Consensus in Conversation

How do we, as business leaders and innovators, govern emerging technology with a moral compass? In this powerful and deeply thoughtful episode, Conor Gaughan sits down with Paolo Carozza—legal scholar, human rights advocate, Notre Dame professor, and co-chair of the Oversight Board—to explore what responsibility looks like in a time of rapid AI transformation.

Together, they unpack:

• The radical promise (and challenge) of the Oversight Board as a new model of tech governance 
• What AI means for labor, human dignity, and democracy
• How to find consensus across cultures in the face of global complexity
• Why we must develop new institutions for an interconnected world
• And how we can each foster deeper dialogue to find hope in uncertain times

If you're a business leader, innovator, policymaker, or just a curious mind wondering how we build a better future with this fast-emerging technology, this episode is for you.

For more great interviews, follow Consensus in Conversation subscribe to ‪@ConsensusDigitalMedia‬ and follow us Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast platform. 

Connect with Conor Gaughan on LinkedIn and Threads @ckgone 

Connect with Paolo Carozza on Linkedin 

Learn more about The Oversight Board at OversightBoard.com and follow them on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

Consensus in Conversation is hosted and executive produced by Conor Gaughan. This episode was produced by Kate Tucker for Consensus Media.

If you liked this episode, please consider leaving a review, it helps us build consensus – and great conversations!  

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Media.

This is the final episode in a special three part series live from the PowerCast stage at CLEANPOWER 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona where Consensus in Conversation host Conor Gaughan sat down with Kevin Doffing, Founder and CEO of Project Vanguard, to discuss how veterans are uniquely positioned to drive America's energy transition. 

Former Army Infantry Officer turned clean energy advocate, Kevin Doffing shares how Project Vanguard is empowering veterans in the renewable energy sector through cutting edge careers, policy advocacy, and community leadership. Discover why veterans excel in clean energy roles, how they are shaping community perceptions, and why energy independence is so important for national security.

Join us for a compelling conversation with Kevin Doffing on: 

• How Project Vanguard is uniting veterans nationwide to power America’s clean energy workforce and strengthen energy security.
• Why veterans are uniquely equipped for careers in renewable energy — and how their skills and mindset align with industry needs.
• Practical ways veterans are building trust and community support for local clean energy projects across the country.
• How renewable energy development can help reduce global conflict and reinforce national security.
• What the clean energy industry and policymakers can do right now to better support veteran hiring, apprenticeships, and leadership opportunities.

Learn more at projectvanguard.com 

Connect with Conor Gaughan on LinkedIn and Threads @ckgone 

This is the third episode in a three-part series recorded live from CleanPower 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. Don’t miss the first two episodes: Sandhya Ganapathy & Tristan Grimbert: Lessons from Innovators Leading the Energy Transition; and Miguel Prado & Frank Macchiarola: Strengthening the Grid for Tomorrow’s Energy Demands, both now streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.

Consensus in Conversation is hosted and executive produced by Conor Gaughan. This episode was produced by Kate Tucker for Consensus Media in partnership with American Clean Power. Special thanks to our PowerCast production team: ACP’s Senior Manager of Powercasts –  Hannah Papp, James Lamparter of Diamond Pro Audio, and Paul Pollard of SlideSpiel.

Gratitude as always to the team at Consensus Media including Greg Herrigel on research and Patrick Gallagher on strategy.

If you liked this episode, please consider leaving a review, it helps us build consensus, and great conversations!

In this special episode of Consensus in Conversation live from the PowerCast stage at CLEANPOWER 2025, host Conor Gaughan talks with Miguel Prado, CEO of energyRe, and Frank Macchiarola, Chief Advocacy Officer at American Clean Power about the urgency of strengthening America's grid infrastructure to meet our growing energy demands. 

Miguel and Frank discuss critical investments in renewable energy, from utility-scale solar and underground transmission to offshore wind, laying out the powerful economic and community benefits these projects bring. They also delve into current regulatory challenges, the need for policy stability, and how energy infrastructure projects can support energy independence and economic growth.

