Five subway stops shouldn’t cost a decade of life. That jarring image sets the stage for a fast-moving, solutions-focused conversation with leaders who are closing health gaps, reimagining summer learning as a college pipeline, and delivering school-based mental health at scale. Together, they connect the dots between business, philanthropy, nonprofits, and public systems—showing how collaboration becomes a real lever for change, not just a buzzword.
We explore place-based health disparities and the Leadership Council for Healthier Communities, where data and local partnerships guide investment and scaling. Dr. Jean Accius explains how pairing lived experience with evidence—like the Doula Diaries initiative—turns stories into policy action. Esteban Olivares shares why summer can’t be optional anymore and how cross-sector programs open pathways for under-resourced students into AI, pre-law, and health fields. From libraries to universities, the right summer experiences build belonging, skills, and momentum toward college and careers.
Elena Saviolakis and Grand President Antoinette Marousis Zachariades of the Daughters of Penelope discuss how storytelling preserves legacy and mentorship converts it into action—through youth-led “blessing bag” projects for the homeless and a Capitol Hill Day that demystifies government. Kacie Kelly of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute pulls back the curtain on scaling evidence-based care across schools, health systems, and justice programs, spotlighting a Texas model that offers same-day access and up to six sessions of support to millions of students with sustainable funding.
If you care about health equity, college access, youth leadership, and practical systems change, you’ll find a playbook here: measure what matters, start small, build unusual alliances, and let values guide the work. Subscribe, share with a colleague who leads across sectors, and leave a review with your favorite takeaway so more people can find and apply these ideas.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:11):
Thank again at the Idea Gen Global Leadership
Summit 2025.
I'd like to reintroduce,reintroduce, because I like to
say this title, the grandpresident of the Daughters of
Penelope, Antoinette MarussisZakariatis, and Alina
Saviolakis, Executive Directorof the Daughters of Penelope as
(00:31):
well.
And so with that, I'd like tolaunch into this power panel.
Truly a power panel, as I lookdown here.
You guys, incredible.
Dr.
Gene Axius.
How can business andphilanthropy be organized to
collaborate and improvecommunity health?
And what role does your newleadership council for healthier
(00:56):
communities play in fosteringthese multi-sector partnerships?
SPEAKER_04 (01:02):
Well, first of all, George, thank you so much for
just an amazing summit and theopportunity to be part of this
amazing conversation.
My name is Gene Axius.
I'm the presidency of CreatingHealthier Communities.
We are a nationwide nonprofitorganization that touches about
5,000 nonprofits across thecountry.
We engage with about 650businesses, and we believe that
(01:22):
it is through multi-sectorcollaboration that we can
actually close the gaps that weactually see at the local level.
There is a 20-year difference inlife expectancy just here in the
United States.
When you look at twoneighborhoods that are less than
five miles apart, and accordingto the World Health
Organization, there is a 33-yeardifference in life expectancy
(01:43):
between individuals who live inhigh-income countries relative
to those that have low-incomecountries.
So just think about that.
Where you live has a hugeimplication for how well and how
long you actually live.
And that should be very, weshould all be outraged by that.
That your zip code should not bea pre-indicator of premature
(02:04):
death or illness.
That it has huge implicationsfor business, it has huge
implications for families, ithas huge implications for
countries.
So for us at CHC, we've launchedour Leadership Council for
Healthier Communities.
It is the only nationwidecouncil of leaders across
sectors for business, private,nonprofit philanthropy that has
(02:28):
come together to really closethe gaps.
If you think about here in NewYork, if you live in East
Harlem, your life expectancy is76 years old.
If you go to the Upper EastSide, it's 86.
Think about it, if you take thetrain in less than five stops,
you lose 10 years of life.
(02:48):
That is the challenge, and thatis the opportunity that we are
solving through cross-sectorcollaboration by galvanizing our
leaders across industry to lookat where do we invest, how do we
partner, and how do we scale.
SPEAKER_02 (03:01):
Well said, Jean, and I've heard you say that before,
and I think it's important tounderstand with the 5,000
organizations, nonprofits thatyou represent, what kind of
impact you're having.
It's truly, truly incredible.
Esteban, summer programs, summerlearning programs are often
overlooked in college accessstrategies.
(03:23):
How can summer learningexperiences better prepare
students, especially those fromunder-resourced communities, for
their college and career plansand success?
SPEAKER_05 (03:36):
Thank you, George, for having me here.
Right now I have the honor, I'mworking with National Summer
Learning Association, helping tolearn run a professional
learning community of high-redfolks from around the country
who are interested in how we canimpact summer.
And for summer andunder-resourced communities and
college access, it's soimportant that we have to
(03:58):
reimagine what summer is.
It's not an option anymore.
