Edutainment Upcoming Guests

Careers in Science and Higher Education

Dr. Nicholas Dirks

Professor Nicholas B. Dirks is a widely respected and highly influential historian and anthropologist, and a prominent leader in higher education.

In June 2020, Professor Dirks assumed leadership of The New York Academy of Sciences as President and Chief Executive Officer. In 2012, Professor Dirks was named as the 10th Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and served in that role until July of 2017. He launched major initiatives in undergraduate education and research collaborations in areas such as neuroscience and genomics. He oversaw the establishment of a new division of Data Science and led a series of bold global projects, including the creation of the Tsinghua Berkeley Shenzhen Institute and a global alliance with the

University of Cambridge, the National University of Singapore, and several other institutions.

Before joining Berkeley, Professor Dirks was the Executive Vice President for the Arts and Sciences and Dean of the faculty at Columbia University. Prior to his appointment at Columbia, for 10 years he was a Professor of History and Anthropology at the University of Michigan. Before that, he taught Asian history and civilization at the California Institute of Technology.

Professor Dirks received his BA from Wesleyan University, and his MA and PhD from the University of Chicago. He has published four major books, edited three others, and written numerous essays and articles. He has held prestigious fellowships and scholarships and received several scholarly honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Foundation residential fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and the Lionel Trilling Award for his book, Castes of Mind. His most recent book, City of Intellect: The Uses and Abuses of the University, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2024. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has served on numerous national and international bodies while receiving honorary degrees in Beijing, China and Madras, India. He is a Senior Member at the Council on Foreign Relations.

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February 19, 2026
@ 1:00 pm ET

K-12

Careers in Professional Sports

Jerome "Junkyard Dog" Williams

Jerome "Junkyard Dog" Williams is a former NBA player best known for his relentless hustle, defensive toughness, and unmatched energy on the court. Nicknamed the Junkyard Dog for his fearless, all-out style of play, Jerome built a respected NBA career by doing the hard work that doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet—diving for loose balls, battling for rebounds, and setting the tone through effort and intensity.

Drafted into the NBA in 1996, Jerome played for teams including the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks. While never chasing individual spotlight, he became a fan favorite and a coach’s dream because of his work ethic, resilience, and team-first mindset. His career stands as a powerful reminder that success is not only about talent, but about commitment, discipline, and heart.

Off the court, Jerome has dedicated his life to service and impact through the Jerome Williams Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering youth, supporting underserved communities, and providing resources for education, health, and personal development. Through camps, mentorship programs, and community initiatives, the foundation reflects Jerome’s belief that giving back is not optional—it’s a responsibility.

Today, Jerome continues to inspire students by sharing real-world lessons on perseverance, leadership, and purpose beyond athletics. Through Edutainment Learning, the Junkyard Dog shows students that true greatness is defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you uplift others along the way.

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February 23, 2026
@ 1:00 pm ET

K-12

Careers in Law and Service

John Piro

John’s journey began far from the courtroom—on the training fields of the United States Army, where he learned that leadership is measured not by titles, but by how fiercely you protect the people beside you. As a combat medic and later a sergeant leading a squad of medics, he discovered a purpose that would shape the rest of his life: to stand with people when they need someone most.

When John returned home to Las Vegas, he carried that purpose into everything he did. Being the first in his family to go to college, he earned his Criminal Justice degree from UNLV and then his law degree from the UNLV’s School of Law.

Today, as the Assistant Public Defender and legislative advocate, John fights for people who are often overlooked or left behind. He believes every person has worth, and that a fair society refuses to throw anyone away. His work helped drive the most significant criminal-justice reform Nevada has seen in decades, pushing the state toward a future rooted in dignity and second chances.

Beyond the courtroom, John continues to find ways to serve his community. He helped launch the Clean Slate program at Boyd Law, giving people a fresh start in life and teaching law students what justice looks like when it’s rooted in humanity because lifting others up is the most powerful way to lead.

From Army boots to law school classrooms, from trial courts to the halls of the Legislature, John’s message is simple: You don’t have to wait to change the world. Start by standing up for someone. Start by believing second chances matter. Start by using your voice—for yourself and others to make the world kinder than you found it.

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February 24, 2026
@ 12:00 pm ET

Middle School/High School

The Civil Rights Movement in America

Dr. Robert L. Green

Dr. Robert L. Green is a renowned educator, scholar, and civil rights leader whose work helped shape the modern fight for educational equity in the United States.

Dr. Green was a close advisor and confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., working alongside him during pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement. His efforts focused on expanding access to quality education, advancing desegregation, and advocating for justice through policy, research, and grassroots leadership.

A nationally recognized authority on multicultural education, Dr. Green served as a professor, university administrator, and president of the Southern Education Foundation, one of the nation’s oldest organizations dedicated to educational opportunity. Throughout his career, he has advised school districts, universities, government agencies, and civil rights organizations on issues of equity, access, and systemic reform.

Dr. Green’s life work bridges history and the present, offering students a rare firsthand perspective on the Civil Rights Movement and its lasting impact on education today. His story challenges young people to understand that progress is not automatic—it is built by individuals who choose courage, perseverance, and service.

Through Edutainment Learning, Dr. Green shares lessons on leadership, justice, and the responsibility each generation has to move society forward.

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February 24, 2026
@ 1:00 pm ET

K-12

Careers in Business

Marc J. Brock

Marc J. Brock is a Retail Business Manager with Walmart, based in Las Vegas, NV, with over 15 years of experience in the retail industry. He is deeply committed to Walmart’s mission and culture and takes pride in serving everyday people—from kids to adults—by creating positive, meaningful experiences.

