Best Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Podcasts (2024)

1
And That's a Wrap! 15:22

3M ago15:22

15:22

In the season 3 finale of I So Appreciate You!, Melanie and Nadege reflect on how this season was all about badass women. Each guest was, to quote Nadege, a rockstar. To come full circle, we celebrate another badass woman: our very own Nadege Souvenir, who in this episode shares the news of her departure from the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation a…

1
The Value of Authenticity 38:25

4M ago38:25

38:25

Sheletta Brundidge has done it all - she’s a mom, an autism advocate, a community activist, an award-winning broadcaster, a best-selling author and a business owner. She’s always wanted to be someone who shifts atmospheres, and when she walks into a room, it’s clear that is exactly what’s about to happen. Sheletta lives authentically and unapologet…

1
Building Connections in Rural Communities 37:06

5M ago37:06

37:06

In Season 3 Episode 7 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss with Bethany Lacktorin, executive and artistic director of Little Theatre Auditorium, the opportunities and challenges of running an arts organization in rural Minnesota. Bethany Lacktorin grew up in New London, MN, and her first experience with thea…

1
Liminal Space: Balancing Your Succession Plan 35:04

6M ago35:04

35:04

In Season 3 Episode 6 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert explore why succession planning is so important and what individuals and organizations can do to make leadership transitions successful for everyone involved. Guests Carmen Giménez and Ruby Oluoch are two seasoned nonprofit leaders who share their experience…

1
Designing the Fabric of Community 42:17

7M ago42:17

42:17

In Season 3 Episode 5 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert talk to Rammy Mohamed, the designer and founder of Ramadhan Designs who is making waves in the Twin Cities fashion industry and beyond. From a young age, Rammy Mohammed showed a predilection for art and to this day, she credits fine art for much of what insp…

1
Kirk Sims (Teacher Retirement System of Texas) "Fostering Opportunity" 45:45

7M ago45:45

45:45

Kirk Sims is an opportunity builder. With a career shaped by seizing the right moments at the right time, Kirk works every day to create valuable opportunities for emerging managers. His multifaceted background cultivated guiding principles that spearhead his current investment approach. With the goal of leaving the industry better than he found it…

1
For Community, By Community 41:40

8M ago41:40

41:40

In Season 3 Episode 4 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert talk to Andrea Yoch, Co-Founder and Chair of Minnesota Aurora FC, the first women-led and community-owned women’s soccer team in this country. Andrea Yoch spent her entire career in sports mostly working for men. Although she received support from men throug…

1
Why Allyship Isn’t Enough 40:40

9M ago40:40

40:40

In Season 3 Episode 3 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert talk to Seena Hodges, Founder and CEO of The Woke Coach, about why it’s not enough to be an ally and how we go from being allies to being accomplices. Seena Hodges is in the business of discomfort, and she wants people to get comfortable with it. Her company…

1
Investing in Diversity 26:47

10M ago26:47

26:47

On this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss mission-based investing and the values of a diverse team in the investments industry with Chief Investment Officer for the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Shannon O’Leary. In her role, Shannon and her staff help steward the Foundation’s $1.7 billion in …

1
Katherine Molnar (Fairfax County Police Officers Retirement System) "Diversification 101" 1:02:40

10M ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Intellectual curiosity is a guiding principle for Katherine Molnar, CIO at Fairfax County Police Officers Retirement System (PORS). Katherine began investing as a teenager with the money she earned from summer jobs. She regularly questioned the critical elements of investing and often explored deep technical details in search of an answer. Eagernes…

1
Cultivating New Food Entrepreneurs 36:24

11M ago36:24

36:24

In the first episode of Season 3 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert chat with Allison Hohn, executive director of Naturally Minnesota, about what it takes to establish a thriving and equitable ecosystem for food-based entrepreneurs in our state. Naturally Minnesota is an initiative to support and accelerate Minnes…

1
Season 3 Trailer 2:48

11M ago2:48

2:48

I So Appreciate You! is back for its third season starting September 19! Listen along as co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert continue their sometimes raw, sometimes funny and always uniquely insightful discussions with some of today’s changemakers from a variety of industries.By Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

1
Charmel Maynard (University of Miami) “Paying It Forward” 49:50

1y ago49:50

49:50

Growing up in Trinidad, Charmel Maynard was exposed to a wide array of cultures and backgrounds—an experience that taught him the sky’s the limit. Now, as CIO and Treasurer at the University of Miami, Charmel utilizes data-driven and DEI-focused methods to strengthen his investment processes. Throughout his career, Charmel stressed the importance o…