It has to be part of theecosystem of kindergarten
through through 12th grade.
And we have to have theopportunities for
under-resourced students toreally just have a place to go
during summer, have ahigh-quality summer experience.
So whether they want to deepdive into AI, deep dive into
(04:19):
pre-law, deep dive into health,they need to have those
opportunities.
And that's something that NSLAdoes is work to ensure that
every student and every zip codehas an opportunity for a
high-quality summer program.
But that also only happens withcross-sector partnerships.
And so that's universitiesworking together with private
sector, working together withnonprofits, working together
(04:42):
with folks in industry who aresubject matter experts to make
sure that we have theseopportunities so that these
future leaders are able toexpand upon that summer
experience and be prepared forcollege.
SPEAKER_02 (04:57):
Incredible, Esteban.
Very familiar with your work.
We actually have done a lot ofwork together over the years
with the Idea General FutureGlobal Leaders Academy that we
host every summer at GeorgetownUniversity, which is
extraordinary, and we love it,and we helped to create that
curriculum, so I want to plugthat as well.
In terms of the Daughters ofPenelope, we have the grand
(05:20):
president and the executivedirector here, and I know, I
know firsthand the incrediblephilanthropic work you're doing.
But let's talk a little bitabout the long history of
supporting education andleadership development.
Two favorite topics that I justlove to talk about.
How do you see storytelling andmentorship helping the next
(05:44):
generation of leaders in yourorganization's mission?
You can both tackle that if youlike.
SPEAKER_00 (05:50):
Sure, thank you.
Great question.
So on the story selling side,um, storytelling side,
storytelling connects historywith the future leadership.
So by sharing the journeys andthe stories of the women who
have built our organization, theDaughters of Penelope, the next
(06:11):
generation sees that leadershipis achievable but also
impactful.
On the mentorship side, thesestories are then translated into
action.
So this guides the youth and thenext generation in real time as
they navigate careers,education, and civic service.
(06:34):
And then with these toolscombined, this ensures
continuity and value.
So by listening, by learning, bybeing mentored, the next
generation grows intocompassionate and capable
leaders.
SPEAKER_02 (06:50):
So well said.
And so, grand president.
I'm gonna keep saying thattitle.
It's the greatest title.
If you want to talk aboutleadership, you need to talk to
the grand president.
But anyway, as grand president,how do you work with your
members to inspire civicengagement and cultivate
leadership skills among theyouth specifically within your
(07:14):
organization?
SPEAKER_03 (07:15):
So one of the fundamental goals of our
organization is to foster asense of social responsibility.
And uh we also enhance thecommunities that we live in
through philanthropic endeavorsand just being active in our
communities throughvolunteerism, through
(07:36):
philanthropy, and civicresponsibility.
One of the greatest gifts we cangive our youth is to teach by
example.
So, what I mean by that is we doengage them on the local level
to help us with our fundraisersand get them involved.
So there you have a little bitof mentoringship.
(07:57):
However, they soon realize thatthey themselves can offer
something.
I'll give you an example.
Some of the youth in our area uhrealized that there was a need
for what we call blessing bagsfor the homeless.
So what they did, they receivedtheir own donations, they went
(08:17):
shopping for the items, theybagged them, and they delivered
them to uh the local homelessshelter.
So there they learned byexample.
And that's a somethingbeautiful.
The other program that we have,uh, it's called the AHAPA Family
Capitol Hill Day.
What a great experience.
(08:39):
So all of our members usuallyattend.
They also bring their childrenand their grandchildren, where
we have the opportunity to walkthrough the halls of Congress,
sit in the uh House and Senategalleries so that the youth can
also learn the process ofgovernment and how it's uh done.
(08:59):
And then uh they we encouragethem when we visit with our
local congressmen to also askquestions.
And I have to say, own personalexperience bringing my my
granddaughter one year, theCongress people were wonderful
because they actually took thetime to talk to her and not you
(09:24):
know thinking she's young, tooyoung, but they respectfully,
which I really appreciated.
And then, of course, we havejoint leadership conferences.
SPEAKER_02 (09:34):
You know, that's incredible.
And and I want to put a plug infor the uh for the AHEPA.
Um the organization was born umwith an ethos around civil
rights, right?
Not a lot of people know that.
The Greeks were also targeted bythe KKK.
That's something that uh notmany people know about, but it's
(09:54):
true.
And um, and so that was onething when you look back at the
iconic cover of the of MartinLuther King walking in Selma,
and there's a guy in a blackrobe.
Who was that guy?
Greek Orthodox Archbishop.
Why was he there?
Because they had a shared ethosand a belief in civic duty,
(10:14):
fairness, and all the otherthings that come along with it.
So gotta go back to the roots ofa HEPA.
