Micaela Connery is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Kelsey, a national nonprofit pioneering disability-forward housing solutions that are affordable, accessible, and inclusive.

She launched this work alongside her cousin and co-founder, Kelsey, a passionate advocate for access and inclusion who lived with multiple disabilities. Their shared vision continues to shape the organization’s mission and impact. The Kelsey is a Bay Area-based nonprofit with a national impact, working at the intersection of housing and disability.

The Kelsey both builds and advocates for accessible, affordable, and inclusive housing—what they call "disability-forward" housing. You will get an overview of The Kelsey's work, sharing how The Kelsey came to be, why this work matters, its current projects and impact, and how to get involved.

Since founding The Kelsey in 2018, Micaela has led the organization to develop over 200 disability-forward homes, unlock nearly $190 million for inclusive housing, and scale its influence to reach thousands of advocates and homes nationwide.

As a Fellow at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, she published leading national research on housing and disability, laying the groundwork for The Kelsey’s model. Her commitment to inclusion began early—as the founder of Unified Theater, which she launched at age 15 and scaled to schools across the country. Micaela is recognized as an Ashoka Fellow, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur, Mitchell Scholar, and Harvard Social Innovation and Change Initiative Fellow. A graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, the University College Dublin Smurfit School, and the University of Virginia, she is a leading voice on inclusive design, housing innovation, and community-based living. Through The Kelsey, she is advancing a bold vision: communities where people of all abilities and incomes live side by side—with dignity, equity, and belonging.

To learn more, go to:

The Kelsey's website: https://thekelsey.org/

Top 12 Moments from The Kelsey's work in 2025: https://thekelsey.org/eoy-recap-top-12-moments-of-2025/

Voices from the Community (hear directly from The Kelsey's residents): https://thekelsey.org/voices-from-the-community/

Today, 343 million people are facing acute hunger—more than double the number from just a few years ago.

This dramatic rise is driven by a combination of conflict, increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters, and a global cost-of-living crisis.

In the face of these growing humanitarian challenges, the World Food Program is turning to innovation to maximize its impact and reach those most in need.

Through the WFP Innovation Accelerator, WFP identifies, supports, and scales high-impact solutions that have the potential to disrupt hunger and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

In this talk, Bernhard Kowatsch will explore how innovation can play a transformative role in tackling global hunger and building a more food-secure future.

Bernhard Kowatsch, is the Head of the United Nations (UN) World Food Program (WFP) Innovation Accelerator, which he created in 2015. The Accelerator sources, nurtures, and scales start-ups and nonprofits working to achieve Zero Hunger, and has run 22 accelerator programmes for external partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Humanitarian Grand Challenge, Adaptation Fund and other UN Agencies, with more planned.

Prior to starting the Accelerator, Bernhard co-founded the award-winning ShareTheMeal app that crowdsources funding for WFP and has delivered over 264 million meals for hungry children worldwide. His previous experience includes creating WFP’s Business Innovation Unit and working as a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

To learn more, go to: https://innovation.wfp.org/

The nonprofit Northwest Arkansas Council works to identify challenges and champion solutions to enhance the prosperity of the Northwest Arkansas region.

Key initiatives include work to advance quality of life, attract talent, improve the region’s workforce, create job opportunities, upgrade infrastructure and keep up with the region’s impressive growth. The Council's "Life Works Here" campaign aims to better tell the story of Northwest Arkansas to tech talent around the country.

Northwest Arkansas is home to three Fortune 500 companies (Walmart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt), the University of Arkansas, numerous successful businesses and a growing startup culture. The region boasts a vibrant arts scene and an incredible outdoor recreation economy that includes 500+ miles of world-class bike trails.

This week's speaker, Nelson Peacock, will discuss how the campaign came about and what it seeks to accomplish.

Peacock joined the Northwest Arkansas Council as president and CEO after working as a senior vice president of government affairs for the University of California Office of the President.

Prior to that, Nelson was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the Office of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where was responsible for all aspects of the department’s interactions with Congress on issues related to counter terrorism, immigration, cyber security and natural disasters. Nelson oversaw the congressional teams of seven operational agencies of Homeland Security, including the Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Secret Service, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Administration. Nelson also served as senior counsel to Senator Joe Biden on the Judiciary Committee of the United States Senate where he advised the future President on homeland security, crime and intellectual property issues.

Nelson has a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas and Masters of Law from the George Washington University School of Law.

