Action 2 Impact Podcast with Gwen Jones
Since 2019, host Gwen Jones — a proud Rotarian — has been sharing powerful stories of extraordinary people who turn bold ideas into meaningful impact. While many guests are Rotarians making a difference through service, the heart of the Action 2 Impact Podcast goes far beyond any one organization. Each episode spotlights inspiring individuals from around the world who took a single step to make life better for others — and ended up changing communities, and sometimes the world. Listeners will discover uplifting stories, practical inspiration, and proof that real change doesn’t require perfection or permission — just action. Because impact isn’t reserved for a select few. It starts with one person, one idea, and one step. Listen, subscribe, and get inspired to turn your own actions into impact.
Episodes
Rotary has a seat at the UN, but the bigger story is how Rotary helped build the world the UN operates in today. From Paris, I sit down with Cyril Noartin, Dean of the Rotary International Representative Networks to the United Nations and other international organizations, to map the surprising history that links Rotary International, UNESCO, and the United Nations itself. If you’ve ever wondered how a service...
Most of us can tell a great story at dinner or read a children’s book with feeling, then we walk into work and suddenly talk like a robot. That gap is costing us trust, clarity, and momentum. I’m joined by Gavin, author of Story Business, to get brutally practical about what storytelling actually is and why it changes the decisions people make.
Gavin’s definition is disarmingly simple: a sto...
Wishing gets dismissed as childish until you realize how much brain science is hiding inside it. I sit down with author Ranelle Landrum (The Art And Science Of Wishing) to talk about what she calls “cosmic wishing,” a way to keep the joy of wishes while using real frameworks from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and social behavior. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a wish, a vision board, ...
Have you ever wondered what it's like to go on a Polio drop trip? I mean how do you get there, where do you eat, sleep, wash up? Is it safe? Does it cost alot of money? Face it was always hear the amazing stories, but never the details. Well this week I have both. Join me won't you?
Join me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE
Division sells, but it doesn’t have to run our lives. We sit down with Adam Mazell from Us United to talk about National Unity Day and the bigger question behind it: how do regular people rebuild trust when politics, media, and social media keep pulling us into smaller bubbles and harsher labels?
Adam shares the origin story that starts in 2020 and turns into a cross-country road trip in a purple and wh...
We catch up with Evan Burrell for a third conversation, from his lowest point of depression and nearly quitting Rotary to finishing a tough year as district governor. We talk honestly about criticism, leadership pressure, member experience, and why he still believes in showing up for the bigger mission.
• Evan’s path from burnout and clinical depression to re-engaging with Rotary
• How co...
A building sways, the air turns sharp with jet fuel, and a guide dog wakes up ready to work. Mike Kingson, New York Times best-selling author of Thunder Dog, takes us back to the 78th floor of World Trade Center Tower One on September 11th and walks us through what kept him moving when thousands of people were trying to survive at the same time. What stands out isn’t a movie-style miracle. It’s preparati...
We talk with Elaine about trading symptom chasing for lifelong well-being built on daily choices that protect independence as we age. We dig into why “normal for your age” is a dangerous story and how simple nutrition, hydration, and authentic movement can change what aging looks like.
• shifting the focus from studying disease to studying health and well-being
• defining well-being as ...
AUGUST ENCORE SHOW: Today we are talking Adults with Clubfoot with fAnne Onyango from the World Disability Rotary Action Group. Not only does Anne have clubfoot, but she has taught yourself how to make shoes not only for herself but for others . Anne is also helping adults with the stigma of clubfoot.. join us for an inspirational "can do it" story of Rotary.
Join me as I talk to those "amazing ...
AUGUST ENCORE SHOW: I'm off to Grapevine TX to talk wine with Presisident of the Rotary Wine Enthusiasts Fellowship Conrad Heede. We're talk all things wine and fun. If you know a little or a lot about wine, this is the show for you!
Join me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE
I’m back after brain surgery and I’m choosing to come back talking about longevity, beauty, and the quality of life we all deserve. James Stroll joins me to explain why living longer is becoming mainstream, why access may widen over time, and why a longer life has to mean more than just lasting longer.
• James’s longevity origin story after losing his grandmother
• Why he writ...
We catch up with our friend Aaron Stines as he wraps up his year as district governor and comes home from his first Rotary International Convention in Taipei with his daughter. He shares why he wrote The Power of Significance and how choosing impact over impressions changes the way we lead, serve, and tell our stories.
• finishing a district governor year with pride in relationships and connections ...
JULY ENCORE SHOW: Time to talk, even if it's uncomfortable? Join me as I talk to Sidney Smith. PDG of 5180 who is bringing his "5 Points of Conversation" not only to Rotary but to the world.
Join me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE
We travel to the United Arab Emirates to learn what Rotary looks like on the ground when your clubs are truly multicultural and your youth programs are built as a pipeline. We challenge common misconceptions about the UAE, then dig into how Interact and Rotaract in Dubai grow from reactivation to real demand and measurable service.
• how Rotary operates in the UAE through the Association of Rotary Clubs and Distr...
We talk with Jean Weidman about radical longevity as a life-oriented mindset, a science-forward health plan, and a humanitarian stance against treating anyone as expendable. We also dig into what’s real, what’s risky, and how to stay skeptical and smart while exploring new tools like peptides, exosomes, and even young plasma exchange.
• Gwen’s perspective on turning 60 as a reset on what &...
We talk cryonics with Charlie Kam and treat it like a serious end-of-life option, not a movie trope. We dig into how cryopreservation works, why the brain is the main focus, and what “plan B” means if future medicine can repair what killed you.
• what cryonics is and why “legally dead” matters
• cooling, cryoprotectant, and vitrification in liquid nitrogen
• why spe...
We sit down with David Muhindo, founder of Be Well Child Care Initiative in Uganda, to talk about protecting vulnerable children and using soccer as a doorway into healing, mentorship, and life skills. We also trace David’s path from making bricks to pay school fees to leading a growing effort to build safety, dignity, and opportunity for kids who have nowhere else to go.
• David’s origin story ...
WE ARE HEADING WAY, WAY ,BACK TO SEASON 3 FOR THIS MONTHS ENCORE
What's it like to be the president at one of the oldest Rotary groups in the world? Meet the President of Seattle 4, Jeff Borek, this week on the podcast
Join me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE
We test a big idea for Rotary district conferences by bringing together four district governors who combine four districts into one event to grow fellowship, strengthen networks, and raise the bar on programming. We share what worked, what cost more than expected, and why collaboration may be the future for district-level gatherings.
• why four districts decide to merge one conference instead of running fou...
We talk dirt with Eric Gardner from Loaves and Fishes and Chuck Corrigan from Rotary, digging into how food waste can become soil instead of methane. We walk through the real numbers, the grant that funded an industrial composter, and the simple composting habits that make the “full circle” possible.
• Loaves and Fishes growth from a church closet pantry to a four-county operation
• How...
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