E8 S15: Why Innovation Fails Without Humans at the Center

E10 S15 Building Tech Ecosystems for Social Impact in Latin America

How can technology catalyze social change—and what does it take to build an ecosystem that truly works for everyone? In this episode, Catalina Escobar Bravo, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of MAKAIA [https://makaia.org/], shares her journey from engineer to nonprofit trailblazer—and the lessons she's learned driving digital transformation across Latin America. Why Take a Listen * Career Transformation: Learn how Catalina Escobar Bravo journeyed from mechanical engineering to social entrepreneurship, blending technical expertise and global experience to drive change in Latin America. * Inclusive Innovation: Hear how MAKAIA [https://makaia.org/] evolved from a bold idea into an organization empowering more than 100,000 people and 50,000 organizations, closing the digital divide in 27 countries. * Startup Realities: Gain practical insights into what it takes to launch and grow a nonprofit from scratch, including the importance of listening to communities and pivoting in response to real-world needs. * Preparing for the Future of Work: Learn actionable strategies for upskilling and adapting in the age of AI—no coding background required. * Network with Purpose: Explore Catalina Escobar Bravo's approach to forming genuine, purpose-driven relationships that go beyond transactions to generate sustained impact. About Catalina Escobar Bravo Catalina Escobar Bravo [https://www.linkedin.com/in/catalinaescobarbravo/] is a renowned civil society leader and social entrepreneur, serving as Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of MAKAIA [https://makaia.org/]—a Colombian nonprofit transforming social development through technology, cooperation, and innovation. Over the past decade, she has grown MAKAIA from a bold idea into a regional force, supporting hundreds of nonprofits and launching BeTek [https://betek.la/], MAKAIA's robust IT training initiative that closes digital skills gaps across Colombia. Before MAKAIA, Catalina Escobar Bravo spent six years at the World Bank [http://worldbank.org], managing web and digital collaboration projects and contributing to the Development Gateway team. She holds a mechanical engineering degree from Universidad EAFIT [https://www.eafit.edu.co/] and an MBA from George Washington University. [http://gwu.edu] A Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow [https://www.salzburgglobal.org/], Catalina is recognized for her visionary leadership at the intersection of tech, social innovation, and inclusive development in Latin America. PCDN.global News 🎙️ Check out the 200+ other episodes of our Award-Winning Social Change Career Podcast [https://pcdn.global/listen/], featuring changemakers driving impact across the globe. 🚀 Join the PCDN Career Campus [https://pcdn.global/launching-pcdn-career-campus/] for 24/7 access to job opportunities, networking, sector-expert workshops, and a global community of impact professionals—all for the price of a cup of coffee. Start building your purposeful career today!

E9 S15: How to Design Tech that Connects & Liberates

*:first-child]:mt-0 [&_>*:last-child]:mb-0"> How to Design Tech that Connects & Liberates: Insights from Jensine Larsen Delighted to be celebrating the 200th episode of the Social Change Career Podcast with Jensine Larsen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jensine], founder of World Pulse [https://www.worldpulse.org/] and co-founder of Unfurl Futures [https://www.unfurlfutures.com/]. In this milestone episode, Jensine shares what it takes to build technology that centers connection, community, and justice. The conversation explores how she transformed early field reporting and a bold vision into World Pulse [https://www.worldpulse.org/], one of the longest-running global feminist digital networks, and why designing for generosity, peer support, and real human connection matters far more than chasing clicks and engagement metrics. It is also an honest conversation about fundraising, staying true to a mission, building with intention, and creating more inclusive and ethical technology. Why Listen * Learn how Jensine turned a bold idea into a global platform reaching women and changemakers in 200+ countries. * Hear practical lessons on building online communities rooted in trust, care, and shared leadership. * Gain candid insights into fundraising for social impact innovation and finding partners who align with your values. * Explore the vision behind Unfurl Futures [https://www.unfurlfutures.com/] and Connected Power [https://www.connectedpower-blueprint.net/], where she and her team are working to map feminist digital infrastructure and build a blueprint for its future. * Take away career advice on embracing non-linear paths, leading with purpose, and building a life and career around impact. About Jensine Larsen Jensine Larsen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jensine] is an internationally recognized digital impact entrepreneur, journalist, and gender justice leader. Raised in rural America and homeschooled from an early age, she developed an independent perspective on the world and a deep commitment to amplifying voices too often excluded from mainstream narratives. Her early work as a freelance journalist took her to the Amazon and Southeast Asia, where she reported on the leadership, struggles, and lived realities of women on the frontlines of social change. Those experiences helped shape the vision for World Pulse [https://www.worldpulse.org/], which she founded to help women connect directly with one another, access opportunity, and expand their leadership across borders. Through World Pulse [https://www.worldpulse.org/], Jensine helped pioneer one of the world's first and longest-running global feminist social networks. The platform has connected women in 200+ countries and helped drive impact reaching more than 24 million lives. Today, Jensine is co-leading Unfurl Futures [https://www.unfurlfutures.com/], and she and her team are building Connected Power [https://www.connectedpower-blueprint.net/], an effort to map women-led and feminist digital infrastructure and create a practical blueprint for a stronger, more coordinated digital ecosystem. Her work has been recognized through honors including the UNESCO Prize in Gender, Wellbeing, and Cultures of Peace [https://unesco.gws.wisc.edu/4w-unesco-chair-prize/], the UN Media Social Impact Award [https://www.worldpulse.org/profile/jensine-larsen-d8888ae7-121e-4189-ba28-1dc59b3d2122], and the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award. Resources covered in the episode * World Pulse [https://www.worldpulse.org/] * Unfurl Futures [https://www.unfurlfutures.com/] * Connected Power [https://www.connectedpower-blueprint.net/] * Donella Meadows [https://donellameadows.org/] * Ruha Benjamin [https://www.ruhabenjamin.com/] * Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira [https://hospicingmodernity.org/] PCDN News * Check out 200+ previous episodes of the Social Change Career Podcast [https://pcdn.global/listen-to-podcast/] on all things impact careers. * Explore the PCDN Career Campus [https://pcdn.global/career-camp/] to access daily job opportunities, practical workshops, weekly office hours, and a global community of changemakers.

