Gregory Peters, Ed.D.
get in touch with Gregory Peters:
Gregory Peters is a visionary educator and executive leader dedicated to dismantling systemic inequities. Raised in a working-poor, multi-generational household in Providence, Rhode Island, Gregory’s advocacy began with early observations of how class and race dictate systemic treatment. This perspective, honed as a closeted youth navigating rigid structures, fueled his transition from a crisis social worker to a transformative school leader. As the Executive Director of the San Francisco Coalition of Essential Small Schools (SF-CESS), Gregory bridges the gap between the language of equity and the hard work of institutional change.
Through SF-CESS, Dr. Peters helps schools and corporations move beyond performative equality to achieve true equity. By rejecting deficit-based labeling and leaning into project-based inquiry, he has successfully guided institutions in closing racial achievement gaps. Gregory’s mission proves that real change requires both fierce accountability and deep human connection.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:
- Why the language of equity is often used as a shield to avoid the actual work of systemic transformation.
- How growing up in a working-poor "tribe" informs a leadership style built on community and shared responsibility.
- How to see brilliance in students and employees where traditional systems only see deficits or labels.
- Why a fee-for-service model is often superior to grant-chasing for protecting the integrity of a mission.
- How to lead across differences without falling into the trap of performative or symbolic gestures.
- That "not everything is a conclusion, but everything is data"—a framework for resilient, long-term leadership.
- Why putting "vegetables in the water" doesn't make soup, and what is actually required for cultural nourishment.
- How becoming a parent adds an emotional weight that can transform your commitment to professional advocacy.
- That the cost of real change is high, but the cost of the status quo is far higher for our youth.
about the show
Next Level CEO is a high-impact business educational series hosted by Daymond John, designed to spotlight the world’s most elite and insightful entrepreneurs.
In each episode, Daymond’s handpicked expert CEOs, founders, and industry leaders who’ve built powerful brands, scaled successfully, and led with vision, share their story and expertise. From disruptive startups to billion-dollar empires, Next Level CEO gives viewers a front-row seat to the real strategies, mindset shifts, and leadership moves behind business excellence.
This is what works.
It’s a rare look inside the minds of those who’ve actually built something that lasts.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to grow, a business owner ready to level up, or a leader who’s hungry to learn from the best, Next Level CEO delivers the playbook from those who’ve already won.
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