Beyond The Blog

This podcast explores how a seemingly simple connection can turn into something that can change the trajectory of your life. 

Timestamps 

• 00:14 – Welcome & Introduction
• 00:37 – Ericia highlights the history and background of her and Laurin’s relationship
• 01:49 – Laurin shares what inspired her to start her firm and how it has evolved over the years
• 03:00 – Laurin discusses how relationships shaped her growth and the direction of...

In this Beyond The Blog episode, focused on the Advancing Philanthropic Leadership initiative, Debra Jacobs, President and CEO of The Patterson Foundation, sits down with Andrew Spector, Senior Fellow 2023/25, to reflect on his winding path to the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (LFSOP) and The Patterson Foundation and his experience in year three as a Senior Fellow. 

In this conversation, Andrew discusses the value of the TPF F...

Leah Verier-Dunn sits down with the Director of the ESOL, Migrant, and Dual Language Program for Manatee County Schools, Deb Estes, to discuss how Manatee County has established systems to foster widespread support and programming for families in need of resources. 

Timestamps

• 00:30 Intro ​
• 01:13 Debra dives into her history and her work.
• 03:18 Debra explains “Two-way Immersion.”
• 06:25 Debra breaks down how students get identif...

Digital equity goes far beyond internet access. It touches people, trust, language, and the systems that shape opportunity. In this episode of Digital Access Discoveries, Cook County’s inaugural Director of Digital Equity, Kyla Williams Tate, shares how digital inclusion works best when it is treated as a living ecosystem. She explores the role of storytelling, small but strategic investments, trust-building, and designing programs...

In this episode of the Nonprofit Thrivability podcast, host Read Corley talks with Megan Howell, founder and executive director of Second Heart Homes, about what it really takes to build sustainable nonprofit fundraising. Megan shares how Fueling Dynamic Fundraising helped her move beyond transactional asks and toward a true culture of philanthropy. The conversation covers donor relationships, legacy giving, and the Linkage, Intere...

In this episode of the Nonprofit Thrivability Podcast, Read Corley sits down with Lisa Intagliata, CEO of Resilient Retreat, to unpack how a young nonprofit built a mission-aligned social enterprise to diversify revenue and protect its ability to offer free, confidential healing programs for adult survivors of trauma and abuse, including first responders and helping professionals. 

Lisa shares how Margin & Mission Ignition helpe...

The Patterson Foundation’s Community Preparedness, Recovery, and Resiliency (CPR-R) initiative is really starting to get its footing as it continues to uncover areas of need in the disaster ecosystem. Most notably, CPR-R has chosen to focus its current efforts on strengthening Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs). Karen Windon, CPR-R Initiative Lead, joined host Leah Verier-Dunn on Rising Resilience, a Beyond The Blog Podcast...

On this episode of Discover DeSoto, Alicia Exantus speaks with Maribel Martinez, a consultant with The Patterson Foundation’s Digital Access for All initiative. 

Although Maribel isn’t from DeSoto County, she has spent three years working closely with the community and has seen it shift from a rural area facing major challenges to one energized by new investments, partnerships, and growing momentum.

The episode highlights DeSoto’s pr...

In this episode of Connecting Communities, Leah Verier-Dunn talks with Sheila Halpin and Angela Knapek from Soar in 4 about the opening of their new children’s museum-like learning lab. Soar Lab is a new Manatee County neighborhood gem that families must check out! With a focus on the importance of family engagement, the three discuss all that one can expect when they show up at the Soar Lab. 

Timestamps 

• 00:30 - Intro
• 01:24 - She...

In this episode, we explore how "Principles & Techniques of Fundraising," a four-day, in-person training of Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy's The Fund Raising School, equips nonprofit leaders with practical, research-backed tools to strengthen fundraising efforts.  

Tom Melville, Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Sarasota, and Board President Laura Randall, who attended th...

In the latest episode of Discover DeSoto, host Alicia Exantus sits down with Regional Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, Crystal Walter, to explore her aspirations for DeSoto County and how her organization’s mentorship programs are empowering local youth.

Crystal shares how building strong relationships, nurturing trust, and investing in young people are central to creating the kind of community where e...

In this episode of Digital Access Discoveries, host Read Corley sits down with Bruce Clark, Digital Inclusion Project Manager, Center for Digital Equity at Queens University, to explore how collaborative ecosystems can bridge the digital divide. They dive into the power of trust, community partnerships, and the critical three-legged stool of digital access: connectivity, devices, and skills/support. 

Timestamps 

• (00:00) Introduct...

In this episode of the Nonprofit Thrivability podcast, Read Corley sits down with Nancy Nallin and Rene Ferreira from Big Cat Habitat to explore how the Margin & Mission Ignition (MMI) initiative from The Patterson Foundation helped them supercharge sustainability. From gift shops to yoga with animals, they've transformed entrepreneurial ideas into mission-driven revenue streams, all while nurturing a new generation of lea...

This episode of Beyond The Blog features Ericia Henry, a Fellow with The Patterson Foundation, and Grace Wang, a student at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, who recently completed an internship with The Venice Symphony through The Patterson Foundation’s Nonprofit Internship Program. Join us as we explore Grace’s journey, the experiences that shaped her, and how this opportunity has influenced her growth and development as a...

In this episode of Digital Access Discoveries, host Read Corley sits down with Kathy Bisbee, Director of the Alliance for Digital Equity, to explore how Massachusetts is building one of the nation’s most promising models for digital inclusion. Kathy shares powerful lessons from launching a statewide Digital Navigators network, co-designing a credentialing program, and championing digital equity in both rural and urban communities. ...

In this episode of The New Civic Path podcast, host Leah Verier-Dunn sits down with facilitator Carolina Franco to explore the power of book circles in building trust, fostering empathy, and sparking action in our communities. Carolina shares inspiring stories from her experience leading circles, from participants finding hope in difficult times to small actions that created ripple effects of change.

These conversations show us that...

This episode of Rising Resilience shares the evolution of The Patterson Foundation’s involvement in the disaster space. Hear about TPF’s commitment to optimizing efforts toward long-term impact in our Suncoast region and beyond.

Timestamps 

• 00:00 - Introducing Rising Resilience
• 01:10 - Why is TPF in disaster recovery? 
• 04:30 - How has the way TPF has funded disaster recovery changed?
• 07:15 - How do we define preparedness, recovery, ...

On this episode of Discover DeSoto, Alicia Exantus chats with fellow Patterson Foundation consultant, Sherry Oehler.

Though Sherry lives in Manatee County, her work has brought her deeply into the heart of DeSoto through a special assignment with the DeSoto Digest Newsletter team. Together, Alicia and Sherry explore what it means to tell stories that connect residents, community leaders, and organizations, painting a fuller picture ...

In this episode of The New Civic Path Beyond The Blog podcast, host Leah Verier-Dunn talks with Monica Encarnacion, founder and CEO of Homeschool STEAM. Monica reflects on her experience in a New Civic Path book circle, sharing how it transformed her outlook from feeling hopeless to hopeful and why small actions can spark big community change. They discuss finding common ground, fostering civic responsibility, and the unique design...