E9 S15 Designing Tomorrow: From Futures Thinking to Leading Impact at Scale

This is our 200th episode of the Social Change Career Podcast [https://pcdn.global/listen]! What does it actually take to lead at the intersection of futures thinking and large-scale social impact, especially when your choices ripple through complex social systems and affect millions? Laura Villa, PhD [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauravillaphd] brings firsthand perspective. As Director of Futures, Impact & Analytics at Comfama [https://www.comfama.com/], she helps steer strategy, analytics, and impact for an organization serving 4 million people, with 8,000+ staff and an $800 million annual budget. Laura is known for her work across education, employment, housing, entrepreneurship, culture, and community development—and for building teams that thrive in uncertainty. Why Take a Listen? * Get past the buzzwords: Explore what futures thinking and impact work actually look like in day-to-day leadership—far from the jargon or trends. * Embrace nonlinear and spiral career paths: Laura's journey is proof that meaningful impact work rarely travels a straight line, and that detours can spark growth. * Futures thinking in action: Practical stories from Comfama [https://www.comfama.com/] about scenario planning, emergent strategy, and building resilient organizations. * Measuring what matters: Why data alone isn't enough and how blending analytics with human stories is crucial for lasting results. * From analysis to strategy: Insights on making the jump from research and program design to shaping high-level organizational choices and systems. * Regenerative epistemology: Why redefining how we learn and know is essential for tackling the world's biggest social and environmental challenges. Resources & Tools Covered in the Episode * Art of Hosting [https://www.artofhosting.org/] – Collective leadership and facilitation tools for high-impact dialogue and process. * Notion [https://www.notion.so/], Miro [https://miro.com/], ChatGPT [https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt] – How Laura's team stays organized, collaborates, and explores scenarios. * Comfama [https://www.comfama.com/] – Learn more about Colombia's pioneering Caja de Compensación. PCDN Resources & Tools * Career Digest Subscription [https://pcdn.global/career-digest/]: For less than the cost of a coffee per month, get 5–6 emails weekly and 200+ opportunities monthly—jobs, fellowships, funding, remote work, impact news, and more. Bulk/group subscriptions available. Details here. [https://pcdn.global/contact/] * Social Change Career Podcast [https://pcdn.global/listen]: Catch all 200 episodes with changemakers worldwide, on the website [https://pcdn.global/listen] or your favorite podcast app. * AI for Impact Newsletter [https://pcdn.global/ai-impact-newsletter/]: Free tips, jobs, funding, and ethical news at the intersection of AI and social change. * Free Weekly Impact Newsletter [https://pcdn.global/weekly-impact-newsletter/]: Sign up here [https://pcdn.global/weekly-impact-newsletter/] for top global social impact jobs and resources. * PCDN Career Campus [https://pcdn.global/community-2/]: Global peer networking, expert events, and ongoing learning for your impact journey. Explore more episodes, stories, and tools in the full podcast archive [https://pcdn.global/listen] and across PCDN [https://pcdn.global/]. Bio Laura Villa, PhD on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauravillaphd] Laura Villa is a trilingual futures, impact, and analytics leader with 15+ years of experience working across public policy, social innovation, and large-scale social systems in Latin America. She holds a PhD in Philosophy from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana [https://portal.upb.edu.co/] in Medellín, where her research focused on ethics, complexity, and decision-making—questions that continue to shape how she approaches futures thinking in practice. As Director of Futures, Impact & Analytics at Comfama [https://www.comfama.com/], she leads strategic foresight, scenario analysis, and organization-wide impact measurement. Her career includes roles in government, multilateral organizations, and social enterprises, including work with the Mayor's Office of Medellín and regional innovation initiatives. Laura has led multi-country programs, managed donor-financed partnerships, and directed teams of up to 120 people. Her work spans education, employment, entrepreneurship, youth development, and culture, with a consistent focus on helping institutions navigate uncertainty, make better decisions, and turn complexity into meaningful, lasting impact.

