The Impact Agenda

In this episode, we sit down with Jodi Linker, the first woman to lead the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of California—one of the most storied defender offices in the country. With nearly two decades of experience and a team of over 70 attorneys, Jodi represents people who can’t afford legal counsel in federal court, taking on cases that span drug offenses, immigr...

In this episode, we’re joined by Akshaya Dinesh, a self-taught engineer, Thiel Fellow, and two-time exited founder now exploring AI as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Bain Capital Ventures. After dropping out of Stanford, Akshaya went on to found Nova , a Gen Z professional network, and Spellbound , a no-code platform for interactive email experiences—both of which were successfully acquired. She...

In this episode, we’re joined by Steven Kelts, a lecturer at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs and the Department of Computer Science, where he leads the university’s groundbreaking “Integrated Ethics” program. With a background that spans academia, nonprofit leadership, and tech industry advising, Steven’s work focuses on preparing the next generation of technologists to anti...

In this episode, we’re joined by Jessica Millstone, a leading expert in educational technology and founder of Copper Wire Ventures, an early-stage fund investing in women-led tech companies shaping the future of learning and work. With over 20 years of experience building edtech products at BrainPOP, Sesame Workshop, and Common Sense Media—as well as years in the classroom—Jessica shares how her b...

In this episode, we’re joined by Jaclyn Seow, Senior Advisor and former Executive Director and Head of ESG at Openspace Ventures, a leading Southeast Asian VC firm with over US$800M in committed capital. Before moving into venture capital, Jaclyn spent over a decade in Singapore’s public sector, shaping national policy across the Ministries of Law, Health, and Foreign Affairs. She shares insights...

In this episode, we sit down with Shahd Asaly, a sociologist, writer, and founder of Blue Meets Blue , a humanitarian fashion label employing refugee women and preserving Syrian textile heritage. Shahd’s work sits at the intersection of fashion activism, trauma research, and cultural preservation. A PhD candidate studying collective trauma and displacement, she shares how her academic research and...

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Ackerman, a serial entrepreneur turned early-stage investor who’s backed over 70 startups and led innovation efforts across industries. Andrew is currently Strategic Advisor and Head of REACH Labs at Second Century Ventures, and has held roles ranging from Managing Director at Dreamit Ventures—where he launched edtech and urbantech accelerators—to COO of a...

In this episode, we’re joined by Fiona Wilson, CEO of Earthwatch Australia, an environmental NGO that brings people and science together to protect and restore nature. Fiona leads a team delivering award-winning programs like ClimateWatch, MangroveWatch, Kids Teaching Kids, and Bush Blitz across Australia and the Pacific. With a background in higher education and philanthropy, she brings a unique...

In Season 5, we had conversations that took us from the frontlines of aerospace innovation to the boardrooms of VC firms, healthtech startups, and African entrepreneurship hubs. In today’s recap, we’re revisiting some of our favorite moments. 00:44 Sassie Duggleby, CEO and Co-Founder of Venus Aerospace 04:47 Irene Ochem, CEO and Founder of Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum 08:19 L...

In this episode, we’re joined by Sassie Duggleby, the CEO and Co-Founder of Venus Aerospace, a groundbreaking deep-tech startup developing reusable hypersonic aircraft for revolutionary one-hour global transport. With Venus’s innovative technologies like the Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE), Sassie is leading the charge in making one-hour global transport a reality. Under her leadership, V...

In this episode, we're joined by Lu Zhang, a powerhouse in Silicon Valley’s venture capital scene. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, Lu has dedicated herself to empowering early-stage startups that are overcoming technology barriers. With investments spanning industries like AI, robotics, digital health, and network technologies, Lu’s expertise is reshaping the landscape for...

In this episode, we sit down with Karen Tay, founder of Inherent , a leadership coaching firm dedicated to helping executives navigate change and adversities in their professional journeys. With an impressive background spanning government, tech, and consulting, Karen has worked with global organizations like Google, Airbnb, and OpenAI. She has also contributed to Singapore’s transformation into a...

