‘Breaking Barriers’: Montclair Kimberly Academy Podcast Series

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Montclair Kimberley Academy. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Breaking Barriers, the new podcast series from Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) highlights alumni who have made history, reinvented their crafts, and changed the world. Three new episodes are available now. Inquiry to Insight has become a huge success since it launched in August 2021.

Episode 3 | Part 1: How Two Women Joined Forces (and Two Jockstraps) to Make History

Best friends from their time at The Kimberley School, Polly Smith ’67 and Lisa Lindahl ’67, now members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, paved the way for women in the sporting goods industry.

• Hear about the invention of the “Jogbra” and how a prototype from two men’s jockstraps launched the first women-owned business in sporting goods.
• Learn about the importance of timing. As the United States was going through the Vietnam War and experiencing its second wave of feminism, the sport of running exploded, and two women saw a need and an opportunity.
• Explore how an eight-time Emmy-winning costume designer who worked for the Jim Henson company for over 25 years can't watch her beloved show any longer.

Episode 3 | Part 2: How A Silicon Valley Chief People Officer Stewards a Disruptor Company to Success

Over the years, Evan Wittenberg ’87 has built great companies with great people, including Ancestry.com, Box, and Google. Now driven by the altruistic mission of Pivot Bio, he is creating a work culture that will change the world.

• Hear about Pivot Bio: a climate tech company that's disrupting an industry by transforming the way fertilizer is produced and used by the world’s farmers.
• Learn how a company whose goal is to exist for a hundred years, plans to do just that with a compelling mission and strong leadership.
• Explore the idea that there is no one way to “do” leadership. When leading a team, rather than say, “This is what you should do as a leader,” say instead, "Run some experiments with your team and figure out what works for you.”

Episode 3 | Part 3: How a World-Renowned Photographer, Influencer, and Far East Expert Will Never Stop Adapting His Art

Michael Yamashita ’67 has been a photographer at National Geographic for over 40 years, the recipient of a host of industry awards, a teacher and lecturer, a producer of two documentary feature films, the author of 16 books, and now a dabbler in NFT’s.

• Hear about Michael’s extensive archive of photos from China as well as his incredible travel adventures in the Far East.
• Learn about his willingness to reinvent his art and himself.
• Explore his relentless pursuit of a platform in an ever-evolving art world to share his work with the next generation of his audience.

The podcast is hosted by Steve Valentine, Assistant Head of the Upper School and Director of Academic Leadership, MKA. Steve is also an industry writer and keynote speaker.

About Steve Valentine

Steve Valentine is MKA’s Assistant Head of the Upper School and Director of Academic Leadership, He is an educator, school leader, writer, and keynote speaker. His most recent book, published by Wiley and co-authored with Dr. Reshan Richards, is called Make Yourself Clear: How to Use a Teaching Mindset to Listen, Understand, Explain Everything, and Be Understood.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here.