It Makes You Think

Ayesha Khanna, Founder of the Acumen Civic Accelerator, talks with Chris about the role of education in preparing social entrepreneurs, and about the challenges of equity and access that accelerators need to address.

Stacey Putka, LSW, Program Director for Defy Ventures Colorado discusses enterprise as a re-entry strategy for formerly incarcerated individuals and how this kind of work has changed and grown her.

Zach Nies, former Vice President of Education at Techstars, and now the Managing Director of its Sustainability Accelerator in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, discusses what he’s learned teaching entrepreneurship and leveraging business as a means to make the world a better place.

Mario Rossero, Senior Vice President of Education for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, talks with Chris about the community’s role in arts partnerships, the importance of having local context in systems design, and the lessons learned in navigating and serving the arts education ecosystem.

Alli Henry, Executive Director of the People’s Music School, sits down with Chris Huizenga to talk about what she’s learning about education, development, and herself at the rigorous, tuition-free music school that’s changing the sound of Chicago.