Hart & Hustle Podcast

Keenan Hart
  • 4.2 (5)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hart & Hustle delivers real conversations with nonprofit and healthcare leaders who are scaling mission-driven impact through strategic innovation. Hosted by Efrain Lozada, each 45-minute episode explores leadership, operations, technology adoption, and practical strategies for mission-based organizations. Learn from executives who've transformed accessibility, efficiency, and community engagement while staying true to their values. For nonprofit directors, operations leaders, and healthcare innovators who hustle with heart. New episodes weekly.

  1. 1D AGO

    Why Purpose-Driven Leaders Outlast Everyone Else | David Barron, UT Tyler

    David Barron, VP of Enrollment Management at the University of Texas at Tyler, has spent 26 years doing what every mission-driven leader is trying to figure out: how do you reach the people who need you most, remove the barriers standing between them and opportunity, and scale that impact — without unlimited resources? In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ How a peer mentor model expanded from 4 to 46 communities and more than doubled access for first-generation students ✅ Why removing barriers — not louder outreach — is what actually moves the needle for underserved populations ✅ How to use AI tools to extend your team's capacity without losing the human connection that drives real change This episode is for mission-driven executives, program directors, and operations leaders who are trying to serve more people with the same — or shrinking — resources. 👤 ABOUT DAVID BARRON: David Barron is the VP of Enrollment Management at the University of Texas at Tyler, where he has helped transform the institution from a second-choice to a first-choice university in East Texas. Over 26 years, he has led three  universities to their highest enrollments in history by building community  partnerships, removing access barriers, and deploying peer mentor models that meet underserved students exactly where they are. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-barron-2720122a/ UT Tyler Website: https://www.uttyler.edu 🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every week, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain Lozada sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization. Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact.

    35 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Why 70% Graduation Rates Are Failing Higher Ed | Dean Kahler

    Is your institution — or organization — measuring the wrong definition of success? Dean Kahler, enrollment leader at the University of Idaho, has spent his career challenging one uncomfortable truth: most institutions celebrate outcomes they should be ashamed of. In this episode of the Hart & Hustle Podcast, Dean joins Efrain Lozada for a  candid conversation about what it actually takes to lead a mission-driven  institution in 2025 — from embedding AI into your strategic plan before your  competitors do, to building teams so strong that your job becomes serving them instead of directing them. If you lead a growing organization and you're tired of accepting "good enough," this episode is your playbook. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔑 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ → Why 60-70% graduation rates are the nonprofit sector's "mowed 70% of the lawn" problem → How the University of Idaho grew enrollment while schools nationwide are shutting down → Dean's framework for servant leadership — and why it's the most powerful (not the softest) model → The AI adoption mistake most institutions are making right now → Why the real cost of college is not what families think — and how leaders can close that gap → How to redesign your organization's relationship with industry partners for long-term relevance ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔗 CONNECT WITH DEAN KAHLER ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎓 University of Idaho: https://www.uidaho.edu 📘 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deankahler/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE PODCAST ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Hart & Hustle is the podcast for mission-driven leaders who refuse to choose  between impact and excellence. Hosted by Efrain Lozada, each episode features  executives, innovators, and operators from nonprofit, healthcare, and social  impact sectors sharing the real story behind building organizations that matter. Brought to you by FRANSiS™ — the SMS-powered conversational AI built  specifically for mission-based organizations. When your community needs answers at 2am on a Sunday, FRANSiS™ makes sure someone's always there. 🔗 Learn more: https://www.fransis.ai

    36 min

  3. MAR 31

    From First-Gen to VP: The Mentorship Model That Retains Mission-Driven Staff | Javier Flores

    What if the key to retaining your best people wasn't a better benefits package — but whether they feel truly seen? Javier Flores has spent 30+ years in higher education investing in students others overlooked. As VP of Enrollment Management at Texas Woman's University, he's built a people-first philosophy that nonprofit HR and People Ops leaders need to hear. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ The "backpack framework" — why every employee walks in carrying a history that shapes their performance, and how great leaders work with it instead of around it ✅ Why investing in people before they're "ready" is the retention strategy that actually compounds over time ✅ How to turn the people around your staff (families, mentors, communities) into your most powerful engagement tools ✅ What the mentorship chain looks like in practice — and how to build one inside your own organization ✅ Why people leave mission-driven organizations (hint: it's rarely the mission) and what leaders can do differently This episode is for HR directors, People Ops leaders, and executive directors who are serious about building a culture where mission-driven staff stay, grow, and give their best. 👤 ABOUT JAVIER FLORES: Javier Flores is the Vice President of Enrollment Management at Texas Woman's University, the only public, woman-purpose university in the nation. A first-generation college graduate and the first in his family to earn a doctorate degree, Javier has built a 30-year career leading student-centered teams at institutions across Texas and New Mexico. His work with foster care students, first-generation learners, and underrepresented communities has shaped a people-first leadership philosophy that translates directly to how mission-driven organizations retain and develop their best people. 🌐 Texas Woman's University: https://twu.edu 🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every Tuesday, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization. Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact. 🔗 CONNECT WITH US: - FRANSiS™ Website: https://fransis.ai - Keenan Hart on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/fromfransis #NonprofitHR #StaffRetention #MissionDrivenLeadership

