RKD Group: Thinkers

What do 30 years in corporate travel have to do with running a homeless shelter? More than you'd think.

In this episode of the RKD Group: Chat podcast, host Nipa Eason talks with Susan Blouch, Executive Director of Lebanon Rescue Mission, about the nontraditional path that took her from owning a corporate travel business to leading an 81-year-old, faith-based nonprofit as its first woman executive director and first non-pastoral leader in its history.

Susan closed her business in 2010 with no job lined up, spent months in interviews, and was told outright by a friend: "They are never going to give this job to a woman." Seventeen years later, she's led two capital campaigns, relocated an entire men's campus, and is currently building a 25,000-square-foot facility to serve women with children and a fast-growing population almost no one is talking about: seniors experiencing homelessness.

In this conversation:

- Why nonprofit hiring managers should stop reading job titles and start reading skill sets

- How Susan navigated community pushback as a single woman leading a gospel rescue mission

- Walking into a capital campaign on Day 1, including a zoning board rejection and appeal

- Why 45% of Lebanon Rescue Mission's guests are now over 65, and what that changes about shelter design

- The shift from communal dorms to 40 private rooms, and why dignity matters for guests in their 70s and 80s

- The unexpected mentorship happening between senior and younger guests

- Practical strategies for preventing staff burnout and secondary trauma on the front lines

- What it means to actually live out "God, family, work" as an organizational value

Three takeaways for your nonprofit:

- Hire for skill sets, not titles. The best candidate for your open role may come from an industry that looks nothing like yours.

- You don't know what you don't know. Surround yourself with good counsel, put one foot in front of the other, and stay willing to change direction.

- Learn to tell the noise from the voice of truth. There will never be a shortage of people telling you how to do your job.

About Lebanon Rescue Mission: Founded more than 80 years ago in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Lebanon Rescue Mission provides emergency shelter, meals, and recovery programs for men, women, and children experiencing homelessness.

About RKD Group: Chat: RKD Group: Chat brings you behind the scenes of nonprofit life, spotlighting the compassion and purpose behind the individuals solving the world's most challenging problems. Hosted by Nipa Eason.

In this episode of the RKD Group: Chat podcast, we sit down with Gina Lattuca, Chief Communications Officer at the SPCA Serving Erie County in New York. With 36 years at the organization, Gina has led its storytelling through the era of typewriters and fax machines into the age of AI, shaping how a 160-year-old humane society speaks to its community.

In this episode of the RKD Group: Chat podcast, we sit down with Stephanie Chanpimol, annual fund and advancement services manager for The Salvation Army's Northern New England Division. With two decades of experience at the organization, Stephanie shares how a willingness to learn, strong communication skills and a commitment to building meaningful relationships have shaped her nonprofit career.

In this episode of RKD Group: Thinkers, we sit down with Brittany Hodak—author, entrepreneur, keynote speaker and creator of the “superfan” philosophy that has helped brands like Walmart, Disney, Amazon and countless artists build deeper customer loyalty and engagement.

Brittany’s journey began in the music industry during a moment of massive disruption. As record labels struggled to respond to file-sharing and digital downloads in the early 2000s, Brittany saw an opportunity others missed: Fans didn’t just want music—they wanted connection, experiences and a sense of belonging. That insight led her to launch a company focused on creating premium fan experiences and collectible products for artists and brands, eventually earning her a spot on Shark Tank and partnerships with some of the biggest names in entertainment.

Today, Brittany helps organizations understand what turns casual supporters into passionate advocates. Her core belief is simple but powerful: Superfans are created at the intersection of your story and theirs.

In this episode of the RKD Group: Chat podcast, we sit down with Kendra Mungra, Director of Communications at Toys for Tots. With a background in marketing, communications and entrepreneurship, Kendra brings a creative and deeply human-centered approach to donor engagement—especially when it comes to monthly giving and building sustainable support.

As Toys for Tots approaches its 80th anniversary, Kendra is helping evolve public perception of the organization from a holiday charity into a year-round force for children in need.

Katherine Fritz’s career journey didn’t follow a straight line. From marine biology to cancer research to nonprofit leadership, her path has been shaped by curiosity, openness and a willingness to embrace the unexpected.

Today, as President and CEO of Long Island Cares, Katherine leads one of the region’s most impactful food banks. It’s an organization focused not only on addressing hunger, but on building a stronger, more connected community.

Her story begins with a simple but powerful belief passed down from her father: Don’t close doors to opportunity.

That mindset led her through decades of nonprofit work across multiple causes, ultimately guiding her to the food bank cause, an area she hadn’t originally planned to enter, but one that deeply aligns with her passion for helping people.

