Hart & Hustle Podcast

When 90% of your students are Black and Brown, representation isn't just important—it's everything. Adeola Whitney, CEO of Reading Partners, shares how she transformed from pre-med student to leading a national literacy movement serving thousands of students across 14 communities. In this conversation with Efrain, Adeola reveals why authentic leadership matters, how one hour of volunteering can ch...

When 14 teenage boys walked into that group home, Jeremy Kohomban's life changed forever. He went from expecting 1-2 kids during an ROTC training visit to discovering his life's calling—fighting for children in foster care who deserve family, not just placement.

30-50% of foster families quit within their first year. Susan Silverman, CEO of Second Nurture, experienced the foster care system firsthand, growing up with foster siblings, and witnessed the emotional trauma of placement instability. Now she's built a revolutionary community-driven model that's changing how we support foster families across America.

Dr. Teresa Granillo, CEO of AVANCE, Inc., shares how her mother's strength to leave an abusive relationship shaped her leadership philosophy and inspired a 52-year-old organization serving 18,000 families annually. Efrain explores the intersection of personal struggle, authentic leadership, and building early childhood programs that start at birth—not as intervention, but as prevention.

After 41 years of transforming disability services in Alaska, Michele Girault shares the moment that changed everything: when families had to choose between keeping their child or keeping their income. In this powerful conversation, the CEO of Hope Community Resources reveals how one dinner conversation with a governor's wife sparked a policy revolution that transformed family life for thousands o...

Kirk Soileau built Louisiana's largest rural hospital from 57,000 to 225,000 patient encounters in just 11 years - without ever losing sight of the people most healthcare systems forget.

They told her she wasn't CEO material. 34 years later, Dr. Janice Whaley proved them wrong as President and CEO of Donor Network West. In this powerful conversation, Efrain explores how perseverance, authentic leadership, and strategic investments transformed a career rejection into a life-saving mission.

From receiving life-changing support to leading the organization that provided it - Rachel M Banning's journey from Rainbows United client to President is a powerful story of full-circle leadership.

Leon Grundstein, founder and CEO of Gencare Lifestyle, reveals how combining wellness-focused senior living with cutting-edge AI technology is transforming the aging experience. In this episode, Efrain explores Leon's journey from track athlete to pioneering entrepreneur who built the nation's only fully gluten-free certified senior living company.

Molly Ticknor from FosterAdopt Connect reveals the hidden crisis in foster care mental health and how she's building wraparound services that actually work. This conversation between two adoption survivors exposes the year-long wait times for help and the innovative solutions changing everything.

From TV news anchor to nonprofit powerhouse, Cat Randon Stuart is rewriting the disability narrative at Lighthouse Louisiana - where 85% of manufacturing employees are blind or visually impaired and crushing federal production goals. In this powerful conversation, Efrain explores how this 110-year-old organization proves that people with disabilities don't need protection - they need opportunities...

Dr. Sharilyn Ray went over a year without a paycheck while building Restoration Family Services from the ground up. In this powerful conversation, Efrain explores how faith-led leadership transforms child welfare, what it takes to run a mission-driven agency, and why unity matters more than ever in foster care.

CEO Scott Burgess reveals how mental health went from taboo to transformation. After 34 years in mental health leadership, he shares the pivotal moments that shaped his approach to healing communities and leading through faith.

Most franchise advice focuses on systems and profits. Andrew Dahle, COO of Assisting Hands Homecare, reveals why building genuine family connections with 135+ franchisees creates seven-figure businesses and transforms entire communities.

 Nicole Lawson didn't just study the foster care system—she lived it. As President & CEO of Orchards Children's Services and an adoptive mother herself, she's transforming how Michigan supports 10,000+ children and families navigating one of America's most complex systems.

Most people think hospice means giving up. Rick Russell, CEO of Hospice of Northwest Ohio, reveals why it's actually about living well in your final chapter. After 35 years in nursing, Rick shares how just two weeks in hospice changed everything he thought he knew about end-of-life care.

From building million-dollar homes to holding hands with people in recovery, Chris Bove's journey redefines what true success means. In this Hart & Hustle episode, host Efrain Lozada explores how a three-week mission trip changed everything for this Army veteran turned CleanSlate Centers CEO.

Most nonprofits struggle to scale impact - Frank Bruno, CEO of Via Mobility Services, transformed 270 employees into a purpose-driven force serving Colorado's most vulnerable communities. Learn how one ride changed everything.

Former NFL running back Greg Lewis shares how losing his football career led him to discover his true purpose: transforming communities through youth development at the YMCA of Greater Seattle.

Most people think aging is decline, but Jess Dalton proves the opposite. In this conversation, Efrain Lozada sits down with the Chief Strategy Officer & President of Larry H. Miller Senior Health to explore what happens when you combine human-centered innovation with authentic leadership in elder care.

"I'm a master's level social worker, and even I get lost trying to navigate healthcare" - Kerri Tamer, Chief of Staff at CenterWell, reveals why the system is broken for everyone.

"Most child welfare advice actually separates families forever" - Lena Wilson, CEO of Vista Del Mar, just changed everything Efrain thought he knew about protecting vulnerable children.

How do you design healthcare technology for people who never trusted the system to begin with? In this powerful conversation, Efrain sits down with Dr. Sachin Shah, Chief Medical Information Officer at UChicago Medicine, who reveals why digital health is only equitable if it's built for those left behind.

Dr. Hannah Galvin, Chief Health Information Officer at Cambridge Health Alliance, reveals how healthcare's most vulnerable communities are leading AI innovation. Discover why 50% of her patients don't speak English as their primary language - and how that's driving breakthrough healthcare technology solutions.

After 25 years in nonprofit healthcare, Mike Kotzen made a bold move into for-profit home care—not to chase profits, but to professionalize services for the most vulnerable. In this episode, he shares how Amivie is transforming fragmented mom-and-pop home care into a scalable, mission-driven business that serves over 8,000 individuals across five states.