To learn more, go to:

The Northwest Arkansas Council - https://nwacouncil.org

Finding NWA - https://findingnwa.com

This episode refers to a number of visuals that are in the video version which can be seen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ezxqZIuL6OMFHC7dYLhNK or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/01m4ESMbn6s

We believe this story is an important one, even if you do not watch the video, and hope that you will enjoy this and every episode of our series.

Sueños started as an afterschool program in Antigua Guatemala for the children of street vendors, mostly migrant, indigenous families from rural regions.

Due to the pandemic, in which 95% of Sueños students didn’t have contact with a teacher, the program has blossomed into a small school, where we implement community-centered education.

This talk explores how Sueños has adapted its model in order to respond to the needs of the community, specifically through community-centered education.

We'll discuss what community-centered education looks like at Sueños from the bilingual, Spanish-Ki'che, classroom, to the Community Facilitators who implement programs, as well as the importance of parent participation.

Katie Korsyn is the founder and Executive Director of Sueños. She received her bachelor's degree in international affairs with a focus on international development and a minor in Spanish from The George Washington University in 2013. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she moved to Guatemala in 2013.

While living in Guatemala, she has taught preschool and elementary school, and has been involved in various education projects, where she specializes in pedagogic coaching. Katie has worked with Division Educativa as an Education Specialist collaborating with organizations such as United Way, Child Aid, and the Guatemala Ministry of Education. She has worked with Teachers2Teachers-Global as the Education Leadership Coordinator where she focused on mathematics education.

Learn more about Katie's work and Sueños:

http://www.suenosgt.org

http://facebook.com/suenosgt

http://instagram.com/suenosgt

In Kaqchikel, a Mayan language spoken in Guatemala, "Natün" means to unite, come together, or align behind a common cause.

Natün Guatemala is a majority Maya-led organization passionate about elevating Indigenous leadership, rights and capacity. They equip local change agents and use existing local resources to effectively and sustainably build healthy, vibrant Maya communities.

To view a video this podcast see: https://youtu.be/IOHmuIG5bVw

Natün has been through a period of intense transition in the last few years, moving from a problematic model of external intervention, hand-outs, and short-term thinking, to embody a locally-led, long-term systemic change model which centers Indigenous culture and expertise. Along the way, they have failed, learned, evolved, and ultimately stepped into doing impactful development work.

Our speaker, Elena Wason, has been Natün Guatemala’s Executive Director since 2023, after having worked in leadership in the organization for four years.

Prior to leading Natün, Elena served as Programs Director and Strategy and Operations Director in nonprofits in Guatemala, spent two years working on the ground in Honduras as a Field Facilitator, as well as multiple years in the UK’s non-profit sector and think tanks in roles ranging from fundraising to policy.

Elena holds a Masters’ degree in Governance, Development and Public Policy from the Institute of Development Studies as part of the University of Sussex. She has published a book and numerous articles about the development struggles faced by communities in Central America.

They post regular updates on our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages, where you can find out how to get involved:

https://www.facebook.com/gtnatun

https://www.instagram.com/natunguatemala/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/natunguatemala

Some of the world's most difficult problems – like poor reproductive health and violence against women – are now being addressed through the medium of prime-time serialized dramas also known as: Soap operas and Telenovelas.

Population Media Center (PMC) uses a special type of serialized melodrama for changing behavior on such issues as family planning, elevation of women's status, girls' education, stopping child marriage, protection of children, and protection of the environment.

Characters in locally written and produced programs on radio, television, and social media evolve into positive role models for the audience and, in the process, lead to population-wide changes in behavior.

Bill Ryerson is founder and president of Population Media Center (PMC). He has a 52-year history of working in the field of reproductive health, including four decades of experience adapting the Sabido methodology of entertainment-education for behavior change communications to various cultural settings worldwide. PMC has broadcast its programs in 57 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the U.S. Bill will speak about the importance and effectiveness of PMC's work, including that of the shows.

Bill is Founder and President of Population Media Center (PMC) (www.populationmedia.org), an organization that strives to improve the health and wellbeing of people around the world through the use of entertainment-education strategies. He also serves as Chair of The Population Institute in Washington, DC (www.populationinstitute.org), which works in partnership with Population Media Center. PMC creates long-running serialized dramas on radio and television, in which characters evolve into role models for the audience resulting in positive behavior change. The emphasis of the organization's work is to educate people about the benefits of small families, encourage the use of effective family planning methods, elevate women's status, prevent exploitation of children, promote avoidance of HIV infection, and promote environmentally sustainable behaviors.