1
Aoifinn Devitt (Moneta Group) “Finding Clarity“ 53:40

1y ago53:40

53:40

Aoifinn Devitt compares her career journey to a “patchwork quilt”, each with a unique meaning and purpose. Her continual quest for knowledge is evidenced in her approach to investing, community-building, and continuing education. Aoifinn currently serves as CIO at Moneta Group. She also founded The Fiftyfaces Podcast in 2020, a series dedicated to …

1
Why Creative People Need Rest 18:31

1+ y ago18:31

18:31

Co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert take a Seinfeld approach to their final episode of the season by unwinding and talking about nothing; well, nothing in particular and “doing” nothing. Instead of tackling sometimes tough and complex issues that arise in the workplace and philanthropy, they take time to address the commonalities their gue…

1
Healing the Harms of Cultural Appropriation 46:21

1+ y ago46:21

46:21

In this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation with Anishinaabe artist, advocate and cultural educator Adrienne M. Benjamin. In addition to Adrienne, they also take time to discuss this complex topic with another surprise guest, Dr. Eric Jolly, president…

1
Shannon O'Leary (Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation) "Saying It Out Loud" 57:14

1+ y ago57:14

57:14

Shannon O’Leary is the Chief Investment Officer of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, a $2 billion community foundation. Since joining the Foundation in 2019, Shannon has thoughtfully implemented DEI and ESG investment strategies to create a portfolio that supports grant creation and includes investments that are in line with the Foundation's m…

1
Changing Dominant Media Narratives 39:23

1+ y ago39:23

39:23

In a time when the information we consume is often curated or reinforced by what we like on social media or the news outlets we follow, Mukhtar Ibrahim is working to shift the narrative by giving immigrants and communities of color the kind of committed, responsive news coverage that we all deserve. In this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts…

1
Finding Balance with Social Media 39:43

1+ y ago39:43

39:43

In season 2, episode 5 of I So Appreciate You!, we discuss the value social media has as a tool for connection while also having implications on private life. Our special guest is Sarah Edwards, CEO of Some Great People and co-founder/CEO of Fashion Week Minnesota. Sarah is obsessed with the word “sonder” – the profound feeling of realizing that ev…

1
The Genius of Black-led Change 36:50

1+ y ago36:50

36:50

Lulete Mola’s passion for activism and social justice stems from her love of her family and community. Before co-founding the Black Collective Foundation MN as a result of the pandemic and social uprising in Minnesota, Lulete started her own youth-led organization, worked for the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and participated on many boards inclu…

1
Ted Seides (Capital Allocators) “Compelling Narratives” 56:23

1+ y ago56:23

56:23

As host and founder of the internationally recognized Capital Allocators podcast, Ted Seides gathers insights from an elite group of asset owners and asset managers. Ted’s own story encompasses a wealth of stories. His unique skillset includes capturing the essence of a firm or person in a genuine and compelling narrative. During his 20 years on th…

1
Using Technology for Social Change 38:02

1+ y ago38:02

38:02

What makes a brilliant app? Is it entertainment value, offering a critical service or something that has social impact? For Andre Creighton, co-founder and chief financial officer of the groundbreaking app TurnSignl, it’s providing drivers with real-time legal guidance from an attorney during traffic stops while a camera records the interaction. Co…

1
Marcello Sallusti (Engadine) “Connecting the Dots” 52:57

2y ago52:57

52:57

Marcello Sallusti leaves very little up to chance. His success as an investor comes from an incredibly principled and methodical approach to investing. Decisions are qualitatively evaluated and quantitatively researched during the consideration stage, then reconsidered before execution. While data collection is a necessity, Marcello finds the most …

1
Intentional Leadership Transitions 38:04

2y ago38:04

38:04

Many times, leadership transitions are unexpected, and if a succession plan is in place, the process is handled behind closed doors. In contrast, Jamie Millard, executive director of Pollen Midwest, is leading her own transition out of the organization she has been leading for the last nine years with a years-long, transparent and participatory tra…

1
Lessons in Heart-based Philanthropy 30:40

2y ago30:40

30:40

Episode 1 opens up with an introduction of new co-host, Chief Marketing Officer Melanie Hoffert, before she and co-host Nadege Souvenir dive into the episode’s topic. This week they discuss the importance of a heart-based approach to giving, with special guest Margaret Wurtele. Margaret Wurtele has been giving and raising money for the arts for yea…

1
Matt Earl (ShadowFall) “Policy of Truth” 1:26:40

2y ago1:26:40

1:26:40

Short specialist fund manager, Matthew Earl, unearths companies with suspicious or unreliable business practices. Putting his money where his mouth is, Matt shorts these snaky companies—sometimes sharing his research when there’s a strong public interest. Matt’s career is filled with research projects in which he delineated what many others struggl…

