Mission Control Podcast

On this episode of Mission Control, we talk with Scott Watkins, Senior Director of Business Strategy for Michigan Virtual. We chat about creating and developing opportunities professionally and personally, how digital learning was necessary for everyone overnight during the pandemic, and how online learning has been normalized in it's current form going forward.

In this episode we talk with Tanesha Ash-Shakoor the founder/CEO of Voices of Color. We talk about how victims are perceived, balancing the non-profit work with being a full-time attorney, and the difficulty in hitting capacity during COVID.

In this episode we talk with Rachel Swedburg the executive director of CASA for Kids, Inc Barrie, Eaton, & Ingham Counties. We talk about starting her position right when the pandemic hit, knowing that the mission of the work is not dependent on centralized office, and what she sees as her legacy leading CASA to be more of a public facing organization.

-In this episode we talk with Meghan Martin the executive director of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing. We talk about her having a musical theatre background, learning how to do the role from her predecessor and how awesome her current team is and how they kept things together through the pandemic.

The second episode of season 3 is with Erik Larson, the executive director of Impression 5 Science center. He talks about the difference being a science center as opposed to a museum, his long history of employment at I5, and what his favorite exhibits have been over the years. .

Our kickoff interview for season 3 is Mallory DePrekel, the executive director of Communities in Schools of Michigan. She talks about the benefit in growing up in a bilingual high school, how interconnected the different branches of Communities in Schools are across the country, and how the changing landscape of education is addressed.

Mission Control is in it's third season so journey with us as we talk with local, statewide and even national non-profit executive directors and how they are out there making positive impacts in their communities. The new season starts mid-May and will continue bi-weekly from there. Check it out on our website or wherever you like to get your podcasts.

In this episode of Mission Control, Paul has a conversation with co-executive directors Suzi Wyman and Barb McKessy of It's a Breast Thing. They talk about the journey to becoming a true non-profit,  how their volunteers are their biggest advocates, and facing the difficult job that they have by knowing that what they do truly helps others in their time of need.  

The mission of It's a Breast Thing is to enhance the lives of breast cancer patients through financial grants, and provide support to survivors and families, all while establishing strong partnerships with care providers.  

 For more on It's a Breast Thing: https://www.itsabreastthing.org/ 

Subscribe to Mission Control on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mission-control/id1541380912 

If you are interested in being a guest or if you would like to hear the story of a non-profit leader that you know, please connect with us at [email protected]

In this episode of Mission Control, Paul has a conversation with Dr. Farhan Bhatti, CEO and Medical Director of Care Fred Medical Center. They talk about why he fell in love with the mission, how he got collaborations from both major hospital systems to work,  and finally getting a federal designation to provide more resources.   

The mission of Care Free Medical Center is to provide quality and compassionate medical, dental, and optometry services to people with limited access to the health care system.  

For more on CAre Free Medical Center: https://carefreemedical.com 

Subscribe to Mission Control on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mission-control/id1541380912 

If you are interested in being a guest or if you would like to hear the story of a non-profit leader that you know, please connect with us at [email protected]

In this episode of Mission Control, Paul has a conversation with Pam Miklavcic, the executive director of The Davies Project. They talk about starting a non-profit from the kitchen table, why she chose kids as the community they serve, and the benefits of starting a non-profit in the Lansing community.   

The mission of The Davies Project is to connect families to resources and the community by providing reliable transportation for seriously ill children and pregnant women to essential healthcare.  

For more on The Davies Project: https://thedaviesproject.org/ 

Subscribe to Mission Control on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mission-control/id1541380912 

If you are interested in being a guest or if you would like to hear the story of a non-profit leader that you know, please connect with us at [email protected]