Marc was promoted to Store Manager in 2021 and, in 2023, was selected as a Brand Ambassador, recognizing his leadership, strong communication skills, and ability to connect with both customers and teams. He is known for his strengths in networking and effective communication.

Outside of work, Marc enjoys working out and running, and he’s a loyal fan of the Atlanta Falcons.

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February 25, 2026
@ 3:00 pm ET

K-12

Exercise Science

Alex VanHouten

Coach Alex completed his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University in 2010 focused on chemistry and psychology. In the years since, he has earned certifications in personal training, corrective exercise, performance enhancement, and behavior change through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). He’s also written multiple peer-reviewed articles for the International Sport Science Association (ISSA) and published over 500 5-Star podcast episodes. He is a certified nutritionist and health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), and has been a professional coach and personal trainer since 2005.
Currently while coaching clients and operating The Betterment Co., Coach Alex is working toward his PhD from University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Clinical Psychology and writing his first book. This is a coproduced event with www.everydayspy.com

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February 26, 2026
@ 12:00 pm ET

K-12

The Holocaust

Werner Salinger

Werner Salinger was a Jewish German who survived the Holocaust after living through Kristallnacht in November 1938, the state-sponsored pogrom that marked a turning point in Nazi persecution of Jews. Following that night of violence, he was ultimately able to survive the Nazi era and rebuild his life after the war. In a striking example of the moral and historical complexities of postwar Europe, Salinger later married the daughter of a Nazi, a union that underscored the deep contradictions, reckonings, and reconciliations that emerged in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

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February 26, 2026
@ 2:00 pm ET

Middle School/High School

Careers in Military Intelligence

Trenton Miguez

Trenton Miguez is a former Military Intelligence Officer who provides organizations and leaders with practical intelligence education to solve real-world challenges across business, security, leadership, and decision-making. Drawing on more than a decade of operational and instructional experience, he equips public and private sector clients with intelligence-based frameworks that improve performance in complex, high-stakes environments.
During his Army career, Trenton operated in contested regions throughout the Middle East, supporting counterterrorism, threat reduction, de-escalation, and protection missions. His work combined intelligence collection, analysis, and operational decision-making under uncertainty, an experience that now forms the foundation of his approach to solving problems where information is incomplete and risk is constant.

As the lead developer for the Army’s Military Intelligence Officer Leader Course and the Information Collection Planner Course, Trenton built the core training programs used to prepare the Army’s newest intelligence officers. His curriculum design emphasized operational realism, human behavior, and measurable performance outcomes, producing mission-ready intelligence professionals capable of sound judgment in ambiguous conditions. This is a co-produced event with www.everydayspy.com

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March 10, 2026
@ 12:00 pm ET

Middle School/High School

Perseverance Through Adversity

Steve Callahan

In 1982, Steve was sailing solo across the Atlantic Ocean when his boat sank after a collision with a whale. With no ship, no crew, and limited supplies, he survived 76 days alone at sea in a small inflatable life raft—drifting thousands of miles before being rescued near the Caribbean.

His experience became the basis for his bestselling memoir, Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest survival books ever written. The book is studied not only for its gripping narrative, but for the lessons it offers on problem-solving, perseverance, mental resilience, and the human will to survive.

Beyond the physical challenge, Steve’s time alone on the ocean led to deep personal reflection. He has spoken about how the vastness of the sea humbled him and reshaped his understanding of faith, purpose, and humanity’s place in the world.

Today, Steve Callahan shares lessons from his experience with students and audiences around the world, offering powerful insights into resilience, adaptability, faith under pressure, and what it means to keep going when everything familiar is stripped away.

His story reminds students that even in the most overwhelming circumstances, clarity, courage, and hope can still be found.

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March 30, 2026
@ 1:00 pm ET

Middle School/High School

Careers in Military Intelligence

Trevor Fortner

Trevor is a Navy Special Warfare Operator and Black Water Private Military Contractor. Trevor is a former Special Operator with a sensitive background finding and stopping the world's most dangerous people and weapons. His experience in high-risk situations with little or no outside support remains largely classified. Humble and focused, Trevor's time in special operations shaped his step-by-step approach to leadership, resource management, and decision-making under pressure.Trevor works with executives, teams, and public leaders to teach how to stay calm, think clearly, and avoid mistakes under pressure. Trevor shares simple frameworks leaders can use right away, especially when time is short and being wrong isn’t an option. This is a co-produced event with www.everydayspy.com

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March 30, 2026
@ 2:00 pm ET

Careers in Fashion Design

Jacob Bikfaya

Jacobi Bikfaya is a men’s fashion designer and entrepreneur known for blending Old World craftsmanship with modern American style. Born in Lebanon, Jacobi developed an early appreciation for fine tailoring, quality fabrics, and the cultural significance of dressing well. His passion for design and precision eventually led him to the United States, where he built his career from the ground up.

After establishing himself in Detroit, Michigan, Jacobi earned a reputation for creating impeccably tailored suits that reflect confidence, professionalism, and individuality. His designs combine European influence with contemporary American trends, offering clients garments that are both timeless and distinctive.

Today, Jacobi owns and operates multiple men’s suit stores in Detroit, Michigan, and Las Vegas, Nevada. His boutiques are known not only for premium craftsmanship and personalized service, but also for helping men look and feel their best for life’s most important moments — from business milestones to weddings and special events.

Jacobi’s journey from Lebanon to becoming a successful American entrepreneur is a testament to vision, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence in men’s fashion.

Register here

March 31, 2026
@ 1:00 pm ET

Middle School/High School

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