Shows / Hart & Hustle Podcast
Hart & Hustle Podcast
Hart & Hustle delivers real conversations with nonprofit and healthcare leaders who are scaling mission-driven impact through strategic innovation. Hosted by Efrain Lozada, each 45-minute episode explores leadership, operations, technology adoption, and practical strategies for mission-based organizations. Learn from executives who've transformed accessibility, efficiency, and community engagement while staying true to their values. For nonprofit directors, operations leaders, and healthcare…
Episodes
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
The Critical Gap in Youth Development: Filling the 18-24 Age Void with Community & Care | Chicago Youth Boxing Club
Unlock the transformative power of community and resilience with Noah Pickens from Chicago Youth Boxing Club. Noah shares how he transitioned from an educator…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Why Building More Housing Won’t End Veteran Homelessness—And What Will | We Soldier On
Veteran homelessness is a complex challenge—yet organizations like Soldier On show us it's solvable. Casey DiCicco, Communications Director, and Bruce Buckley…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Why Supporting Kids During Critical Hours Can Change Their Entire Future | Sue Gabriel
Unlock the transformative power of youth programs with Sue Gabriel, director of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem. She shares how a safe, engaging…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Mission-Driven Leadership in Higher Education: How Doane University Grows Through Relationships
John Frost, VP of Enrollment Management at Doane University, shares how one conversation — and one person who believed in a student before she believed in…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
He Chose Missions Over Easy Paychecks for 15 Years. Here's What It's Built. | Tymon Graham
Tymon Graham, VP of Student Affairs at Florida Memorial University, shares how he's spent 15 years building student access, institutional trust, and…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Your Trauma Isn't Baggage. It Might Be Your Greatest Leadership Asset. | Mollie Rockafellow
Mollie Rockafellow, VP of Student Affairs at Eastern Oregon University, shares how the adversity she survived became the leadership framework she now teaches —…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
The Students Everyone Gave Up On Are Now Doctors and Dentists — Here's Why | Chris Powers
Chris Powers, VP for Enrollment at Mount St. Joseph University, shares what 25 years of servant leadership in higher education teaches you about mission…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
She Rebuilt a 120-Year-Old Brand to Survive the Enrollment Cliff | Lauran Hundshamer
Lauran Hundshamer, VP of Marketing & Enrollment at St. Catherine University, shares how she rebuilt a 120-year-old brand strategy to compete—and grow—during…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
"This Is a Calling, Not a Job" — 25 Years in Mission-Driven Leadership | Heath Einstein, TCU
Heath Einstein, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at Texas Christian University, shares how his team uses data, AI, and radical hospitality to reach the…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
He Manages 22,000 Applications with a Small Team — Here's the System | Todd Rinehart
Todd Rinehart from the University of Denver shares how he manages 22,000 applications a year with a small team — and the outreach, AI, and…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
High Touch, High Tech: Reaching More People Without Losing the Human Connection | LeAnn Hughes
LeAnn Hughes, Senior VP of Enrollment & Marketing at Valparaiso University, shares how she built a human-centered leadership philosophy after losing her father…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
28 Years Fighting for Education Access — What Every Mission Leader Needs to Hear | Ethan Logan
Ethan Logan, VP of Enrollment Management at the University of Hartford, shares how 28 years of mission-driven leadership in higher education has shaped his…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Failing College to Becoming VP: How Jeremy Taylor Is Opening Doors for First-Gen Students
Dr. Jeremy Taylor, VP of Enrollment Management at Defiance College, shares how he reversed 10 years of declining enrollment — growing 78% in Year 1 and 20% in…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Real Leaders Go to Therapy First, Then Lead Their Teams Through It | David Cooper
David Cooper, Director of Community Outreach at Central Community House, shares how he left a corporate career, took a major pay cut, moved back to the…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
She Never Wanted the CEO Title — And That's Why She's One of the Best
Jamie Merrill — President & CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida — walked across her college graduation stage six months pregnant, on Medicaid, living…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
What Happens to Your People at 2 AM? This VP Built a System So No One Falls Through the Cracks
Chris Thomas, VP for Student Affairs at West Texas A&M University, shares how he built a culture of mentorship, belonging, and authentic leadership —…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
The Mission Is the Strategy: First-Gen Leadership, Access, and the Power of Showing Up
Katie Condon, VP of Enrollment Management at Eastern Michigan University, shares how a first-generation college student with no family roadmap climbed from…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
First-Gen Leader, First-Gen Mission: Building Organizations That Meet People Where They Are
Meaghan Arena, VP of Enrollment Management at the University of Southern Maine, shares how she grew enrollment year-over-year while institutions nationally are…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Mental Health at Scale: Serving 12 Sites Without Losing Your Clinical Soul | Pete Vernig, RCA
