Nonprofit Leadership Podcast

Dr. Doris Macharia In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter speaks with Dr. Doris Macharia, President of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, about what it takes to lead with clarity, courage, and resilience during times of crisis. Dr. Macharia shares her journey from practicing medicine in Kenya to leading global HIV and public health initiatives, and how her bac...

In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Dr. Rob Harter speaks with Clare Durrett and Dr. Terri Thompson of Answer ALS about how trust, collaboration, and shared data can accelerate meaningful impact. Answer ALS began after a powerful summit led by Steve Gleason and Team Gleason, where patients, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, and advocates came together to rethink how ALS researc...

Jay Williams In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter talks with Jay Williams, President and CEO of the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation. Jay shares his leadership journey from banking and public service to becoming the first African American and youngest mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, serving in the Obama administration, and now leading one of Connecticut’s major community fou...

In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter speaks with Michelle Dubiski, mother of Madison Dubiski, who tragically lost her life during the 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy in Houston. Michelle shares Madison’s servant-hearted spirit, her deep love for others, and how an organic movement called #PinkBowsForMadison became a symbol of love, remembrance, and hope. Rob is also joined by Steve Allen, an event man...

Hanna Bauer In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter talks with Hanna Bauer, founder of HEARTnomics®, about what it really means to lead with clarity, courage, and service. Hanna shares how her childhood battle with heart disease, including a groundbreaking heart ablation surgery, shaped the way she thinks about uncertainty, resilience, and servant leadership. Drawing from h...

Arun Gupta In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter speaks with Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach Foundation, venture capitalist, Stanford lecturer, Georgetown entrepreneurship professor, and bestselling author of The Mission Generation . Arun shares how his work across entrepreneurship, technology, public policy, venture finance, and social impact has shaped his belief that tod...

Dianne Bailey In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter talks with Dianne Bailey, Managing Director and National Philanthropic Strategy Executive at Bank of America Private Bank, about the changing landscape of nonprofit fundraising, affluent donors, and the future of charitable giving. Dianne brings decades of experience in philanthropy, nonprofit law, donor strategy, and foundation work, offering a unique...

Walter Kim In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter talks with Walter Kim, president of the NAE, about the urgent need to rebuild trust, strengthen local communities, and rediscover what it means to be a good neighbor. Walter shares how declining trust, loneliness, polarization, and compassion fatigue are affecting generosity, volunteerism, and civic life across the country....

Steve Cadigan In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Dr. Rob Harter speaks with Steve Cadigan, talent strategist, author of Workquake , and LinkedIn’s first Chief HR Officer. Steve shares how the employer-employee relationship has changed dramatically in recent years, especially as AI, remote work, frequent career changes, and shifting expectations around purpose and flexibility cont...

Caitlin Baron In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter welcomes Caitlin Baron, CEO of the Luminos Fund, to discuss how nonprofit leaders can sustain long-term impact while scaling mission-driven work. Caitlin shares her personal journey from growing up in Brooklyn, where she saw firsthand how education changes opportunity, to leading international education initiatives that help children who have been deni...

In this special four-state panel discussion, Rob Harter brings together nonprofit leaders from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado to discuss the biggest trends impacting nonprofit leadership today. Guests Jill Bennett of the Utah Nonprofits Association, Kevin Bailey of the Idaho Community Foundation and Idaho Nonprofit Center, Jodi Shields of the Wyoming Nonprofit Network, and Lloyd Lewis of arc T...

Pierre Le Manh In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter talks with Pierre Le Manh, President and CEO of Project Management Institute (PMI), about how nonprofit leaders can stay grounded in their mission while navigating rapid change, uncertainty, and transformation. Pierre shares why clarity of purpose, adaptive execution, transparency, and values-based leadership are essent...

