Contagious Culture

What if therapy didn't require sitting still? In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with Shanea Calhoun, founder of Therapy in Motion, an organization built on purposeful movement, human connection, and inclusive wellness. A Division I triathlete turned entrepreneur, Shanea shares how her love of movement became a model for meeting people exactly where they are — serving indi...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle sits down with Nick Kalanichenko, founder of Kingdom Kickbacks, for a conversation on community, leadership, volunteer engagement, nonprofit growth, and building organizations that can sustain their mission.

Nick shares how Kingdom Kickbacks started as a simple group chat between friends across churches and grew into a thriving community serving thousands of young adults in Ch...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle sits down with Heather Shafter, COO, keynote speaker, author, and operations consultant, for a conversation on purpose, process, leadership, and healthy organizational culture.

Heather shares how purpose-driven organizations can move from big vision to clear execution, why leaders need curiosity in difficult conversations, and ...

In this solo episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King reflects on leadership, burnout, capacity, and the hidden cost of building something that matters.

Kyle shares why many leaders are not struggling because they lack ability, but because they are carrying too much. He opens up about moving the Contagious Culture Conference to 2027, simplifying organizational priorities, and learning to build a company that fits wit...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King sits down with Maxie Gluckman, executive director of Friends of Fundesur, to explore leadership, global service, education, migration, and the power of listening.

Maxie shares how her journey as a teacher, researcher, and global citizen led her to support communities in southern Honduras through a foundation connected to the shrimp industry.

They discuss how environmen...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with nonprofit strategy and execution advisor Kelly Beeland to explore why so many strategic plans stall after they are approved.

Kelly shares how boards and executive directors can create clarity, assess capacity, define roles, strengthen governance, and move from endless conversation to meaningful execution.

The message is clear: strategy only creates impact w...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Frank Velásquez Jr. for a powerful conversation about authenticity, courage, joy, and reclaiming the stories that shape who we are.

Frank shares how values-aligned leadership can help people become more confident, lead with greater intention, and create environments where others feel seen, supported, and empowered.

The message is clear: meaningful leadershi...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with RJ Caswell, a Charlotte-based social impact leader with a heart for connecting people to purpose and helping organizations grow stronger.

RJ shares his perspective on leadership, collaboration, nonprofit sustainability, and the importance of building real infrastructure behind mission-driven work. He also discusses the role of Mi...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Patrick Graham, CEO of We Build Concord, nonprofit and public leader, and architect of economic and social justice initiatives.

Dr. Graham shares how his upbringing in Long Island, his Southern roots, hip-hop, church, and his mother’s role in a federal housing discrimination case shaped his passion for justice, housing, and community transformatio...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Erin Peshoff, chief curator of Vivid Operational Advisors for a practical conversation on systems, operations, infrastructure, and what it really takes for nonprofits to grow well.

Erin explains why organizations cannot scale if they are not optimized for growth. She shares how strong systems create predictability, reduce friction, support team clarity, and...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC, award-winning author, executive coach, belonging consultant, Gallup Strengths coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, and author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence Through Cultural Humility.

Joel Pérez, PCC shares how leaders can create cultures of belonging by practicing cultural humility, leading with cla...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Mark Maynard, keynote speaker, author, advisor, coach, and former managing partner at Union Square Hospitality Group.

Mark shares how hospitality, clarity, purpose, and community shape unforgettable customer and team experiences. He explains why great service is not just about a product, meal, or transaction. It is about helping ...

In this solo episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King challenges leaders to reflect on the setbacks they have survived, the character they are building, and the future they are intentionally creating.

Drawing from the wisdom of Maya Angelou, personal leadership experiences, and stories about trust, courage, and perseverance, Kyle reminds listeners that experiencing defeat does not mean they have been defeated.

He int...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dara Ashley, founding executive director of the Dara Ashley Foundation, researcher, and nonprofit leader working to close the access and exposure gap for underrepresented college students.

Dara shares how her own experiences, mentorship, and time at Howard University shaped her passion for helping students see what is possible. S...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Pedro Jose Rivera, a nonprofit fundraising strategist working at the intersection of law, philanthropy, wealth management, and nonprofit leadership.

Pedro shares how Latino-led nonprofits can move from grant dependency to deeper financial independence by building diversified fundraising systems. He explains why organizations need...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Whitney Siders, executive team advisor, coach, speaker, offsite facilitator, and founder of The Modern Inc.

Whitney helps leaders and teams get beneath the surface of what is really happening so they can strengthen alignment, accelerate action, and lead with greater clarity. She shares why fear, resistance, avoided conversations,...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Andrea Mancuso, trauma-informed leadership and emotional intelligence coach, licensed mental health counselor, and founder of Intentional Healing and Wellness.

Andrea shares why healthy, high-performing teams cannot exist if leaders have not done their own internal work. She explains how burnout, avoidance, people-pleasing, hustl...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dayana Kiblids, strategist, speaker, co-author of Mailed It, and higher education communication expert.

Dayana shares why simplicity is one of the most powerful tools leaders can use to help people take action. She explains how complex language, unclear systems, and academic jargon often create barriers for students, families, an...

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Brad Ton, a nonprofit technology leader, former rapper, father of six, and someone who brings honesty, humor, and heart into every room.

Brad shares his journey from working in professional sports, to pursuing hip-hop, to finding purpose in nonprofit technology. He opens up about reinvention, anxiety, recovery, fatherhood, and le...