The SALA Series Podcast

What does character mean in an age of political division, declining trust, social media, and artificial intelligence? Dalen Cuff sits down with Michael Lamb, Senior Executive Director of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, to explore why character remains at the heart of leadership—and what it takes to develop it.

Drawing on philosophy, research, and his work with students and universities across the country, Michael makes the case that character is not fixed; it can be cultivated through practice. The conversation examines the virtues that matter most—humility, empathy, courage, accountability, and hope—and the ways our institutions, workplaces, and communities either reinforce or undermine them.

They explore what is happening to trust in politics and public institutions, the responsibility of higher education to develop not only capable graduates but good leaders, and the ways social media can distort our understanding of success and influence. They also consider what character looks like in business, law, and public service—and, as AI increasingly reshapes how we work and make decisions, whether the qualities that cannot be automated may be the ones that matter most.

For John Beadle, founder of Aegis Ventures, healthcare innovation is deeply personal. Inspired by his mother's experience navigating the healthcare system after a life-changing brain injury, Beadle has built his career around bringing entrepreneurs, healthcare leaders, technology, and capital together to solve some of the industry's most difficult problems with the needs of patients at the center.

In this episode of the SALA Series, host Jeff Olivet sits down with Beadle to explore how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies can transform healthcare while making it more human. They discuss using AI to expand the capacity of doctors and nurses, moving healthcare toward prevention, building trust between innovators and health systems, and developing new technologies that can improve and even save patients' lives. 

The conversation offers an optimistic vision for the future of healthcare, one where innovation doesn't replace the human side of care, but strengthens it, giving clinicians better tools, patients better outcomes, and promising ideas a faster path from possibility to impact.

Psychotherapist, author, and parenting expert Katie Hurley has spent her career helping
children and families navigate a world that can feel increasingly anxious, demanding, and
disconnected. Her work challenges the idea that today’s youth mental health crisis has a single
cause, pointing instead to a childhood reshaped by less free play, greater academic pressure,
technology, social isolation, and a culture increasingly organized around achievement.
In this episode of Fatherhood, Gordon LaForge—host of the series and a writer and policy
thinker exploring the forces shaping families, communities, and the lives of young people—sits
down with Hurley to ask a fundamental question: What do children actually need from the
adults raising them? They explore the importance of play, boredom, failure, and conflict; why
building distress tolerance matters more than solving every problem; and how parents can help
children develop healthier relationships with technology.

The conversation also takes a deeper look at boys and young men, an area Hurley has explored
extensively in her writing and clinical work. At a time when many boys are struggling with
loneliness, emotional expression, belonging, and narrow ideas about masculinity, Hurley makes
the case for giving boys permission to be vulnerable, ask for help, form meaningful
relationships, and develop a fuller emotional vocabulary. Rather than shielding children from
difficulty, she argues for giving them the experiences, relationships, and support they need to
meet difficulty with confidence.

At its heart, this is a conversation about resilience as something we build, not something we
simply possess. It is about giving children the freedom to be children while helping them
develop the confidence, emotional strength, and sense of connection to navigate a complicated
world—and, ultimately, to become the adults we hope they will be.

As President and CEO of Points of Light, Jennifer Sirangelo has spent her career making the case that service is more than generosity—it is a way to build stronger communities, deepen civic connection, and create purpose. From Boys & Girls Clubs to the National 4-H Council and now Points of Light, she has championed the idea that people who take responsibility for their communities can help strengthen our country more broadly.

At Points of Light, Sirangelo has set ambitious goals to expand volunteerism, increase the number of people engaged in service, and make it easier for people of all backgrounds and generations to participate. Her vision reflects a larger belief: that a stronger culture of service is an investment in the civic health of our country—and a way to bring people together at a time when so much is pulling us apart.

In this episode of the SALA Series, host Basil Smikle sits down with Sirangelo to explore how volunteerism can combat loneliness, rebuild civic trust, and bridge political and social divides. They discuss empowering the next generation of leaders, the role of service in creating belonging, and why meaningful opportunities to contribute can renew our connections to one another and our communities.

At its heart, the conversation is about what happens when people move from being observers of their communities to participants in them—and how those individual acts of service can become a powerful force for a more connected, engaged, and resilient country.

For decades, David Shapiro has built his career around a simple idea: young people thrive when the adults around them show up, invest in them, and build relationships that last. As former President and CEO of MENTOR and now CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston, he has made that commitment not simply a profession, but a way of leading and living.

In this episode of Fatherhood, Gordon LaForge sits down with Shapiro to explore the lessons his own journey offers about fatherhood, leadership, and purpose. They discuss modern masculinity, the power of vulnerability, mentoring boys, the pressures of youth sports, and the temptation to optimize every aspect of childhood. Shapiro shares his philosophy of choosing connection over convenience, allowing children to experience adversity, and walking alongside young people rather than trying to solve every problem for them.But the conversation also offers a broader lesson about purpose-driven leadership. Shapiro's career is a model of what can happen when we choose to invest our time and talents in others—and inspire others to make the same commitment.

