Podcast
The SALA Series Podcast
Hosted by SALA Series · EN
Welcome to the SALA Series Podcast – bringing together purpose-driven leaders and ideas that matter. Hosted by Dalen Cuff and Monica McNutt, SALA celebrates diverse voices and highlights a commitment to community and individuals who are driving positive change across the interrelated worlds of sports, entertainment, corporate and nonprofit.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Stu Jackson: Leadership, Transformation, and the Future of College Basketball
3w ago00:53:20Tap to summarizeStu Jackson has spent decades shaping the game of basketball from nearly every level imaginable — first as a college basketball player, then as one of the youngest head coaches in NBA history with the New York Knicks, later helping launch the Vancouver Grizzlies as Team President and General Manager, and now serving as commissioner of the West Coast Conference and a member of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee.In this episode, Jackson reflects on the transformation of college basketball during a period defined by conference realignment, NIL, the transfer portal, and the changing structure of amateur athletics. Drawing on experience leading teams, front offices, and major basketball institutions, he discusses what it takes to build winning cultures, navigate uncertainty, and balance tradition with innovation in a rapidly evolving sports landscape.The conversation explores leadership, talent development, competitive integrity, and the growing intersection of college sports with media, business, and professional development — offering a unique perspective from someone who has helped shape the game at every level.
Transcribe →Marcia Chatelain: History, Power, and the Narratives That Shape America
4w ago00:54:31Tap to summarizeMarcia Chatelain, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, has built her work around uncovering the deeper stories that shape American life. Through acclaimed books like Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, Chatelain examines the intersection of race, capitalism, and culture, revealing how systems of power influence opportunity, identity, and community in ways that often go unseen.In this episode, Chatelain reflects on how narratives around economic progress and social mobility are constructed and who gets included in those stories. Drawing on her research, she explores the tension between corporate influence and public responsibility, and how institutions have shaped both the possibilities and limitations experienced across generations. The conversation also examines the role of historians in moments of change, the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths, and why understanding the past is essential to making better decisions in the present.
Transcribe →Jennifer Peter: Journalism, Accountability, and Leading Through Change
May 2801:06:11Tap to summarizeJennifer Peter has spent her career leading newsrooms through some of the most consequential moments in modern journalism. From overseeing The Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing to now serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Marshall Project, Peter has built a reputation for guiding organizations through complexity with clarity, urgency, and purpose.The Marshall Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization focused on the U.S. criminal justice system. Through in-depth reporting, data-driven investigations, and partnerships with local and national news outlets, the organization examines issues ranging from policing and prisons to courts, race, and systemic inequities, with the goal of creating transparency, accountability, and public understanding around one of the country’s most consequential - and flawed - institutions.In this episode, Peter reflects on the evolving role of journalism in a time of institutional distrust, rapid technological change, and growing societal division. She discusses what it means to lead mission-driven reporting at scale, the responsibility of telling difficult stories with integrity, and why accountability journalism remains essential to a functioning democracy. The conversation explores leadership under pressure, the challenge of balancing speed with accuracy, and how the best editors build cultures capable of navigating uncertainty without losing sight of their mission.
Transcribe →Jen Loving with Jeff Olivet: What Actually Works in Solving Homelessness at Scale
May 2100:34:49Tap to summarizeJen Loving, CEO of Destination: Home and one of the nation’s leading voices on homelessness systems change, joins host Jeff Olivet — nationally recognized homelessness policy expert, former Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness — for a conversation grounded in what it actually takes to reduce homelessness at scale. With more than two decades of experience across government, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors, Loving has helped lead some of the most ambitious housing and prevention strategies in the country, including large-scale investments in affordable housing and data-driven approaches to system design.In this episode, Loving reflects on the real drivers of homelessness and the persistent gap between public perception and lived reality. She discusses why “Housing First” has become a foundational approach, how public-private partnerships can unlock meaningful progress, and what cities often get wrong when trying to address the crisis. Drawing on her work in Silicon Valley, she offers a pragmatic view of what systems-level change looks like in practice and where measurable progress is being made.Together, Olivet and Loving explore the challenges of leading in a space where success is often slow, complex, and difficult to measure. The conversation examines how leaders build trust across sectors, sustain momentum despite setbacks, and remain focused on sustainable solutions in one of the country’s most urgent public policy challenges.
Transcribe →Eddie Glaude - America at 250 and the Stories We Tell Ourselves
May 1400:59:49Tap to summarizeAs America approaches its 250th anniversary, author and scholar Eddie Glaude Jr. asks a deeper question: what stories do we tell ourselves about who we are—and what truths do we leave out?Known for his intellectual rigor and unflinching honesty, Glaude explores the enduring tension between freedom, democracy, and race that has shaped the nation from its founding to today. Drawing from works including Begin Again, We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For, and his forthcoming book America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries, he examines how national celebrations often expose deeper battles over identity, belonging, and power.In this episode, Glaude reflects on leadership in an era of polarization, the responsibility of confronting history honestly, and whether America can move forward without reckoning with the myths that continue to shadow its past. A timely conversation about memory, truth, and the unfinished American story.
