Well beyond his extraordinary on-field accomplishments, Paul Rabil has reimagined what the sport of lacrosse can become—and expanded who it’s for. For those familiar with his story, it’s no surprise. 

As the sport’s first “million-dollar athlete,” Rabil always had a clear vision for building his personal brand and leveraging his success as a standout collegiate and professional player. But his ambitions extended far beyond individual achievement—he set out to transform the entire ecosystem of the game.

In this episode, Rabil reflects on the pivotal decision to step away from an established professional system and build something entirely new. With a bold, forward-looking vision, he co-founded the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), a modern, player-first league that prioritizes athlete empowerment while embracing digital innovation, content, and storytelling to connect with the next generation of fans.

As part of this, Rabil and his colleagues are driving the development of a women’s professional lacrosse league, aiming to create equitable opportunities, visibility, and long-term infrastructure for female athletes. This expansion reflects a broader commitment to inclusivity and growing the game across genders, audiences, and global markets.

Operating at the intersection of sport, business, and media, the conversation explores Rabil's evolution from athlete to builder—and what it takes to turn a personal platform into a purpose-driven, lasting legacy that reshapes the future of an entire sport.

Fidel Vargas’ story comes full circle. Once a recipient of Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) scholarships at Harvard and Harvard Business School, he now leads the organization as President and CEO—guiding one of the nation’s most impactful institutions advancing access to higher education, with programs serving 12,500+ students and parents in more than 2,900+ cities in all 50 states and U.S. territories annually, and awarding more than $756 million in scholarships since its founding.

Before returning to HSF, Vargas built a career across finance and public service, including serving as the youngest mayor of a major U.S. city at age 23 and later as a private equity leader. Across each chapter, his focus has remained the same: expanding opportunity for others.

In this episode, Vargas reflects on leading at scale while staying grounded in mission—sharing insights on growth, responsibility, and investing in young leaders. It’s a conversation about purpose-driven leadership and creating pathways that extend far beyond individual success.

Jimmer Fredette’s journey has been anything but linear. Lightly recruited out of high school and overlooked by major programs, he went on to become the 2011 Naismith College Player of the Year at BYU—captivating the country as one of the most electric scorers in college basketball. His rise to national stardom was as unexpected as it was unforgettable.

In this episode, he reflects on what it takes to evolve when the path doesn’t go as planned. After being selected 10th overall in the NBA Draft, Jimmer faced the challenge of transitioning from a college superstar to a role player at the game’s highest level—an adjustment that tested his identity and resilience. He shares what he learned from those years, how it led him to build a prolific career overseas, and ultimately how he reinvented himself through 3x3 basketball.

Now serving as General Manager for USA Basketball’s 3x3 men’s national team, Jimmer offers a new perspective on leadership, competition, and staying connected to the game at the highest level. This conversation explores how great competitors adapt beyond their peak moments—and what it means to rebuild, redefine success, and earn your place on the world stage.

After serving as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey carried his leadership philosophy into a new arena—one where the stakes are different, but the need for alignment, trust, and performance remains essential.In this episode, General Dempsey shares how principles forged at the highest levels of military command translate into building elite teams on the global stage.  Drawing on decades of leading complex, high-stakes organizations, he unpacks how trust is built quickly, how leaders create clarity amid uncertainty, and why preparation—not star power—is the ultimate competitive advantage.He also reflects on the unique challenge of leading “short-term teams” like Team USA—where cohesion must be built in weeks, not years—and what that reveals about adaptability, communication, and shared purpose.This conversation explores leadership beyond any single arena, where trust, preparation, and purpose drive performance—and define what it truly means to represent Team USA.

Michelle Nunn has spent her career building and leading organizations rooted in service—from founding Hands On Atlanta to scaling Points of Light into a global volunteer network, and now as CEO of CARE USA.

In this episode, she shares what it really takes to lead mission-driven organizations at scale while staying anchored in purpose.Michelle reflects on the challenges of mobilizing millions of people, navigating complex humanitarian crises, and making tough decisions in environments where the stakes are deeply human. She offers candid insights on building trust, sustaining teams through uncertainty, and balancing urgency with long-term impact.

At a moment when global needs are rising and institutions face growing scrutiny, this conversation explores how service can be a powerful force for change—and what it means to lead with both conviction and compassion when the path forward isn’t always clear.

Dr. Richard Carmona’s life is a blueprint for service: Vietnam combat medic, trauma surgeon, sheriff’s deputy, professor, and ultimately the 17th Surgeon General of the United States—the first Hispanic man to hold the role. In this episode of the SALA Series Podcast, Dr. Carmona reflects on the experiences that shaped his approach to leadership, public health, and service.

Raised in poverty in the Bronx, he brings a deeply personal understanding of the barriers facing underserved communities. Throughout his career—from emergency rooms to the highest levels of government—he has championed health equity, preventive care, and the well-being of under-resourced populations.

From advising presidents to confronting national health crises, Dr. Carmona shares hard-earned lessons on integrity, resilience, and the responsibility leaders carry when lives are at stake. It’s a remarkable conversation about leading with principle, speaking truth in difficult moments, and leaving institutions—and communities—stronger than you found them.

Together with Lawrence E. Adjah, ordained minister, social entrepreneur, and best-selling author, Karida Brown, Professor of Sociology at Emory University and author of multiple award-winning works on race has a wide-ranging conversation on the inherent tension between systems and human agency.

Dr. Brown draws on decades of scholarship to examine how racial difference is historically constructed, institutionalized, and maintained, while Adjah offers a complementary perspective grounded in faith, leadership, and community-building—shaped by his work at McKinsey & Company, global mental-health initiatives, and founding the Family Dinner Foundation to combat loneliness and social fragmentation.In a provocative and compelling conversation, they explore how power operates across institutions and everyday life, how individuals and communities navigate these systems, and what leadership, connection, and responsibility demand in today’s world.

In this episode Gary Pinkus, former Chairman and Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company’s North America practice, reflects on leadership, governance, and building enduring impact inside complex institutions. Drawing on nearly four decades at McKinsey where he helped found and lead the firm’s global Private Equity & Principal Investors practice and later guided its North American business Pinkus shares lessons on scaling organizations, balancing purpose with performance, and cultivating innovation within established enterprises. The discussion spans corporate governance, board leadership across energy, real estate finance, and sport, and the intellectual growth that comes from leading across sectors, geographies, and moments of change. This episode explores what it means to lead thoughtfully at scale and how lasting impact is built over time.

In this episode Garry W. Jenkins, President of Bates College, joins Marshall Hatch Jr., Co-Founder and Executive Director of the MAAFA Redemption Project, for a conversation on leadership, institutions, and democratic responsibility. President Jenkins brings nationally recognized expertise in nonprofit governance, law, and higher education leadership, shaped by his tenure as Dean of the University of Minnesota Law School and his current role guiding Bates College’s academic mission. Marshall Hatch Jr., a Gates Millennium Scholar and Bates alumnus, adds a faith- and community-centered perspective informed by his work developing workforce, educational, and spiritual pathways for emerging adult Black and Brown men in Chicago. Together, they explore how leadership is cultivated, how institutions earn trust, and how education, faith, and governance intersect in shaping opportunity.