Join us for a powerful conversation with Miguel Prado and Frank Macchiarola on: 

• How major renewable energy trends like data centers, electrification, and clean industry are driving unprecedented demand for reliable power.
• Why strengthening America’s aging grid is critical to unlocking more clean energy capacity and keeping energy affordable.
• How utility-scale solar, offshore wind, and underground transmission projects deliver economic development and community benefits.
• The biggest policy and regulatory hurdles facing renewable energy developers today — and why policy stability matters.
• What communities, investors, and policymakers each need to do to ensure America’s energy independence and grid resilience.

Learn more at energyre.com and cleanpower.org

Find Frank Macchiarola and Miguel Prado on LinkedIn

Connect with Conor Gaughan on LinkedIn and Threads @ckgone 

This is the second episode in a three-part series recorded live from CleanPower 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. If you liked this conversation, stay tuned for part three with Kevin Doffing, founder & CEO of Project Vanguard. 

For more great interviews, follow Consensus in Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen. 

Consensus in Conversation is hosted and executive produced by Conor Gaughan. This episode was produced by Kate Tucker for Consensus Media in partnership with American Clean Power. Special thanks to our PowerCast production team: ACP’s Senior Manager of Powercasts –  Hannah Papp, James Lamparter of Diamond Pro Audio, and Paul Pollard of SlideSpiel.

Gratitude as always to the team at Consensus Media including Greg Herrigel on research and Patrick Gallagher on strategy.

If you liked this episode, please consider leaving a review, it helps us build consensus, and great conversations! 

This episode kicks off a special three part series live from the PowerCast stage at CLEANPOWER 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona where host Conor Gaughan interviewed two of clean energy’s most influential leaders—Sandhya Ganapathy, CEO of EDP Renewables North America, and Tristan Grimbert, President and CEO of EDF Power Solutions North America. 

Join us for an insightful and fast-moving conversation that takes a high-level look at the future of sustainable energy including: 

• What it takes to scale clean energy solutions across diverse technologies and markets
• The urgent need for grid modernization 
• The transformative potential of AI 
• The power in advanced storage solutions 
• Why responsible leadership is essential in driving the clean energy transition 

To learn more visit:

EDP Renewables: edpr.com/north-america

EDF Power Solutions North America: edf-re.com

Connect with Conor Gaughan on LinkedIn and Threads @ckgone 

This is the first episode in a three-part series recorded live from CleanPower 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. If you liked this conversation, stay tuned for part two with Miguel Prado, CEO of energyRe and Frank Macchiarola, Chief Advocacy Officer of American Clean Power.

For more great interviews, follow Consensus in Conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen. 

Consensus in Conversation is hosted and executive produced by Conor Gaughan. This episode was produced by Kate Tucker for Consensus Media in partnership with American Clean Power. Special thanks to our PowerCast production team: ACP’s Senior Manager of Powercasts –  Hannah Papp, James Lamparter of Diamond Pro Audio, and Paul Pollard of SlideSpiel.

Gratitude as always to the team at Consensus Media including Greg Herrigel on research and Patrick Gallagher on strategy.

If you liked this episode, please consider leaving a review, it helps us build consensus, and great conversations! 

2024 brought us 38 new guests, 2,091 minutes of conversation, and an immeasurable wealth of new ideas and narratives about how to use business to make the world a better place. The challenges we face are great, but with every challenge comes opportunity, and it’s never been more important for impact businesses to tell a compelling, mission-centric story. Join Conor Gaughan as he revisits the best storytelling advice from this year’s expert guests, sharing key insights, analysis, and takeaways. 

Whether it's harnessing your inner Luke Skywalker to wow investors and attract customers with analogies that will resonate, or learning the secret to explaining your incredible new technology in lay terms, this episode will definitely offer new angles and perspectives on crafting your business story. 

