At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast
Welcome to At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, where we tap into the wisdom, insights, and bold ideas of our partners to fuel the mission of tnAchieves—expanding college access and success for Tennessee students. Hosted by Krissy DeAlejandro, President & CEO of tnAchieves, this podcast spotlights the thought leaders, educators, and industry trailblazers who challenge us to learn, grow, and innovate as we work to transform lives through higher education. Since 2008, tnAchieves has leaned on collaboration to break barriers and scale impact for students often seen as underdogs, and our partners are at the heart of that journey.
Each episode brings candid conversations with state and national influencers—K-12 and college leaders, business visionaries, and student success advocates—who shape our strategies and push us forward. We’ll explore how these dialogues inspire us to refine our programs, rethink possibilities, and build a stronger Tennessee workforce.
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen, and join us as we harness these voices to innovate and grow—because at tnAchieves, our partners don’t just support us, they transform us. Let’s dive in!
- Update frequency
- every 16 days
- Average duration
- 35 minutes
- Episodes
- 26
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Building a Better Future For All of Austin's Youth with Austin 2030 Network
In 2008, tnAchieves was launched as knoxAchieves. It began as a workforce development initiative in Knox County. Since then, tnAchieves has grown to become a nationally recognized college access and …
Clearing Pathways for Students with THEC's Dr. Steven Gentile
If you’re talking about the higher education landscape in the state of Tennessee, you can’t do it without talking about THEC/TSAC. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission/Tennessee Student Assistan…
The Season of Value and The Great Admissions Redesign with Lumina's Melanie Heath
The Lumina Foundation is a private philanthropy foundation that is devoted to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to everyone. One of the things it’s best known for is sett…
Get Your Money Right™ with SoFi's Brian Walsh
In May, SoFi and tnAchieves launched a partnership alongside Tennessee native Kelsea Ballerini called The Rising Stars Program. The goal is to equip the next generation of Tennessee students with the…
Pioneering Wraparound Supports with Donna Linderman
Donna Linderman is the Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success for the State University of New York. In her current role and previous role at the City University of New York , Donna has been instr…
Harvard's Project on Workforce with Nathalie Gazzaneo
Nathalie Gazzaneo serves as the Co-Director of The Project on Workforce at Harvard University. This innovative project is researching and providing guidance on closing the college to career gap and e…
AI + The Workforce of Tomorrow with Dr. Stephen Streiffer of Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL)
In this episode of At Scale, the tnAchieves Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Stephen Streiffer, Director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), one of the nation’s most advanced research institutions a…
Ensuring a Healthy National Talent Pipeline with College Promise
In this episode of At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, hosts Krissy DeAlejandro and Ben Sterling sit down with Dr. Martha Kanter, CEO Emerita of College Promise and former U.S. Under Secretary of Educa…
Connecting Education to Employment with SCORE President & CEO David Mansouri
In the second episode of At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, SCORE President & CEO David Mansouri joins the conversation to discuss the evolving landscape of education and workforce development in Tenn…
We're All On The Same Team with Dr. Jon Rysewyk and Dr. Anthony Wise
In the first episode of At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, hosts Krissy DeAlejandro and Ben Sterling welcome two visionary leaders in education: Dr. Jon Rysewyk, Superintendent of Knox County Schools,…
At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast Trailer
**Welcome to At Scale: The tnAchieves Podcast, where we explore the bold, complex, and transformative work of tnAchieves—a Tennessee-based organization dedicated to breaking barriers and building opp…
Mentor Moment: Summer Prep for Success
Welcome to another inspiring episode of the tnAchieves podcast! Join our hosts, Senior Director of Mentors Tyler Ford and Outreach Manager Baylor Williamson, as they delve into the critical role volu…
Mentor Moment: Community Service
tnAchieves Sr. Director of Mentors Tyler Ford is joined by tnAchieves Director of COMPLETE Emily Jones to discuss the upcoming July 1 community service deadline. Learn how you can support your studen…
Mentor Moment: Preparing for Summer
In this episode, Tyler Ford sits down with Ben Sterling to discuss how mentors should be preparing to work with students this summer! Summer is a critical time for students as they graduate from high…
MENTOR MOMENT: Summer Bridge
The tnAchieves Summer Bridge Program is a FREE, 14-day program designed to help students who have not tested into college-level courses enter college more confident, both socially and academically! H…
MENTOR MOMENT: Working With Your Students
Check out the audio from the February 2024 tnAchieves Mentor Webinar focused on kicking off the 2024 mentor program. This episode provides insight into beginning your mentoring experience and establi…
MENTOR MOMENT: 2024-2025 FAFSA
In this episode of the Mentor Moment, we dig into how mentors can help their students complete the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and highlight how tnAchieves is helping s…
Mentor Moment Trailer
*tnAchieves is excited to announce The Mentor Moment podcast! *
The Mentor Moment is a podcast influenced by and designed for tnAchieves mentors! Join Tyler Ford from tnAchieves every other week for…
#FindYourWhyTN Panel Series: Breaking Family Cycles
Hear from three individuals that represent the first person in their family to attend college. We hope this discussion inspires you to Find Your Why! Learn more about #FindYourWhyTN at tnAchieves.or…
On a Mission with Graham Thomas and Krissy DeAlejandro
More than a decade has passed since knoxAchieves was launched from a whiteboard in the Knox County Mayor's office, but Executive Director Krissy DeAlejandro's commitment to student success has not wa…