1
Season 2 Preview 16:31

2y ago16:31

16:31

Nadege Souvenir welcomes new co-host Melanie Hoffert to I So Appreciate You! with a few this or that questions revealing Melanie’s love of black licorice. The pair openly talk about their friendship, Melanie’s writing career and how they are forever bonded by Melanie’s new kitten Lucy Lake. Listen to learn the dual meaning behind Lucy Lake’s name (…

1
Ari Bergmann (Penso Advisors) "The Edge in Hedges" 58:48

2y ago58:48

58:48

In 2007, Dr. Ari Bergmann saw an iceberg approaching. Looking at the housing market, Dr. Bergmann’s firm (then called Sentinel Advisors) noticed the leverage of the banks increasing and the banks’ exposure to the housing market increasing—but no one seemed to be hedging the risk. After recognizing the house-of-cards situation, the team decided to o…

1
Dusty Granet (Green Trading Capital) "Green Trading" 1:03:48

2+ y ago1:03:48

1:03:48

As a bond analyst with AIG Investments, David “Dusty” Granet was charged with hedging the insurer’s risks associated with the European carbon markets. He quickly became hooked with the asset class. His passion for geopolitical supply and demand, as well as the environmental attributes of these up-and-coming markets, inspired a new career path. The …

1
Karim Jetha (Longdean Capital) "Frontier Markets" 45:29

2+ y ago45:29

45:29

With Tanzanian heritage, a UK education, and a deep interest in emerging markets, Karim Jetha founded Longdean Capital. Karim’s early career focus on MENA, and his experience living in the region, informs his current investing strategy. Longdean has the operational infrastructure to invest primarily in companies solely listed on local exchanges, wh…

1
Val Zlatev (Analog Century) "Levity Over Gravity" 1:02:23

2+ y ago1:02:23

1:02:23

In 1999, Val Zlatev stumbled across a group of traders while attending a physics conference in Chicago. Enamored by the energy in the room, Val decided to abandon his boredom in physics and enter the exciting world of finance. This career pivot provided Val with exposure to valuable mentors and experiences, enabling him to further refine his philos…

1
Bonus: Season 1 Wrap & What’s Ahead 15:31

2+ y ago15:31

15:31

In this bonus episode to close season 1 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Pahoua Yang Hoffman reflect on the season and discuss Pahoua’s upcoming career transition as she leaves the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter…

1
Inclusive Workplaces: How Do We Really Get There? 40:01

2+ y ago40:01

40:01

I So Appreciate You! co-hosts Nadege and Pahoua, along with special guest Christophe Beck, President and CEO of Ecolab, explain the concepts of “mirroring” and “bridging” and discuss how leaders, particularly white leaders, can create more inclusive workplaces.By Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

1
Creating Space for BIPOC Leaders 34:44

2+ y ago34:44

34:44

I So Appreciate You! co-hosts Nadege and Pahoua explore what happens when organizations transition from white leaders to leaders of color in a thoughtful dialogue with special guest Duchesne Drew, President of Minnesota Public Radio.By Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

1
Cultivating Your Career Path 30:43

2+ y ago30:43

30:43

In this week’s episode, ISAY co-hosts Nadege and Pahoua discuss the importance of intentionally creating learning opportunities and pathways that allow people to build knowledge and skills for roles that haven't been accessible to everyone. They are joined by Meredith Leigh Moore and Brandon Williams, who share their career journeys and discuss how…

1
Joe Peta (Best-Selling Author) "Moneyball Investing" 1:17:17

2+ y ago1:17:17

1:17:17

When a terrible accident left Joe Peta in a wheelchair and out of work for several months, he took the opportunity to contemplate his 15-year trading career. Exploring the overlap between asset management, sports betting, and the analytic revolution taking place in sports (primarily in baseball) led Joe to write TRADING BASES: HOW A WALL STREET TRA…

1
Creating Workplaces that Value Age 33:31

2+ y ago33:31

33:31

ISAY co-hosts Nadege and Pahoua, along with special guest Philomena Morrissey Satre, Director of Diversity & Inclusion and External Strategic Partnerships at Land O'Lakes, explore aging in the workplace and how this unaddressed diversity and inclusion issue affects employees.By Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

1
Reimagining The Workplace 35:41

2+ y ago35:41

35:41

Alex West Steinman, Co-founder and CEO of The Coven, and Melissa Muro LaMere, Partner at Maslon LLP, join ISAY co-hosts Nadege and Pahoua to discuss their respective evolving workplaces during the pandemic, some unexpected silver linings, and how showing up as yourself at work is a game-changer.By Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

