don't see themselves as ready
10:14 Importance of coaching and self-awareness
13:25 Burnout, recovery, and building sustainable habits
19:02 Growth and impact of Women Leading Ed
21:28 Talent as the biggest system challenge in education
24:37 Balancing focus and avoiding 'shiny object syndrome'
28:10 Leveraging AI across leadership and systems
32:42 Why AI strategy must move faster than traditional planning
38:12 Moving from mentorship to sponsorship
43:06 Personal challenges and high-performance mindset
Connect with Guest
Julia Rafal-Baer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrafal
Interested in joining the show? Fill out the form: https://forms.gle/SRVhzpXikBombee38
Listen to the episode: https://youtu.be/paTeLjxuDCM