Shows / The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the World
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the World
Whether you’re ladling soup at a local shelter or attending a UN Peace Conference, those who devote their lives to the service of others are often exhausted and in need of a little break. Welcome to the PlayFull Podcast, bringing fun to the serious work of changing the world. I’m Kristine Michie, myself 5 decades into trying to make the world a better place. Join PlayFull as we meet movement builders from around the world and learn about the problems they’re solving, the systems they’re…
Episodes
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas – Regenerative Agriculture & Banking for Public Good with Kat Taylor
What if the fundamental systems shaping our food, capital, and climate could be redesigned from the ground up? In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas Series – The Future Of AI (and picture books!) Is Ours To Shape with Afua Bruce
AI’s future isn’t inevitable—and people don’t need to be technology experts to help shape it. In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas – Finding Agency In The Age of AI with Amy Sample Ward & Liz Kane
AI and fast-changing technologies can feel inevitable—but nonprofits and changemakers still have choices. In this Part 2 episode of The PlayFull Podcast…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas – A One-Stop Data Shop for Philanthropy with Liz Kane & Amy Sample Ward
What if nonprofits could control, update, and reuse their information instead of repeatedly entering it into disconnected, proprietary systems? In Part 1 of…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas - Eric K. Ward & Ginna Green: Joy Is Both A Catalyst And A Salve
In a challenging political and social landscape, how do we hold space for both unacknowledged grief and restorative joy? In this episode of The PlayFull…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas – Building Ecological Wealth with Isaias Hernandez
In a world driven by economic growth, what if our true goal was cultivating ecological wealth? In this Climate Week episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas – A How-To on Meeting America: Leaving the Bubble with Wesley Warshawer
When a Silicon Valley data scientist realized he no longer understood his own country, he packed up, went remote, and moved from Bismarck to Biloxi to find out…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat ideas – WHY SCALE IS A MYTH IN PHILANTHROPY with Zack Petersen
In a world obsessed with “scale,” what if the bravest thing a nonprofit leader can do is stay small, stay local, and get boring? In this episode of The…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldGreat Ideas – JOY AS RESISTANCE IN THE FIGHT FOR BODILY AUTONOMY: Leading with Play, Joy, and Justice with Jenny Black
In a time when despair is “the favorite tool of the oppressor,” how can joy, play, and rest become radical tools of resistance? In this episode of The PlayFull…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldHow To Series – How to Turn Proximity into Equity with Shawn McClondon
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Shawn McClondon, founder of the Sister Cities Project. Together, they explore how…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldHow To Series – How to Make Play a Priority with Philip Steigman
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Philip Steigman, Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Georgetown University's…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldHow To Series – EVERYDAY DEMOCRACY: Turning Picnics and Potlucks into Civic Power
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Merle McGee and Chandanie Orgias to explore how joyful, everyday gatherings can rebuild…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldHow To Series – HOW TO REFRAME MIDLIFE WITH CHIP CONLEY: Becoming a “Wise Beginner” through Reframing Midlife as a Second Adulthood
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Chip Conley, author, hospitality pioneer, and founder of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA)…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldHow To Series – HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL with Brian Schaefer: Weaving Dance, Politics, and Place into a Powerful Story About Community and Loyalty
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Brian Schaefer, a cultural journalist, former dance critic, and author of the debut novel…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldHow To Series: JD Schramm: How to Tell Your Story
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by JD Schramm, an expert in communication and storytelling for nonprofit and philanthropic…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldYTD - Best Of 2026: Nikki Dinh, Iman Mills Gordon & Ericka Stallings: From Equity to Liberatory Leadership
In this special episode of The PlayFull Podcast, we’re revisiting a conversation between Kristine Michie and Nikki Dinh, Iman Mills Gordon, and Ericka…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldYTD - Best Of 2026: Aparna Rae: We’re Sick at Work – and Why This Matters
In this special episode of The PlayFull Podcast, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation between Kristine Michie and equity and workplace strategist Aparna…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldYTD - Best Of 2026: Phil Buchanan: Backing Nonprofits and Pushing Philanthropy
In this rewind episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie speaks with Center for Effective Philanthropy CEO Phil Buchanan about how trust-based…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldYTD - Best Of 2026: Liberation through Reading & Writing with Reginald Dwayne Betts
