Cause & Purpose is the show about the leaders, innovators, and change-agents dedicating their lives to making the world a better place. In each episode, we'll feature a different leader, social entrepreneur, founder, or executive who has spent their careers pursuing positive social impact - either at nonprofit organizations or social enterprises. Learn more at causeandpurpose.com Enjoy!
John-Michael Keyes, founder of the I Love You Guys Foundation , joins Mike Spear to share how the devastating loss of his 16-year-old daughter Emily during a 2006 school hostage crisis became the catalyst for a national movement that has reshaped how schools, first responders, and communities prepare for and respond to crises. Through the development of the Standard Response Protocol and Standard…
In this powerful episode, Jocelyn Wyatt, CEO of Alight, shares her 25-year journey transforming humanitarian aid through human-centered design. From her early days recognizing the disconnect between DC-based decisions and on-the-ground needs in Bolivia, to co-founding IDEO.org and now leading a $90 million organization serving 4 million displaced people annually, Jocelyn reveals what it really…
In this thought-provoking episode of Cause & Purpose , data scientist and impact strategist Andrew Means joins Mike Spear to expose critical gaps in how the social sector uses data and evaluation. Drawing from his vast experience in the sector, Andrew reveals how many nonprofits are "flying blind"—lacking even basic data infrastructure to make strategic decisions. He shares practical frameworks…
In this episode of Cause & Purpose, host Mike Spear sits down with Jim Carter III, a technologist and philanthropist who has spent over a decade bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and social impact. Jim shares compelling stories from his journey, including how he helped Pencils of Promise receive a $1 million Bitcoin donation from the anonymous Pineapple Fund , and his current work…
In this episode of Cause & Purpose, we sit down with the CEO of Native Forward, Angelique Albert. Angelique shares insights from her life growing up on tribal lands in Montana, talks about some of the historical context that shapes the way Native Americans relate to Education, and shares insights from scaling Native Forward to serve more Native American scholars.
In this episode of Cause & Purpose, we sit down with the COO of Elemental Excelerator , Avra van der Zee. Avra's dedication to combatting climate change has spanned her entire career. From e-bikes, to sustainable pre-fabricated construction materials, to the 150+ startups in Elemental Excelerator's portfolio, Avra has worked, across her career, to help build and scale the innovative climate…
In this episode of Cause & Purpose, we sit down with Sarah Gardner, a trailblazer in the fight against child sexual abuse material (CSAM) through her work with the Heat Initiative . Sarah's commitment to creating a safer internet landscape for children is not just a mission — it's a calling. Under Sarah's guidance, the Heat Initiative aims to elevate internet safety standards, advocating for…
In this episode, we welcome Heidi Kershaw, the CEO of Multiple, a nonprofit organization focused on funding and incubating transformative tech solutions for people with autism. Rather than focusing on cure research or direct service to families, Multiple operates as a technology incubator, supporting scalable for-profit solutions. The conversation explores Heidi's personal journey as a mother of a…
In this episode of Cause & Purpose, we hear from Jared Walker, the founder and CEO of Dollar For. Dollar For is a nonprofit organization that helps tackle the issue of medical debt in the United States by advocating for patients and using patient data to drive policy change. Inspired by personal experience, Jared shares how Dollar For began as Dollar for Portland, crowdfunding money to support…