    47 min

  4. MAR 26

    Growing from 1 Clinic to 20: What No One Tells You About Healthcare Leadership | David Harris

    David Harris, CEO of Pro-PT Physical Therapy, built a 20-clinic healthcare organization across California's Central Valley — and he'll tell you the growth almost never happened. In this conversation, David shares the leadership philosophy, communication systems, and people-first culture that took him from PT technician to CEO across a 27-year career — including the moment he almost walked away from it all. You'll learn: ✅ Why 88% of people who need physical therapy never receive it — and how Pro-PT is closing that gap ✅ The 5-minute monthly podcast that replaced hundreds of daily emails across 20 locations ✅ How David evaluates every hire for culture fit before clinical skill — and why it works ✅ The mentor conversation that convinced him to stop treating patients and start developing leaders ✅ Why David says letting go of good employees is sometimes the greatest win a leader can have This episode is for healthcare executives, nonprofit leaders, and mission-driven operators who want to scale impact without losing the people-first culture that makes their work matter. 👤 ABOUT DAVID HARRIS: David Harris is the CEO of Pro-PT Physical Therapy, a 20-clinic (and growing) outpatient physical therapy organization serving communities across California's Central Valley. With 27 years in healthcare — including 20 years with Benchmark Physical Therapy where he witnessed growth from 15 to nearly 1,300 clinics — David leads with a people-first philosophy rooted in mentorship, culture, and mission-driven care. He is also a certified coach through the John Maxwell team. 🔗 Pro-PT Website: https://propt.net 📧 David Harris: davidharris@propt.com 🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every Tuesday, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization. Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact.

    48 min

  5. MAR 24

    He Built a Marketing Team Inside a Nonprofit That Banned the Word "Marketing" | Christopher Lloyd

    VP of Marketing at a nonprofit that didn't believe in marketing — here's what he built. Christopher Lloyd is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Aspire Indiana Health, one of Indiana's largest nonprofit health systems serving 40,000+ patients annually across behavioral health, primary care, addiction recovery, housing, and crisis services. But when Christopher joined in 2019, the organization had never marketed itself — and they wouldn't even let him use the word "marketing" in his job title. In this episode of Hart & Hustle, Christopher breaks down what it really takes to build a marketing function from scratch inside a mission-driven organization, how to earn trust with clinician-led leadership, and why every nonprofit needs a marketing voice at the highest level of decision-making. In this episode: Why almost every modern marketing tool was built for wealthy consumers — not the people nonprofits actually serveHow Aspire grew from 10,000 to 40,000 patients served by investing in brand and communicationsThe connected TV experiment that worked — and why Christopher walked away from it anywayWhat Medicaid funding cuts actually mean for safety net health organizationsThe servant leader management model that's reducing turnover in one of healthcare's hardest environmentsWhy marketing communications belongs at your executive leadership table"We serve with compassion. We serve with humility." — Christopher Lloyd 🔗 Connect with Aspire Indiana Health Website: aspireindiana.org  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/aspire-indiana-health  Facebook: facebook.com/AspireIndianaHealth  Instagram: @aspireindianahealth  Services: Behavioral Health · Primary Care · Addiction Recovery · Crisis Services · Housing & Job Assistance · Pharmacy

    47 min

  6. MAR 19

    "You Are Never Ever Alone": A Message for Every First Responder | Dennis Carradin