In this special episode of The PlayFull Podcast, we’re revisiting one of our most popular episodes. Kristine Michie sits down with poet, lawyer, and advocate…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldPhilip Eubanks & Saul Levin: Building a Playful, Courageous Movement for Climate Resistance
In this episode, Kristine speaks with philanthropist Philip Eubanks and grantee Saul Levin about how disruptive, nonviolent climate protests are reshaping…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldJeremiah Lee and Evan Prodromou: Money, Justice, and the Future of the Social Web
In this episode, Kristine talks to Jeremiah Lee and Evan Prodromou of the Interledger Foundation and Social Web Foundation to explore how to shift power away…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldDreamers & Doers: Shawn Dove: I, Too, America – Love, Leadership, and Black Male Achievement
In Part 2 of Kristine’s conversation with Shawn Dove, founder of the Corporation for Black Male Achievement and Managing Partner at New Profit, they explore…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldDreamers & Doers: Shawn Dove: From Freeze Tag to Freedom
In Part 1 of this 2-part episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Shawn Dove, an emerging elder leader and champion of Black Male Achievement, to discuss what…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldDreamers & Doers: Dani Klein Modisett: The ROI of Laughter
What if laughter wasn’t just entertainment, but a practical tool for building trust, easing burnout, and sustaining change-makers through the heaviest work? In…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldDreamers & Doers: Tracee Worley: How Imagination Today Creates a Better Tomorrow
What happens when we treat imagination as a form of resistance and ask, “What if everything goes right?” In this conversation, we explore matriarchal futures…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldCandidate Series: Rimga Viskanta: Giving Bureaucrats and Peacemakers a Chance to Govern
What happens when an empathic peacemaker steps into the rough-and-tumble world of modern politics? In this episode, a mayoral candidate shares how deep…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldCandidate Series: Hector Mujica: Playing, Connecting, and Leading in a Moment of Change
In this episode, Kristine Michie speaks with Hector Mujica, a first-gen Venezuelan American running for Congress in Florida (FL-28). They explore how…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldCandidate Series: Michael Roth on Play, Power, and Rebuilding an Economy That Works
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie speaks with congressional candidate Michael Roth about why he’s running for Congress—and why play…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldInnovators & Disruptors: Aparna Rae: We’re Sick at Work – and Why This Matters
In this episode, Kristine Michie talks with Aparna Rae to unpack systems shaping modern work—and why people feel exhausted and disillusioned. From the language…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldInnovators & Disruptors: Cate Mayer & Jeanine Abrams McLean: The Power of “Being For Something”
In this episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Cate Mayer of Be the Ones and Jeanine Abrams McLean of Fair Count to explore how joy, play, and creativity can…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldInnovators & Disruptors: M. Gabriela Alcalde: Reclaiming Our Shared Humanity
In this episode, Kristine Michie sits down with M. Gabriela Alcalde to explore the deeper costs of comfort, particularly the ways dominant-culture comfort…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldInnovators & Disruptors: Nikki Dinh, Iman Mills Gordon & Ericka Stallings: From Equity to Liberatory Leadership
SUMMARY In this episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Nikki Dinh, Iman Mills Gordon, and Ericka Stallings from the Leadership Learning Community (LLC) to…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldInnovators & Disruptors: Andrea Levere: What is Enterprise Capital – and Why It’s the Capital Nonprofits Need Most
In this episode, Kristine Michie talks with Andrea Levere, CEO of Capitalize Good, about why nonprofits should be treated as enterprises—and why they need the…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldInnovators & Disruptors: Sara Lomelin: Building the Party You Want to Attend
In this episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Sara Lomelin, founding CEO of Philanthropy Together, to explore why giving should feel joyful, relational, and…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldInnovators & Disruptors: Phil Buchanan: Stepping Up for Nonprofits in a Moment of Crisis
In this episode, Kristine Michie talks with Phil Buchanan about the mounting pressures on nonprofits and the role of philanthropy in responding. They explore…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldJohanne Meleance & Jeanine Abrams McLean: Reframing Democracy and Haiti Through Joyful, Community-Led Change
In this episode, Kristine Michie speaks with Jeanine Abrams McLean of Fair Count and Johanne Meleance of Help for Haiti about reshaping narratives in democracy…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldBest of 2025: Emma Bloomberg: How Democratized Data Spurs Action & Strengthens Society
In the first episode of our Civic Actors series, host Kristine Michie sits down with Emma Bloomberg, Founder/CEO of Murmuration (and daughter of the former…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldBest of 2025: Eight Women Staying Open, Grounded, and Brave
In this The PlayFull Podcast’s Best of 2025 series, host Kristine Michie brings together a chorus of extraordinary changemakers—visionaries in gender justice…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldBest of 2025: Don Howard: California Dreaming of Jobs, Justice, and a Future where Everyone Thrives