It's an incredible, incredibleorganization, and the
philanthropy that you're doingis just incredible.
It's the only word I can come upwith.
Casey Kelly, Chief InnovationOfficer of Meadows Mental Health
Policy Institute.
Casey, how does the MeadowsInstitute drive innovation and
(10:37):
mental health across policy andpractice?
SPEAKER_01 (10:41):
Thank you, George.
Thank you for having me.
It's really fun to be in a groupwith such diverse leaders from
diverse backgrounds.
And I'm just really thankful tobe here at the Meadows
Institute.
We're a nonpartisan nonprofitthat operates at the
intersection of policy andprograms.
And we're really the onlyorganization in the United
(11:02):
States that is driving systemicchange across health systems,
school systems, and justicesystems at the scale that we're
doing it.
And what is unique about how wework is that we go into these
systems and help them deliverevidence-based, innovative
mental health programs and helpthem develop practice changes so
(11:27):
that they're improving the waythey address and identify mental
health concerns.
And then we use that at thefederal and at the state level
to address policy changes andpolicy barriers that need to
happen.
And my job as the chiefinnovation officer is I get to
work with the really brightinnovators across the country
(11:49):
and investors to help themappreciate and understand how
policy might be affecting theirbottom lines and their
investments and really help themto understand how to put their
capital to work morestrategically in targeting the
problems that we know exist andincreasing access to
(12:09):
high-quality mental healthservices around the country.
SPEAKER_02 (12:13):
Thank you for all you're doing.
It obviously is uh making a hugeimpact in communities across the
country.
And so I'd like to do a littlebit of a several question
lightning round with all of you.
Um and whoever wants to takethis first is fine.
Can you share an example of aprogram or initiative in your
organization that successfullyused storytelling, Alina, to
(12:34):
engage youth or inspirecommunity action?
SPEAKER_00 (12:38):
So several of our programs actually highlight the
stories of past recipients, someof our scholarship programs.
And those recipients have becomedoctors, community leaders, and
by sharing those stories,younger applicants are inspired
to become future leaders intheir industry.
(13:02):
Storytelling?
SPEAKER_04 (13:03):
I I can add a little bit.
I think that in thisenvironment, more so now than
ever, we're all looking for somesource of inspiration.
Uh, and I think the ability toactually leverage storytelling
with data is extremely powerful.
So, one example of what we wereable to do over a year ago was
actually, as part of ourmaternal health work, we
actually highlighted uh thelived experiences of doulas.
(13:26):
And we did that for an entiremonth.
Uh each day, we would actuallyhighlight the lived story of a
doula.
Uh they are not uh supported byMedicaid reimbursement.
Uh oftentimes there's huge umfinancial implications and the
whole nine yards, but they're socritical for a successful birth.
(13:47):
Um and what we learned from thatvery powerful way of actually
storytelling is that it actuallystarted to raise the opportunity
for policy change becausepolicymakers now had a face.
They had a story.
They can forget a data point,but it was very difficult to
(14:07):
forget the lived experience ofthat doula worker.
Uh, long story short, the WhiteHouse, uh, former uh President
Biden and his administrationinvited our team uh to actually
share the Doula Diaries seriesat the White House.
Uh, and I think that was one ofthose examples, that was never
our intention, but that was oneof those examples of actually
(14:29):
driving policy change.
SPEAKER_02 (14:32):
And you know, storytelling is is so critical.
Uh, you know, we've heard a lotof stories today at this summit,
and it's all about you know howyou describe and how you can
inspire people.
And if you hear a story, youknow, it's often possible to be
able to connect because maybeyou can relate to what, like
Sharon John, CEO of BuilderBear, said, what was your first
(14:54):
toy?
Do you remember that?
SPEAKER_03 (14:55):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (14:56):
And it brings it evokes all of these emotions, or
you know, what was your favoritefood as a child, whatever it may
be.
And so storytelling is importantin the corporate setting.
NGOs, of course, need to betelling their stories.
So, and the public sector doestries to tell their story.
Sometimes it's hard, yeah.
But they try to tell their storytoo.
So everyone's trying to telltheir story.
(15:18):
And so, lightning roundquestion: how do you measure
impact when it comes to youthpathways, leadership
development, or community healthinitiatives?
Who would like to tackle this?
Elena.
SPEAKER_00 (15:32):
I think at least in the Daughters of Penelope, we
measure the civic impact by uhvolunteer hours, funds raised,
the partnerships formed, andthen of course, there's a
there's the intangible outcomes,right?
So the confidence gained, theleadership uh roles attained,
(15:52):
and of course, communitiesstrengthened.
SPEAKER_02 (15:55):
Incredible.
Anyone else?
SPEAKER_05 (15:58):
Well, I think it's also part of storytelling, but
you also getting out there intothe field and showing what is
happening, what is the impact ofyour organization.
