Influential Woman · Author Publishing

Rebecca Coda

Publishing Agent | Author | Educational Leader, Encodable Impact Publishing LLC

Fort Smith, AR

Her Story

About Rebecca

Rebecca is an education leader, author, and publishing agent. She brings deep experience in curriculum, instruction, and K-12 academic leadership. She is a former K-6 Director of Curriculum & Instruction and has held a variety of district-level roles in curriculum, technology integration, STEM coordination, and instructional coaching. She is the co-author of five educational leadership books and has traveled the nation as a featured speaker for school districts, professional organizations, leadership retreats, and state leadership agencies.As an experienced writer and speaker, Rebecca stepped into the world of entreprenurism in 2021 and founded Encodable Impact Publishing LLC. Establishing a new company from the ground up began with the inspiration of her father's journal as a Vietnam War pilot. In 2021 she published The Second Team: A Vietnam Pilot's Journal Account of Faith, Flying and Freedom. Currently she has multiple projects undereway that include children’s books, faith-based manuscripts, and multi-year historical-philological work to be released in 2027. Shying away from big challenges is not an option in Rebecca's personal life. She is a wife and mother of three adopted children who were in the foster system. For the past fifteen years she has been their cheerleader and advocate of health and well-being, socialization, spiritual growth, and education. As a family they are always on the go visiting new places and have lived Arizona, Arkansas and Louisiana. Although parenting has been the biggest challenge in her personal life, it is also the most rewarding. Volunteerism is at the epicenter of her heart and everywhere she has relocated, she has made it a priority to give back to the community with her time. In 2025 she enjoyed creating the graphic designs and museum layout for the Fort Smith, AR, Military and Barbershop Museum where she redesigned the Elvis wing. She has a soft spot for animals and volunteers at the Fort Smith Animal Haven where she walks dogs and serves special meals to the animals for featured events and holidays. The fun and childlike side of her loves to think, create, and unwind. Rebecca has an entire room in her house dedicated to Legos, complete with a boardroom table. She especially loves this leisure activity because it welcomes all ages and types of people to spend time together learning about one another. Everyone has a story and she invites anyone to the table so she can listen to their unique story!

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Rebecca

01What do you attribute your success to?

Growing up Rebecca was the daughter of pilot and loving parents that traveled the world. She was born in Florida and also lived in Tehran, Iran, Texas, California, Utah and Arizona. Uprooting and moving to new regions and cultures afforded her the ability to learn multiple cultures, history, religions, and ways of life. Rebecca's parents instilled perseverance, adaptability, and compassion from an early age. These attributes were the cornerstone that precipitated flexiblity, respect, and value for every person in humanity. In retrospect, she realized that her unique life experiences became the professional bedrock that shaped her ability as a leader to pivot, relate and leverage co-learning from all relationships.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Any problem can be solved when you focus on a "third point." Leadership comes with adversity because there are many big personalities and movers and shakers that come to the table. The best advice that I've ever been given is "don't take anything personal." People respond out of their own schema and often project their own fears, life experiences, and personality upon conflict. Most times conflict is not personal and can be resolved by coming together to focus on a "third point." Any courageous conversation can be deescalated by focusing on the problem as something that can be tackled mutually as a team.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Everyone has value and can teach you something. Some people are genuinely easier to connect with than others.The key to building a portfolio of high-regard is focusing on the best in others. Become an active treasure hunter who stragegically captures high-quality thinking and skills of others and add them to your professional toolbox.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

Knowledge and truth are not always popular. Algorithms in marketing determine outcomes. The success of selling product in the publishing sector is in direct correlation with an investment in a strategic marketing plan. Morals, truth, and knowledge do not generate revenue in the book industry. No matter how high quality or inspirational a manuscript is, sensationalism, social media, and marketing determine the outcome of influence. Every project depends on your investment in marketing algorithms, ingenuity, and persistence. Without a sales force mindset, the best stories in the world may lay dormant as a passion project.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Integrity and grit go hand in hand. Doing what is right when nobody is looking is crucial to building trust personally and professionally. In a business world having the value of integrity isn't enough either. Success also requires the strength and courage of grit. Having both integrity and grit is a convergence of values to be reckoned with because not only is the person willing to do the right thing when nobody is looking; they are courageous enough to stand up for what is right when people are looking.

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