Pete Vernig, VP of Mental Health Services at Recovery Centers of America, breaks down how his team maintains a unified clinical culture across 12 inpatient…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Why Purpose-Driven Leaders Outlast Everyone Else | David Barron, UT Tyler
David Barron, VP of Enrollment Management at the University of Texas at Tyler, has spent 26 years doing what every mission-driven leader is trying to figure…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Why 70% Graduation Rates Are Failing Higher Ed | Dean Kahler
Is your institution — or organization — measuring the wrong definition of success?Dean Kahler, enrollment leader at the University of Idaho, has spent his…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From First-Gen to VP: The Mentorship Model That Retains Mission-Driven Staff | Javier Flores
What if the key to retaining your best people wasn't a better benefits package — but whether they feel truly seen? Javier Flores has spent 30+ years in higher…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Growing from 1 Clinic to 20: What No One Tells You About Healthcare Leadership | David Harris
David Harris, CEO of Pro-PT Physical Therapy, built a 20-clinic healthcare organization across California's Central Valley — and he'll tell you the growth…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
He Built a Marketing Team Inside a Nonprofit That Banned the Word "Marketing" | Christopher Lloyd
VP of Marketing at a nonprofit that didn't believe in marketing — here's what he built.Christopher Lloyd is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
"You Are Never Ever Alone": A Message for Every First Responder | Dennis Carradin
Dennis Carradin has been on the ground at 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Sandy Hook, and post-Columbine for 30 years — as a trauma therapist specializing in first…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
60 Years of Community Health: What Aspire Indiana Built and Why It Works | Dianna Huddleston
Dianna Huddleston, VP of Community Partnerships at Aspire Indiana Health, breaks down how their organization serves 40,000 clients across 8 clinics—offering…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
No Money, No Mission: The Mindset Shift That Saved VOA Florida | Stephanie Vranich
Stephanie Vranich, VP of Outreach & Development at Volunteers of America Florida, breaks down how a $30M nonprofit serving 5,000+ Floridians each year raises…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Healthcare HR Leadership: Why Authenticity Wins | October Ambrose
🔗 Connect with October:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/october🏥 Central Health: centralhealth.netCommunity Care Clinic: communitycare.texas.orgOctober…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Employment Consultant to CEO: Najla Wortham's Unlikely Path at Rock Creek
Najla Wortham started at Rock Creek Foundation in 2007 as an employment consultant — boots on the ground, carving out jobs for individuals with disabilities…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Running a Hospital in Africa After USAID Cuts | Chrystina Russell
Chrystina Russell flew from Burundi to tell us what nonprofit leaders need to hear right now: how Village Health Works absorbed a $1.4 million USAID funding…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
43,000 People Saved Because One CEO Hit Rock Bottom
Josh Goldberg, CEO of Boulder Crest Foundation, shares his journey from corporate executive to suicidal crisis to leading an organization that served 43,000…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Breaking the Stigma: How One VP is Revolutionizing Pediatric Behavioral Health in New Jersey
What happens when a clinical mental health professional trades direct patient care for executive leadership—and discovers she can make an even bigger impact?…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
30 Years in Mental Health: What Actually Works | Kevin Martone
Kevin Martone, President and CEO of Bay Cove Human Services, shares what he's learned leading a mental health organization serving 25,000 people annually with…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
How FHC San Diego Serves 230K People With Street Medicine & Mobile Clinics | Meredith Johnston
Meredith Johnston from Family Health Centers of San Diego shares how her organization serves over 230,000 individuals annually through innovative community…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Staff-First Leadership: Serving 1200 Youth Without Burning Out | Liz Matthews, Covenant House Alaska
Liz Matthews from Covenant House Alaska shares how leading with a "staff-first" philosophy allows her team to serve over 1,200 homeless youth annually—and why…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
NOCD's Dr. Patrick McGrath: From Bullied Teen to Treating Thousands With OCD Daily
Dr. Patrick McGrath reveals the massive misconceptions about OCD and how one chance meeting at a conference led him to help thousands escape years of…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Homeless at 20 to CEO: Jose Muñoz's Promise That Changed 20,000 Lives
From Homeless at 20 to Leading Chicago's Largest Youth Homeless OrganizationIn this powerful episode, Efrain sits down with Jose M. Muñoz, CEO of La Casa…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
How Ann Marie Cook Built a $22M Aging Services Movement by "Accident"
Ann Marie Cook, President & CEO of Lifespan of Greater Rochester, reveals why America's aging population crisis is bigger than most people realize, and what…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Foster Kid to CEO: Merideth Rose's Journey from Trauma to Transforming 16,000 Lives
Foster care alumni to nonprofit CEO leading 16,000 lives toward healing. In this powerful episode, Efrain sits down with Merideth Rose, President and CEO of…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Detroit Parent Network's Angela Hood on Breaking the Credential Trap
