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. 3d ago

    Why This COO Says Your Ceiling Is Meant to Be Broken

    Raymie Fernandez from Dream Charter School shares how a Harlem kid who survived poverty, homelessness, loss, and gang life became the COO helping serve more than 2,600 young people across East Harlem and the South Bronx. This is the story of turning pain into purpose - and what mission-driven leaders can learn about building trust, staying authentic, and creating real community impact. Raymie does not just talk about leadership, he lives it. From a volunteer-run baseball program built on an abandoned garbage dump to a year-round network of schools, after-school support, summer programming, family engagement, and alumni pathways, Dream is proof that lasting change is built with the community, not for it. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Harlem roots, coffee talk, and the Dream Charter School connection 1:06 - Raymie Fernandez's role as COO and Dream's community footprint 2:03 - From abandoned lot to East Harlem baseball diamonds 3:54 - Growing up Dominican and Puerto Rican, surviving trauma, and finding purpose 7:03 - Why Raymie stopped hiding his story and started leading authentically 10:29 - The village of mentors that changed everything 14:25 - Fatherhood, leadership, and the power of small moments 18:17 - Dream's whole-child model, school-to-career support, and family engagement 23:28 - How to support Dream Charter School and get involved 24:24 - Alumni leadership, board members, and the long-term mission 27:48 - "If you hit a ceiling, break it and build a new one"📊 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Dream Charter School began in 1991 as a summer baseball program created by volunteers on an abandoned garbage dump in East HarlemThe organization now serves more than 2,600 students across early childhood through 12th grade, plus support through age 24Raymie's leadership is grounded in lived experience, including poverty, food insecurity, homelessness, violence, and lossOne mentor, Mr. Quesada, changed his life by holding him to a higher standard instead of giving up on himDream's whole-child model includes rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, healthy food, sports, mental health support, family councils, and after-school and summer programming 👤 ABOUT RAYMIE FERNANDEZ: Raymie Fernandez is the Chief Operating Officer at Dream Charter School, a charter management organization rooted in East Harlem and the South Bronx. He helps lead an organization that serves thousands of young people and families through education, enrichment, and community-based support. 🔗 Organization Website: wearedream.org 🎙️ 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 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.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis#NonprofitLeadership #EducationLeadership #CommunityImpact

  2. 4d ago

    How an Online University Stays Human in an AI World

    Raghu Krishnaiah from the University of Phoenix shares how he is using AI, analytics, and human connection to help working adults finish degrees on their own terms.This is the story of how a nearly 100% online university is meeting students where they are - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why the future of higher education depends on adapting as fast as the workforce ✅ How University of Phoenix uses AI to spot when a student is struggling and reach out in real time ✅ Why text messages, alumni networks, and faculty support matter just as much as technology ✅ How to build an affordable, career-focused experience without wasting money on extras that do not drive outcomes ✅ Why Raghu believes technology should drive human potential, not replace it This episode is for mission-driven leaders, operators, and people-first teams who want to use technology to improve support without losing the human touch.Raghu breaks down why the old model of one-size-fits-all communication is failing, how the average student age of 38 changes everything, and why education leaders need to stop fearing AI and start testing it. He also shares what University of Phoenix has learned by serving working adults, parents, and career changers who need flexibility, affordability, and real-world relevance.We break down how University of Phoenix has spent 50 years building for students who cannot be served well by traditional systems, why employers and community needs matter as much as curriculum, and how career tools plus advisor support help students connect learning to the workplace. Raghu also explains why the best institutions do not just deliver content - they make sure no one falls through the cracks.If you lead a team serving busy people with real lives, this episode is a reminder that the best systems are not the most flashy ones - they are the ones that actually help people succeed. The lessons here go far beyond education and apply to any organization trying to scale impact without losing trust.Perfect for anyone thinking about AI, retention, communication, student support, or how to build a mission that actually works in the real world. ABOUT RAGHU KRISHNAIAH: Raghu Krishnaiah is the Chief Operating Officer at the University of Phoenix, where he focuses on helping students and employers achieve their goals. He brings experience across technology, financial services, banking, and education, and he champions a model where AI supplements human support rather than replacing it. ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every week, hosts Efrain and the team sit down with operators and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization.Subscribe for weekly insights on leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact.

