Living with Purpose (Podcasts)

Bill Karidias is a business leader operating at the intersection of innovation, industry expertise, and customer driven growth. As part of Spartan Equipment, Bill represents a company that has built its reputation by delivering high quality equipment attachments designed to help people work smarter, operate more efficiently, and achieve better results in demanding environments.Spartan Equipment has become known for combining product innovation with deep industry knowledge, serving professionals across construction, agriculture, and heavy equipment sectors nationwide. With products manufactured in the United States and a strong commitment to customer service, the company continues to evolve while staying grounded in a clear mission: delivering practical solutions that genuinely support the people who use them every day.In this conversation, we explore Bill’s perspective on leadership, building trust through quality and expertise, navigating growth in a competitive industry, and what purpose means when you are responsible for creating real world impact through the products and services you deliver.

Dr. Kohinoor Darda is a neuroscientist, researcher, artist, and founder who is building bridges between disciplines that are too often kept apart. With a PhD in Social Cognitive Neuroscience and postdoctoral research spanning the UK, Australia, and the United States, her work explores how the human brain engages with art and how we navigate our social worlds.But Kohinoor didn’t stop at academia.She founded the ARISA Foundation in Pune, India — a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to integrating the arts and sciences in ways that are accessible, equitable, and socially transformative. Her belief is simple but powerful: knowledge should be open, collaborative, and empowering for all.Beyond the lab and the lecture hall, she is also a classical dancer trained in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi, a triathlete who finds resilience in endurance sport, and someone deeply committed to the idea that the most meaningful change happens when diverse disciplines and perspectives intersect.

Jane Meseck is a humanitarian leader and long standing force behind global nonprofit innovation and technology for good.Jane has spent more than two decades at Microsoft helping transform the way technology supports nonprofits and humanitarian organisations worldwide. From the early days of delivering software to charities, to now helping lead initiatives that provide over a billion dollars each year in grants, cloud services, and employee giving across more than 230 markets, her work has been focused on empowering communities and enabling large scale change.Her career sits at the intersection of philanthropy, digital transformation, and global humanitarian action. She has helped shape the nonprofit technology ecosystem, contributed to the growth of organisations like NTEN and TechSoup, and led partnership development across UN agencies working to respond to crisis and rebuild communities. Along the way she has built long standing relationships grounded in trust, collaboration, and a deep belief that technology, when guided by purpose, can transform lives.

Jon Browning is the CEO of the Global Mentorship Initiative, an organisation built on a powerful belief that mentorship has the ability to transform lives and unlock human potential at scale.Jon’s work focuses on creating meaningful opportunities for individuals who may not otherwise have access to guidance, networks, or career pathways. Through Global Mentorship Initiative, born out of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Digital Jobs Initiative, he and his team have developed a structured, accessible approach to mentorship that connects experienced professionals with college students and refugees around the world. The mission is simple yet profound. Make it easy to be a great mentor and create an experience that enriches both mentor and mentee.

Shelly Kurtz is an award winning communications executive, strategist, and facilitator who believes deeply in the power of intention, connection, and using our voice to create positive change. With more than twenty five years of experience working across diverse markets and industries, Shelly has built a reputation as a leader who helps individuals and organisations communicate with clarity, purpose, and vision.As a creator of companies, a driver of ideas, and a mentor to many, Shelly brings a unique perspective on self advocacy, authentic leadership, and how meaningful relationships can shape both personal growth and wider social impact.

Lalita is a leader who sits at the intersection of purpose and action. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to inclusion, social equity, and building communities that don’t just survive, but truly thrive.With a background that blends scientific and analytical thinking with human-centred leadership, Lalita has helped scale programs that support women, seniors, young people, and individuals rebuilding their lives after incarceration. From digital literacy and legal advocacy to mental health, arts-based wellness, and intergenerational leadership, her focus is always the same: creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered.Under her leadership, IACS has grown its impact significantly, mobilising resources, strengthening partnerships, and turning intention into measurable change. Whether it’s wellness rooms, community horticulture projects, or pathways to meaningful work, Lalita’s approach is practical, compassionate, and deeply values-led.

Bridgette Stumpf is a survivors’ rights advocate and one of the leading voices shaping restorative and trauma-responsive systems in the United States.Bridgette is the CEO and Co-Founder of Volare, an organization she’s led for more than a decade, working at the intersection of justice, healing, and systemic change. With over 15 years of experience advocating on behalf of survivors of crime, her work is driven by one core belief: that dignity, accountability, and compassion must coexist in our justice systems.Her leadership has been recognised at the highest levels — from national advocacy awards to honours from the American Bar Association, the DC Bar, and the Center for Nonprofit Advancement — acknowledging not just impact, but integrity, innovation, and community building.

Amanda Hart is a reinvention mentor and author who has spent more than three decades guiding individuals through profound personal transformation.Amanda works with high functioning women who experience sudden life collapse, helping them navigate the space between endings and beginnings and rebuild with clarity, integrity, and self trust. Her work sits at the intersection of trauma informed mentoring, intuition, and deep inner healing, always focused on lasting change from the inside out.She is the bestselling author of Sue Me and the Talking with Angels series, and has an extensive background in media, speaking, and education. Amanda has hosted her own radio show, written widely on healing and consciousness, and has been featured across national TV, radio, and press.Amanda is also the founder of The Hub of Healing Hearts and the initiator of Hart to Heart Circles, creating safe community spaces for emotional recovery and empowerment. She is the visionary behind The Healing Starts Here, a touring documentary project exploring recovery from coercive control, emotional trauma, and the systems that enable harm.

Joan Wang is a performance driven leader with deep experience in the airlines and negotiation industry, working at the intersection of strategy, operations, and human connection within complex global environments.Across her career, Joan has built a strong reputation for connecting with customers, driving meaningful commercial results, and leading with clarity and discipline. Her work is grounded not just in hitting targets, but in understanding people, navigating complexity, and making smart decisions under pressure.

Vinaya Rao is the founder of Viya Contemporary.Vinaya is a curator, cultural connector, and community builder who has created something truly special through her gallery in Seattle. Viya Contemporary is not just a space for art. It is a place for conversation, reflection, and bringing people together around ideas that matter.In November 2025, Viya Contemporary became the home for the launch of Living with Purpose, hosting an unforgettable evening that brought together leaders, creatives, and changemakers to celebrate stories of meaning, resilience, and impact. It was a powerful example of how art, community, and purpose can intersect in a very real way.Vinaya is now also becoming a co-author in the second Living with Purpose book, adding her own story and perspective to the growing community that has formed around this project. Her journey sits beautifully at the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and service.