The reward isn't simply the difference we make for those we serve; it is the fulfillment, growth, and sense of belonging that come from building meaningful relationships and contributing to the well-being of others.At its heart, this is a conversation about what we owe the next generation—and how a life devoted to helping others grow can, in turn, help us grow ourselves.

Throughout his career, Dorsey Hopson has led at the intersection of public service, education, and systems transformation.  As the former Superintendent of Shelby County Schools, he guided one of the nation's largest urban school districts through a historic merger while confronting the interrelated challenges of race, poverty, governance, and educational equity.  

Today, as a Partner at City Fund, he works with civic leaders, educators, and philanthropists to expand access to high-quality public schools and improve outcomes for students across the country.In this episode of the SALA Series, host Basil Smikle sits with Hopson to explore what effective leadership looks like when the systems we have inherited may no longer be delivering the results young people need.  They discuss building trust, casting a compelling vision, empowering families with meaningful educational choices, and asking a fundamental question: just because we have always done something a certain way, does that mean it is the best way to do it?Hopson brings a unique perspective to that question.  

After years working within the traditional system, he is now helping build and support new models of public education—approaches that challenge assumptions, test what works, and seek better outcomes for students.  From literacy and workforce readiness to family engagement and school leadership, the conversation explores how we can rethink the way we invest in young people and build an education system better suited to their future.

At its heart, this is a conversation about our responsibility to the next generation—and the obligation to keep questioning, experimenting, and improving until we build an educational system worthy of their potential.

What can the ocean—and Earth’s deep history preserved beneath it—teach us about the future?

In this conversation, Peter de Menocal, President and Director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, sits down with guest host Basil Smikle explores the intersection of science, climate, leadership, and human possibility. A marine geologist and paleoclimatologist, de Menocal has spent his career reading ocean sediments as archives of climate history, using the past to better understand the forces shaping our future.

But his story is about more than science. From an unexpected encounter with an oceanographer as a college student, to his leadership at Columbia and the founding of its Center for Climate & Life, de Menocal has built a career around turning curiosity into knowledge—and knowledge into action.

The conversation explores how scientists can help society navigate challenges that are increasingly interconnected—from climate change and food and water security to the health of our oceans and communities—and what responsibility institutions have to put knowledge in service of the public good.At its heart, this is a conversation about curiosity, stewardship, and our responsibility to understand the world well enough to help shape what comes next.

After surviving multiple near-death experiences from Castleman disease, Dr. David Fajgenbaum emerged with a profoundly different perspective on life—and on what it means to make the most of the time we are given.

A physician-scientist, founder of Every Cure, and relentless advocate for drug repurposing, David has devoted his life to turning personal adversity into purpose. But his most important role exists beyond the laboratory and the public stage: being a father.

In this conversation with Gordon LaForge, David reflects on how facing mortality has shaped the way he thinks about fatherhood, family, ambition, and presence. He shares what his children have taught him about perspective, how the experience of illness changed his definition of success, and why living with an awareness that time is finite can make us more intentional with the people who matter most.It is a conversation about purpose—not simply as something we pursue, but as something we model for our children. About resilience without romanticizing hardship. And about the responsibility to use the time we have, however much or little it may be, to make a difference.

As a former member of Arcade Fire and CEO of Plus1, Marika Anthony-Shaw has spent her career exploring music’s power to bring people together and inspire action. From performing on the world’s biggest stages to directing millions of dollars toward grassroots organizations, she has built a career around a powerful belief: when people come together with purpose, they can create meaningful change.

In this episode, Marika reflects on her journey from classical musician to social entrepreneur—and the experiences that reshaped her understanding of leadership, philanthropy, and community. She shares lessons from touring with Arcade Fire, working alongside Dr. Paul Farmer, and founding Plus1, while exploring why artists are uniquely positioned to drive social impact, how trust-based philanthropy can empower local organizations, and why culture remains such a powerful force for change.

Marika’s unique journey offers compelling insights into the importance of building relationships before seeking results, particularly in an increasingly fragmented world, and the extraordinary potential of shared experiences to move people beyond awareness toward action. At its heart, the conversation explores what becomes possible when music, community, and purpose come together.

Best known as a political strategist, community leader, and the father of award-winning playwright and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, Luis A. Miranda Jr. has spent a lifetime building bridges, expanding opportunity, and serving others.

At the heart of that story is something even more enduring: fatherhood.In the inaugural episode of Fatherhood, host Gordon LaForge sits down with Luis Miranda for a deeply personal conversation about the values that shaped his family and the lessons he learned raising children grounded in confidence, compassion, and a strong sense of identity. From his journey from Puerto Rico to New York City to the everyday choices that define parenting, Miranda reflects on the importance of being present, honoring culture and heritage, and leading by example through both triumphs and setbacks.

More than a conversation about raising successful children, this episode explores how fathers shape character, inspire purpose, and nurture a deep sense of belonging. Through stories of family, service, and resilience, Miranda reflects on the quiet, daily choices that shape a child's confidence, character, and sense of purpose.