    Dennis Carradin has been on the ground at 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Sandy Hook, and post-Columbine for 30 years — as a trauma therapist specializing in first responders and healthcare workers. In this conversation, he shares how a single encounter at a Dunkin' Donuts after Sandy Hook became the foundation of the Trauma Survivors Foundation: a national network now spanning 41 states, 2,800 trained therapists, and crisis care for over 5,000 first responders. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why less than 500 of 225,000 licensed U.S. therapists specialize in first responders — and what TSF is doing about it ✅ How Dennis built a lean nonprofit that delivered 500,000 meals during COVID while keeping 128 restaurants from closing ✅ What nonprofit leaders must do right now as donations drop 27–35% across the board ✅ How TSF handles 2 AM crisis calls with a small team — and where the gaps still are ✅ What Dennis says directly to first responders who've been white-knuckling it alone This episode is essential for nonprofit executives, healthcare leaders, and HR/People Ops professionals navigating funding pressure, team burnout, and the challenge of sustaining mission work in a leaner landscape. 👤 ABOUT DENNIS CARRADIN: Dennis Carradin is a trauma therapist with 30 years of experience specializing in first responders, healthcare workers, and mass casualty events. He has responded to 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Sandy Hook, post-Columbine, and disasters worldwide. He is the President and founder of the Trauma Survivors Foundation and serves as Clinical Director for Delaware's CSIM team. 🌐 Trauma Survivors Foundation: https://www.traumasurvivorsfoundation.org 🌐 Dennis's Website: https://www.denniscarradin.com 🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every Tuesday, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization. Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact. 🔗 CONNECT WITH US: - FRANSiS™ Website: https://fransis.ai - FRANSiS on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/fromfransis

    49 min

  7. MAR 17

    60 Years of Community Health: What Aspire Indiana Built and Why It Works | Dianna Huddleston

    Dianna Huddleston, VP of Community Partnerships at Aspire Indiana Health, breaks down how their organization serves 40,000 clients across 8 clinics—offering primary care, behavioral health, pharmacy, housing, and employment services all under one roof. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ How Aspire's "no wrong door" same-day access model works in practice ✅ Why they opened pharmacies inside their clinics—and what changed for patients ✅ How they grew from 300 to 950 staff while navigating federal funding cuts ✅ What whole-person care actually looks like for underserved communities ✅ How leaders stay grounded when external pressure is at its highest This episode is perfect for nonprofit executives and healthcare leaders looking to build more integrated, sustainable service models without turning anyone away. 👤 ABOUT DIANNA HUDDLESTON: Dianna Huddleston is a licensed clinical social worker and VP of Community Partnerships at Aspire Indiana Health, where she has served for 12 years. A self-described "clinically trained unicorn," Dianna bridges the gap between frontline care and business leadership—connecting community partners to Aspire's integrated model and amplifying voices that often go unheard. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianna-huddleston Aspire Indiana Health Website: https://aspireindiana.org 🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every Tuesday, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization. Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact. 🔗 CONNECT WITH US: - FRANSiS™ Website: https://fransis.ai - FRANSiS™ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis

    32 min

  8. MAR 13

    No Money, No Mission: The Mindset Shift That Saved VOA Florida | Stephanie Vranich

    Stephanie Vranich, VP of Outreach & Development at Volunteers of America Florida, breaks down how a $30M nonprofit serving 5,000+ Floridians each year raises funds, tells impact stories that actually move donors, and navigates the uncertainty of federal funding cuts—without losing momentum. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why direct mail still drives donations (and how to make it impossible to ignore) ✅ The impact story framework that converts skeptical donors into loyal supporters ✅ How VOA Florida is diversifying revenue as federal grants grow more uncertain ✅ What "no money, no mission" really means—and why it changes how you lead ✅ How to build a fundraising culture when you're a team of three covering 60+ programs This episode is perfect for nonprofit executive directors, development officers, and mission-driven leaders trying to sustain and grow their organizations during an uncertain funding environment. 👤 ABOUT STEPHANIE VRANICH: Stephanie Vranich is the VP of Outreach & Development at Volunteers of America Florida, where she built the organization's outreach and development department from the ground up over 12 years. She oversees fundraising, marketing, and donor relations for a $30M organization serving thousands of Floridians experiencing homelessness, housing instability, and mental health challenges. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-vranich-9531623/ VOA Florida Website: https://www.voaflorida.org

    35 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Hart & Hustle delivers real conversations with nonprofit and healthcare leaders who are scaling mission-driven impact through strategic innovation. Hosted by Efrain Lozada, each 45-minute episode explores leadership, operations, technology adoption, and practical strategies for mission-based organizations. Learn from executives who've transformed accessibility, efficiency, and community engagement while staying true to their values. For nonprofit directors, operations leaders, and healthcare innovators who hustle with heart. New episodes weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Keenan Hart
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    344
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hart & Hustle Podcast
  • Show Website
    Hart & Hustle Podcast