We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Morgan Nixon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

As an educator with over a decade of experience working globally, I’ve seen firsthand how empowering it is when students recognize their role in creating positive change. Too often, traditional systems focus on compartmentalized content, isolating subjects without addressing how students can use this knowledge in impactful, interconnected ways. To prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career, I believe the education system needs a shift toward holistic, interdisciplinary learning that connects knowledge across subjects and emphasizes real-world application.

For example, while training teacher in India, I worked with educators to integrate environmental sustainability into English language lessons. This approach not only helped students improve language skills but also instilled a sense of responsibility for global issues. These experiences reinforced my commitment to pedagogy that nurtures both academic and personal growth, encouraging students to understand their unique power and potential as changemakers. By building curricula that intertwine leadership, social responsibility, and academic subjects, we can help students see the broader significance of their learning and foster a sense of purpose that will guide them throughout their lives and careers. Ultimately, we are not simply educating students—we are creating change makers and global leaders.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Morgan Nixon, a global educator, learning experience designer, and content creator with a deep commitment to empowering others through transformative learning and goal-oriented content. With over ten years of experience in education across diverse settings—spanning classrooms in South Korea, Peru, Indian and Japan to U.S. embassies and virtual spaces—I’ve dedicated my career to designing educational experiences that drive both personal and social change. My work focuses on high-impact, human-centered learning design, blending my expertise in education, design thinking, and digital innovation to reach a global audience.

Alongside my career as a global educator, I founded Actualized AF, a personal development brand that inspires women to envision, plan, and achieve their goals. Through Actualized AF, I produce content on platforms like Instagram and YouTube and offer resources that encourage intentional living and a goal-setting mindset. My offerings range from instructional reels, goal setting workshops and tools like my ‘Goal Getter Guide,’ a resource for visualizing and organizing life goals with actionable steps.

Actualized AF also encompasses an accountability community, ‘Accountable AF,’ where I bring women together to support each other in personal and professional growth. Together, we create a network that values consistency, accountability, and the power of collective motivation.

What sets my work apart is my belief in interdisciplinary, system-level change—both in my educational design work and in my brand. I’m passionate about helping individuals not only gain skills but understand their impact. Whether designing an online learning experience or hosting a vision-boarding session, my goal is to create environments that motivate and empower people to take ownership of their journeys. I bring a unique perspective from my time working with high-level organizations like the U.S. Department of State and Harvard University, where I developed leadership-focused educational programs. This diverse background allows me to serve my audience with an approach that combines academic rigor, innovative pedagogy, and a deep understanding of the learner’s journey.

I’m most proud of Actualized AF’s mission to create community and support systems for ambitious individuals—most specifically, women of color. Through my content, courses, and workshops, I aim to provide more than just motivation; I deliver tools and guidance that are actionable and sustainable. For potential clients, followers, or fans, I want them to know that Actualized AF isn’t just about goal-setting—it’s about creating a life you’re proud of, one where you realize the full scope of your potential.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

After graduating from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, I was sure that a career in tech was my next step. I joined an ed-tech company, where I designed data analytics courses and taught students how to code in Python. It was an exciting time of growth and skill development, but that vision shifted unexpectedly when I was laid off due to a reorganization. While initially challenging, this layoff turned into a pivotal moment, giving me nine months to work on my business and reflect on my true goals.

During that time, I realized that my real passion lay in creating meaningful, direct impact and building a community that resonated with my message—especially for people who looked like me. Rather than working for a corporate or startup environment, I wanted to lead and inspire others as a force for change, crafting my own story and mission. The biggest lesson I took away was that even the visions we have for ourselves are fluid, and we have the authority to pivot, evolve, and redefine what success and impact mean on our own terms. This journey showed me that pursuing a life aligned with purpose could open doors to global change far beyond what I originally envisioned.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What helped me build my reputation as both an educator and a content creator has been a commitment to consistency—consistently showing up with authenticity and quality. In education, I’ve developed programs rooted in my design philosophy, which centers on helping students recognize their potential for global impact. By remaining true to this mission, I was chosen to work on high-impact projects and teams that shared this focus, which helped me build a solid reputation in the educational field.

As a content creator, my consistency in delivering a clear, authentic message has also been key. I regularly connect with my audience by sharing insights, strategies, and encouragement aligned with my brand’s mission, Actualized AF. This approach has fostered a community of people who believe in the message I’m sharing and are genuinely invested in it. Because I show up consistently, I’ve built trust—my audience knows they can count on me to deliver value, and that keeps them engaged with both my programs and my content.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.actualizedaf.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actualized.af/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgannixoneducator
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@actualizedaf

Image Credits

Photos by me