Greg Warner In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Greg Warner, founder of MarketSmart, to explore how nonprofit leaders can use fundraising data more effectively. Greg shares the story behind the Fundraising Report Card, a free tool designed to help organizations better understand donor retention, lapsed donors, giving trends, and overall fundraising pe...

Christoph Gorder In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter sits down with Christoph Gorder, leader of Airbnb.org, to explore how Airbnb has built a social impact model that looks very different from a traditional corporate foundation. As an independent 501(c)(3), Airbnb.org operates separately from Airbnb while still leveraging the company’s technology, host network, and infr...

David Beckmann joins Dr. Rob Harter for a conversation on poverty alleviation, public policy, and the practical steps nonprofit leaders can take to reduce hunger and hardship in the United States and around the world. A pastor, economist, activist, and former president of Bread for the World, David shares insights from decades of advocacy work and discusses the central ideas in his book, Poverty A...

Asiaha Butler In this episode Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Asiaha Butler, co-founder and CEO of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.), to explore how one resident’s decision to stay transformed into a powerful, resident-led movement for community healing, ownership, and revitalization. Asiaha shares the defining moment that changed her life: seeing a young girl playing in a vac...

Julia Devine In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Julia Devine of Relatable Nonprofit to explore the rapid rise of nonprofit consulting and why more professionals are moving into this space. Drawing from a new industry report based on responses from 381 nonprofit consultants, Julia shares what is fueling this post-COVID shift and why nonprofits are increasingly turning to consultants and...

Stefan Feuerstein In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Stefan Feuerstein to explore why healthy delegation is essential for nonprofit leaders who want to avoid burnout and build sustainable organizations. Drawing on years of leadership experience in the humanitarian sector, Stefan explains that delegation is not about getting work off your plate, but about empowering team members, clarif...

Michael Thatcher In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Michael Thatcher, CEO of Charity Navigator, to explore how the nation’s largest independent charity evaluator is evolving to better serve donors and nonprofits alike. With over a decade at the helm, Michael shares how his background in technology and impact measurement has shaped Charity Navigator’s shift toward a more comprehensive,...

Suzanne Ehlers In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Suzanne Ehlers, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR (the fundraising partner of the UN Refugee Agency), to explore how women are reshaping philanthropy—and how nonprofits can better design giving models that reflect who is actually driving decisions. Suzanne shares why traditional fundraising approaches often haven’t been built...

Mitch Stein In this timely and data-packed episode, Rob Harter sits down with Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy at Chariot, to unpack one of the most important—and fastest-growing—trends in nonprofit fundraising: Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs). With economic uncertainty, shifting donor behavior, and fewer individuals giving overall, nonprofit leaders must understand how to meet donors where they are. And...

Tim Elmore In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter welcomes Dr. Tim Elmore, founder of Growing Leaders and author of The Future Begins With Z , for a thought-provoking discussion on how nonprofit and social impact organizations can better attract, engage, and retain Generation Z talent. Drawing from decades of experience and recent research with over 2,000 Gen Z individuals, Tim shares surprising insights...

Matt Nash Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Matt Nash, Executive Director of The Blackbaud Giving Fund, to unpack the recent changes in federal tax law that significantly impact corporate giving. With corporate philanthropy under increased scrutiny and new tax hurdles on the horizon, Matt offers timely insights and actionable advice for nonprofits looking to maintain or grow their corporate donor base...

In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Dan Pallotta—renowned author, TED Talk speaker, and social impact provocateur—to discuss what it really takes to solve the world’s biggest problems. Known for challenging the status quo in the nonprofit sector, Dan pushes listeners to think beyond conventional limitations, urging nonprofit leaders and donors alike to reimagine what’s possible when we...

Julia Campbell In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, host Rob Harter is joined by Julia Campbell, a renowned nonprofit strategist and host of the Nonprofit Nation podcast. With over 20 years in the field, Julia shares the latest data-backed fundraising trends shaping 2026 and what nonprofits can do to thrive amidst economic shifts and evolving donor expectations. Julia emphasizes th...