1
Work + Caregiving: A Balancing Act 41:13

2+ y ago41:13

41:13

Co-hosts Nadege and Pahoua share personal experiences with giving and receiving care, including Nadege’s recent experience with breast cancer. Special guest Liwanag Ojala, former CEO of CaringBridge, joins to discuss the emotional weight of being a caregiver and what employers can do to better support their employees. Episode References: Managing t…

1
LIVE: Patricia Lizarraga (Hypatia Capital) "The Female Factor" 55:15

3y ago55:15

55:15

15 years ago, Patricia Lizarraga started noticing that women outperform as both CEOs and investors. The reason is simple: due to various institutional barriers, women have a more difficult time rising to the highest executive ranks in both financial institutions and non-financial corporations. This observation evolved into an investment thesis that…

1
The Unspoken Rules of Professionalism 25:06

3y ago25:06

25:06

Co-hosts Nadege and Pahoua discuss professionalism and its unwritten rules on dress code, hygiene, hairstyles, and why it doesn’t matter that you are wearing sweatpants under your desk right now.By Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

1
Season 1 Trailer 6:59

3y ago6:59

6:59

Introducing I So Appreciate You!, an honest, raw and sometimes funny podcast about work, community, life and more. Meet co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Pahoua Yang Hoffman. Nadege and Pahoua, both transplants to Minnesota, were colleagues at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation from 2020-2022. Whether connecting on a work issue, comparing notes on a …

1
Paul Britton (Capstone Investment Advisors) “Building Resilience” 1:01:50

3y ago1:01:50

1:01:50

A fascination with marketplaces and a knack for math is what pushed a young Paul Britton to explore the world of derivatives. However, it was his talent at chess that impressed a senior trader at his first interview with the London International Financial Futures Exchange. Paul was awarded the job, and while at LIFFE he discovered options—a type of…

1
Patrick Quinn (Quinn Opportunity Partners) "Upside Volatility" 1:10:48

3y ago1:10:48

1:10:48

A book recommendation during undergrad was all it took for Patrick Quinn to uncover his aptitude for investing. As a biochemistry major, Patrick had to then take an unconventional road into the investing world—it was a road that would introduce Patrick to key mentors who were invaluable in helping him on his path as an investor, ultimately starting…

1
Cameron Khajavi (MIK Capital) "From Scratch to Stardom" 1:19:32

3y ago1:19:32

1:19:32

As the son of Iranian immigrants who were forced to relocate during the 1980 Iran-Iraq conflict, Cameron Khajavi is no stranger to building things from scratch. His father, an accomplished engineer in Tehran, started mowing lawns in Houston, Texas in order to provide for a young family. His example provided Cameron the motivation and inspiration to…

1
William Heard (Heard Capital) "Active Listening" 57:27

3+ y ago57:27

57:27

Starting his own investment firm at a younger age than most, William Heard learned the importance of listening while carving his own path in the equity investing space. William Heard is the founder, CEO, and CIO of Heard Capital. His investing approach is propelled by the skills he obtained through his upbringing in Milwaukee, WI and his experience…

1
Alexandre Challand (Fine Wine) “Investing in Liquids” 48:16

3+ y ago48:16

48:16

After a noteworthy decade-long tenure at UBS, Alexandre Challand returned to his true passion in life: wine. Wine had captured Alexandre's imagination as a teenager, back when he convinced his father and uncle to purchase cases of Lafite 1986 for 60 Francs for both drinking and long term investment (which had increased in value 20x by 2008). Alexan…

1
Jeff Lignelli (Incline Global) "Continuous Improvement" 1:03:51

3+ y ago1:03:51

1:03:51

Jeff Lignelli is the founder, portfolio manager, and CEO of Incline Global Management, a long short equity fund based in New York. Central to Incline Global's philosophy is a rigorous adherence to data and analytics. "When you start a hedge fund, it's not like you've won a prize; you've only won the right to work very, very, very hard," points out …

1
Soo Chuen Tan (Discerene) "Value and Values" 1:01:28

3+ y ago1:01:28

1:01:28

Investors today seem to be enamored with growth in the US tech sector, regardless of valuations. By contrast, Soo Chuen and his team practice the increasingly rare art of contrarian value investing on a global scale. Soo Chuen Tan is President of Discerene Group LP, a Connecticut-based private investment partnership that invests in businesses prote…

1
Paolo Mortarotti (Tower House) “Imagining a Future” 53:41

4y ago53:41

53:41

Paolo Mortarotti is founder and Chief Investment Officer of Tower House Partners—a fundamental equity, long/short manager in London. Part of Paolo’s success as an investor lies in his ability to identify companies that have promising futures, but are overlooked by the market. He then applies what he calls a “peaceful activist” approach: (1) gain th…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide