The Disgruntled Millennial

What’s the real business value of DEI? In this episode, Matt speaks with leadership and workplace diversity expert Joe Santana about why DEI has become such a polarizing topic in America, and what the true business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion is that both sides of the aisle miss. They explore how DEI drives innovation, improves decision-making, and reduces risk—and why so many organizations still get it wrong. Whether you're a skeptic, a champion, or somewhere in between, this conversation will change how you think about the value and importance of diversity to EVERYONE in the workplace.

As legal and political attacks on disability protections escalate, what’s really at stake for millions of Americans? In this episode, host Matthew Leger sits down with Tara Cunningham, CEO of Beyond Impact, to break down the threats to Section 504, IDEA, and the ADA—and why defending disability rights matters to all of us. From public misconceptions to policy failures to grassroots mobilization, this conversation offers both a wake-up call and a roadmap for action.

Nonprofits in the US are being hit from all sides—federal funding cuts, economic headwinds, and growing distrust from the public. Can the sector adapt in time to survive this moment, or should we take this opportunity to fundamentally rethink the nonprofit business model (and tax code) altogether? In this episode, Matt sits down with two leading nonprofit industry experts, Sara Gibson and Tom Bartlett, to explore how impact-driven leaders in the sector can navigate today’s challenges while building more resilient, sustainable organizations for the future.

Staring down large scale federal funding cuts, nonprofits across the country are looking to philanthropic organizations to fill the void. But is philanthropy equipped to rise to the challenge? In this episode, Matt sits down with Karen Wawrzaszek, a long time advisor to major donors, nonprofits, and foundation leaders. They discuss what needs to change to make charitable funding more impactful for purpose-driven organizations in America, and what's next for an industry that is several years into its own difficult, large-scale transformation.

The future of work is filled with uncertainty as emerging technologies like AI disrupt the labor force at an unprecedented rate. How do you prepare for a future when we don't know what humans will even be doing for work a year from now, let alone in 5, 10, or 15 years? In this episode, Matt sits down with Vikram Mansharamani to discuss how we can be better prepared for whatever the future of work throws at us.

Tensions are high in American workplaces. Employers are struggling to navigate and understand an increasingly complex and diverse labor market, and workers are rethinking their relationship with employers. As workers advocate better working conditions and a greater voice in their organizations, labor-union organizing has surged, and the fights have become very ugly, and very public.

Employee resource groups (ERGs) have been around for decades and offer a potential opportunities to bridge the employee-employer divide. However, backlash against DEI in recent years has led to a decline in ERG investments within companies across the country. As a result, we are missing an opportunity to rebuild trust in the workplace.

In this episode, I chat with Joe Santana, Chairman of the CDO PowerCircle, to discuss this critical issue and offer guidance to ERG leaders, participants, and corporate executives for how to navigate these challenging times.

To dive deeper into this issue, you can check out the paper I published with AEI in December 2023 titled "Building High-Trust Workplaces: The Role of Employee Resource Groups in Building Stronger Employee-Employer Relationships" which you can read here.

The neurodivergent workforce encompasses working age adults with neurological and developmental conditions such as Autism, ADHD, and Dyslexia. Upwards of 1 in 5 people on Earth are considered neurodivergent, but research has shown that these workers face significant barriers to employment and economic mobility, with unemployment rates as high as 30-40%. This is a waste of human potential that is running rampant in our workplaces and is costing the economy unknown billions in lost productivity and innovation.

In this episode, I chat with Jessica Lee, co-founder and executive director of NeuroTalent Works, and Brent Orrell, workforce development expert and senior fellow at AEI, about how we can solve this critical challenge and create economic opportunity for America's largest untapped talent pool.

Introducing The Disgruntled Millennial Podcast, a show for people who want to see the world become a better place, and are tired of politics and culture wars getting in the way.

This podcast is about having more civil conversations, bringing people together to have meaningful, solution-oriented discussions about the wicked problems that ail us.

Visit our website to learn more: https://www.disgruntledmillennial.org/about