Will You Be the Change?
From The Story I'm Telling Myself by Rita Ernst
April 9, 2026 · 47 min · Season 2 · Episode 51
About this episode
Rita Ernst interviews Kentucky State Rep. Tina Bojanowski about her journey from special education teacher to political leader and her advocacy for education policy.
From the Classroom to the Capitol: Navigating Power and Policy with Kentucky State Rep. Tina Bojanowski What happens when a citizen with no political intentions is suddenly called to run for office? Grab your companion self-reflection guide to this episode In this episode of The Story I’m Telling Myself , host Rita Ernst sits down with Kentucky State Representative Tina Bojanowski, PhD , to discuss her extraordinary transition from a full-time special education teacher to an influential voice in the Kentucky General Assembly . Tina shares the vulnerable story of her "five-minute failure"—the day her initial 2016 filing paperwork arrived at the capital just past the deadline—and how that moment became the "spark" for a more intentional, research-driven path to leadership. As a mother of a child with autism and a PhD in education and social change , Tina explains how she leverages her professional expertise to influence public policy even while serving in a "super minority". This conversation goes beyond politics to explore the grit required to move the needle on education advocacy , the importance of relationship-building across party lines , and the…
People in this episode
Host: Rita Ernst
Guest: Tina Bojanowski
Topics covered
- politics
- education advocacy
- public policy
- leadership
- autism
Keywords
- Kentucky General Assembly
- special education
- relationship-building
- research-driven leadership
Mentioned in this episode
Products: self-reflection guide
Books & works: Navigating Power and Policy, The Story I’m Telling Myself, PhD, This Episode:, The Transition from Advocate to Legislator
Places: Kentucky
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- Why Are You Bitter and Angry? · March 19, 2026 · 47 min
- Are You the Weakness in Your Life? · March 12, 2026 · 40 min
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