Mission Matters

Joel Friend is the Director of Corporate Giving and Sponsorships at Paramount Theatre in Aurora. Passionate about fostering relationships between the business and arts communities, his commitment to philanthropy supports the Paramount Theatre, RiverEdge Park, the Copley Theater, and the newly opening Stolp Island Theater. Joel's background in performing arts management is rooted in his lifelong interest and varied experience within the Chicago theater realm.

The arts and business communities can create symbiotic relationships that benefit both sectors. Giving back allows companies to harness authentic experiences that bolster their brand images. Can corporate sponsorships unlock the secret to greater community engagement?

As a champion for harmony between the arts and the business landscape, Joel Friend notes that philanthropy can create a thriving cultural sphere. Engaging with local artists through corporate sponsorships and giving offers businesses a platform to connect with their communities and share their brand stories. Through his philanthropic work with Paramount Theatre, Joel enriches the city of Aurora with arts and culture, inviting local businesses to participate and make an impact.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith chats with Joel Friend, the Director of Corporate Giving and Sponsorships at Paramount Theatre, about forming partnerships that serve both business objectives and nonprofit goals. He provides insights into corporate giving, the comprehensive offerings of the Paramount enterprise, and his journey in performing arts management.

Andrea Ingram is the President and CEO of DuPage Children's Museum, where she has led transformational change culminating in evidence-based impact. As a visionary, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven leader, she champions diversity, equity, and collaboration. Andrea is also an experienced lawyer, public policy advocate, social service agency executive, and cultural institution thought leader.

Cultural institutions play a vital role in community engagement, providing crucial learning and development resources. How can visionary leaders drive radical change and maximize their organization's impact?

As a progressive leader spearheading experiential programs at DuPage Children's Museum, Andrea Ingram pivoted the organization to sustain engagement during the pandemic. She fostered relationships with diverse communities by partnering with other notable organizations to empower adults to provide fun and accessible experiences for children. To cultivate value in cultural institutions, Andrea emphasizes executing every objective with a vision in mind and developing a culture that collectively owns the vision.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith hosts Andrea Ingram, the President and CEO of DuPage Children's Museum, to discuss her role in fostering cultural engagement in her community. Andrea talks about the museum's programs, how she overcame challenges during her professional development, and why she joined the organization.

Nicki Anderson is an entrepreneur, author, and the former Founder and Director of Benedictine University's undergraduate women's leadership program. With over 25 years of business experience, she is a seasoned strategist and visionary leader focused on driving results through innovative approaches and dynamic leadership. Nicki has mentored and coached students, business leaders, and organizations to connect to their mission. As a thought leader and speaker, she has presented keynotes on business strategy and professional growth nationally and internationally.

As a mission-driven leader, how do you convince your team to trust you and buy into your vision? You can accomplish this through servant leadership, which inspires others through action. Yet this method doesn't motivate everyone, especially those who have experienced poor leadership in the past.

Nicki Anderson, an innovative entrepreneur and leader, practices love-led leadership, focusing on the integration of self, team, and the community. This leadership style involves expressing genuine concern and care for your team's well-being, regardless of personal outcomes. To lead with love, you must first acquire compassion for yourself and align your organization's mission with your personal values. Love-led leadership manifests in how you show up and communicate with your team and clients.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith hosts Nicki Anderson to discuss the power of leading with love. Nicki explains how she navigated leadership challenges early in her career, how to build a company around love, and the difference between service and love-led leadership.

Chase Harmer is the Founder of Wishes Inc, a platform designed to make charitable giving instant, tax-deductible, and transparent. As an accomplished entrepreneur, he built and sold a $40 million business at the age of 32. A veteran in the payments industry, Chase has a track record of scaling startups and creating innovative technological solutions.

American grocery store chains have discovered that they can increase conversion rates and receive tax deductions by requesting small donations from every customer. Yet this has tarnished the reputation of the charitable giving space, as most consumers don't know who their money benefits. Charities and nonprofits can change the game by allowing customers to donate to a cause of their choice while receiving tax benefits.

After becoming jaded by the increasingly bureaucratized nature of charitable contributions, software architect Chase Harmer built a platform that provides customers with full transparency into their donations. The platform allows individuals to raise money on behalf of a nonprofit, donors to allocate funds across multiple causes, and nonprofits to request donations, all of which can be tax deferred. When working with nonprofits, Chase requires them to maintain transparency with their donors regarding the utilization of their funds, ensuring they can create a visible and tangible impact.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith interviews Chase Harmer, the Founder of Wishes Inc, about his mission to reinvent charitable giving. Chase describes the Wishes Inc platform, its revenue model, and his inspiration to build it.

