Episodes

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... Homelessness is often misunderstood. For many women and families, it begins with a single crisis—domestic violence, a medical emergency, or simply the inability to afford housing while raising children. In this episode, I speak with Lisa Culp, founder of Women’s Empowerment, and Robin Kelly-Dunton, a graduate of the program who now serves as chair of its board. Together they share the story of an organization that ha...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... What happens when a community decides the arts aren’t a luxury — they’re essential? In this episode, I sit down with Allison Cagley, Executive Director and the driving force behind Friends of Sacramento Arts, an organization leading the charge to restore arts and music education in public schools across our region. We talk about what was lost after Prop 13, what’s possible through Prop 28, and why this moment is a on...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... Impact 100 Greater Sacramento is now accepting nonprofit grant applications —and this is not just another funding opportunity. In this Newspod, I sit down with Sarina Paulsen, President of Impact 100 Greater Sacramento, to talk about how their collective giving model turns 100 women donating $1,000 into transformational $100,000 grants. Last year alone, more than $450,000 was awarded across Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, ...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... American River Parkway Foundation – Protecting 23 Miles of Sacramento’s Backyard I’m on the American River Parkway multiple times a week. Cycling. Running. Watching the fog rise off the river. And like many of you, I’ve probably taken it for granted. But what if I told you only about 10% of Sacramento County residents recognize the Parkway as a connected 23-mile resource? In this episode, I sit down with Diana Pogget...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... Veterans Resource & Hiring Fair – March 13 | Elk Grove In this NewsPod, I’m joined by Tim Swaney, President of the Veteran Entrepreneur Tribe of Sacramento — VETS — to talk about an important event happening March 13 at District 56 in Elk Grove. VETS was created so no veteran has to figure out civilian life alone. Tim shares his own difficult transition out of the Navy and how that struggle led him to build a com...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... What happens once the flames are out? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Joe Pick, Executive Director of the Firefighters Burn Institute and a 30-year veteran of the fire service, to explore what recovery really looks like for burn survivors and their families. Born from tragedy following a devastating 1972 plane crash in Sacramento, the Firefighters Burn Institute was created to ensure our region would never ...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... What does it take to build something that lasts 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with Donald Kendrick, founder and artistic force behind the Sacramento Choral Society, to reflect on three decades of music, leadership, and cultural impact in our region. Founded in 1996, the Sacramento Choral Society has presented more than 180 performances, toured internationally, recorded professionally mastered albums, and — in...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... In this update episode, I welcome Debbie Gabelich back to the Nonprofit Podcast Network, the third time for the organization — and a lot has changed since our last conversation in early 2024. Kids First has always been known as a trusted place for families in crisis, but Debbie explains how the need has deepened: cases are more complex, trauma is more severe, and stability can hinge on something as small as a dead ca...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... Family businesses sit at the heart of our economy — and at the heart of our families. In this episode, I’m joined by Maggie Bender and Justin Horner from the Capital Region Family Business Center for a thoughtful, honest conversation about what it really takes to sustain a family enterprise across generations. This episode is especially meaningful because it marks a leadership transition. After four years as presiden...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... In this episode, I meet with Jessica Alonso, Executive Director of Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance, to share the full story behind an organization committed to one promise: no family should face childhood cancer alone. Jessica’s journey began more than a decade ago as a bilingual family navigator and has grown into a deeply personal mission shaped by faith, service, and lived experience. Together, we talk about how Ke...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Dawnté Early, CEO of United Way California Capital Region. United Way is one of our region’s longest-serving nonprofits, with more than a century of impact — but what struck me most in this conversation is how intentionally the organization has evolved to meet today’s realities. We talk about what it really takes to “end poverty,” why education remains the strongest ladder out, and ...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... Imagine a 13-year-old student—overweight for her age, already pre-diabetic—who has grown up surrounded by food but never truly learned how to use it. Vegetables feel unfamiliar. Cooking feels out of reach. Then she joins a food literacy program at school. She discovers there are fruits and vegetables she actually enjoys. She learns how to prepare them. Over time, her eating habits change, her health improves, and eve...