Impact After Hours

Has your job ever clashed with your personality? Well Joung-ah Gedini Williams, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at The Center for Reproductive Rights understands this first hand. Her 30 year career with the UN Refugee Agency took her to over 100 countries, and required stepping outside of her comfort zone - but that’s sometimes the trade-off when you're following your purpose.  Let...

The way we talk about climate change influences the progress we make. In this episode, Kate Bassset, VP of Marketing and Communication at Galvanize breaks down what we’re getting right - and wrong - when it comes to climate communication. She shares how optimism isn’t just a mood, but a muscle, and how we can practice pragmatic optimism. Bonus surprise! Kate has an interesting connection to Camera...

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your passions into a profession, listen up. In this episode Rukiya Kelly, Global Head of Corporate Impact and Engagement at FICO, talks about transforming your dreams into purpose. We talk about the bad career advice that unexpectedly helped her, the everyday need for financial literacy, and how your relationship with FICO is a lot deeper than you think. &n...

Social impact requires a super wide set of skills. Public speaking, data analysis, movement organizing, networking… the list is endless. However, in this episode, Melanie Newell, President at Public U.S. reveals some of the most important skills in social impact that often get overlooked. She even  shares her unique method to avoid   dwelling on problems, and focus  on building real...

How do you fight the world’s ugliest problems, and still find beauty in the everyday? Well in this episode Safe Horizon’s CEO, Liz Roberts, shares her 40 year journey from social worker to CEO - and how she keeps herself grounded when doing very hard work. We also discuss what early-career professionals should look-out for when applying to companies, and tips on advancing within an organization.&n...

If you’ve had odd jobs, taken unconventional paths, or lived a lot of different lives, tune in! In this episode, Marc Moorghen, VP of Marketing Communications at Lever for Change, shares his journey from DJ to world traveler to social impact leader to cat dad. We discuss how to embrace constant change, and strengthen your adaptability muscle. Marc also shares how Lever for Change has raised a comb...

What better way to celebrate women’s history month than with a pioneer of women’s sports media. Kati Fernandez is the Chief Content Officer at TOGETHXR, a media company founded by four elite women athletes - Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bird. Today, Kati explains how she and her team are transforming women’s sports every single day.  We also learn more about the company's ori...

WARNING! This episode will leave you hungry – for food… and information. Restaurateur, creator of MoonShot Snacks , and founding CEO of Planet FWD, Julia Collins shares sustainable food practices you didn’t know you needed. Complicated food labels, sustainable shopping practices, the impact of sandwiches –  these tips are good for you, and the planet! We also discuss how to explain food susta...

Humor isn’t just a great distraction from work, it helps strengthen how you do hard things. In this episode, Renee Wittemyer, VP of Program Strategy at Pivotal Ventures - founded by Melinda French Gates - shares why inane conversations are an impactful leadership strategy. She discusses how to ease laughter into serious conversations, how living abroad with her grandmother shaped her worldview, an...

On this show, we believe that changemakers should have intentional fun. Whether it’s starting a new creative outlet, dancing to 2000’s music, or creating a substack, Amy Lee – Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Director, Studio at NationSwell – embodies this mindset.  In this episode we also discuss how the social impact industry is evolving, what people get wrong about changemaking, and h...

Being purpose-driven means being a truth-teller, and since we’re being honest here, Patagonia sets a standard. Corley Kenna, Chief Impact and Communications Officer at Patagonia joins us to put a spotlight on what it's like on the inside of the outdoor brand. In this episode, she shares her mixed feelings about being labeled “trailblazers”, and gives first-hand advice on how to build a sustainable...

Here’s your permission to have out-of the box hobbies, while making the world a better place. George McGraw, founder of the non-profit Dig Deep, shares how he addresses the water crisis in America head on, and why he intentionally makes time to create art, just for fun. In this episode, we explore two questions (and get some after-hours insight into who George is off the clock): What can we do to...

Feeling stuck? Thinking about changing careers? In this episode, Kate Nack, VP of the Allstate Foundation & Social Impact, shares her transition from Olympic gymnast  to a new career, and how to approach life’s pivots with courage and curiosity. Kate also shares how her work drives youth empowerment and how her support system helps her stay grounded. This episode is all about taking risks...