In this episode, we’re joined by Maria Salamanca, General Partner at Ulu Ventures , the largest Latina-led venture fund in the U.S. With an impressive background in both venture capital and public policy, Maria has spent her career supporting underrepresented founders and advocating for systemic change. As the former Partner at Unshackled Ventures , Maria focused on empowering immigrant entreprene...

In this episode, we’re joined by Irene Ochem, the Founder and CEO of Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF), an organization dedicated to advancing women’s economic inclusion through entrepreneurial support. With over 30 years of experience in international development and gender equity, Irene has led AWIEF in supporting over 5,000 businesses across Africa. She’s also behind th...

In this episode, we’re joined by Brendan and Cherie, the dynamic co-founders of Holly, a startup leveraging AI to help local governments recruit the workforce of tomorrow. Holly is tackling public sector hiring at its core, aiming to reduce the $86bn overtime costs and lengthy average hiring time of 135 days.  Brendan and Cherie while doing joint degrees at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kenn...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Christina, CEO and Co-Founder of Clarity Pediatrics, a company that’s re-imagining pediatric chronic care. Christina is an accomplished digital health executive with a track record of growing two venture-backed start-ups—Pill Club and NerdWallet—each reaching over $100M in annual recurring revenue and profitability. She’s also an active angel investor an...

In this episode, we’re joined by Paige Hendrix Buckner, the CEO of All Raise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to propelling the success of female and non-binary venture capitalists by changing the culture and composition of the venture capital ecosystem. Prior to leading All Raise, Paige served as the COO of Founder Gym, the largest online program training underrepresented founders on how to ra...

As we wrap up another incredible season, we’re reflecting on the powerful conversations that shaped Season 4 of the Impact Agenda Podcast. From groundbreaking innovation to social entrepreneurship and personal resilience, here are the top 8 takeaways from our inspiring guests: 🎙️ 0:17 Jackie Carmel – Managing Director at Endeavor Catalyst, on funding high-impact entrepreneurs globally. 🎙️ 1:30 Wen...

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Angela Sheffield, the Director of the DoD Digital and Artificial Intelligence Portfolio at Science Applications International Corporation. In her role, Angela leads the charge in delivering cutting-edge platform, data, and AI services to the DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence office. With a robust background that includes serving as Senior Pro...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All, and the visionary behind Teach For America. Wendy's journey began with her senior thesis at Princeton University, which led to the creation of Teach For America, a movement that has transformed education in the U.S. and sparked a global network dedicated to ensuring all children have the opportunity to fulf...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Marcus D. Stroud, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of TXV Partners. Marcus oversees the firm's Evolution Strategy, overall fundraising efforts, and firm management. Beyond TXV, he serves on the Advisory boards of Capital Creek Partners and Trey Athletes, and is a current fellow at the Kauffman Fellows Program in Class 28. Named in Forbes 30 under 30 in 20...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Yvette Kong, a multifaceted leader who represented Hong Kong in the 2016 Rio Olympics and now dedicates her time to mental health advocacy and education. As a founding board member of Mind Hong Kong, Yvette leverages her personal experiences from her athletic career to champion mental wellbeing across various platforms, including CNN and TEDx. With a dive...

Join us for an engaging conversation with Ben, Co-founder of House Numbers, and Robert, Investment Partner at Maven Ventures. Ben's journey from software engineer in Silicon Valley to co-founding a home wealth management tech startup. Robert, Maven's “boomerang VC,” has been instrumental in backing bold founders who are shaping the future of consumer behavior, with investments in iconic brands lik...

Join us for an engaging conversation with Jackie Carmel, who has been at the forefront of fundraising and investor relations at Endeavor Catalyst for the past decade. Endeavor Catalyst, the co-investment fund of Endeavor, plays a crucial role in supporting high-growth companies across emerging and underserved markets worldwide.  With stints at JP Morgan and Google, Jackie brings a wealth of experi...

Join us for an enlightening discussion with Chris Greig, the Theodora D. ’78 and William H. Walton III ’74 Senior Research Scientist at Princeton's Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. With nearly 30 years of experience as a founder and senior executive in the private sector and his leadership in the Andlinger Center at Princeton, Chris is a prominent voice in the global energy tra...