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and this conversation lands right where awareness must lead: action, support, and long-term pathways to stability. In this episode, I speak with Emily Sanders, founder of Connect2Change—and a survivor herself—whose work is redefining what happens after someone escapes exploitation. Emily’s organization began with crisis support, but it has evolved into something rare and ...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... In this episode, I welcome back an organization that continues to shape the way our children—and our communities—understand disability, respect, and inclusion. A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) is celebrating 30 years of hands-on empathy-building, reaching more than 157,000 students across 10 counties with wheelchairs, white canes, prosthetics, lived experience, and powerful conversations that students remember for lif...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... What if one of the most effective ways to protect California’s quality of life—for generations to come—starts with something as simple as native plants? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jun Bando, Executive Director of the California Native Plant Society to explore why native plants may be one of the most practical—and overlooked—investments in California’s future. CNPS operates at the intersection of science, community engagem...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... As the year comes to a close, I’m pressing pause on our regular programming to reflect — and to say thank you. In this brief holiday message, I share what this past year has revealed about the power of storytelling, the strength of our nonprofit community, and the quiet, human work that truly builds impact. The stories we’ve had the privilege to hear — and help be heard — remind me that community isn’t built by headl...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... This episode, I sit down with Cherian Koshy, author of Neurogiving: The Science of Donor Decision-Making — a book that achieved something almost unheard of in the nonprofit sector by landing on the USA Today Bestseller List just one day after release. But this conversation isn’t about accolades. It’s about understanding what’s really happening in a donor’s brain — and why so many “best practices” in fundraising work ...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... What does it really take to move a region forward—without picking a side, without chasing headlines, and without sacrificing equity or the environment for “growth”? I had the privilege of sitting down with Evan Schmidt, CEO of Valley Vision, to unpack the organization’s unique role in the Sacramento region: a values-driven convener that brings people together, turns research into action, and helps align partners arou...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... In this episode, I bring together four community foundation leaders from across our region for a candid, timely conversation about what nonprofits are facing right now — and what’s coming next. As needs rise and resources feel tighter, community foundations are sitting at a critical intersection: listening to nonprofits, working with donors, and helping communities adapt in real time. We talk openly about uncertainty...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... If a child in our community had nowhere safe to go tonight, where would they sleep? I'm speaking with Glynis Butler-Stone, CEO of the Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento, and Amber Robbins, a nonprofit leader whose own childhood was spent navigating violence, foster care, and multiple stays at the Receiving Home. Together, we explore an 80-year legacy that has quietly supported tens of thousands of kids in their ...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... What if a hospital could transform a child's life in ways you never imagined? Join me on a heartfelt exploration of Shriners Children's Hospital in Sacramento as I uncover the inspiring stories of resilience and hope. I sit down with the Senior Director of Philanthropy, Alan Anderson, who passionately shares how donations fuel life-changing healthcare and research that turns children's struggles into triumphs. Lindse...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... This News Pod, I had the privilege of sitting down with James McCormick, CEO of the Sacramento Choral Society, to share a truly special announcement. Each year, the Choral Society presents its beloved Home for the Holidays concert — but this December marks an extraordinary milestone: the 30th anniversary of this Sacramento tradition! James walks us through the history, the heart, and the magic behind this performance...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... In this episode of the Nonprofit Podcast Network, I sit down with Bryan Wagner, President/CEO of Goodwill Industries serving the Greater Sacramento region, and Gabriel Noriega, workforce development coordinator and former Goodwill program participant. Most people know Goodwill for its familiar stores and donation drop-offs—but in our region, Goodwill is a $100 million nonprofit powering one of the largest workforce d...

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text... In this special NewsPod episode, we spotlight the 10th Annual Fast Pitch, Sacramento Venture Philanthropy’s flagship capacity-building program that helps nonprofits sharpen their storytelling and amplify impact. CEO Brad Squires and COO Drew Hayes join me to break down what made this milestone year record-setting — from a sold-out venue at The Sofia to a groundbreaking new technology platform that transformed live gi...