Field Guides

In this episode of The Hopeful Pioneers , Ali sits down with Jolyne Caruso-FitzGerald —Chair of Align Impact’s Board, former UBS Vice Chair, and a powerful advocate for women and next-gen leadership. Jolyne reflects on four decades in finance, from the early days of hedge funds to advising billionaire family offices today. She shares her front-row insights on the great wealth transfer, the evolvin...

What does it mean to create art that doesn’t just represent stories, but returns agency to the people at the center of them? In this episode of The Hopeful Pioneers , Ali sits down with Spandita Malik , a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores gender, power, and collective authorship. Spandita shares her journey growing up in India, choosing a creative path within cultural structures that di...

In this episode, Ali sits down with Laura Rog, Chief Service Officer of New York City . Laura leads NYC Service, the Mayor’s Office of Service and Volunteerism. She shares how volunteerism functions as essential, often unseen infrastructure of the city — supporting nonprofits, strengthening communities, and helping New Yorkers feel more connected to one another in a city that can feel overwhelming...

There are parts of life we rarely talk about — not because they aren’t important, but because they are uncomfortable to address. Human waste is one of them. It’s universal, it’s everyday, and yet it remains one of the most overlooked systems shaping our environment. I first came across Taylor Zehren, Founder & CEO of Wasted, when I saw her pitch last month, and I remember thinking how skillfully s...

What happens when success stops being enough? In this episode, Ali sits down with Caleb Campbell — Inspirational Keynote Speaker, Coach, Military Veteran, and Former NFL Athlete — for a raw and moving conversation about transformation, surrender, and the courage it takes to stop performing and start becoming. From the NFL to the U.S. Army to life after the uniform, Caleb shares how chasing achieve...

What would society look like if we recognized the care economy as essential infrastructure? In this episode of The Hopeful Pioneers , Ali sits down with Courtney Leimkuhler—Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Springbank —to explore the urgent and overlooked role of the care economy. From childcare to eldercare, from families stretched thin to the structural reasons women continue to leave the workfor...

In this episode, Ali sits down with Dan Churchill —celebrity chef, entrepreneur, performance athlete, and author who has made his mark on the New York food scene through Charlie Street café and a celebrated residency at the 1 Hotel Brooklyn. Dan reflects on his journey from growing up on Sydney’s northern beaches to building a global culinary career centered on connection, community, and wellbeing...

Episode 7 is a conversation about art, redemption, and becoming. In this episode, Ali sits down with Halim Flowers —multidisciplinary artist, author, entrepreneur, and human rights advocate—for a powerful conversation on resilience, reinvention, and how love might be the most powerful driver of all. At 16, Halim was sentenced to two life terms for a crime he didn’t commit. But instead of letting t...

No Map, Just Conviction: What Jenn Kenning Taught Me About Leadership Some leaders show up with charisma, bold vision, and a strong public voice. Jenn Kenning is all of that—but what’s always struck me most is what’s underneath it: some serious conviction. Not ambition for its own sake. Not growth for the sake of growth. But a deep belief in the world Align Impact is building. That conviction driv...

The world is rapidly changing, and as we move further into the digital age, we're facing a paradox: more connected than ever online, yet increasingly isolated in real life. Ali Motroni sits down with Dane McCarthy, founder of The Athletic Clubs , who's pioneering a refreshingly analog solution to our digital disconnection. As online searches for "where to make friends" continue to rise and our per...

There's something so moving about sitting across from an artist whose creative spirit remained unbroken through 18 years of incarceration. In our newest episode, I talk with Jared Owens , a remarkable artist whose journey from prison to a prestigious residency on the 28th floor of the World Trade Center will leave you both challenged and inspired. Jared is unfiltered in sharing about his journey,...

Today, Ali Motroni sits down with Sarah Yourgrau, 2x Emmy Award-winning Producer, TEDx Speaker, and Founder of Common Ground Studios, for a conversation about the transformative power of storytelling in our polarized world. Sarah shares her journey from studying social anthropology and conflict resolution to founding Common Ground Studios—a women-run storytelling agency dedicated to infusing more...

Today, host Ali Motroni sits down with Julie Goldstein , Executive Director of Swaha Foundation , for an honest conversation about the evolving role of foundations in creating enduring change. Julie shares her journey from traditional grantmaking to leading a foundation that utilizes all of its resources as tools for systemic transformation. Whether you're a foundation leader, investor, or simply...

The world is full of challenges that dominate our inboxes, social media feeds, and family dinner conversations, but it's also full of people quietly and courageously working to make it better. For our premiere episode of The Hopeful Pioneers , we're honored to welcome impact investing powerhouse Priya Parrish to the conversation. Priya is a seasoned investor, advisor, and educator committed to ali...