He received a B.A. in Biology (Magna Cum Laude) from Amherst College and an M.Phil. in Biology from Yale University (with specialization in Ecology and Evolution). He served as Director of the Population Institute's Youth and Student Division, Development Director of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, Associate Director of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Executive Vice President of Population Communications International before founding Population Media Center in 1998.

To learn more, go to:

https://www.populationmedia.org/

Bill's slides: https://tinyurl.com/2fp82fpd

Erin Smith, a Paul Harris Fellow, who lives in Kenya and sometimes Florida, is a trailblazer in both the corporate and environmental sectors.

Erin is the CEO and owner of Ocean Sole, which is transforming ocean debris into awe-inspiring art, and championing environmental causes coupled with creating opportunities in Kenya's coastal communities.

Her career spans continents and industries, from high-tech to fintech. Gaining her education at George Mason, Georgetown, UVA and Pennsylvania, she now works to make a difference in people's lives and for our oceans.

She has appeared on CNN and the Oprah Winfrey Show, sharing stories which blend inspiration, innovation, and impact.
Her presentation today, "What the Flip Flop?," explores the mystery of millions of flip flops littering shores from Kenya to Malaysia.

Ocean Sole works to transform this challenge into an opportunity. They not only clear beaches and upcycle 1.5 million flip flops annually, but also champion marine conservation, empower women, and craft stunning art. You'll learn the journey of these flip flops, the threats they pose to our oceans, and the work Ocean Sole engages in to creatively address this global issue, offering paths for everyone to make a difference.

This presentation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yIAeu-pwbcU

To learn more, go to:

https://oceansole.com

The 60-second video about Ocean Sole:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZV9J62Z2Vk

Or watch this more detailed Business Insider Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK-BHZs7GxE
⁠⁠More about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley⁠⁠

• Website: ⁠⁠Rotary.cool⁠
• Meetings’ ⁠⁠Video Archive⁠⁠
• YouTubeChannel⁠⁠
• How to become a member in ⁠⁠this online Rotary eClub⁠⁠

⁠⁠More about Rotary International:⁠⁠

• Website: ⁠⁠www.Rotary.org⁠⁠
• Find a ⁠⁠local Rotary club⁠⁠
• Find an ⁠⁠online Rotary Club⁠⁠

Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠

Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

With no experience Chris Temple produced a video that has changed thousands of lives.

But first, Chris survived for two months on $1 a day in Guatemala.

Here is his story.

Chris Temple is now an award-winning filmmaker and activist who demystifies some of the world's most complex situations, leaving audiences more connected and empowered to make a difference.

In this conversation, Chris will share his journey as a filmmaker and changemaker, and the philosophy that has guided him through everything: actionable optimism, the idea that we all have the capacity to imagine and help manifest a more equitable and empathetic future.

Chris is a film director and the founder of Optimist, a non-profit studio in Los Angeles. He's best known for directing the feature documentaries Living On One Dollar, Salam Neighbor, and Five Years North.

His films have been released globally by Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and PBS, and have premiered at Tribeca, DOCNYC, Full Frame, AFI Docs, & MountainFilm. His work has helped raise over $91 million dollars for poverty alleviation and refugee support efforts. He's been honored with the 2016 Muslim Public Affairs Council Annual Media Award; recognized alongside Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie as one of the top 100 visionary leaders of 2015 by YPO's Real Leaders Magazine; and accepted by the U.S. State Department into the American Film Showcase. His work at Optimist has won 1 Gold Telly Award, 4 Shorty Awards, 2 ADDY Awards, 1 Webby Award, and 2 AVA Digital Awards. He was also recognized as one of the 40 under 40 top documentary filmmakers of 2023 by DOC NYC and HBO.

Chris recently directed the feature film This Is Not Financial Advice with XTR and Cinetic exploring the psychology of investing in the modern digital era. Currently, he is making an as-yet untitled feature film about Ethereum and its founder Vitalik Buterin.

You can find his full filmography on IMDB. He loves the outdoors and is a founding individual member of 1% for the Planet.

To learn more, go to:

Optimist's Website: https://optimist.co/

Join the Monthly Doc Club (think book club, but for documentaries!):

https://optimist.co/doc-club/

Review our 10-year Impact Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JGUp_JKaQDm095x2n9HTnyS6ZYhBRx5W/view

Donate/Get Involved:

https://creative-visions.networkforgood.com/projects/207642-optimist