Good For Others Podcast

Don’t Lead Yet is a conversation about what happens when leadership stops being about having the answers and starts being about asking better questions. John sits down with Jonathan Castillo, CEO of San Diego Youth Services, to talk about a career shaped by “sure, why not?” moments, from social work and veterans services to systems leadership and the CEO seat. Jonathan shares what he has learned about staying close to frontline work, building trust, navigating change, and why his first year a...

What does it take to turn creative talent into a sustainable career? In this episode of The Good for Others Show, John Valencia welcomes Ben Gougeon, Director of Community Engagement at Quad City Arts in Rock Island, Illinois. Ben is the show’s first out-of-state guest since its relaunch—marking an exciting new chapter as the conversation expands beyond San Diego to highlight nonprofit ideas, leaders, and community solutions from across the country. Ben shares his journey from working as a pr...

In this episode of The Good For Others Show, John Valencia sits down with Dr. Maxie Gluckman, Executive Director of Friends of Fundesur, to talk about what happens when community-driven leadership, private-sector partnership, and global impact come together. Maxie shares the story behind the shrimp pin she always wears — and how shrimp exports from Honduras became the unexpected foundation for funding education, healthcare, environmental work, and livelihoods in rural communities. From mobile...

In this special episode of The Good For Others Show, John Valencia sits down with Heidi Roddenberry, Chair of the Roddenberry Foundation, for a fireside chat from the Together for Good Conference. Heidi shares her perspective on trust-based giving, systems change, flexible funding, and what it means to invest in people and infrastructure, not just programs. This conversation explores how nonprofits and funders can build more meaningful partnerships, take smart risks, and work together toward ...

In this episode of The Good For Others Show, John Valencia sits down with Shara Fisler, Founder and Executive Director of Ocean Discovery Institute, to explore what it really takes to build systems that create lasting opportunity. From its beginnings as a small summer program to a nationally recognized, equity-centered STEM pipeline, Ocean Discovery Institute is redefining what’s possible for students from historically underrepresented communities. With outcomes like 100% high school graduati...