So um NSLA this summer did um 50programs in 50 days during the
summer.
And I think it actually did waymore than 50.
And they visited all of theseprograms throughout the country,
um, just highlighting the impactin a local community, whether it
(16:21):
was a library, whether it was anonprofit organization or a
university providing a youthprogram in the summer and how
that impacted individualfamilies as well.
And then that's kind ofhighlighted even further with
National Summer Learning Week,which happens, I believe, in the
fall.
And so it's just telling thesestories, it's highlighting the
impact, but it's also showingthat it it should not matter
which zip code you live in,whether you have access to an
(16:42):
amazing summer program or not.
SPEAKER_02 (16:45):
Well said.
Well said.
And so we're here about globalleadership.
You're global leaders, you'rechanging communities and
organizations and impacting somany millions of people.
As I look at you, millions ofpeople are impacted directly by
the work each of you do everysingle day.
What advice would you give tothe future global leaders?
(17:06):
You heard some of them today,looking to create impact, mean
meaningful change.
Where do I begin on learning howto lead?
Like, what are those seeds thatyou're seeing and learning as
you work with your com yourorganizations across the nation
and across the planet?
Grand President.
SPEAKER_03 (17:25):
So everything always starts with an idea.
So we have to, as Peter saidtoday, have the courage to
start.
So with that, you have to makeplans, you have to look into
your communities to see what isthe need.
And you can start small.
You don't have to, you know, gostraight for the top.
(17:46):
You start small and you figureout ways to raise money.
So you need to have a uhstrategy plan to move forward,
figure out ways to raise money,figure out how and who it's
going to affect or help, and uhlook into volunteers, volunteer
(18:07):
services that you can use forthat project.
But if you don't start and havethat courage, you can't move
forward.
So the whole idea is just to dosomething.
SPEAKER_02 (18:19):
Just do it.
Just do it.
Heard that before.
Absolutely.
Love it.
So, final question, um, and thisis really about what is your
call to action?
What is your call to action andhow can folks find out more
about what you're doing?
So, Esteban, you want to takethat lead?
SPEAKER_05 (18:35):
Uh well, go to summerlearning.org and find out
about NSLA.
Um, they do amazing work andthey're cost sector.
So, while I lead the um thesummer learning community for
higher education, there aresectors that are focused on
libraries, rec centers,elementary schools all across
this country, and they'reconnecting the dots.
And you're part of that, andthere's a way that you can get
(18:57):
connected into that to helpsolve that problem and make sure
that every child in this countryhas an opportunity to an amazing
summer program.
SPEAKER_03 (19:06):
So, uh, Daughters of Penelope, we are a global
organization.
We are 96 years young.
And you can uh find out moreinformation on our website,
daughtersofpenelope.org.
And if our executive directorwould like to add to that.
SPEAKER_00 (19:25):
I was just going to piggyback on what she said.
Um, when you say call to actionas well, um I believe in
nonprofits, especially andorganizations such as ourselves,
is the building partnerships,right?
Because long-lasting impactcomes from collaboration, which
is why we're all here today, whywe're so grateful to George and
(19:47):
Idea Gen and to all the work hedoes, because that's what's
going to create the long-lastingimpact.
And something that we really uhvalue in the Daughters of
Penelope, especially with itbeing a women's organization, is
just when it comes toleadership, is staying grounded
in values, right?
(20:08):
So showing compassion,integrity, humility, these
things have to guide leadership.
SPEAKER_01 (20:16):
Also I think my call to action is to engage in
healthy discourse when it comesto political and policy
discussions.
I am encouraged by our youth whoare raising their hands and
wanting to be part of thesolution when it comes to mental
health care.
And in at the Meadows Institute,our organization has actually
(20:40):
been able to bring people ofdiverse backgrounds together to
drive innovative solutions inmental health care.
And one that specifically givesme a lot of hope is some work
that we've been doing in Texasto give every school district in
the state of Texas access tosame-day mental health services
(21:02):
and up to six sessions of carefor every child in that school
district.
Right now, that's serving over4.5 million students.
And Texas has actually investedwhat is now$10 billion of
sustainable funding in youthmental health.
And I think we often in ourcurrent climate are hearing lots
(21:23):
of sort of negative discussionaround the state of mental
health in the country.
And my call to action is for ouryouth to continue to raise their
hands to be part of the solutionbecause there are things that
are happening that are positive,that are putting solutions out
into more people's hands andoffsetting the trajectory that
(21:44):
sometimes we we forget about anddon't hear enough about.
SPEAKER_04 (21:49):
I would just echo uh a lot of the comments that were
made just now.
Uh, that at CHC we believe verystrongly that collaboration is
the new form of currency.
