Hart & Hustle Podcast

Kelly Matter from Avivo shares how a 65-year mission-driven organization keeps showing up, pivoting, and creating real pathways out of homelessness, unemployment, and crisis. This is the story of practical leadership under pressure, and what nonprofit leaders can learn from building trust, simplifying access, and using AI without losing the human connection. Kelly Matter, President and CEO of Aviv...

Mike Premo from Community Development for All People shares how he turned a political setback into a leadership role that serves more than 35,000 families. This is the story of accountability, community, and finding your place in mission-driven work - and what nonprofit leaders, ministry-minded teams, and people champions can learn from it. The advice that changes everything here is simple: you ca...

Rosie Chinea Shawver, president and executive director of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, joins Efrain for a conversation about faith, leadership, mentorship, and the importance of finding purpose in work. She shares how the organization supports campus ministers across hundreds of colleges, and why personal invitation, community, and trust still matter most. They also talk about being s...

Stephen Murray from Forerunner Mentoring shares how fatherhood, faith, and mentoring boys without father figures can change the future of a whole community. This is the story of turning fatherlessness into hope - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. For Efrain and Stephen, the conversation gets real fast: from the daily rhythm of taking off your shoes at the door and showing up for y...

Sarah Merrefield from the Thomas E. Smith Foundation shares how she is helping change what access, mobility, and dignity look like for people living with spinal cord injury and paralysis. This is the story of turning a deeply underfunded, often invisible issue into real-world impact - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. If you support people, build programs, raise funds, or lead a n...

Ben Telesca from Sul Ross State University shares how empathetic leadership, smart adaptation, and practical career guidance can change the way students see higher ed. This is the story of how a student affairs leader navigates AI, campus conflict, and the real value of college - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. If you lead people, serve students, or build programs in a fast-chan...

This is the story of what happens when student support moves from policy to presence - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. Holly is the kind of campus leader who turns engagement into trust. As Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Brenau University, she is everywhere students are - at concerts, gallery openings, orientation, and even on campus walks after work. In this c...

DJ Hines shares how he built a life of legacy, leadership, and resilient entrepreneurship without losing sight of what matters most. DJ opens up about the moment he left a path toward medicine to help people in a different way, how he learned to lead inside a family-driven ministry and school ecosystem, and why the best leaders are the ones who first get their own lives in order. He also shares th...

Sean Prospect from FIU and South Florida After School All Stars shares how a track scholarship, a faith-driven pivot, and 22 years of service shaped a career focused on helping kids succeed in school and in life. This is the story of purpose, accountability, and building impact that lasts - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. Sean opens up about the unexpected path that led him from...

Pastor Laurel Bunker from Pulse Movement shares how to lead with truth, kindness, and spiritual clarity in a culture that often rewards noise over depth. This is a conversation about healing, courage, and staying grounded when the world feels fractured - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. Laurel opens up about life in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s murder, what it felt like to li...

Mimi Scheuermann from Denver Human Services shares how to keep serving people when the budget gets tighter, the rules change, and the need keeps growing. This is the story of what it takes to lead a safety-net system through uncertainty - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. If you lead a nonprofit, public agency, or community program, this conversation gives you a practical look at...

This is the story of building trust, keeping kids engaged, and turning everyday experiences into life-changing growth - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why mentorship has to be individualized, not one-size-fits-all ✅ How a one-year connection can become a real life impact, and why longer relationships matter ✅ What it takes to run a small...

This is a story about turning struggle into service - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from someone who has spent more than 20 years helping students navigate uncertainty, pressure, and possibility. Efrain sits down with Lester Deanes, Associate Vice President for Students and Dean of Students at the University of San Francisco, for a conversation that goes far beyond campus life. Lester...

This is the story of how a Bronx-based leader turns lived experience, family support, and youth leadership into a practical alternative to punishment - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from that approach. Belinda Ramos, Executive Director of Community Connections for Youth, has spent years helping young people and families break the cycle that too often leads into the justice system. What...

Sherah Alaimo from Coach Across America shares how she builds a mission-driven organization like a real business without losing the human side. This is the story of going from burnout and disaster recovery work to leading a national coaching platform - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. Sherah is the COO of Coach Across America, where she helps place and train coaches in communitie...

Stacie Eastman from Eastern Iowa Health Center shares how she helps turn mission into real access, real trust, and real care. This episode is for mission-driven leaders, healthcare operators, and nonprofit teams who want to expand impact without losing the human side of the work. Stacie Eastman is the Director of Development at Eastern Iowa Health Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she raises awa...

Derryck Fletcher from the Y in Central Maryland shares how he helps scale a mission-driven organization without losing the human connection that makes it matter. This is the story of building community at scale, leading with people first, and turning data, talent, and trust into real impact, and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. Efrain and Derryck get into the realities of operating a...

Erin Snell from Charting Careers reveals how a wandering, exploratory approach to career and community work creates deeper, more meaningful connections - and why it's essential for leaders aiming to scale their impact. This is the story of resilience, relationship-building, and effective community investment - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from navigating the unexpected. TIMESTAMPS: 0:...

Catherine Dempsey from a Denver community health center shares how strategic adaptation and unwavering focus on community impact created exponential growth despite external challenges. This is a story of resilience and purpose in action, showing mission-driven leaders how to build trust, expand reach, and deepen community roots. In this episode, you'll discover: How community health organizations...

Shannon Schmitt from First Draft Academy reveals how empowering middle schoolers with writing skills can unlock their potential—and how organizations can shape future-ready youth. This is the story of a mission-driven leader transforming youth education—showing nonprofit leaders and community organizers how to foster confidence, critical thinking, and independence in young minds. In this episode,...

How Brooklyn Community Services Transforms Lives — and How Your Organization Can Do the Same Jodi Querbach, COO of Brooklyn Community Services, shares how meeting people where they are drives real community transformation. This is a story of sustained impact and what mission-driven leaders can learn from her journey of opening doors for resilient families. In this episode, you'll discover: ✅ How...

TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – The turning point: Vince’s personal journey from struggle to service 1:18 – How early life experiences shaped his approach to mentorship 2:47 – The influence of family, faith, and long-term friendships on personal growth 4:11 – The moment that sparked Vince’s decision to focus on helping men 6:38 – Men’s health and mental wellness conversations that are often missing 7:37 – Deep...

Isaac Abbs from Pima Community College shares how AI is transforming higher education and community engagement. This is the story of how a CIO's approach to AI is reshaping student outreach and what it means to lead in education, offering lessons for mission-driven leaders navigating change. In this episode, you'll discover: How AI-powered SMS messaging is personalizing student support and engagem...

Andy Otto from Missouri Western State University reveals how higher education is fundamentally shifting to meet the evolving needs of students—and what mission-driven leaders can learn from this transformation. This is the story of how a lifelong love of literature and a passion for guiding students through change can turn a small-town English teacher into a catalyst for educational innovation—sho...

Colby from Silverlining Mentoring shares how consistent, long-term mentorship transforms the lives of foster youth, and why every organization should prioritize this work. This is a story of resilience, community, and the power of showing up, offering lessons for mission-driven leaders who want to make a lasting impact on marginalized youth. In this episode: Why long-term, consistent mentoring bui...