In this transformative episode of The Good For Others Show, we sit down with Tamara Craver, President and CEO of Reality Changers, an organization changing the game for first-generation college students in San Diego. Tamara shares the incredible journey of empowering students with less than a 2.0 GPA to become college-bound leaders and agents of change in their communities.

Discover how Reality Changers provides academic coaching, mentorship, family support, and even home-cooked meals to help students succeed—not just academically but holistically. From heartwarming success stories to the vision for breaking cycles and creating a future where every student has a seat at the table, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable insights.

🎧 Tune in to hear Tamara’s wishes for a world where “firsts” are no longer necessary, and nonprofits like hers can work themselves out of a job. You don’t want to miss these stories of resilience, equity, and transformation.

#RealityChangers #BreakingBarriers #GoodForOthers #EducationForAll #FirstGenSuccess

Sandra Joseph is a history-making Broadway star, a #1 international Amazon bestselling author, and a keynote speaker. Her legendary run as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera spanned ten years and more than 1,300 performances. She earned the record as the longest-running leading lady in the longest-running Broadway show of all time. She has been seen on numerous national broadcasts, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, The Today Show, Dateline, The Early Show, The View, and Oprah: Where Are They Now?

Sandra joins John Valencia on the Good For Others Podcast to empower people to use their voices. Sandra explains, that as a keynote speaker, she is able to inspire audiences to become world-class performers and unmask what matters most in their lives and careers.

Sandra is the author of Unmasking What Matters: 10 Life Lessons from 10 Years on Broadway. She is also the co-author, with five-time New York Times best-selling author Caroline Myss, of Your Creative Soul: Expressing Your Authentic Voice. Sandra is married to her costar from The Phantom of the Opera, actor Ron Bohmer. They currently reside in Southern California.

Take a leap, say "yes" and change your life! Good For Others Host John Valencia and special guest Kara DeFrias talk about finding the courage to say "yes" to life opportunities can lead to ultimate contentment. From the theatre, the Super Bowl, the Oscars, and even to the White House as an Obama Presidential Fellow, learn how Kara's decision to say "yes" in times of uncertainty has transformed her life and made it a fun, creative, and meaningful journey. 

Kara DeFrias' background is a mix of private and public sector experience, including Director of UX for Vice President Biden at the White House. She's currently Chief of Staff for QuickBooks Online Platform at Intuit. Prior, Kara spent 4 years at TurboTax and received an appointment to the first class of Presidential Innovation Fellows. In the latter, she served as an entrepreneur in residence, reimagining the relationship between the government and the people from a technology perspective. She was senior advisor to 18F's executive team, TEDxIntuit founder, and Oscars and Super Bowl staff.

Kara does pro-bono digital strategy for the likes of Team Rubicon; spent ten days in rural India teaching micro-entrepreneur women human-centered design; and guest lectures at the University of California San Diego STEM Academy for high school girls. She graduated summa cum laude from Penn State with a master's in instructional design and was a finalist for San Diego Woman of the Year.

Check out more of Kara's work on her website

Learn how building a culture of employee community engagement can increase morale, brand loyalty, and help the world.

Good For Others Host John Valencia and special guest Warren Ruis, chat about how the many ways employee community engagement can transform workplace culture and support nonprofits in the process. 

Warren Ruis is San Diego Gas & Electric's Director of Regional Public Affairs.  Hear how he became an advocate and leverages his professional role to help his hometown. Listen to best practices on how you can get your company involved in transformative and meaningful ways in your local community. 

Everyone deserves to work in a toxic-free workplace.  Good For Others Host John Valencia and special guest Catherine Mattice Zundel chat about how to maintain civility in the workforce and prevent a toxic environment to ensure reduced turnover, engaged and loyal employees, and better quality and quantity of work.

Catherine Mattice Zundel, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, founded Civility Partners in 2008 as a result of working in a toxic environment and has since served a huge array of clients with consulting, training, and coaching services. She’s written three books, one of which Ken Blanchard called, “the most comprehensive and valuable handbook on the topic” of workplace bullying. Catherine’s also been cited in such media outlets as Forbes.com, Inc Magazine, Entrepreneur, and USA Today, and appeared as a guest on such venues as NPR and CNN.

Listeners have asked, so we responded!  Our host and creator, John Valencia, shares his background and experiences that have led him to dedicate his career to the nonprofit sector. Our producer, Samantha Harrod, and John chat how our past influences our futures.

John Valencia is the CEO and President of Good For Others and serves as the host of the Good For Others Podcast.  For the last 20 years, John has served as the CEO of various nonprofit organizations and as a Vice Chancellor in higher education. Throughout his career, John has raised over $500M to support various nonprofit organizations. Prior to his work in the nonprofit sector, John was CEO of an international wholesale manufacturing company selling consumer goods to big-box retailers across the globe.

Hear about hiring best practices from the employer and candidate perspectives!  Good For Others host John Valencia and special guest Trevor Blair chat about tools everyone can use to help hire the right person for the job. 

Trevor is a workforce expert.  In 2016, Trevor launched Blair Search Partners which provides recruiting and executive search services for mission-driven organizations in San Diego and Orange Counties.  In addition to Trevor’s passion for service and workforce development, his firm also offers coaching services for San Diegans undergoing a career transition.

Learn how creating a meaningful donor experience transforms your impact.  Good For Others host John Valencia and special guest Martin Leifeld chat about successful tactics to improve and enhance the donor experience to be more genuine, transparent, and authentic.

Martin is an expert in fundraising where he has dedicated four decades in senior fundraising leadership and executive roles.  In 2018, Martin wrote a book called “Five Minutes for Fundraising” which includes wisdom from 26 other fundraising professionals to help readers learn about major gift solicitation, cultivating donor relations and how to make a big impact in fundraising efforts.

For more information on Martin Leifeld, check out his website.

Learn how to market your organization's "why" and make your mission the focal point in fun and unique ways! Our host John Valencia and special guest Darlene Cossio chat about various marketing efforts that have transformed Goodwill Industries of San Diego County.  Hear about the tools and ideas you can implement at your organization to increase awareness and drive engagement to those you serve.

Learn which leadership skills to focus on so you can boost your career! Our host John Valencia and special guest Nancy Batterman, chat about various skills which are necessary to climb the ladder and reach your desired role.  Hear how skills like empathy, humility, and resiliency can launch your career and set you up for long-term success!