And that it is throughpartnership that you can
actually see huge change andmeaningful partnership.
So just these opportunitiesright now, uh, if you don't know
(22:10):
someone, uh take a few minutesjust to get to know them.
I especially want you to get toknow someone in another industry
that is drastically differentfrom yours.
Because I believe it's throughthe traditional and
untraditional partnerships thatwe can actually revolutionize
some of the challenges thatwe've actually experienced.
So, really getting to a placewhere you're uncomfortable by
(22:32):
engaging with someone to yourpoint, whether it's a different
ideology, different umperspective, different industry,
and figuring out exactly wheremight there be some
opportunities to collaborate.
SPEAKER_02 (22:42):
There you go.
Great final work.
Thank you all so very much.
Thank you.
Incredible.
SPEAKER_03 (22:46):
Thank you.
Thank again at the Idea Gen Global Leadership
Summit 2025.
I'd like to reintroduce,reintroduce, because I like to
say this title, the grandpresident of the Daughters of
Penelope, Antoinette MarussisZakariatis, and Alina
Saviolakis, Executive Directorof the Daughters of Penelope as
(00:31):
well.
And so with that, I'd like tolaunch into this power panel.
Truly a power panel, as I lookdown here.
You guys, incredible.
Dr.
Gene Axius.
How can business andphilanthropy be organized to
collaborate and improvecommunity health?
And what role does your newleadership council for healthier
(00:56):
communities play in fosteringthese multi-sector partnerships?
SPEAKER_04 (01:02):
Well, first of all, George, thank you so much for
just an amazing summit and theopportunity to be part of this
amazing conversation.
My name is Gene Axius.
I'm the presidency of CreatingHealthier Communities.
We are a nationwide nonprofitorganization that touches about
5,000 nonprofits across thecountry.
We engage with about 650businesses, and we believe that
(01:22):
it is through multi-sectorcollaboration that we can
actually close the gaps that weactually see at the local level.
There is a 20-year difference inlife expectancy just here in the
United States.
When you look at twoneighborhoods that are less than
five miles apart, and accordingto the World Health
Organization, there is a 33-yeardifference in life expectancy
(01:43):
between individuals who live inhigh-income countries relative
to those that have low-incomecountries.
So just think about that.
Where you live has a hugeimplication for how well and how
long you actually live.
And that should be very, weshould all be outraged by that.
That your zip code should not bea pre-indicator of premature
(02:04):
death or illness.
That it has huge implicationsfor business, it has huge
implications for families, ithas huge implications for
countries.
So for us at CHC, we've launchedour Leadership Council for
Healthier Communities.
It is the only nationwidecouncil of leaders across
sectors for business, private,nonprofit philanthropy that has
(02:28):
come together to really closethe gaps.
If you think about here in NewYork, if you live in East
Harlem, your life expectancy is76 years old.
If you go to the Upper EastSide, it's 86.
Think about it, if you take thetrain in less than five stops,
you lose 10 years of life.
(02:48):
That is the challenge, and thatis the opportunity that we are
solving through cross-sectorcollaboration by galvanizing our
leaders across industry to lookat where do we invest, how do we
partner, and how do we scale.
SPEAKER_02 (03:01):
Well said, Jean, and I've heard you say that before,
and I think it's important tounderstand with the 5,000
organizations, nonprofits thatyou represent, what kind of
impact you're having.
It's truly, truly incredible.
Esteban, summer programs, summerlearning programs are often
overlooked in college accessstrategies.
(03:23):
How can summer learningexperiences better prepare
students, especially those fromunder-resourced communities, for
their college and career plansand success?
SPEAKER_05 (03:36):
Thank you, George, for having me here.
Right now I have the honor, I'mworking with National Summer
Learning Association, helping tolearn run a professional
learning community of high-redfolks from around the country
who are interested in how we canimpact summer.
And for summer andunder-resourced communities and
college access, it's soimportant that we have to
(03:58):
reimagine what summer is.
It's not an option anymore.
It has to be part of theecosystem of kindergarten
through through 12th grade.
And we have to have theopportunities for
under-resourced students toreally just have a place to go
during summer, have ahigh-quality summer experience.
So whether they want to deepdive into AI, deep dive into
(04:19):
pre-law, deep dive into health,they need to have those
opportunities.
And that's something that NSLAdoes is work to ensure that
every student and every zip codehas an opportunity for a
high-quality summer program.
But that also only happens withcross-sector partnerships.
And so that's universitiesworking together with private
sector, working together withnonprofits, working together
(04:42):
with folks in industry who aresubject matter experts to make
sure that we have theseopportunities so that these
future leaders are able toexpand upon that summer
experience and be prepared forcollege.
SPEAKER_02 (04:57):
Incredible, Esteban.
Very familiar with your work.