Transcribe →Paul Rabil: Building a New Professional Sports League and Redefining the Game of Lacrosse
May 800:45:04Tap to summarizeWell beyond his extraordinary on-field accomplishments, Paul Rabil has reimagined what the sport of lacrosse can become—and expanded who it’s for. For those familiar with his story, it’s no surprise. As the sport’s first “million-dollar athlete,” Rabil always had a clear vision for building his personal brand and leveraging his success as a standout collegiate and professional player. But his ambitions extended far beyond individual achievement—he set out to transform the entire ecosystem of the game.In this episode, Rabil reflects on the pivotal decision to step away from an established professional system and build something entirely new. With a bold, forward-looking vision, he co-founded the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), a modern, player-first league that prioritizes athlete empowerment while embracing digital innovation, content, and storytelling to connect with the next generation of fans.As part of this, Rabil and his colleagues are driving the development of a women’s professional lacrosse league, aiming to create equitable opportunities, visibility, and long-term infrastructure for female athletes. This expansion reflects a broader commitment to inclusivity and growing the game across genders, audiences, and global markets.Operating at the intersection of sport, business, and media, the conversation explores Rabil's evolution from athlete to builder—and what it takes to turn a personal platform into a purpose-driven, lasting legacy that reshapes the future of an entire sport.
Transcribe →Fidel Vargas: Expanding Opportunity and Leading with Purpose
May 101:07:05Tap to summarizeFidel Vargas’ story comes full circle. Once a recipient of Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) scholarships at Harvard and Harvard Business School, he now leads the organization as President and CEO—guiding one of the nation’s most impactful institutions advancing access to higher education, with programs serving 12,500+ students and parents in more than 2,900+ cities in all 50 states and U.S. territories annually, and awarding more than $756 million in scholarships since its founding.Before returning to HSF, Vargas built a career across finance and public service, including serving as the youngest mayor of a major U.S. city at age 23 and later as a private equity leader. Across each chapter, his focus has remained the same: expanding opportunity for others.In this episode, Vargas reflects on leading at scale while staying grounded in mission—sharing insights on growth, responsibility, and investing in young leaders. It’s a conversation about purpose-driven leadership and creating pathways that extend far beyond individual success.
Transcribe →Jimmer Fredette: Resilience, Reinvention, and Team USA
Apr 1700:45:08Tap to summarizeJimmer Fredette’s journey has been anything but linear. Lightly recruited out of high school and overlooked by major programs, he went on to become the 2011 Naismith College Player of the Year at BYU—captivating the country as one of the most electric scorers in college basketball. His rise to national stardom was as unexpected as it was unforgettable.In this episode, he reflects on what it takes to evolve when the path doesn’t go as planned. After being selected 10th overall in the NBA Draft, Jimmer faced the challenge of transitioning from a college superstar to a role player at the game’s highest level—an adjustment that tested his identity and resilience. He shares what he learned from those years, how it led him to build a prolific career overseas, and ultimately how he reinvented himself through 3x3 basketball.Now serving as General Manager for USA Basketball’s 3x3 men’s national team, Jimmer offers a new perspective on leadership, competition, and staying connected to the game at the highest level. This conversation explores how great competitors adapt beyond their peak moments—and what it means to rebuild, redefine success, and earn your place on the world stage.
Transcribe →Martin Dempsey - Building Winning Cultures: Leadership, Trust, and Team USA
Apr 900:57:57Tap to summarizeAfter serving as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey carried his leadership philosophy into a new arena—one where the stakes are different, but the need for alignment, trust, and performance remains essential.In this episode, General Dempsey shares how principles forged at the highest levels of military command translate into building elite teams on the global stage. Drawing on decades of leading complex, high-stakes organizations, he unpacks how trust is built quickly, how leaders create clarity amid uncertainty, and why preparation—not star power—is the ultimate competitive advantage.He also reflects on the unique challenge of leading “short-term teams” like Team USA—where cohesion must be built in weeks, not years—and what that reveals about adaptability, communication, and shared purpose.This conversation explores leadership beyond any single arena, where trust, preparation, and purpose drive performance—and define what it truly means to represent Team USA.
Transcribe →Michelle Nunn: Leading with Purpose and the Fight for Global Impact
Apr 300:55:58Tap to summarizeMichelle Nunn has spent her career building and leading organizations rooted in service—from founding Hands On Atlanta to scaling Points of Light into a global volunteer network, and now as CEO of CARE USA.In this episode, she shares what it really takes to lead mission-driven organizations at scale while staying anchored in purpose.Michelle reflects on the challenges of mobilizing millions of people, navigating complex humanitarian crises, and making tough decisions in environments where the stakes are deeply human. She offers candid insights on building trust, sustaining teams through uncertainty, and balancing urgency with long-term impact.At a moment when global needs are rising and institutions face growing scrutiny, this conversation explores how service can be a powerful force for change—and what it means to lead with both conviction and compassion when the path forward isn’t always clear.
Transcribe →