Featured guests in order of appearance:

• 00:00 Conor introduces the CiC 2024 Year End Wrap Up
• 04:24 Keith Norman: Chief Sustainability Officer, Lyten
• 06:00 Jasmine Crowe-Houston: Founder & CEO, Goodr
• 08:09 Jay Kapoor: Co-Founder & General Partner, VSC Ventures
• 14:58 Nicolas Pinkowski: Co-Founder & CEO, Nitricity
• 17:17 Shivam Mallick Shah: Co-Founder & CEO, 1953 Tequila and Lindsey Davis Stover: Co-Founder & President, 1953 Tequila
• 20:27 Ben Christensen: Co-Founder & CEO, Cambium 
• 24:34 Grant Quasha: Chairman & CEO, Eco Material Technologies
• 26:48 Peter Godart: Co-Founder & CEO, Found Energy
• 29:11 Zal Bilimoria: Co-Founder & Solo Capitalist, Refactor Capital
• 31:59 Pavle Jeremic: Founder & CEO, Aether Biomachines
• 35:39 Jay Kapoor: Co-Founder & General Partner, VSC Ventures
• 39:31 Karthik Balakrishnan: Co-Founder & President, ACTUAL
• 43:02 Lauren Dunford: Co-Founder & CEO, Guidewheel
• 46:52 Dr. Vince Romanin: Founder & CEO, Gradient
• 49:50 Conor Gaughan on the power of storytelling

A big thank you to all of our guests this year!

Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone 

Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference! 

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.

Rinaldo Brutoco has dedicated his life to harnessing the awesome potential of business to create positive change in the world. As a pioneer in impact entrepreneurship, Rinaldo has spent more than thirty years building successful businesses ahead of the curve, and today, his eyes are on the green hydrogen space as a potential game-changer for the future of clean energy.

In this second part of our two-part conversation with Rinaldo – the founding president of nonprofit think (and do!) tank the World Business Academy (WBA) and founder and CEO of green hydrogen transportation firm H2 Clipper (H2C) – we dive into the creation of the WBA, Rinaldo’s business case for the inevitability of a clean energy future, and how his H2 Clipper is reimagining a very old technology in a very new way to accelerate the green hydrogen revolution.

Listen to Rinaldo’s first episode if you haven’t already: Rinaldo Brutoco of World Business Academy on Consumer Law, Merchant Banks, and the Impact of Pay TV

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 Rinaldo Brutoco on why hydrogen is here to stay
• 00:44 Conor Gaughan introduces Rinaldo, World Business Academy, and H2 Clipper
• 04:35 Incubating the WBA, building a governing body, creating true impact
• 10:29 Business as a steward, shifting the consciousness, combatting climate change
• 20:04 Launching H2 Clipper, green hydrogen, industries buying-in
• 32:28 Economic impact, tech innovation, regulating renewables
• 40:09 Finding motivation, the Optimist Daily, where to learn more
• 46:50 Leaving a legacy and end credits

If you liked this episode, listen next to Zach Jones of C-Zero on Hydrogen 3.0, Decarbonizing Natural Gas, and The Innovation Economy

More on Rinaldo Brutoco, World Business Academy, and H2 Clipper:

• linkedin.com/company/world-business-academy 
• linkedin.com/company/h2clipper 
• linkedin.com/in/rinaldo-brutoco-b052a2 
• optimistdaily.com

Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone

Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference!

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.

How can business solve humanity’s most significant challenges? Why is business the best vehicle to solve them?  For the last 35 years, Rinaldo Brutoco has devoted himself to asking – and answering – these crucial questions. The founding president of nonprofit think (and do!) tank the World Business Academy (WBA) and founder and CEO of green hydrogen transportation firm H2 Clipper (H2C), Rinaldo is a trailblazer in both the theory and practice of sustainable business solutions. 

Rinaldo graduated from Santa Clara University with degrees in economics and philosophy and later received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 1971. His career has had many remarkable turns – pioneer in consumer law, Inc. 500 CEO, author, lecturer, and co-founder of the world’s first paid cable TV company. Behind all these turns was an unshakeable conviction that business could – must – be a force for good, driving Rinaldo to found the WBA in 1987 to explore the role of business in addressing serious moral, environmental, and social issues around the world. The think tank has since been responsible for initiatives like the Optimist Daily newsletter, Safe Energy Project, Global Citizen’s Club, and the New Business Paradigms podcast. 

As of 2011, Rinaldo has been practicing what he has preached with the launch of H2C, a firm pioneering a low cost, effective, end-to-end transport and distribution system for green hydrogen. Its revolutionary approach  tackles the biggest obstacle to the widespread adoption of hydrogen while also producing a scalable, carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels that’s powered by Rinaldo’s patented generative AI manufacturing technology. 

