From Prison to PhD: David Heiber’s Fight to Change Urban Schools and Inspire Hope
Sep 10, 2025
Every once in a while, there's a story that stops you in your tracks - a reminder of what's possible when someone refuses to let their circumstances define them. In this episode, host Kevin P. Chavous shares one of those stories with David Heiber, CEO and founder of Concentric. David's journey reads like something out of a movie: from serving time in prison to earning a doctorate, from being pushed out of the education system to helping over 70,000 students find their way back in. This isn't just a conversation about second chances—it's about what happens when someone decides to go against the tide, stop waiting for the system to fix itself, and build something that actually works for the kids who need it most.
Guest
David Heiber - CEO and Founder of Concentric, educational
entrepreneur, author, advocate
Key Moments
[00:00] Prison-to-Doctorate Journey
[07:00] The Judge Who Changed Everything
[12:30] From Rejection to Reinvention
[19:00] Founding Concentric
[23:00] 500,000 Home Visits
[27:00] Scaling to 20 States
[32:00] The Future of Urban Education
Resources Mentioned
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Concentric — David’s education company: https://concentriced.org
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Lincoln University — The HBCU that gave David his second chance: https://www.lincoln.edu
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New Schools Venture Fund — Early backer of Concentric: https://www.newschools.org
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Temple University — Where David studied Afrocentricity under Molefi Asante: https://www.temple.edu
Connect with David Heiber
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Company: https://concentriced.org
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Book: Available through major retailers; accessible follow-up Eccentricity coming soon
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