What drives true collaboration in complex organizations? Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Dr. Edward Bergmark, Chair of The Community Solution Board of Trustees and founder of Optum at UnitedHealth Group, and Victoria Dolan, Trustee for The Community Solution and former CFO of Revlon, to explore the psychology behind Radical Cooperation.

Dr. Bergmark shares how his experience in both corporate and nonprofit leadership has shaped his approach to fostering trust and teamwork. Trustee Dolan offers insights from her global executive roles, revealing how leaders can create cultures of collaboration even in competitive environments. Together, they unpack the mindset shifts and strategies that make Radical Cooperation a transformative force in higher education and beyond.

In this episode:

• Why Radical Cooperation is the key to institutional success
• How leaders can build trust and drive meaningful collaboration
• The role of humility, shared resources, and a collective vision in fostering innovation

Most institutions try to do too much—and end up making less impact. But what if the key to success is narrowing your focus instead of expanding it?

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Dr. Breeda McGrath, President of Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School, to discuss the power of niche superpowers in higher education. They explore how institutions can thrive by doubling down on their strengths, staying true to their mission, and embracing radical cooperation to maximize their impact.

In this episode:

• Why focusing on your niche leads to greater success
• How Pacific Oaks College builds community impact through specialization
• How to balance innovation with staying true to your mission

What does it take to lead a university that listens, learns, and evolves with the world around it?

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Michael Alexander, former president of Lasell University, to explore what universities must learn from the communities, industries, and local voices just beyond their gates. Drawing from his unique journey from Hollywood studios to higher ed leadership, Alexander shares how asking the right questions—and listening to external voices—helped transform Lasell into a hub of innovation, civic engagement, and economic impact.

From launching a retirement village that became an academic asset, to reshaping programs based on real employer needs, this conversation reveals how radical cooperation and two-way learning can turn institutional challenges into lasting opportunity.

In this episode:

• How community partnerships created lasting academic innovation
• Why economic impact is higher ed’s most underused story
• The power of listening over leading in institutional change

Note: Since this recording, Michael Alexander was named Interim President of Western New England University.

What happens when tradition meets a moment that demands change? Higher education faces mounting pressure—declining enrollment, shrinking budgets, shifting regulations, and public doubt. But within the disruption lies a rare chance to reimagine how colleges serve students, communities, and society.

This week, Dr. Michael Horowitz is joined by Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy—former president of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and former director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture—to explore what’s broken in higher ed and what’s still possible. Together, they unpack the sector’s most urgent challenges and spotlight how collaboration, not isolation, could be the key to building a stronger, more student-centered future.
In this episode:

• The overlooked root causes behind higher ed’s instability
• How ignoring the data is costing higher ed everything
• What colleges must do now to earn back student trust

How can universities evolve without losing their core values? In the first episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Dr. Paul LeBlanc, former president of Southern New Hampshire University, to explore the tension between tradition and progress in higher education.

Dr. LeBlanc shares his journey from first-generation student to university president, insights from Southern New Hampshire University’s rise in online education, and lessons on leadership, governance, and innovation.

In this episode:

• Balancing tradition with innovation in higher education
• How SNHU became a leader in online learning
• The leadership qualities needed to drive meaningful change