What does it take to lead real change inside systems that weren’t built for you? In this episode of Ronderings, Dr. Natalie Neris shares how mentorship, faith, and integrity shaped her journey from Chicago classrooms to systems-level leadership helping organizations turn bold visions into lasting change.
Natalie reflects on her upbringing in Chicago and how a life-changing mentor helped her navigate college and discover her purpose in education. She shares how her early experiences as a student who often felt unseen shaped her commitment to equity and fueled her work in systems change. Drawing on her time as an award-winning educator, a leader within Chicago Public Schools, and later at Kids First Chicago, Natalie explains why sustainable change requires aligning aspirational values with daily practices and building infrastructure that truly supports people.
Natalie also opens up about the emotional weight of leadership, the role of faith in sustaining courage, and why integrity is a leader’s greatest asset. Through her work with Root and Reimagine Consulting Collective, she helps mission-driven organizations bridge theory, practice, and lived experience to create meaningful and lasting impact.
Her story, from a student at Northeastern Illinois University to doctoral research at National Louis University, is a testament to the power of mentorship, healing, and purpose-driven leadership.
Tune in to hear how Natalie’s journey reveals what it really takes to lead with authenticity and transform education systems from the inside out.
Chapters:
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03:33 Natalie’s Chicago Story: Growing Up in Humboldt Park
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07:00 The Mentor Who Changed Her Life
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12:02 Trauma, Poverty, and the Hidden Reality of Students
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17:30 Why Faith Matters in Leadership
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23:25 Leadership Burnout and Broken Systems
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30:53 Rethinking Change in Chicago Public Schools
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34:22 Emergent Strategy vs. System Reality
🎯 37:20 Finding Leverage Points That Actually Move Policy
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46:01 Ancestral Wisdom and Systems Thinking
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55:29 The Most Important Leadership Trait: Integrity
Links:
Learn more about Natalie’s work through Root and Reimagine and her approach to helping leaders turn bold ideas into lasting systems change.
Episode 84
