Voices of Impact

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Join Shane, Isabella, and Jim as they sit down with history teacher Mr. Rasmuson and engineering teacher Jason Franzenburg to discuss how students can actively shape society. The team explores the intersection of the humanities and STEM, breaking down how to understand modern social challenges through a historical lens and tackle them using an engineering design framew...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, and guest co-host Jim discuss SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, featuring Ricardo Jugeshuarsingh, a student who fled Venezuela with his father, a prominent opposition leader. The team explores the collapse of democracy through Ricardo's eyes, tracing his harrowing journey from the Maduro regime to safety in the United States. K...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, featuring Dr. Roberto Leon and Ms. Ashley Ahrens-Víquez, two leaders at the intersection of global collaboration, education, and international development. Dr. Leon and Ms. Ahrens-Víquez explored how cross-sector partnerships—between governments, nonprofits, educational instituti...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss SDG 13: Climate Action, featuring Mr. Julian Thompson, a leading figure in community-driven climate initiatives. Drawing on Thompson’s work with Community Climate Action UK, the Great Collaboration, and grassroots sustainability projects, the episode explores urgent climate challenges including global warming, defo...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, featuring Dr. Andrea Briseño, a faculty researcher at Virginia Tech with a Ph. D. in Public Administration and Public Affairs. Dr. Briseño brought an academic and policy-driven lens to the conversation as the team examined three core global challenges: violence and c...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth explore SDG 5: Gender Equality, featuring Ms. Sarah Cooper, Executive Director of the Elementary Institute of Science. Drawing on research, global statistics, and Cooper’s experience at the intersection of education, technology, and inclusion, the team examines three core challenges: eliminating gender-based discrimination...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss SDG 2: Zero Hunger, featuring Casey Castillo of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. Castillo shared insights from his work addressing food insecurity at both local and global levels, grounding the conversation in real-world experience. Key concerns include political instability, climate change and environ...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth dive into SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy in a research-based, guest-free discussion. The team explores three major global hurdles — limited access to electricity, continued dependence on fossil fuels, and widespread energy inefficiency — drawing on real-world case studies from Tanzania, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Uru...

Welcome to Episode 6 of Voices of Impact. Join Kenneth, Isabella, Amulya, and Aaron as they dive into the critical topic of clean water and sanitation, featuring Professor Goran Bozinovic, a renowned expert in environmental science. Professor Bozinovich shared insights on the genetic responses to environmental stress and the global challenges of water access. Key issues discussed include the lack...

Welcome to Episode 5 of Voices of Impact. Join Kenneth, Isabella, Shane, and guests Charles Parisi and Aaron Adamson as they delve into the pressing issue of poverty. This episode explores the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of No Poverty, focusing on economic inequality, access to basic services, and sustainable livelihoods. Charles Parisi shares insights on systemic barriers and the...

Welcome to Episode 4 of Voices of Impact. Join Isabella, Shane, Amulya, and Aaron as they delve into Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, featuring Mr. Parisi, CEO of Cloudcast, and Mr. Adamson, founder of PPC Profit Pros. The discussion centers on the importance of sustainable development and the role of technology in shaping the future. Key topics include the digital divide, infrastructure...

Welcome to Voices of Impact. Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss decent work and economic growth, featuring Mr. Haney Hong, a leading voice in economic policy and civic innovation. Mr. Hong discussed how economies can responsibly grow while upholding opportunity, accountability, and dignity for all workers. Key concerns include post-pandemic financial instability, youth and form...

Welcome to Episode 2 of Voices of Impact.  Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss quality education, featuring Dr Perla Myers, a legendary figure in the Education world. Dr Perla Myers discussed the importance of inclusive, experiential, and engaging education. Key concerns include teacher quality and training, educational access and inclusion, and infrastructure. Myers emphasized...

Welcome to Episode 1 of Voices of Impact.  Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss good health and well-being, featuring Blair Sadler, a visionary in healthcare. Sadler emphasizes the importance of collaboration, persistence, and adaptability in healthcare. He shares his journey from law school to leading Rady's Children's Hospital, highlighting key initiatives like the Uniform Anat...

Welcome to Episode 0 of Voices of Impact.  Listen to Shane, Isabella, Amulya, and Kenneth discuss their journey, their stories, and their passion for a better world for all of us.  You'll hear about a summer camp program called "Impactful Sandbox" which combined design thinking with podcast creation, serving as the catalyst which led to the four students wanting to stretch their creative muscles i...