We actually have done a lot ofwork together over the years
with the Idea General FutureGlobal Leaders Academy that we
host every summer at GeorgetownUniversity, which is
extraordinary, and we love it,and we helped to create that
curriculum, so I want to plugthat as well.
In terms of the Daughters ofPenelope, we have the grand
(05:20):
president and the executivedirector here, and I know, I
know firsthand the incrediblephilanthropic work you're doing.
But let's talk a little bitabout the long history of
supporting education andleadership development.
Two favorite topics that I justlove to talk about.
How do you see storytelling andmentorship helping the next
(05:44):
generation of leaders in yourorganization's mission?
You can both tackle that if youlike.
SPEAKER_00 (05:50):
Sure, thank you.
Great question.
So on the story selling side,um, storytelling side,
storytelling connects historywith the future leadership.
So by sharing the journeys andthe stories of the women who
have built our organization, theDaughters of Penelope, the next
(06:11):
generation sees that leadershipis achievable but also
impactful.
On the mentorship side, thesestories are then translated into
action.
So this guides the youth and thenext generation in real time as
they navigate careers,education, and civic service.
(06:34):
And then with these toolscombined, this ensures
continuity and value.
So by listening, by learning, bybeing mentored, the next
generation grows intocompassionate and capable
leaders.
SPEAKER_02 (06:50):
So well said.
And so, grand president.
I'm gonna keep saying thattitle.
It's the greatest title.
If you want to talk aboutleadership, you need to talk to
the grand president.
But anyway, as grand president,how do you work with your
members to inspire civicengagement and cultivate
leadership skills among theyouth specifically within your
(07:14):
organization?
SPEAKER_03 (07:15):
So one of the fundamental goals of our
organization is to foster asense of social responsibility.
And uh we also enhance thecommunities that we live in
through philanthropic endeavorsand just being active in our
communities throughvolunteerism, through
(07:36):
philanthropy, and civicresponsibility.
One of the greatest gifts we cangive our youth is to teach by
example.
So, what I mean by that is we doengage them on the local level
to help us with our fundraisersand get them involved.
So there you have a little bitof mentoringship.
(07:57):
However, they soon realize thatthey themselves can offer
something.
I'll give you an example.
Some of the youth in our area uhrealized that there was a need
for what we call blessing bagsfor the homeless.
So what they did, they receivedtheir own donations, they went
(08:17):
shopping for the items, theybagged them, and they delivered
them to uh the local homelessshelter.
So there they learned byexample.
And that's a somethingbeautiful.
The other program that we have,uh, it's called the AHAPA Family
Capitol Hill Day.
What a great experience.
(08:39):
So all of our members usuallyattend.
They also bring their childrenand their grandchildren, where
we have the opportunity to walkthrough the halls of Congress,
sit in the uh House and Senategalleries so that the youth can
also learn the process ofgovernment and how it's uh done.
(08:59):
And then uh they we encouragethem when we visit with our
local congressmen to also askquestions.
And I have to say, own personalexperience bringing my my
granddaughter one year, theCongress people were wonderful
because they actually took thetime to talk to her and not you
(09:24):
know thinking she's young, tooyoung, but they respectfully,
which I really appreciated.
And then, of course, we havejoint leadership conferences.
SPEAKER_02 (09:34):
You know, that's incredible.
And and I want to put a plug infor the uh for the AHEPA.
Um the organization was born umwith an ethos around civil
rights, right?
Not a lot of people know that.
The Greeks were also targeted bythe KKK.
That's something that uh notmany people know about, but it's
(09:54):
true.
And um, and so that was onething when you look back at the
iconic cover of the of MartinLuther King walking in Selma,
and there's a guy in a blackrobe.
Who was that guy?
Greek Orthodox Archbishop.
Why was he there?
Because they had a shared ethosand a belief in civic duty,
(10:14):
fairness, and all the otherthings that come along with it.
So gotta go back to the roots ofa HEPA.
It's an incredible, incredibleorganization, and the
philanthropy that you're doingis just incredible.
It's the only word I can come upwith.
Casey Kelly, Chief InnovationOfficer of Meadows Mental Health
Policy Institute.
Casey, how does the MeadowsInstitute drive innovation and
(10:37):
mental health across policy andpractice?
SPEAKER_01 (10:41):
Thank you, George.
Thank you for having me.
It's really fun to be in a groupwith such diverse leaders from
diverse backgrounds.
And I'm just really thankful tobe here at the Meadows
Institute.
We're a nonpartisan nonprofitthat operates at the
intersection of policy andprograms.
And we're really the onlyorganization in the United
(11:02):
States that is driving systemicchange across health systems,
school systems, and justicesystems at the scale that we're
doing it.
