Podcast Summary: Nonprofit Leadership Podcast
Episode: Can AI Enhance Rather Than Replace Empathy?
Host: Dr. Rob Harter | Guest: Sam Thankuchin (CEO & Founder, Golden)
Release Date: September 29, 2025
Overview
In this engaging episode, Dr. Rob Harter speaks with Sam Thankuchin, CEO and founder of Golden, about the intersection between technology—especially AI—and the deeply human work of nonprofit leadership. The episode explores how technology can be a force for good within the social impact sector, enhancing empathy rather than replacing it. Sam shares his personal journey that inspired his mission-driven work, discusses the evolution of volunteerism, and offers practical frameworks for responsibly incorporating AI into nonprofit operations.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Sam Thankuchin’s Origin Story and Motivation
- Personal Trauma as a Catalyst: Sam recounts how a near-tragic experience during 9/11 (his family narrowly avoiding being on Flight 11) fundamentally shaped his outlook and career in the nonprofit sector.
“For three days I was under the impression that I lost my entire immediate family. ... I understood what those feelings are for everybody else who didn’t have a freak turn of events the way I did.” —Sam [03:52]
- Impact of Early Leadership Observations: Observing “going through the motions” attitudes among peers toward volunteering led Sam to question and later redesign how people connect to meaning and purpose in volunteerism.
2. The Importance of Personal Narrative in Leadership
- Role of Stories in Shaping Leadership:
“I saw organizations that did an excellent job of contextualizing and storytelling the mission ... and how that understanding of needs translates to programs.” —Sam [08:42]
- Sam’s experience and subsequent research (studying 1,000 organizations) drove him to prioritize frameworks that focus on engagement, belonging, and personalized experiences—key to effective nonprofit leadership.
3. Practical Shifts in Volunteer Engagement
- Disaster Relief as a Microcosm: Using disaster response as an extreme case, Sam highlights the necessity for precision in matching resources to real needs and ensuring no offer of help is wasted.
“If the resources that become available or the lack of resources don’t match the need, then you have a second logistical nightmare to deal with.” —Sam [13:36]
- Lessons from disaster relief are transferable to daily nonprofit operations: rapid response, strategic partnerships, and clear, ongoing channels for engagement.
4. The Role and Responsible Use of AI in Nonprofits
- AI as an Inevitability and a Tool for Enhancement:
“AI is an inevitability. ... The question is now that it is here, how does it advance the best parts of what your organization does or could do?” —Sam [16:36]
- Large language models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) have immediate practical applications: automating research, framing communications, generating content, and more.
- Understanding and experimenting with AI’s basic tasks is essential, even before deeper technical integration.
- Ethics and Safe Adoption:
“Ethical AI is really important. ... You should apply whatever principles you apply in the real world or in other digital domains ... these port over into the world of AI.” —Sam [18:49]
- Implement robust policies for data privacy and adherence to ethical guidelines (Stanford’s Human Centered AI Lab research is cited as a lead resource).
5. The Future of Volunteerism and Civic Tech
- Automation & Collaboration: Streamlining complex processes and eliminating silos between nonprofits and other sectors are now possible—and necessary.
“Putting the human being at the center of all this. Finally, technology does that instead of the institution.” —Sam [21:36]
- Human-Centered Innovation: AI and tech can now help organizations fully see and engage the individual, tailoring opportunities to maximize their impact as both volunteers and donors.
- Robust Partnership Ecosystem: Sustainable impact will come from trusted, collaborative ecosystems rather than sector-specific silos.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- [07:52] Rob: “Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your story. I can’t imagine the roller coaster of emotions you felt…”
- [13:36] Sam: “There is often a second disaster after a disaster ... if the resources that become available or the lack of resources don’t match the need, then you have a second logistical nightmare to deal with.”
- [16:36] Sam: “AI is an inevitability. ... The question is now that it is here, how does it advance the best parts of what your organization does or could do?”
- [18:49] Sam: “Ethical AI is really important... apply whatever principles you apply in the real world... these port over into the world of AI.”
- [21:36] Sam: “Putting the human being at the center of all this. Finally, technology does that instead of the institution.”
Key Timestamps
- [03:33] — Sam’s 9/11 story and family experience
- [08:13] — How personal narrative shapes nonprofit leadership and organizational design
- [11:40] — Volunteerism in disaster relief: the importance of flexibility, specificity, and resource matching
- [16:31] — Technology’s role in enhancing (not replacing) empathy and fostering community connection
- [21:20] — Exciting trends in civic tech: automation, human-centered design, and breaking down sectoral silos
- [25:03] — How nonprofit leaders can learn more about Golden’s tools and mission
How to Connect and Further Resources
- Golden’s Main Website: goldenvolunteer.com
- Specialized Resources:
- Golden’s Software Commitment: $500M in software for organizations affected by funding disruptions.
- Golden’s Mission: Free and enterprise-scale tools for all sectors; a sincere commitment to empowering impact-driven individuals.
Tone & Takeaways
The episode is candid and optimistic, blending empathy-driven leadership with pragmatic tech adoption. Both Rob and Sam emphasize using technology to scale the human touch, not supplant it, and encourage nonprofits to explore, experiment, and responsibly implement AI tools to drive greater social impact.
Ideal for:
Nonprofit leaders seeking examples, frameworks, and encouragement to embrace technology ethically while strengthening authentic human connections in their work.