Katherine believes that nonprofit work isn’t just about delivering services. It’s about building relationships, creating unexpected partnerships and meeting people where they are, especially in moments when they need support the most.

In this episode of the RKD Group: Chat podcast, Katherine shares how her unconventional career path shaped her leadership style, how food banks are evolving to meet long-term community needs and why collaboration across sectors is critical to addressing food insecurity.

In this episode of “RKD Group: Thinkers,” we sit down with Tom Ahern—copywriter, self-described “message nerd” and one of the most influential voices in donor communications. With decades of experience spanning commercial marketing, direct response and nonprofit fundraising, Tom brings a refreshingly candid perspective on what actually drives donor engagement and what quietly undermines it.

Tom started in public relations, moved into high-stakes technology marketing and eventually ran his own ad agency. It wasn’t until around 2000—through his wife’s nonprofit consulting work—that he stepped into the world of fundraising. What began as a favor (writing a single direct mail letter) quickly became a career-long focus on improving how nonprofits communicate with donors.

What he discovered early on still shapes his thinking today: Most nonprofit communications aren’t built to succeed. They’re built from imitation, internal priorities and outdated assumptions about what donors care about. And in a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by digital channels, AI and shifting donor expectations, those weaknesses are only becoming more visible.

Today, Tom is widely recognized for helping organizations rethink donor communications from the ground up—focusing on clarity, empathy and response-driven messaging. His work challenges fundraisers to move beyond “broadcasting” and toward true communication that resonates and drives action.

In this episode, Tom reflects on how his marketing background shaped his approach to fundraising, what nonprofits consistently get wrong about messaging and why the future of fundraising depends on getting the basics right.

In this episode of RKD Group: Thinkers, we sit down with Gary Ware—founder of Breakthrough Play, author of “Playful Rebellion” and a workplace culture expert helping teams rediscover creativity, connection and resilience through the power of play.

Gary began his career in marketing and communications, building a successful track record in the agency world and eventually stepping into agency leadership. But after a difficult professional turning point that forced him to rethink what came next, he found himself returning to something that had long brought him energy and clarity: Improvisation, play and the kind of joyful experimentation that helps people feel more human at work.

Today, Gary helps organizations strengthen culture, collaboration and communication by challenging the workplace norms that lead to burnout, disconnection and stale thinking. Through Breakthrough Play, he shows teams how applied improvisation and playful practices can unlock trust, spark creativity and help people navigate uncertainty with more confidence. His work has earned recognition from Culture Amp, which named him one of the top 25 emerging culture creators, and his message continues to resonate with leaders looking for healthier, more effective ways to work.

Gary reveals play, rest, joy and goofiness as essential tools for high performance and human connection.

Major Nesan Kistan’s story begins in apartheid-era South Africa, where he grew up witnessing the injustices of a system that separated people by race and opportunity. His family eventually left the country for a better future and rebuilt their lives in Australia. During a period of financial hardship shortly after arriving, they encountered The Salvation Army for the first time—an experience that left a lasting impression.

What they received was more than assistance. They were met with practical compassion and unconditional acceptance.

That moment, and another later crisis where The Salvation Army again stepped in to support his family, helped shape the path that would eventually lead Major Kistan into Salvation Army leadership himself. Today, he’s Divisional Commander of the Intermountain Division.

In this episode of the RKD Group: Chat podcast, Major Kistan shares how his upbringing shaped his worldview, how organizations like The Salvation Army must evolve their communications strategies in a rapidly changing media environment and why resilience, discipline and compassion remain essential for leaders today.

In this episode of “RKD Group: Thinkers,” we sit down with Mallory Martin, founder and CEO of Mended, a social impact business partnering with survivors of human trafficking to create hand block–printed textiles.

Mallory’s journey spans professional sports, international nonprofit fundraising and now entrepreneurship. What connects each chapter is purpose. From selling six-figure sponsorships for the Dallas Stars to fundraising for the International Justice Mission (IJM), and ultimately launching her own mission-driven brand, Mallory’s path reveals how nothing is wasted when calling and capability align.

Her story is one of tension and transformation: loving the for-profit business world while feeling drawn to humanitarian impact, navigating motherhood and career shifts, wrestling with the emotional weight of confronting modern-day slavery and eventually stepping away from stability to build something new.

Today, Mended employs 23 survivors of bonded labor slavery in South India who create hand block–printed tea towels, table linens and textiles. Each product carries a story of restoration.

What stands out most about Mallory is her clarity. She knows what she’s good at, what she’s not good at and why she’s building what she’s building.