And what is unique about how wework is that we go into these
systems and help them deliverevidence-based, innovative
mental health programs and helpthem develop practice changes so
(11:27):
that they're improving the waythey address and identify mental
health concerns.
And then we use that at thefederal and at the state level
to address policy changes andpolicy barriers that need to
happen.
And my job as the chiefinnovation officer is I get to
work with the really brightinnovators across the country
(11:49):
and investors to help themappreciate and understand how
policy might be affecting theirbottom lines and their
investments and really help themto understand how to put their
capital to work morestrategically in targeting the
problems that we know exist andincreasing access to
(12:09):
high-quality mental healthservices around the country.
SPEAKER_02 (12:13):
Thank you for all you're doing.
It obviously is uh making a hugeimpact in communities across the
country.
And so I'd like to do a littlebit of a several question
lightning round with all of you.
Um and whoever wants to takethis first is fine.
Can you share an example of aprogram or initiative in your
organization that successfullyused storytelling, Alina, to
(12:34):
engage youth or inspirecommunity action?
SPEAKER_00 (12:38):
So several of our programs actually highlight the
stories of past recipients, someof our scholarship programs.
And those recipients have becomedoctors, community leaders, and
by sharing those stories,younger applicants are inspired
to become future leaders intheir industry.
(13:02):
Storytelling?
SPEAKER_04 (13:03):
I I can add a little bit.
I think that in thisenvironment, more so now than
ever, we're all looking for somesource of inspiration.
Uh, and I think the ability toactually leverage storytelling
with data is extremely powerful.
So, one example of what we wereable to do over a year ago was
actually, as part of ourmaternal health work, we
actually highlighted uh thelived experiences of doulas.
(13:26):
And we did that for an entiremonth.
Uh each day, we would actuallyhighlight the lived story of a
doula.
Uh they are not uh supported byMedicaid reimbursement.
Uh oftentimes there's huge umfinancial implications and the
whole nine yards, but they're socritical for a successful birth.
(13:47):
Um and what we learned from thatvery powerful way of actually
storytelling is that it actuallystarted to raise the opportunity
for policy change becausepolicymakers now had a face.
They had a story.
They can forget a data point,but it was very difficult to
(14:07):
forget the lived experience ofthat doula worker.
Uh, long story short, the WhiteHouse, uh, former uh President
Biden and his administrationinvited our team uh to actually
share the Doula Diaries seriesat the White House.
Uh, and I think that was one ofthose examples, that was never
our intention, but that was oneof those examples of actually
(14:29):
driving policy change.
SPEAKER_02 (14:32):
And you know, storytelling is is so critical.
Uh, you know, we've heard a lotof stories today at this summit,
and it's all about you know howyou describe and how you can
inspire people.
And if you hear a story, youknow, it's often possible to be
able to connect because maybeyou can relate to what, like
Sharon John, CEO of BuilderBear, said, what was your first
(14:54):
toy?
Do you remember that?
SPEAKER_03 (14:55):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (14:56):
And it brings it evokes all of these emotions, or
you know, what was your favoritefood as a child, whatever it may
be.
And so storytelling is importantin the corporate setting.
NGOs, of course, need to betelling their stories.
So, and the public sector doestries to tell their story.
Sometimes it's hard, yeah.
But they try to tell their storytoo.
So everyone's trying to telltheir story.
(15:18):
And so, lightning roundquestion: how do you measure
impact when it comes to youthpathways, leadership
development, or community healthinitiatives?
Who would like to tackle this?
Elena.
SPEAKER_00 (15:32):
I think at least in the Daughters of Penelope, we
measure the civic impact by uhvolunteer hours, funds raised,
the partnerships formed, andthen of course, there's a
there's the intangible outcomes,right?
So the confidence gained, theleadership uh roles attained,
(15:52):
and of course, communitiesstrengthened.
SPEAKER_02 (15:55):
Incredible.
Anyone else?
SPEAKER_05 (15:58):
Well, I think it's also part of storytelling, but
you also getting out there intothe field and showing what is
happening, what is the impact ofyour organization.
So um NSLA this summer did um 50programs in 50 days during the
summer.
And I think it actually did waymore than 50.
And they visited all of theseprograms throughout the country,
um, just highlighting the impactin a local community, whether it
(16:21):
was a library, whether it was anonprofit organization or a
university providing a youthprogram in the summer and how
that impacted individualfamilies as well.
And then that's kind ofhighlighted even further with
National Summer Learning Week,which happens, I believe, in the
fall.
And so it's just telling thesestories, it's highlighting the
impact, but it's also showingthat it it should not matter
which zip code you live in,whether you have access to an
(16:42):
amazing summer program or not.
SPEAKER_02 (16:45):
Well said.
Well said.
And so we're here about globalleadership.
