Spotlight on the Community

Spotlight on the Community

Cloudcast Media, the national leader in local podcasting, proudly presents its flagship show, Drew Schlosberg’s Spotlight on the Community, now in its 20th season. For 20 years, we have been amplifying the voices of social impact organizations, social entrepreneurs, local non-profits, and other community champions who help shape the culture, creativity, and connectivity that drive the San Diego community to ever higher levels. These curated community conversations are brought to you by Mission Fed Credit Union, bringing good things to San Diego for over 60 years. LISTEN WHERE YOU LIVE™ "Spotlight On The Community" is one of 80+ shows from Cloudcast Media, the national leader in local podcasting. For more information on Cloudcast Media, please visit https://cloudcastmedia.us/

Episodes

January 4, 2026 26 mins
The Face Foundation, a 501(c)(3) animal charity founded in 2006, provides financial grants for emergency and critical care to pet owners unable to afford veterinary costs. Led by Patricia Mendez-Damron, the foundation has assisted over 16,000 struggling pet owners, including Teresa Gelegonya, whose cat Max received $1,600 in emergency care and $8,500 in surgery costs that were covered by the foundation. The foundation's "Save a Lif...
Mark as Played
Dr. Gary Weitzman, President and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society (SDHS), discusses the organization's adoption trial program, which allows potential adopters to test-drive animals for up to two weeks. The society is currently operating at 135% capacity for dogs, with over 700 dogs in care. Weitzman talks about SDHS's wildlife care and education programs. He also emphasizes the need for spaying and neutering to control pet popul...
Mark as Played
Kevin Leap, publisher of the San Diego Business Journal, talks about the Journal's mission to cover local business news and its focus on small businesses, which make up a huge percentage of the local economy. Leap highlights the importance of shining a light on entrepreneurs and the challenges they face, such as revenue generation and media communication. Leap also discusses the critical role of nonprofits in supporting the local e...
Mark as Played
Sidd Vivek, President & CEO of Junior Achievement (JA) San Diego, discusses the organization's mission to empower young people for economic success. JA programs like BizTown and Mission Fed Finance Park provide experiential learning, teaching financial literacy and career skills. Vivek emphasizes the importance of competency-based education, focusing on critical thinking, communication, and cooperation. He highlights JA's partn...
Mark as Played
Shandon Harbour, President and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of San Diego (ABC), and Earl Wederbrook, a board member of the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC), chat about the interconnection between the construction industry and the military.  Harbour discusses her 11-year tenure with ABC, emphasizing the organization's role in training and educating contractors through its apprenticeship program. Wederbro...
Mark as Played
Patrick Stewart, CEO of the Library Foundation San Diego, discusses the foundation's mission to support the San Diego Public Library through philanthropy, advocacy, and outreach. Stewart highlights the library's 37 branches and the challenges of underfunding and book bans. Stewart emphasizes the importance of literacy and the role of libraries in supporting diverse communities. He introduces the "Books Unbanned" initiative, a colla...
Mark as Played
Deacon Jim Vargas, President and CEO of Father Joe's Villages, talks about the organization's mission to prevent or end homelessness in San Diego County. Father Joe's Villages provides comprehensive services, including a new 44-bed detox center, 248 recovery beds, and $90 million in funding for two new buildings, adding 287 units of affordable housing. Deacon Vargas highlighted the need for more behavioral health clinicians and the...
Mark as Played
Anne Marbarger, CEO of Curebound, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating cancer research in San Diego County, discusses Curebound's recent investment of $8.5 million to 23 innovative cancer research teams, including a $1 million award for pancreatic cancer research. The organization has funded over 140 collaborative research teams studying 25 different types of cancers. Marbarger emphasizes the importance of funding and collaboratio...
Mark as Played
Natalie Hill, Director of Equestrian for TERI Campus of Life, shares her 16-year involvement with the nationally recognized organization that provides life-changing services for individuals with developmental disabilities.  Hill talks about her role in therapeutic riding.  Kathy Sebuck, Founder and CEO of Marchitecture, joins the conversation and explains her transition from corporate tech to strategic marketing and leadership coac...
Mark as Played
Tim Reuben, an author, lawyer, and mediator, talks about his debut novel, Tequila:  A Story of Success, Love and Violence, a legal thriller set in the tequila industry. Reuben, who has practiced law since 1980, discusses the challenges of writing his first novel, inspired by his legal experiences. The book follows the Ramirez family's multi-billion-dollar tequila empire, intertwining success, love, and violence. 