Hear Rinaldo talk about his unique path to clean energy visionary, the importance of teaching entrepreneurship as a noble profession, and why paid cable was a source of good for the world.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 Rinaldo Brutoco on the rise of pay TV
• 00:49 Conor Gaughan introduces Rinaldo, WBA, and H2 Clipper
• 04:38 Entrepreneurial interests, UCLA law, Nader's Raiders
• 17:09 Businesses for good, meditation, third party perspectives 
• 25:16 Launching paid cable, having a vision, pitching investors
• 34:55 Modern entertainment, generative A.I, merchant banking
• 46:53 Creating impact, shareholder motivation, finding inspiration
• 51:50 Where to learn more and end credits

If you liked this episode, listen next to Ben Bressler of Natural Habitat Adventures on Nature, Travel, and Pursuing Your Passion

More on Rinaldo Brutoco, World Business Academy, and H2 Clipper:

• linkedin.com/company/world-business-academy 
• linkedin.com/company/h2clipper 
• linkedin.com/in/rinaldo-brutoco-b052a2 
• optimistdaily.com 

Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone

Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference!

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.

Agrovision, a global leader in superfruits, is on a mission to make the healthiest snacks the most enjoyable, by utilizing a cutting edge blend of genetic research, freshness technology, and – most importantly – perfectly-suited agricultural locations to supply more consistent, nutritious, and incredible tasting berries year-round through their Fruitist label.

That “vision,” in Agrovision, comes in part from co-founder and executive chairman Steve Magami, who grew up in a health-conscious family surrounded by California’s citrus orchards. Steve graduated the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in biology and worked as a private equity investor at Lovell Minnick Partners, where a plan for a potential biofuel business took him on a trip to Peru that would change his trajectory forever.

The biofuel didn’t end up panning out, but Steve saw firsthand how advantageous Peru’s climate and infrastructure development plans were for agriculture, and co-founded Agrovision in 2012 as a vertically integrated produce operation to seize this unique opportunity. Agrovision, now one of Peru’s top exporters, employs over 15,000 field workers in Peru alone, more than half of whom are women, and has supported local communities with meaningful investments in education, transportation and healthcare infrastructure. Since its first commercial harvest in 2015, the firm has added thousands of acres of farmland in 8 countries around the globe, and now sells its high-quality berries to consumer markets across North America, Europe, and Asia. Today, Agrovision is one of America’s fastest growing companies, officially achieving a “Unicorn” valuation earlier this year – no small feat for an ag tech company!

Hear Steve talk about recognizing “perfect storms” of opportunity like the one he found in Peru, how businesses can be responsible partners in developing economies, and why redefining healthy snacking could impact the world for the better.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 Steve Magami on his first aha moment
• 00:53 Conor Gaughan introduces Steve and Agrovision
• 05:08 California upbringing, venture capital, and clean tech
• 12:51 Peru, myth vs reality, and the origin of Agrovision
• 18:10 The business model, risk management, and microclimates
• 22:50 An outsider mentality, building trust, and transformative irrigation
• 28:37 Agrovision today, the superfruit industry, and raising capital
• 38:08 Sustainability, community programs, and finding optimism
• 44:41 Where to learn more and find Fruitist products near you
• 45:50 Conclusion and end credits

If you liked this episode, listen next to Matt Ryan of Soli Organic on Indoor Organics, Carbon-free Fertilizer, and the Ag Tech Revolution

More on Steve Magami and Agrovision:

• agrovisioncorp.com 
• linkedin.com/company/agrovisioncorp 
• linkedin.com/in/stevemagami

Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone 

Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference! 

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.

Agriculture is poised for a regenerative revolution, and Mad Capital wants to finance it. Led by co-founder and CEO Brandon Welch, the firm provides customized, long-term financing for farmers transitioning to regenerative practices, bridging a gap that traditional banks have been hesitant to meet and accelerating the next generation of land stewardship and ecological restoration.

Prior to Mad Capital, Brandon studied Environmental Science at the University of Vermont. An avid outdoorsman, cyclist, and backcountry hiker, Brandon’s adventures, including a coast-to-coast bike ride from Massachusetts to Oregon, have taken him all over the country and instilled a deep appreciation for Americans’ connection to their land. After landing in Colorado in 2017, Brandon helped launch Mad Agriculture to provide resources and support for farmers interested in transitioning to regenerative agriculture, and later joined the organization as Director of Capital.