You're global leaders, you'rechanging communities and
organizations and impacting somany millions of people.
As I look at you, millions ofpeople are impacted directly by
the work each of you do everysingle day.
What advice would you give tothe future global leaders?
(17:06):
You heard some of them today,looking to create impact, mean
meaningful change.
Where do I begin on learning howto lead?
Like, what are those seeds thatyou're seeing and learning as
you work with your com yourorganizations across the nation
and across the planet?
Grand President.
SPEAKER_03 (17:25):
So everything always starts with an idea.
So we have to, as Peter saidtoday, have the courage to
start.
So with that, you have to makeplans, you have to look into
your communities to see what isthe need.
And you can start small.
You don't have to, you know, gostraight for the top.
(17:46):
You start small and you figureout ways to raise money.
So you need to have a uhstrategy plan to move forward,
figure out ways to raise money,figure out how and who it's
going to affect or help, and uhlook into volunteers, volunteer
(18:07):
services that you can use forthat project.
But if you don't start and havethat courage, you can't move
forward.
So the whole idea is just to dosomething.
SPEAKER_02 (18:19):
Just do it.
Just do it.
Heard that before.
Absolutely.
Love it.
So, final question, um, and thisis really about what is your
call to action?
What is your call to action andhow can folks find out more
about what you're doing?
So, Esteban, you want to takethat lead?
SPEAKER_05 (18:35):
Uh well, go to summerlearning.org and find out
about NSLA.
Um, they do amazing work andthey're cost sector.
So, while I lead the um thesummer learning community for
higher education, there aresectors that are focused on
libraries, rec centers,elementary schools all across
this country, and they'reconnecting the dots.
And you're part of that, andthere's a way that you can get
(18:57):
connected into that to helpsolve that problem and make sure
that every child in this countryhas an opportunity to an amazing
summer program.
SPEAKER_03 (19:06):
So, uh, Daughters of Penelope, we are a global
organization.
We are 96 years young.
And you can uh find out moreinformation on our website,
daughtersofpenelope.org.
And if our executive directorwould like to add to that.
SPEAKER_00 (19:25):
I was just going to piggyback on what she said.
Um, when you say call to actionas well, um I believe in
nonprofits, especially andorganizations such as ourselves,
is the building partnerships,right?
Because long-lasting impactcomes from collaboration, which
is why we're all here today, whywe're so grateful to George and
(19:47):
Idea Gen and to all the work hedoes, because that's what's
going to create the long-lastingimpact.
And something that we really uhvalue in the Daughters of
Penelope, especially with itbeing a women's organization, is
just when it comes toleadership, is staying grounded
in values, right?
(20:08):
So showing compassion,integrity, humility, these
things have to guide leadership.
SPEAKER_01 (20:16):
Also I think my call to action is to engage in
healthy discourse when it comesto political and policy
discussions.
I am encouraged by our youth whoare raising their hands and
wanting to be part of thesolution when it comes to mental
health care.
And in at the Meadows Institute,our organization has actually
(20:40):
been able to bring people ofdiverse backgrounds together to
drive innovative solutions inmental health care.
And one that specifically givesme a lot of hope is some work
that we've been doing in Texasto give every school district in
the state of Texas access tosame-day mental health services
(21:02):
and up to six sessions of carefor every child in that school
district.
Right now, that's serving over4.5 million students.
And Texas has actually investedwhat is now$10 billion of
sustainable funding in youthmental health.
And I think we often in ourcurrent climate are hearing lots
(21:23):
of sort of negative discussionaround the state of mental
health in the country.
And my call to action is for ouryouth to continue to raise their
hands to be part of the solutionbecause there are things that
are happening that are positive,that are putting solutions out
into more people's hands andoffsetting the trajectory that
(21:44):
sometimes we we forget about anddon't hear enough about.
SPEAKER_04 (21:49):
I would just echo uh a lot of the comments that were
made just now.
Uh, that at CHC we believe verystrongly that collaboration is
the new form of currency.
And that it is throughpartnership that you can
actually see huge change andmeaningful partnership.
So just these opportunitiesright now, uh, if you don't know
(22:10):
someone, uh take a few minutesjust to get to know them.
I especially want you to get toknow someone in another industry
that is drastically differentfrom yours.
Because I believe it's throughthe traditional and
untraditional partnerships thatwe can actually revolutionize
some of the challenges thatwe've actually experienced.
So, really getting to a placewhere you're uncomfortable by
(22:32):
engaging with someone to yourpoint, whether it's a different
ideology, different umperspective, different industry,
and figuring out exactly wheremight there be some
opportunities to collaborate.
SPEAKER_02 (22:42):
There you go.
Great final work.
Thank you all so very much.
Thank you.
Incredible.
SPEAKER_03 (22:46):
Thank you.
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