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De Facto Leaders

Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan
Executive Functioning
Language Therapy
Education
Edtech
Speech-Language Pathology
Literacy
Educational Leadership
Self-Talk
Special Education
Time Perception
Speech Language Pathology
Dyslexia
Vocabulary Development
ADHD
Episodic Memory
Better Speech
Literacy Skills
Middle Management
Language Therapy Advance Foundations
Syntax

On the De Facto Leaders podcast, host Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan helps pediatric therapists and educators become better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. With over 15 years of experience supporting school-age kids with diverse learning needs, Dr. Karen shares up-to-date evidence-based practices, her own experiences and guest interviews designed to help clinicians, teacher... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes256Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
CoursesEducation

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Artwork for De Facto Leaders

Latest Episodes

Most schools say they “collaborate.” They hold team meetings. They talk about students. They review data.

But without clear infrastructure, those meetings become updates instead of decision-making engines, and multi-tiered systems of support become ... more

When schools talk about improving engagement, student wellness, or school climate, it often turns into assemblies, themed weeks, or standalone initiatives. 

When schools talk about community engagement, student wellness, or school climate, they ofte... more

In episode 255 of De Facto Leaders, I elaborate on the concept of using vocabulary as a large “container”, so you can design sessions efficiently without sacrificing quality.

I talk about why more experienced clinicians often struggle to make their ... more

Many experienced SLPs think they just need to plan better.

Tweak the activity. 

Adjust the visuals.

Try a new printable or protocol.

But what if none of that is the real problem?

What if your sessions are already so skillful that no one else can... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Lauren Porosoff
Educational consultant from The Teacher Nerd
The Teacher Nerd
Episode: Student Wellness Is a Design Decision, Not a Siloed Activity (with Lauren Porosoff)
Dr. Gene Kearns
Representative from Renaissance, discussing AI and education tools
Renaissance
Episode: Five “clinical containers” to design your language therapy system
Maura Connor
Chief Operating Officer at Better Speech, with expertise in educational and healthcare technology.
Better Speech
Episode: Defining “EdTech” and the End User (with Maura Connor)
Jane Gebers
Returning guest, author of 'Books Are for Talking, Too' and practicing speech pathologist for over 40 years
Sounding Your Best
Episode: What's the point of teaching storytelling? (with Jane Gebers)
Destiny Johnson
CEO and founder of Multimodal Communication Speech Clinic
Episode: Part 1: What’s the Point of a Language Evaluation? Breaking Down Diagnostic Accuracy, Standards, and Scores (with Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)
Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz
Bilingual SLP with a passion for assessment and advocacy work
Episode: Part 1: What’s the Point of a Language Evaluation? Breaking Down Diagnostic Accuracy, Standards, and Scores (with Destiny Johnson and Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)
Dr. Chrishawn Finister
Independent practicing licensed psychological associate and a licensed specialist in school psychology, recognized as a nationally certified school psychologist.
Your Joy Psychological
Episode: Educational Eligibility, Clinical Diagnosis, and the “Just Be Like Finland” Argument (with Dr. Chrishawn Finister)
Dr. Pamela Snow
Expert in literacy instruction and the distinction between biologically primary and secondary skills
Episode: What “Biologically Secondary” Means for Literacy Instruction (featuring Dr. Pamela Snow)
Cassandra Williams
Founder of two successful elementary schools in Indiana, focused on coaching teachers and the science of reading.
Episode: Engaging Families and the Role of Tech in Addressing Book Deserts (featuring Cassandra Williams)

Hosts

Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan
Host of De Facto Leaders Podcast
Maura Connor
Chief Operating Officer at Better Speech

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 78 ratings
  • Excellent

    This podcast is so informative!! I love listening to Dr. Karen! She’s helped me so much in my speech therapy sessions!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sean34514
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great Podcast

    Karen is so knowledgeable! I recommend this podcast to other educators frequently. There are so many great conversations that benefit many educators.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Barb22222
    United States2 years ago
  • Excellent Podcast!

    As a Special Education teacher one of my life rules is - when you need help ask the SLP. From executive functioning, language concerns and navigating the complex school world with a complex kid- you get it! Love your guests and your well articulated insights. Thanks for opening your mind and raising your voice so that we can learn more!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ReadingTeachersLounge
    United States2 years ago
  • Mom review

    I really enjoy the podcast, she articulates very well. Not all topics directly relate to my kids yet but it’s so great to hear her insight. She’s fantastic.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    *momof6*
    United States3 years ago
  • Redefining leadership

    Leadership is an action, not a station. I love how Dr. Karen has redefined what we mean by leaders and empowered more voices in the conversation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rrpodnet
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great bite-sized episodes with real-world takeaways for SLPs and teachers.
Listeners appreciate practical strategies and guest expertise.
Strong recommendations for leadership and scalable practice.
Concise, practical insights for parents and educators.
Dr. Karen is a knowledgeable, actionable host.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Student Wellness Is a Design Decision, Not a Siloed Activity (with Lauren Porosoff)
Q: How does compensatory programming fit into daily classroom design?
Compensatory programming should align with a school's stated values and be embedded in everyday instruction rather than serving as stand-alone wellness kits, ensuring students experience wellness through the design of interactions.
Student Wellness Is a Design Decision, Not a Siloed Activity (with Lauren Porosoff)
Q: What are the big projects you're working on now?
Lauren is focusing on instructional design and how to read disengagement, adjust classroom structures, and embed belonging and wellness into daily instruction to sustain engagement.
Defining “EdTech” and the End User (with Maura Connor)
Q: What are some of the right ways to implement technology effectively in education?
Effective implementation requires understanding the user experience, training tailored to user roles, and ongoing support and check-ins with users.
Defining “EdTech” and the End User (with Maura Connor)
Q: What are the different verticals of educational technology?
There are multiple verticals including instructional tools, assessment methods, specialized student support, infrastructure for administrative purposes, and analytics.
What's the point of teaching storytelling? (with Jane Gebers)
Q: How did storytelling become a topic of interest for you?
Jane became interested in storytelling through her work on 'Books Are for Talking, Too' and the research on Native American folklore books, which she found fascinating for language remediation.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About De Facto Leaders

What is De Facto Leaders about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Practical leadership and systems-building for pediatric therapy and education professionals are front and center. Episodes routinely explore turning clinical intuition into scalable processes, leveraging technology in speech-language pathology, and aligning front-line practice with admin and policy considerations. Listeners get actionable frameworks for creating SOPs, improving language and literacy outcomes, navigating language evaluations, and driving better collaboration among IEP teams. A notable throughline is the focus on accessible, real-world tools—templates, assessments, and tech solutions—that help therapists, teachers, and early-career leaders extend their impact beyond individual sessions. A standout aspect is the integration of... more

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Which podcasts are similar to De Facto Leaders?

These podcasts share a similar audience with De Facto Leaders:

1. Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers
2. Huberman Lab
3. The Mel Robbins Podcast
4. The SLP Now Podcast
5. Pivot

How many episodes of De Facto Leaders are there?

De Facto Leaders launched 5 years ago and published 256 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on De Facto Leaders?

Recent guests on De Facto Leaders include:

1. Lauren Porosoff
2. Dr. Gene Kearns
3. Maura Connor
4. Jane Gebers
5. Destiny Johnson
6. Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz
7. Dr. Chrishawn Finister
8. Dr. Pamela Snow

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