The North Star
Welcome to The North Star—a podcast produced by the Oberlin Center for DEI Innovation and Leadership, and a space for candid conversations on leadership, legacy, and navigating complexity.
In each episode, we’ll talk with changemakers, scholars, and disruptors who are asking bold questions and reimagining what leadership looks like—in education, in community, and in the world we’re building next.
Whether you’re leading a team, building a movement, or just trying to make sense of today’s challenges, The North Star is your companion for reflection, insight, and action.
Episodes
17 episodes
Rooted in Oberlin: Dr. Johnnetta Cole on Building a Lifelong Legacy
In the season finale of The North Star, JeffriAnne Wilder, Ph.D. sits down with legendary educator, anthropologist, and social justice activist Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Ph.D., Oberlin alumna, former president of Spelman and Bennett Colle...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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29:07
Four Pillars and a Future: JeffriAnne Wilder, PhD on Reimagining DEI, Innovation, and Leadership
This special episode of The North Star turns the spotlight on Executive Director JeffriAnne Wilder, Ph.D., in a candid conversation with colleague Letisha Bereola about her journey, her identity, and leading Oberlin’s Center for DEI In...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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41:18
Beyond Beauty: A Conversation on Colorism and Redefining Social Capital with Dr. Margaret Hunter
In this episode, JeffriAnne Wilder, PhD welcomes Margaret Hunter, PhD, professor of sociology and strategic advisor for faculty DEI initiatives at Santa Clara University, for a candid conversation about nearly three decades of research and advo...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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42:24
Rewriting the Narrative: Dr. Aldon Morris on Uncovering Marginalized Voices in Social Science
In this landmark episode, JeffriAnne Wilder, Ph.D. welcomes Dr. Aldon Morris, professor emeritus, influential sociologist, and author of The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement and The Scholar Denied, to discuss how disruption and bottom...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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40:23
Blueprints for Belonging: Liz Gordon-Canlas on Care, Connection, and Leading Zora’s House
In this inspiring episode, Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder welcomes Liz Gordon-Canlas, Managing Director of Zora’s House, a vibrant hub for women and gender-expansive people of color in Columbus, Ohio, to discuss how disruption can mean building radicall...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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34:12
Getting Into Good Trouble: Dr. Gregory Hutchings Jr. on Dismantling Systemic Inequities in Schools
We sit down with Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings Jr., teacher, principal, superintendent, consultant, and now professor at Howard University, to map a leadership journey that breaks barriers without losing its compass. From making history in Shaker He...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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43:48
Disruption Beyond DEI: How Entrepreneurship Drives Equity — with Martin Ekechukwu
Brand builder, marketing strategist, and entrepreneur Martin Ekechukwu joins Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder on The North Star to unpack how entrepreneurship can drive equity in a time when formal DEI programs are retracting.From his immigrant ro...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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30:51
Leading with Resolve: Dr. Herman Felton's HBCU Revolution
Dr. Herman Felton shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Jacksonville's inner city to becoming the 17th president of Wiley University, a transformative leader who has redefined what it means to lead an HBCU in today's challenging land...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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44:35
Living Our Values: Dr. Airica Steed on Breaking Concrete Ceilings, Healing, and Leading Change
This bonus episode features the inaugural show of the Conversation Series: Living Our Values, where Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder sat down with Dr. Airica Steed—a living change maker and history maker—to explore what it truly means to live you...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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58:01
The Power of Psychological Safety: Dr. Tammy Hodo on Transforming Workplaces Through Inclusion
Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder welcomes back Dr. Tammy Hodo, educator, DEI consultant, and CEO of All Things Diverse, for an insightful conversation about the foundational role of psychological safety, civility, and inclusive leadership in building high...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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39:49
Dialogic Inclusion and Real-World Equity: Insights with Gardy Guiteau, DEIB Strategist
Gardy Guiteau—educator, facilitator, coach, and principal of GJG Training and Consulting—returns to The North Star for a powerful conversation with Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder about his journey from student affairs to global DEI consulting, the role ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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37:14
From Apathy to Action: How Gen Z is Shaping DEI and Student Leadership in College
In this episode of The North Star, Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder sits down with Oberlin College students Natacha Lee and Skylar Leung—two Gen Z changemakers working at the Center for DEI, Innovation, and Leadership. Together, they discuss the evolving ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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27:49
Navigating DEI Leadership Challenges: Lessons from a Groundbreaking Graduate Program
Join Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder, Dr. Tammy Hodo, and Gardy Guiteau for a candid, reflective conversation about their journey creating one of the nation’s first global master’s degree programs in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership at G...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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54:45
Legacy in Motion: JeffriAnne Wilder, Ph.D. on Identity, Advocacy, and Creating Space for Change
In this episode of The North Star, JeffriAnne Wilder, Ph.D. steps from behind the mic to take center stage. Interviewed by Letisha Bereola, she shares her personal and professional journey through the world of DEI leadership, higher education, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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54:06
Teaching, Thriving, and Telling Our Stories: Dr. Meredith Gadsby on 25 Years at Oberlin
In this episode of The North Star, Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder is joined by Dr. Meredith Gadsby, associate professor of Africana Studies and Comparative American Studies at Oberlin College. A scholar, educator, and community leader, Dr. Gads...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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47:45
Triplets, Tenure, and Transformative Leadership: A Conversation with President Ambar
In this inaugural episode of The North Star, Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder sits down with Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar for an intimate and powerful conversation about leadership, legacy, and navigating complexity in hi...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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39:35