🎧 About the Episode:

Rodney McLeod Jr. is a recently retired NFL safety, Super Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles, and 2024 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominee. After going undrafted in 2012, Rodney built a 13-year career across four teams, earning recognition not only for his play but for his community service, including the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award. With his wife Erica, he co-founded the Change Our Future Foundation to empower youth through mentorship, education, and exposure.

In this episode, Rodney reflects on his journey from overlooked athlete to respected leader and how adversity, including multiple injuries and setbacks, shaped his resilience, discipline, and faith mindset.

He shares the story behind launching Change Our Future during 2020’s national reckoning, why programs like Next Man Up and the Youth Leadership Summit are transforming young men into leaders, and how exposure to STEM and higher education opens new doors for underserved youth

Alongside host Julia Healey, this conversation explores the power of mentorship, the courage to pivot when strategies aren’t working, and the role of faith and community in creating long-term change. Rodney also reveals how donors make a direct difference—from funding HBCU trips to equipping students with essential resources—and why he believes legacy is about being a symbol of hope and possibility.

Whether you’re an athlete, philanthropist, or changemaker, this episode offers a playbook for turning personal challenges into community impact.

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the Inspired Changemakers Podcast! Your support helps us continue bringing stories of leaders like Rodney McLeod, who are shaping the future through service, resilience, and hope.

🔗 Connect with Rodney:
Change Our Future Foundation: https://www.changeourfuture.org

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The Inspired Changemakers Podcast spotlights individuals who are making a difference in the world. Each episode features their journey, insights, and projects aimed at creating positive change in their communities and beyond. Tune in to be inspired—and to learn how you, too, can create impact where it matters most.

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🎧 About the Episode:

Dr. Natasha T. Brison, JD, PhD, is a tenured associate professor in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management at the University of South Carolina, an accomplished attorney, and a leading voice in sport and entertainment law. With professional experience in contracts, licensing, copyrights, trademarks, and sponsorship agreements, Natasha expanded her practice to focus on athlete branding and the legal aspects of marketing—bridging creativity and compliance to create opportunity.

In this episode, Natasha shares her journey from law to academia, and why she embraces being “comfortable being uncomfortable." She offers insights into athlete branding and why purpose and philanthropy should be embedded in every brand strategy. Natasha also reflects on her leadership in professional associations and the impact of her first textbook, Legal Liability in Recreation, Events, and Hospitality: A Risk Management Approach.

Alongside host Julia Healey, this conversation explores the power of “both/and” careers, resilience through rejection, and creating meaningful options for athletes, students, and changemakers alike. Whether you’re an athlete, educator, or purpose-driven professional, this episode will challenge you to see branding as more than image—it’s about creating options, impact, and legacy.

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the Inspired Changemakers Podcast! Your support helps us continue sharing the stories of individuals like Dr. Natasha Brison who are shaping the future of sports, education, and philanthropy.

🔗 Connect with Natasha:

Natasha's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-brison-jd-phd

Natasha's University of South Carolina Faculty Page: https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/hrsm/faculty-staff/brison_natasha.php

🎙️ Join our community of Inspired Changemakers!
The Inspired Changemakers Podcast is a platform that showcases inspiring individuals who are making a difference in the world. Each episode features a new guest, sharing their journey, insights, and projects aimed at creating positive change in their communities and beyond. Join us as we learn from these changemakers and get inspired to take action in our own lives!

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Stories That Spark Action: A Conversation With Jill Kubit

Don't forget to subscribe to the Inspired Changemakers Podcast to stay updated with the latest stories of visionaries transforming lives and shaping a better future. Your support helps us continue sharing inspiring stories like Jill’s!

About the Episode

Jill Kubit is a social entrepreneur, climate communicator, and the visionary behind DearTomorrow — a 10-year storytelling project that invites people to write letters to their loved ones about climate change and the future they hope to create. With over 7,000 letters submitted from over 50 countries, Jill’s work weaves together the personal and the political, using narrative to ignite global engagement and climate action.

In this episode, Jill shares how storytelling became her most powerful tool for building movements, shaping public discourse, and inspiring change. From her early days as a teacher in D.C. to speaking at the United Nations and partnering with the Museum of Modern Art, Jill reflects on the winding path that led her to climate leadership. She also opens up about burnout, resilience, and the importance of nurturing the next generation of changemakers.

Connect with DearTomorrow:

Website: www.deartomorrow.org
Instagram: @deartomorrow
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/deartomorrow

Join our community of Inspired Changemakers!
The Inspired Changemakers Podcast is a platform that showcases inspiring individuals who are making a difference in the world. Each episode features a new guest, sharing their journey, insights, and projects aimed at creating positive change in their communities and beyond. Join us as we learn from these changemakers and get inspired to take action in our own lives!

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