Shelley Taylor is the Executive Director of the Center for Educational Change (CEC), which works with school districts across the US to implement measurable social change. In her role, she manages programs, partnerships, and content for teacher evaluations, mentoring, and leadership and inclusion practices. As a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT), instructional coach, union president, and district-level administrator, Shelley serves Pre-K-12 settings with collaborative practices focused on continuous improvement. Her book Game Plan outlines her background in facilitating and leading professional learning communities.

Nonprofits rely on generous donations from community organizations and funding from government grants. What happens when nonprofits lose those endowments? How can they recover from financial devastation and forge a path forward?

Educational changemaker and transformational leader Shelley Taylor was inducted into a leadership position at the Catalyst for Educational Change (CEC) to address significant funding cuts. This lack of money compromised staffing initiatives and programs, so Shelley helped develop a five-year strategic plan to rebuild the organization and executed it using nonprofit resources and community support. She maintains the importance of remaining true to your mission to support the organizational rebuild. Shelley also emphasizes identifying your personal values to guide you through the transformation.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith sits down with the Executive Director of the Catalyst for Educational Change, Shelley Taylor, to discuss how she rebuilt a nonprofit organization. Shelley describes the CEC's mission, her educational journey inside and out of the nonprofit space, and the organizations she trusts.

Dorri McWhorter is the President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, an organization that is inspiring change with the power of play. Dorri is known for her innovative leadership and commitment to social impact. With a background in both corporate and social change sectors, she brings a unique blend of experience to her role. Recognized as a 2019 inductee into the Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame and named to the Blue Network, Dorri is celebrated for her visionary approach to community well-being and her leadership in Chicago's tech and innovation spheres.

Marketing in the nonprofit sector is not simply about promoting a cause; it involves fostering meaningful connections and driving social change. In today's interconnected world, all businesses, including nonprofits, have a social responsibility to contribute positively to society. But what strategies can nonprofits employ to ensure their marketing efforts not only raise awareness but also create tangible social impact?

Socially-conscious business leader Dorri McWhorter challenges conventional norms by advocating for a shift in mindset, embracing business strategies to maximize social impact. Through initiatives like transforming YMCA centers into community hubs and strategic partnerships, Dorri demonstrates how nonprofits can innovate to meet evolving community needs. Her involvement in initiatives like the movie Uncharitable highlights her dedication to challenging outdated paradigms in nonprofit management. To drive positive change within their organizations and communities, Dorri advises aspiring nonprofit leaders to embrace innovation, challenge limitations, and actively seek creative solutions.

In this episode of the Mission Matters podcast, Paul Feith hosts Dorri McWhorter, the President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, to talk about social enterprise with the Chicago YMCA. Dorri discusses what a social venture entails, the different services offered by the YMCA, and how the YMCA is embracing the digital landscape.

Clara Lucia Jaramillo-Carrier, Brand Strategist at Paul Gregory Media, is an expert in transformational leadership and coaching with more than 40,000 hours of studying and training to her credit. She helps people, businesses, and organizations find success by activating their purpose. Over the past decade, she has used relentless mental fitness and emotional intelligence to help Fortune 500 companies and notable nonprofit organizations grow. A proud Colombian-American, Clara is a speaker and the Founder of Let's Awaken Purpose and Breaking Through Consulting & Coaching.

Research has found that individuals with a strong sense of purpose tend to live longer, have healthier hearts, and are more successful than those who don't. How can having a sense of direction impact your life?

According to business coach Clara Lucia Jaramillo-Carrier, anyone can learn a profound lesson from embracing purposeful living as a transformative journey. Through her experiences and expertise, Clara underscores the power of overcoming fear and self-doubt to pursue one's passions and goals. Activating the frontal lobe by understanding your yearnings highlights the importance of making intentional choices that align with your deepest desires. The benefits of purposeful living, Clara says, range from improved health to increased productivity. She emphasizes starting with "why" and cultivating mindfulness which leads individuals to break free from autopilot behaviors and make conscious decisions for a more fulfilling life.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith welcomes Clara Lucia Jaramillo-Carrier, a renowned speaker and Brand Strategist at Paul Gregory Media, for a conversation about embracing purposeful living and leadership. Clara shares insights on overcoming fear, understanding personal yearnings, and making intentional choices aligned with one's deepest desires. Her leadership style emphasizes humility, continual learning, and personal development as keys to influence.