From Sunday school questions to boardroom solutions. Angela Hood, Chief of Staff at Detroit Parent Network, shares how growing up in Flint, Michigan shaped her…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Delivering Babies to Healing Trauma: Dr. Karen DeCocker's Mental Health Revolution
Dr. Karen DeCocker, Vice President of Clinical Services at Stella Mental Health, shares how she transformed from delivering babies to revolutionizing trauma…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Mediation to Advocacy: Katie Welsh on Why Neutrality Isn't Always the Answer
Katie Welsh from the Women's Center for Advancement reveals the harsh reality most attorneys won't tell you about domestic violence cases. In this episode…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Kansas Christian Home CEO Justin Harland on AI, Abandoned Seniors & Building a 63-Year Legacy
How does a 63-year-old nonprofit stay innovative while serving those who need care most? In this episode, Efrain sits down with Justin Harland, CEO of Kansas…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
The Hope Group CEO Ken Huey on Breaking Cycles: From Trauma Survivor to Healing Thousands
Ken Huey, CEO of The Hope Group, shares how childhood trauma shapes mental health—and what it takes to break the cycle. In this powerful conversation, Efrain…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Michael Gershenzon shares how Stellar Mental Health treats 10,000 patients monthly
Most mental health advice treats symptoms—Michael Gershenzon is treating the brain like the organ it is. In this episode, Efrain sits down with the CEO of…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Dr. Raymond Garcia on Leading 1,800+ Healthcare Workers Without Ego
Dr. Raymond Garcia, Chief Medical Officer at Rosecrance, reveals how psychiatry transformed from pure science into the art of storytelling and human…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Active Minds VP Brandi Pretlow: Student-Led Mental Health Is Changing Everything
Brandi Pretlow, VP of Community Initiatives at Active Minds, shares how one college student's grief transformed into a national movement mobilizing youth to…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Corporate Sales to Saving Lives: Kristin Lamendola's Mission-Driven Pivot
Kristin Lamendola, Vice President of Business Development at Partnership to End Addiction, shares how personal tragedy transformed her career path and why…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Stepped Care Solutions CEO AnnMarie Churchill: The Pandemic Truth About Mental Health Nobody Says
AnnMarie Churchill from Stepped Care Solutions shares how technology can transform mental health access without replacing human connection. Efrain explores the…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Wall Street to Behavioral Health: Steve Page's $0 to 3000 Employee Journey
Steve Page walked away from investment banking to build psychiatric hospitals where none existed. Now, SUN Behavioral Health operates multiple facilities…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Breaking Trauma Cycles: Jill Nosach on How One Adult Changes Everything
Jill Nosach, CEO of SOS Children's Villages USA, reveals how one trusted adult can rewire a child's brain and break generational trauma cycles. In this…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Prison Sentence to CEO: Angie Manson's Radical Path to Leading Elevate Addiction
Angie Manson went from facing 10 years in prison to building one of California's most innovative addiction treatment centers. In this raw conversation, the CEO…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Failed 4 Times: Rachel Watson's Path to VP at Interactive Kids
Four exam failures. Three young kids. One marriage falling apart. Rachel Watson's path to VP wasn't what anyone expected. In this episode, Efrain discusses how…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Marketing to Mental Health: Marjorie Kreppel's Mission-Driven Journey
Marjorie Kreppel, Owner and Director of The Counseling Center Group, shares how she transformed from marketing executive to mental health entrepreneur—building…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Real Estate Queen to Rare Disease Advocate | Megan Schomer's Mission
From top real estate producer to nonprofit founder, Megan Schomer shares how her son's rare brain malformation led her to create Rays for Rare—an organization…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Warehouse to Community: Jessica Smart's Bold Vision for Clearbrook
From answering a newspaper ad to leading 80 locations serving thousands, Jessica Smart's journey into nonprofit leadership proves that passion beats planning…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
How NCH's Paul Hiltz and Kara Down Built a Healthcare System Employees Actually Trust
What happens when a healthcare CEO prioritizes culture over everything else? Paul Hiltz, President and CEO of NCH Healthcare System, reveals the unconventional…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
From Speech Therapist to CEO: Rina Barak on Scaling to 300 Without Losing Culture
Most nonprofit leaders believe scaling means sacrificing culture. Rina Barak, CEO of SLEA Therapies, proved them wrong by growing from 150 to 300 employees…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Caroline Whistler Reveals How to Turn Your Nonprofit Into a Government Thought Partner
Caroline Whistler, CEO of Third Sector, shares how nonprofits can stop chasing crumbs and start reshaping the trillion-dollar government funding system. Learn…
- Hart & Hustle Podcast
Everyone Says Mental Health Matters. Wraparound Experts' Colleen Morris Says We're Getting It Wrong
Why do kids from the same neighborhood end up on completely different paths? Colleen Morris Lorber, Founder and CEO of Wraparound Experts, discovered the…