Brandon and Mad Executive Director Philip Taylor consistently heard regenerative farmers talk about how difficult it was to secure loans from traditional agricultural lenders, so the two co-founded Mad Capital to solve that problem. Since taking over as CEO of Mad Capital in 2022, Brandon has overseen the launch of the Perennial Fund II and is focused on making long-term impact at scale, deploying over $25 million to farmers on over 79,000 acres of land across 15 states.

Hear Brandon talk about developing a passion for outdoor adventures, his mission to create a regenerative revolution in agriculture, and why Mad Capital’s radical approach to financing is so impactful for farmers, the environment, and our future.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 Brandon Welch on the benefits of regenerative agriculture
• 00:53 Conor Gaughan introduces Brandon and Mad Capital
• 05:18 Gateway to the outdoors, environmental studies, and economics
• 11:12 An impact-driven career, biking America, and traveling the country
• 23:03 Founding Mad Capital, carbon sequestration, and financing farmers
• 28:39 The regenerative revolution, the average process, and scaling strategically
• 35:45 Mad’s approach as a lender, raising capital, and structural innovation
• 45:01 Transforming food systems, benefiting the environment, and finding optimism
• 52:02 Where to learn more about Mad Capital and connect with Brandon
• 52:54 Conclusion and end credits

If you liked this episode, listen next to Ron Hovsepian of Indigo Ag on Farming, Sustainability, and Technology

More on Brandon Welch and Mad Capital:

• madcapital.com 
• linkedin.com/company/mad-capital-pbc 
• linkedin.com/in/brandonwelchmad

Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone

Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference!

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.

Dr. Bryan Staley knows a thing or two about waste. In fact, the president and CEO of the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) is one of the world’s leading experts on sustainable waste management and landfill emissions, and he’s on a lifelong mission to help scientists, corporations, and individuals alike better understand the impact of what we throw away.

For many of us, waste is one of the most immediate climate-adjacent issues, and one of the few that we can significantly influence as individuals. Installing solar panels or buying an EV may not be possible for everyone, but all of us have to take out the trash, and little contributions like knowing what can and can’t be recycled or thinking more carefully about what goes in our trash can add up to a big difference. And when individuals, companies, or even entire industries run into questions and concerns about how to best manage their waste, EREF is working hard to provide the answers.

The non-profit sits at the intersection of science, business, and scholarship, advancing the circular economy and sustainable resource management through unbiased scientific research and education. Having begun as an EREF scholar himself, for the past 13 years Dr. Bryan Staley has led the foundation as it shapes our understanding of the science behind crucial issues like PFAs (aka forever chemicals), landfill methane capture, and even AI-powered recycling robots to help better manage waste and build a more sustainable world.

Hear Bryan share how growing up on a farm taught him the importance of long-term planning, the complexities of how waste breaks down, and why EREF’s independent science is a critical tool for anyone committed to understanding and reducing their environmental impact.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 Bryan Staley on measuring landfill emissions
• 00:49 Conor Gaughan introduces Bryan and EREF
• 05:53 Farming roots, patient planning, and academic trajectory
• 11:06 Waste management, EREF, and eye-opening research programs
• 18:04 Landfill emissions, turning methane into energy, and microbiology
• 24:58 The origin of EREF, expanding the mission, and achieving circulatory
• 30:04 Core principles, balancing interests, and the science of waste disposal
• 38:41 Food waste, composting, and the challenge of circular textiles
• 44:07 Innovations to watch and best practices for individual waste management
• 51:37 Finding motivation, defeating defeatism, and remaining optimistic
• 55:21 Where to learn more
• 56:13 End credits

If you liked this episode, listen next to Matt Rogers of Mill Industries on Food Waste, Impactful Product Design, and Innovation.

More on Dr. Bryan Staley and EREF:

• erefdn.org
• linkedin.com/in/bryan-staley-b79b6738
• linkedin.com/company/environmental-research-and-education-foundation

As mentioned in the episode, here is Bryan’s thesis, “Environmental and Spatial Factors Affecting Microbial Ecology and Metabolic Activity During the Initiation of Methanogenesis in Solid Waste.”

Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone 

Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference! 

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.