  3. 5d ago

    Why Trust Beats Talent in Fundraising, Alumni Engagement, and Leadership

    This is the story of rebuilding connection from the ground up - and what mission-driven leaders can learn about authentic communication, event strategy, and leading with confidence. Danielle also opens up about the surprising things that shape her leadership, from being a diehard horror reader to balancing graduate school, family, and a role that sits at the heart of alumni relations and advancement. Efrain and Danielle get real about what it takes to earn trust when relationships have gone cold, why transparency matters more than pressure, and how to create meaningful engagement when you do not have big budgets or a massive team. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why fundraising starts with trust, not asks ✅ How to use storytelling so people see themselves in your mission ✅ What to do when you are building alumni engagement from scratch ✅ How to design events around attendee value, not internal assumptions ✅ Why authentic leadership and calm confidence matter in rooms full of ego This episode is for mission-driven leaders, operators, and communicators who need to rebuild relationships, stretch limited resources, and connect with the people they serve in a more human way.Danielle shares how UHD identifies influential alumni, works across departments to amplify community stories, and adapts to modern communication habits without losing the personal touch. She also explains why some events failed, what those failures taught her, and how one name-tag nightmare forced a smarter approach to future gatherings. At the center of it all is a powerful reminder: people do not give, volunteer, or re-engage unless they trust you, and trust is built through honesty, consistency, and a clear sense of impact.Perfect for leaders who are trying to grow something meaningful without a big team, and anyone who wants a sharper, more authentic approach to communication, leadership, and community-building. About The Guest: Danielle Soria-Orozco is the Director of Alumni Relations for the University of Houston Downtown, where she helps strengthen alumni engagement and advancement. Before returning to UHD, she spent years in nonprofit fundraising with organizations including the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the Houston Area Women Center. About Hart & Hustle: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in education, nonprofit work, and community impact. Connect with us: FRANSiS™ Website: https://fransis.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis #NonprofitLeadership #AlumniEngagement #MissionDrivenLeadership

  4. 6d ago

    The Tiny Home Solution Helping People Escape Homelessness

    Kelly Matter from Avivo shares how a 65-year mission-driven organization keeps showing up, pivoting, and creating real pathways out of homelessness, unemployment, and crisis. This is the story of practical leadership under pressure, and what nonprofit leaders can learn from building trust, simplifying access, and using AI without losing the human connection. Kelly Matter, President and CEO of Avivo, brings 40 years of experience in recovery, career advancement, and community services. She explains how her team serves 11,000 people each year with 400 employees, and why the work only works when people feel seen, respected, and met where they are. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why building your own "board of directors" of trusted advisors matters for nonprofit leadership ✅ How Avivo uses street outreach, text messaging, face-to-face care, and relationship-first communication to stay connected ✅ What an AI assessment can uncover for resource-strapped organizations trying to free up time for boots-on-the-ground work ✅ Why radical welcome, dignity, and curiosity are not slogans, but systems that make outcomes easier to reach ✅ How Avivo Village grew from listening to people experiencing homelessness, not from a top-down plan This episode is for mission-driven leaders who need to keep serving well while navigating funding pressure, rising need, and constant change.Kelly also opens up about the human side of the work - from supporting pregnant moms and family recovery to helping a young woman in Avivo Village get medical care, food, sleep, and permanent housing before giving birth to a healthy baby boy. That story alone captures why this work matters: the right support at the right moment can change a family's entire future.We break down how Avivo is navigating the realities of homelessness, substance use, mental health, and community crisis in Minnesota, while also planning for the future with an ambitious $75 million capital campaign to double and rehab its aging building. Kelly shares why humility, partnership, and gratitude are essential when the mission is bigger than any one organization.If you're leading a nonprofit, managing a team, or trying to turn limited resources into lasting impact, this episode gives you a clear look at what it means to lead with purpose, adapt fast, and keep showing up. Essential listening for anyone who believes the hardest work is often the most important. 👤 ABOUT KELLY MATTER: Kelly Matter is the President and CEO of Avivo in Minnesota, where she leads work focused on recovery, career advancement, and ending homelessness. She has spent about 40 years in the field and nearly 14 years in her current role, helping scale an organization that serves thousands of people facing significant barriers. 🔗 Organization Website: https://avivomn.org 🎙️ 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 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.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis#NonprofitLeadership #MissionDrivenLeadership #HomelessnessSolutions

