Contagious Culture

In this solo episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King reflects on leadership, burnout, capacity, and the hidden cost of building something that matters. Kyle shares why many leaders are not struggling because they lack ability, but because they are carrying too much. He opens up about moving the Contagious Culture Conference to 2027, simplifying organizational priorities, and learni...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King sits down with Maxie Gluckman , executive director of Friends of Fundesur, to explore leadership, global service, education, migration, and the power of listening. Maxie shares how her journey as a teacher, researcher, and global citizen led her to support communities in southern Honduras through a foundation connected to the shrimp i...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with nonprofit strategy and execution advisor Kelly Beeland to explore why so many strategic plans stall after they are approved. Kelly shares how boards and executive directors can create clarity, assess capacity, define roles, strengthen governance, and move from endless conversation to meaningful execution. The message is cl...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Frank Velásquez Jr. for a powerful conversation about authenticity, courage, joy, and reclaiming the stories that shape who we are. Frank shares how values-aligned leadership can help people become more confident, lead with greater intention, and create environments where others feel seen, supported, and empowered. The mes...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with RJ Caswell, a Charlotte-based social impact leader with a heart for connecting people to purpose and helping organizations grow stronger. RJ shares his perspective on leadership, collaboration, nonprofit sustainability, and the importance of building real infrastructure behind mission-driven work. He also discusses the rol...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Patrick Graham, CEO of We Build Concord, nonprofit and public leader, and architect of economic and social justice initiatives. Dr. Graham shares how his upbringing in Long Island, his Southern roots, hip-hop, church, and his mother’s role in a federal housing discrimination case shaped his passion for justice, housing...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Erin Peshoff, chief curator of Vivid Operational Advisors for a practical conversation on systems, operations, infrastructure, and what it really takes for nonprofits to grow well. Erin explains why organizations cannot scale if they are not optimized for growth. She shares how strong systems create predictability, reduce...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC , award-winning author, executive coach, belonging consultant, Gallup Strengths coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, and author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence Through Cultural Humility. Joel Pérez, PCC shares how leaders can create cultures of belonging by practicing cultu...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Mark Maynard, keynote speaker, author, advisor, coach, and former managing partner at Union Square Hospitality Group. Mark shares how hospitality, clarity, purpose, and community shape unforgettable customer and team experiences. He explains why great service is not just about a product, meal, or transaction. It is about h...

In this solo episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King challenges leaders to reflect on the setbacks they have survived, the character they are building, and the future they are intentionally creating. Drawing from the wisdom of Maya Angelou, personal leadership experiences, and stories about trust, courage, and perseverance, Kyle reminds listeners that experiencing defeat does not m...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dara Ashley , founding executive director of the Dara Ashley Foundation, researcher, and nonprofit leader working to close the access and exposure gap for underrepresented college students. Dara shares how her own experiences, mentorship, and time at Howard University shaped her passion for helping students see what is pos...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Pedro Jose Rivera , a nonprofit fundraising strategist working at the intersection of law, philanthropy, wealth management, and nonprofit leadership. Pedro shares how Latino-led nonprofits can move from grant dependency to deeper financial independence by building diversified fundraising systems. He explains why organizati...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Whitney Siders , executive team advisor, coach, speaker, offsite facilitator, and founder of The Modern Inc. Whitney helps leaders and teams get beneath the surface of what is really happening so they can strengthen alignment, accelerate action, and lead with greater clarity. She shares why fear, resistance, avoided conver...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Andrea Mancuso , trauma-informed leadership and emotional intelligence coach, licensed mental health counselor, and founder of Intentional Healing and Wellness. Andrea shares why healthy, high-performing teams cannot exist if leaders have not done their own internal work. She explains how burnout, avoidance, people-pleasin...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dayana Kiblids, strategist, speaker, co-author of Mailed It, and higher education communication expert. Dayana shares why simplicity is one of the most powerful tools leaders can use to help people take action. She explains how complex language, unclear systems, and academic jargon often create barriers for students, famil...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Brad Ton, a nonprofit technology leader, former rapper, father of six, and someone who brings honesty, humor, and heart into every room. Brad shares his journey from working in professional sports, to pursuing hip-hop, to finding purpose in nonprofit technology. He opens up about reinvention, anxiety, recovery, fatherhood,...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Jaimi Cortes, philanthropic strategist with COR Philanthropic Strategies , who has spent more than 20 years helping individuals, families, foundations, and organizations move resources in thoughtful, values-aligned, and community-centered ways. Jaimi shares how her early experiences in philanthropy shaped her belief that g...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Vu Le, writer, speaker, nonprofit thought leader, and author of Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy. Vu brings his signature honesty, humor, and boldness to a conversation about power, philanthropy, donor dynamics, systemic change, and what the nonprofit sector must be willing to confront. He challenges traditional ide...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Kathy Klotz-Guest , keynote speaker, author, comedian, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and creator of BoldNet. Kathy shares how humor, improv, and authenticity can help leaders build trust, reduce fear, and create cultures where people feel safe enough to take risks. She explains why many organizations get stuck in “innovati...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Naomi Hattaway , founder of Leaving Well, for a timely conversation on workplace transitions, succession planning, board leadership, and what it means to leave an organization with intention. Naomi shares why organizations often talk about hiring, growth, and vision, but avoid the harder conversations around departure, tra...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Shola Richards, international keynote speaker, founder of Go Together Global, bestselling author, and host of the Kindness Extremist Podcast. Shola shares the personal story behind his work and explains why kindness is not weakness. He opens up about pain, depression, imposter syndrome, and how his own wounds became the fo...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Natalie Brown , Head of Strategic Workforce Partnership at Ally Financial, for a conversation on leadership, workforce development, strategic partnerships, and preparing the next generation for success. Natalie shares how her work connects business goals, community priorities, and talent pipelines to create real opportunit...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Lindsey Fuller , Executive Director of The Teaching Well, leadership coach, keynote speaker, and organizational wellness consultant. Lindsey shares why strong adult culture is the engine of strong student outcomes. She explains why schools cannot expect students to regulate, learn, and thrive if the adults leading them are...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Olivia Jefferson , VP of Social Impact at Best Buy and a leader helping drive the vision of the Best Buy Foundation. Olivia shares how her personal story, her mother’s resilience after a life-changing accident, and her early exposure to philanthropy shaped her purpose and commitment to community impact. She explains why ph...

In this episode of Contagious Culture, Kyle S. King sits down with Claire Masikewich , founder of the Strong Like Sloan Foundation, for a powerful conversation about purpose, adversity, storytelling, community, and turning pain into impact. After her daughter Sloan was diagnosed with stage four cancer at five and a half years old, Claire’s life and work shifted. What started as a way to cope becam...