Tara Beth Leach is the Senior Pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Naperville and dedicated to spreading the message of love and grace. With a rich background in ministry, she's served in various leadership roles, including Youth Minister at Good Shepherd Church and Pastor of Servant Ministry & Missional Life at Christ Church of Oak Brook. Previously, Tara Beth served as the Senior Pastor at First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena in Southern California. Tara Beth is also the author of several impactful books, including Emboldened, Radiant Church, and Forty Days on Being a Six, which reflect her passion for empowering individuals and churches to live out their faith boldly. Beyond her local church responsibilities, Tara Beth is a sought-after speaker at conferences, retreats, and universities, where she addresses topics such as Church Leadership, Women in Ministry, and the call to be a Radiant Witness.

Have you ever been overcome by a feeling that engulfed your entire being? Did that sensation lead to a cataclysmic event?

In a candid discussion, Tara Beth Leach, a seasoned pastor and author, shares her calling to serve in the ministry. Additionally, she explores her role as one of very few female leaders of the church. As a leader in her church community, Tara emphasizes the importance of fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of gender, feel valued and empowered to serve. She shares insights into the challenges and opportunities for leading change within a church, highlighting the significance of embracing diversity and inclusivity.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast with Paul Feith, he hosts Tara Beth Leach, Senior Pastor at Good Shepherd Church, for a candid discussion about women in ministry. Tara reflects on her calling to serve as a pastor, how she pursued her passion without a roadmap, her multifaceted roles in ministry, and her background in writing.

Marcela Sweeney is the Executive Director of Educare West DuPage, a leading early-learning institution in West Chicago. Joining Educare in May 2012, she swiftly rose from Master Teacher to School Director, eventually assuming her current role in May 2020. In her capacity, Marcela oversees the education of 182 children aged five and below and supports 10 pregnant women and their families across two locations. Marcela's commitment to early childhood education extends beyond Educare — previously providing vital support to Head Start and Early Head Start programs through the Office of Head Start's training and technical assistance center.

Additionally, Marcela served as a literacy coach for a federal Early Reading First grant, aiding teachers in implementing effective literacy and language development strategies. She is a distinguished UCLA Head Start Management Fellow and an Erikson Institute International Fellow, highlighting her dedication to excellence in the field.

Early learning lays the foundation for a child's future success, shaping young minds. What's the difference between daycare and early learning institutions?

Organizations like Educare West DuPage, headed by Marcela Sweeney, show that quality early learning experiences can enhance cognitive development, social-emotional skills, and language acquisition from an early age. Educare's focus on evidence-based practices and individualized care is what sets it apart from traditional daycare centers. The institution provides a structured learning environment tailored to each child's developmental needs, ensuring they receive the support necessary to thrive.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast, Paul Feith engages in an enlightening conversation with Marcela Sweeney, the Executive Director of Educare West DuPage, exploring the significance of early learning. Marcela shares her journey in education, discussing her motivations and the allure of Educare compared to traditional daycare centers. Through her perspective, listeners gain valuable insights into the distinctive features and benefits of Educare's approach to early childhood education.

Megan Pennington is the Advocate Supervisor at CASA of River Valley, a nonprofit volunteer organization advocating for the best interests of children involved in abuse and neglect cases within the Will and Grundy County court system. With a deep commitment to protecting vulnerable children, Megan has been an integral part of the CASA team for six years, having initially volunteered for a year before assuming her current role. Before her tenure at CASA, Megan dedicated four years to supporting children and families affected by pediatric cancer as part of a nonprofit pediatric cancer foundation.

In every community, there are vulnerable children who need support and advocacy, and Court Appointed Special Advocates play a vital role in ensuring their well-being. In what ways do CASA volunteers represent foster children and their best interests?

CASA volunteers are community advocates ensuring foster kids' voices are heard in court. Advocate Megan Pennington explains they understand each child's unique circumstances and advocate for their needs, from essential services to reunification with family or finding permanent homes through adoption or guardianship. These volunteers strive for the best possible outcomes for the children they represent. As a CASA volunteer, your advocacy can positively impact vulnerable children and families, providing crucial support and resources for brighter futures.

In this episode of the Mission Matters Podcast with Paul Feith, Megan Pennington, Advocate Supervisor at CASA of River Valley, shares the role of a CASA advocate. Megan explains CASA's mission in supporting foster children, explores the reasons behind children entering foster care, and provides insights on how listeners can become CASA volunteers.