  5. Aug 31

    The mistake that ended a political career became his life’s purpose

    Mike Premo from Community Development for All People shares how he turned a political setback into a leadership role that serves more than 35,000 families. This is the story of accountability, community, and finding your place in mission-driven work - and what nonprofit leaders, ministry-minded teams, and people champions can learn from it. The advice that changes everything here is simple: you cannot do meaningful work alone. Mike breaks down how deep relationships, humble leadership, and honest self-reflection became the foundation for leading a faith-based nonprofit with real impact. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Weekend reset, self-care, and why rest matters for leaders 4:54 - What Community Development for All People does 6:07 - Mike's political career, setback, and career reset 7:30 - The moment he heard, "God loves you just the way you are" 8:55 - How volunteering turned into full-time leadership 9:30 - Why this became the place he had been looking for his whole life 11:29 - The lesson of community, accountability, and healing 15:41 - Why real relationships drive results 17:10 - Breaking silos and collaborating with local providers 18:54 - Growing existing programs while preparing for a year-round shelter 23:53 - How word of mouth, social media, and community hiring spread the mission 25:45 - Serving over 35,000 families and building parent support through Thrive to Five 27:22 - How to get involved through forallpeople.org 28:41 - Mike's leadership philosophy: humility, curiosity, and accessibility 👤 ABOUT MIKE PREMO: Mike Premo is the executive director of Community Development for All People, a faith-based nonprofit serving the South Side of Columbus through food access, housing, family support, and community-centered programming. After years in politics and a major personal reset, Mike found his calling in nonprofit leadership and now helps guide an organization serving tens of thousands of families each year. 🔗 Organization Website: https://forallpeople.org 🎙️ 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 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.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis#NonprofitLeadership #CommunityImpact #MissionDrivenLeadership

  6. Aug 30

    Why your career path does not have to be your calling

    Rosie Chinea Shawver, president and executive director of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, joins Efrain for a conversation about faith, leadership, mentorship, and the importance of finding purpose in work. She shares how the organization supports campus ministers across hundreds of colleges, and why personal invitation, community, and trust still matter most.They also talk about being shaped by mentors, learning fundraising, and helping young people find a place of belonging during the crucial first weeks of college. Key topicsRosie shares how she ended up in her role as president and executive director of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association after starting out as a campus minister herself.We discuss the organization’s roots in 1969, its connection to the post Vatican II era, and how lay leadership expanded within the Catholic Church.Rosie explains that the association serves 367 campuses nationwide and supports ministers through conferences, webinars, mentorship, and a newly launched online resource bank.We discuss why one on one invitation remains the most effective way to bring students into ministry and faith communities.Rosie shares how her own faith journey changed in college, including being drawn in by community, friendship, and eventually a deeper sense of calling.We talk about mentors who shaped her path, including Father Mark Pedrez, Barbara McCrabb, and a former USC leader who taught her fundraising.Rosie explains her approach to fundraising - staying organized, continually learning, and treating benefactors as people, not transactions.Efrain and Rosie reflect on the importance of pouring into others, staying humble, and recognizing that identity should not be rooted only in a job title.Rosie offers advice for parents and students visiting college campuses: look for campus ministry early, not as an afterthought.She closes with encouragement for young people to be patient with themselves and trust that a wrong fit does not mean a wrong future.Timestamps00:00 - Welcome and catching up with Rosie in Southern California 00:54 - Why California makes it easier to stay active outdoors 02:20 - Humidity, dry heat, and appreciating where you live 04:12 - Rosie’s role at the Catholic Campus Ministry Association 05:29 - How Vatican II and lay leadership shaped the organization 06:26 - Serving 367 campuses through conferences, webinars, and mentorship 09:58 - The mentors who poured into Rosie’s life and calling 14:31 - Rosie’s journey from reluctant churchgoer to campus ministry 16:25 - Finding the intersection of passion, need, and joy 19:02 - Why discernment matters when work no longer fits 21:20 - The most effective way students find campus ministry 24:17 - Why the first three weeks of college matter most 27:22 - What made Rosie effective at fundraising 29:41 - Efrain’s own lessons about asking for money and building a team 32:41 - Rosie’s message to young people about patience and trust About Rosie Chinea Shawver: Rosie is the president and executive director of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, where she helps form ministers who reach college students across the country. The organization serves 367 campuses and provides conferences, mentorship, webinars, and resources for campus ministers. About Hart & Hustle: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Subscribe for practical insight on leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact.