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie talks with Don Howard, CEO of the James Irvine Foundation, about the future of work, economic…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldBest of 2025: Robert Raben: Prayer, Love & Laughter Inform Good Political Strategy
Kristine Michie welcomes longtime policy strategist and justice advocate Robert Raben in this Best of 2025 episode of The PlayFull Podcast. Together, they…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldMia and Lauren Sundstrom on Play, Human Flourishing, and Organizational Joy
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie talks with Mia Sundstrom, CEO of the National Institute for Play (NIFP), and Lauren Sundstrom, NIFP…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldKen Daigle on Play, Faith, and Unapologetic Manifestation
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie speaks with spiritual leader, author, and Unity San Francisco Senior Minister Ken Daigle about how…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldScot Nakagawa and Zev Mishell: Why Joy Is Essential to Democracy
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie sits down with activist and strategist Scot Nakagawa and organizer Zev Mishell to explore how joy…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldLiberation through Reading & Writing: The Language of Justice with Reginald Dwayne Betts
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie sits down with poet, lawyer, and advocate Reginald Dwayne Betts to explore how joy, words, and access…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldJenan Mohajir: Building Bridges, Holding Difference, and Finding Joy Together
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie talks with Jenan Mohajir, Vice President of External Affairs at Interfaith America, exploring the…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldVoting as an Act of Faith with Rev. Naomi Washington‑Leapheart
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie talks with Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, a Black queer preacher, teacher, and justice advocate…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldRev. Jennifer Butler: Reclaiming Faith to Inspire Action
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie talks with Rev. Jennifer Butler, founder of Faith in Democracy, about bringing joy, faith, and…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldNicholas Ma: Documenting Change with the Cameras Running
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie talks with filmmaker Nicholas Ma about growing up in a creative family (his dad is cellist Yo Yo Ma)…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldMichelle Sobel & Harry Gottlieb: Strengthening Democracy Through Joyful Collaboration
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie talks with Michelle Sobel and Harry Gottlieb—co-founders of Unify America—about reducing polarization…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldShantel Suárez Ávila and Claire Groebner: Creating Impact Without Sacrificing Joy
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie talks with Shantel Suárez Ávila and Claire Groebner about centering lived experience, embracing…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldSamra Haider: Reimagining Justice through Play, Purpose, and Proximity
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie speaks with Samra Haider of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation about reimagining philanthropy…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldBob Dalton: Building Real Connection In A Digital World
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie speaks with Bob Dalton about the power of neighbor-to-neighbor connections, community building…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldDon Howard: California Dreaming of Jobs, Justice, and a Future where Everyone Thrives
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie talks with Don Howard, CEO of the James Irvine Foundation, about the future of work, economic…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldLorna Olivia McCormack: Sparking Sustainability Through Heritage, Heart, and Running for Office
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie talks with Lorna Olivia McCormack, founder of Wool in School and a former Irish presidential…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldKat Guillaume: Abundance Thinking turns Vacant Lots into Vibrant Assets
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie welcomes Kat Guillaume, CEO of the Center for Community Progress, for an inspiring conversation…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldEmma Bloomberg: How Democratized Data Spurs Action & Strengthens Society
In the first episode of our Civic Actors series, host Kristine Michie sits down with Emma Bloomberg, Founder/CEO of Murmuration (and daughter of the former…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldPeter Williamson: Pro Golfer Turned Game Designer for Social Good
While every PFP guest is PlayFull, we occasionally get the chance to talk to someone who plays full-time! And in the case of Peter Williamson, this has been…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldAisha Benson: The Hidden Power of Nonprofits in Finance, Community, and Social Change
In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, host Kristine Michie welcomes Aisha Benson, CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, as part of the Brave Voices series…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldMicah Parzen: When Museums Confront their Colonial Core
In this episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Micah Parzen, CEO of the Museum of Us, for an honest conversation about what it takes to transform an…
The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the WorldJess Tomlin: Powering Movements through Markets
In this episode, Kristine Michie sits down with Jess Tomlin for an inspiring conversation about reimagining what it takes to drive lasting change. She shares…