About Spotlight and...
Mark as Played
Nancy Sasaki, President and CEO of United Way of San Diego County, reflects on her seven-year tenure at the iconic organization that includes United Way's response to the debilitating pandemic.  Sasaki, who will retire at the end of 2025, emphasized the importance of listening and adapting to ever-changing community needs to meet the challenges of fundraising and diversifying revenue sources. 

About Spotlight and Cloudcast Media  

"S...
Mark as Played
Rosette Garcia, President of the San Diego Women's Foundation, and Deborah Martin, CEO of Elder Help of San Diego, talk about the Foundation's mission to foster collective philanthropy for a more equitable San Diego, and Elder Help's services to help seniors remain independent, with a focus on addressing isolation. Garcia and Martin shout out Elder Help's reception of a $60,000 grant from the Foundation.

About Spotlight and Cloudcas...
Mark as Played
Dr. Fernando Leon Garcia, President of CETYS University in Baja California, chats about the university's mission to develop well-rounded citizens and professionals. The university, which has 8,300 students from 35 countries, emphasizes a liberal arts education with a focus on community and economic development. Dr. Leon Garcia discusses the university's collaboration with U.S. universities, such as SDSU, USD and UCSD, along with it...
Mark as Played
James Zanewicz, CEO of Connect, discusses his journey from Tulane University to Connect, a nonprofit supporting San Diego County entrepreneurs. Connect focuses on mentorship, access to capital, and programs like Springboard and Cool Companies. Zanewicz talks about the need for more investment in our region, while shouting out the importance of university partnerships, military innovation support, and the potential for AI and health...
Mark as Played
Gil Alvarado, Chief Financial and Investment Officer of the Prebys Foundation, is joined by Mike Krenn, Managing Director of Prebys Ventures, to chat about medical research, healthcare and the arts, along with its investment of $50 million in early-stage tech and life sciences companies. Alvarado and Krenn discuss the importance of diversification within San Diego's defense, tech, and tourism sectors. The foundation also supports s...
Mark as Played
Hugo Villar, Dean of UCSD's Division of Extended Studies, and Josh Shapiro, the division's Chief Impact and Strategy Officer, highlight the division's role in providing lifelong learning opportunities, including pre-college programs, workforce upskilling, and post-retirement courses. They emphasize the importance of skills over degrees, citing a report showing 60% of jobs don't require a formal degree. The conversation touched on t...
Mark as Played
Jeff Forbes, Founder and CEO of The Patriot Group, discusses the organization's mission to support veterans and military families. Formed in 2016, the Patriot Group helps veterans buy homes and provides innovative logistics solutions. The Patriot Group have around 60-70 clients.. Jennifer Cortes, VP of Strategic Partnerships for the organization, highlighted the importance of workforce readiness and partnerships with organizations ...
Mark as Played
Stephanie Ortega, COO of Promises2Kids, and two Promises2Kids Guardian Scholars -- Monica Quintero and Laura Hernandez.-- chat about creating a brighter future for foster children in San Diego County through programs such as Guardian Scholars, Camp Connect, Foster Futures, and mentoring. Guardian Scholars provides advocacy and professional development for former foster youth. The organization's holiday gift drive seeks new gifts fo...
Mark as Played
Colleen Ster, CEO and founder of Reflections Publishing Company, talks about the company's mission to create global change makers through educational resources. Ster discusses the company's focus on equipping students with tools for mental health and resilience, emphasizing the importance of addressing issues such as self-harm and anxiety. She highlights the Resilience Game Plan, which includes versions for various age groups, and ...
Mark as Played
Majors Rob and Amy Reardon, both Divisional Secretaries of the Salvation Army San Diego, chat about the organization's 160th anniversary, whose mission is to serve communities without discrimination, providing essential services like food banks, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and senior lunches. They emphasize the importance of belonging and community, with initiatives such as the Pathway of Hope program for families and...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

    NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal

    Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.