Climate action isn’t just for STEM folks. Creatives help solve our biggest climate problems too. How? In this episode, Google.org Head of Sustainability & Climate, Kevin Brege, gives us the 411 on the innovative people in his field, just in time for COP30 in Brazil. We also get some creative travel hacks, stories from his near-pro soccer days, and hear about his best friend’s new novel (a form...

When you were a kid, you were probably told to “stay in school”. But, for many, that isn’t as easy as it sounds . This is where organizations like Give Something Back come in. CEO, Melissa Helmbrecht joins us today to share how they use action - not just  words - to empower young people to overcome their hardships, and create a positive future. She also shares her obsession with physics,...

Can celebrities ACTUALLY help fuel good? According to SixDegrees. Org Executive Director, Stacy Huston - they absolutely can!  Stacy is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Webby award winning podcast, 'Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon”. In this episode, she shares how to navigate the intersection of celebrity advocacy and social impact work, fun behind-the-scenes stories of her podc...

In this episode, we sit down with Lindsay Dahl, author of Cleaning House and Chief Impact Officer at Ritual, to talk about what it really means to build a career in social impact. From activist to lobbyist to author to executive, Lindsay’s path shows how purpose-driven work can take you anywhere. If you’re a book lover, career pivoter, or someone curious about the world of social impact like clima...

How can families protect their children from AI? In this episode we address these kinds of fears with resources. VP of Communications at Common Sense Media, Edda Collins Coleman, shares the challenges and solutions to raising children in a digital world. We also discuss ways to combat anxiety, The Real Housewives fandom and the best time of year to manifest your goals. Common Sense Media Resources...

Pick up a new hobby recently? Well, Natasha Tuck, Director of Sustainability at Dolby Labs, thinks you should. According to her, doing something creative outside of work can boost workplace momentum, and help prevent burnout. In this episode, we discuss her songwriting hobby, her obsessions with Johnny Depp and Timothée Chalamet, and why it took her so long to finally watch “Game of Thrones”.&nbsp...

Patience isn’t the sexiest superpower, but it’s essential if you want to get good at anything. In this episode, we dive into how patience shifts over time—what we have patience for, what we don’t, and how that changes as we grow. Alexander Habib, Head of Sustainability Communications at L’Oreal, believes patience can be an art that evolves with time. Alex is also a photographer and claims that his...

When life gets difficult, we tend to push people away. Our guest, Liz Forkin Bohannon, argues that we should resist that urge and instead seek deeper connections. And that’s exactly what we’re doing today.  Liz is one of the most sought-after public speakers in the country and the founder of Sseko Designs. In this episode, we connect over her passion for making people laugh, why commitment is...

What does climate change have to do with Lord of the Rings ? According to Solitaire Townsend, Chief Solutionist & Co-Founder of Futerra, the classic fantasy is a great example of what real change requires. In this episode, she explains how fiction stories can impact social change, and tells a few vivid (and real) stories of her own. Like the time she was trapped in the Amazon jungle, or when s...

Can failure be a good thing? Pat Mitchell -  Co-founder of TEDWomen and Project Dandelion - says: yes! As long as you keep moving forward. In this episode Pat reveals funny stories from her time as the host of the Emmy-winning talk show “Woman to Woman.” She also shares the questions she’d ask the late Pope, and the pivotal advice from her grandmother that helped her evolve into a “Dangerous...

Tired of settling for subpar vacations?  Well, in this episode, Hazel McGuire, Chief Marketing Officer at Intrepid Travel, shares her top tips to avoid vacation fails - from poor lodging to bad food. We also discuss how to be a responsible tourist, future travel trends, and what she would do in a “Freaky Friday” scenario. Learn more about Intrepid Travel: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us &nb...

For decades, Rebecca Lowell Edwards led communication strategies for organizations like the International Olympic Committee, Organon, and many others. She now runs her own consulting firm, SaltRock Strategies. In this episode, she shares how her superpower – feelings  — have helped her excel in the communications industry, along with the story behind her popular oyster shucking Linkedin post....