  7. Aug 29

    How One Man Turned Infertility Into a Mission to Fatherless Boys

    Stephen Murray from Forerunner Mentoring shares how fatherhood, faith, and mentoring boys without father figures can change the future of a whole community. This is the story of turning fatherlessness into hope - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. For Efrain and Stephen, the conversation gets real fast: from the daily rhythm of taking off your shoes at the door and showing up for your kids, to the deeper work of helping boys learn what manhood looks like when no one has modeled it for them. Stephen opens up about how Forerunner Mentoring was born out of fatherlessness, how a vision board became a living roadmap, and why words, blessing, and consistent presence matter more than most leaders realize. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why mentoring is less about fixing people and more about showing up, building them up, and speaking life into what is already there ✅ How Forerunner Mentoring uses a manhood declaration, one-on-one mentoring, and family support to help boys grow into responsibility, humility, integrity, leadership, and respect ✅ How Stephen and his wife turned years of infertility into a faith-filled vision that led to their children being born after he wrote, "We will have children" This episode is for mission-driven leaders, people champions, and overwhelmed operators who need a practical reminder that lasting impact starts with consistent presence, clear vision, and the courage to speak what you believe before you see it.Stephen also shares why fatherlessness is not just a neighborhood issue but a worldwide one, touching families through death, divorce, desertion, incarceration, warfare, and isolation. He explains how Forerunner Mentoring serves boys in Dallas, supports single mothers with retreats and care, and creates a full-circle pipeline where older students come back to mentor the next generation. You'll also hear about the moments that stay with Stephen: boys reciting declarations like "I am a man of God," college students carrying the lessons forward, and the heartbreaking but hopeful reality of helping young men who have everything stacked against them still find identity, purpose, and family.Perfect for nonprofit leaders, mentors, faith-driven founders, and anyone who believes the future gets built one relationship, one word, and one act of care at a time. 👤 ABOUT STEPHEN MURRAY: Stephen Murray is the leader of Forerunner Mentoring, an organization serving fatherless boys and supporting families through mentoring, faith, and community care. He is known for building programs that help young men grow in character, purpose, and leadership while honoring the mothers carrying so much of the load. Forerunner Mentoring: https://forerunnermentoring.com/ 🎙️ 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 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.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis#NonprofitLeadership #Mentoring #Fatherlessness

  8. Aug 28

    The Hidden Cost of Paralysis No One Talks About

    Sarah Merrefield from the Thomas E. Smith Foundation shares how she is helping change what access, mobility, and dignity look like for people living with spinal cord injury and paralysis. This is the story of turning a deeply underfunded, often invisible issue into real-world impact - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. If you support people, build programs, raise funds, or lead a nonprofit, this conversation will change how you think about access, data, and systems change. In this conversation, you'll learn: ✅ Why a wheelchair can cost $30,000 or more, and why timely repairs can matter as much as the device itself ✅ How the foundation uses grantmaking, family navigation, and "redefining possible" to remove barriers beyond healthcare ✅ Why one dollar invested can save ten dollars in avoidable healthcare costs - and how to build the data to prove it This episode is for mission-driven leaders who need to show impact, make the case for support, and build smarter systems around the people they serve.Sarah breaks down the realities most people never see: the hidden costs of spinal cord injury, the challenge of accessing equipment and care, and why only about 2 percent of philanthropic dollars in the U.S. go to disability-related causes. She also shares how a small team of four is supporting about 100 grant recipients and roughly 1,000 families navigating a broken system. You'll hear how the foundation is funding mobility equipment like wheelchairs and track chairs, supporting research, and pushing for practical changes like better concert access so people in chairs can belong at the front of the room, not the back. The conversation also gets into the power of collaboration between organizations, the importance of collecting the right data from the start, and why too much fundraising language misses the human story underneath.Sarah also reflects on the people and purpose that drive her work, from her progressive upbringing in Portland, Maine to the relentless optimism of Thomas Smith, who has walked the Boston Marathon eight times after being paralyzed three separate times. His story shapes the foundation's belief that everyone should have the same opportunity, even if the outcomes look different.If you care about disability advocacy, nonprofit strategy, healthcare equity, or leading with both heart and evidence, this episode is essential listening. 👤 ABOUT SARAH MERREFIELD: Sarah Merrefield is the Executive Director of the Thomas E. Smith Foundation, where she leads efforts to better the lives of people living with paralysis. She brings experience in policy, community health, and social determinants of health, with a focus on turning awareness into measurable change. 🔗 Organization Website: https://www.thomase-smithfoundation.org 🎙️ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Subscribe for practical strategies on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact. 🔗 CONNECT WITH US: FRANSiS™ Website: https://fransis.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis#NonprofitLeadership #DisabilityAdvocacy #MissionDrivenLeadership

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4.2
out of 5
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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
    427
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Keenan Hart
  • Show Website
    Hart & Hustle Podcast