E8 S15: Why Innovation Fails Without Humans at the Center

What happens when innovation overlooks the very people it's meant to benefit? In this episode, Dr Craig Zelizer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigzelizer/] interviews Valentina Cullmann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vjcullmann/], whose career spans startups, global donors, and hands-on development programs across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The episode explores what it takes to drive innovation that actually works—anchored in human realities, not just tech hype. Why Take a Listen * Hear upfront stories from startup life, consulting, and leading international partnerships—not just buzzwords or theory. * Get pragmatic advice for your career: tips for choosing grad programs, succeeding as a consultant, building alliances, and working with global donors. * Learn how productive conflict, diversity, and facilitation can transform "harmonious" teams into truly innovative spaces. * See behind the scenes: from climate-positive innovation facilities and pandemic response competitions, to women-led telemedicine and youth entrepreneurship. * Rethink "innovation" for development: why digital isn't always the answer, and how centering real people can unlock sustainable social change. * Find out how to experiment, balance vision vs. survival, and grow resilience—whether you're launching social enterprises or leading projects in big organizations. About Valentina Cullmann Valentina Cullmann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vjcullmann/] is an innovation practitioner specializing in international economic development, digital transformation, and climate-positive impacts across the Global South. With more than a decade of experience, she has designed, implemented, and advised on innovation programs ranging from hackathons and policy labs to large-scale facilities supporting entrepreneurs and ventures worldwide. She holds two Master's degrees in International Business and Politics from Copenhagen Business School [https://www.cbs.dk/en] and the London School of Economics [https://www.lse.ac.uk/]. Valentina began her career in tech startups and global corporations before moving into international cooperation, working on digital innovation, economic promotion, and climate impact for organizations such as GIZ [https://www.giz.de/en/html/index.html], BMZ [https://www.bmz.de/en/], and the European Commission [https://ec.europa.eu/info/index_en]. She has also facilitated more than 60 workshops on leadership, collaboration, and innovation for global teams. Resources Covered in the Episode Grad School & Fellowship Options * Central European University [https://www.ceu.edu/] * Fulbright Scholarships [https://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/] * Rotary Peace Fellowships [https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships] * Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford) [https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/] Recommended Reading and Influences * Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie [https://www.chimamanda.com/] – Nigerian novelist on perspective and intercultural wisdom * Adam Grant [https://www.adamgrant.com/] – "Challenge network" and productive conflict for innovation Innovation Methods & Frameworks * Design Thinking and Human-Centered Design [https://www.ideou.com/blogs/inspiration/what-is-design-thinking] * Organizational Development (Systemic approaches) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_development] * Process-Oriented Psychology (Mindell) [https://www.processwork.org/] PCDN Resources PCDN Resources Make your inbox amazing with our new Career Digest subscription [https://pcdnglobal.beehiiv.com/c/career-campus] option for less than the cost a cup of coffee per month. * Delivered 5–6 days a week, you'll get over 200 human curated opportunities every month—including jobs, fellowships, funding options, impact news, socent opps trainings, remote roles and more. * Whether you're just starting or looking to advance, this digest provides the world's best human-curated impact opportunities to fuel your career. * Interested in subscribing for a group or organization. Get in contact. Other Terrific PCDN Resources. Social Change Career Podcast: Access over 200 episodes featuring changemakers worldwide. Available at https://pcdn.global/listen [https://pcdn.global/listen] or any major podcast platform. Sign up for our Free AI for Impact Newsletter [https://impactai.beehiiv.com/] - Get amazing AI for Impact jobs, funding, consultancies, tools, tips and ethical insights. PCDN Free Weekly Impact Newsletter: Explore global social impact jobs, funding, and opportunities. Sign up here [https://pcdn-impact.beehiiv.com/]

E7 S15 Connecting Communities for Impact

*:first-child]:mt-0"> Episode 7 of Season 15 of The Social Change Career Podcast explores what it really looks like to link digital nomads to locally led community impact—moving beyond one-off volunteering toward consistent, ethical engagement. Hosted by Craig Zelizer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigzelizer/], the episode features Sabine Bouwmeester [https://co.linkedin.com/in/sabine-bm-socialworker], Director of Operations at Digital Nomads for Good [https://www.dnfg.org.uk/], sharing lessons from the field on partnerships, power dynamics, and practical ways globally mobile professionals can contribute meaningfully wherever they live. Why take a listen: * You want a practical framework for responsible giving-back as a digital nomad—time, skills, and money aligned to local priorities. * You're curious how to volunteer without reinforcing harmful dynamics (and how host orgs can structure roles that truly help). * You care about community-first models that can work in multiple cities, not just one neighborhood or one moment. * You're building an impact career and want a real example of how operations, fundraising, communications, and partnerships fit together in day-to-day social change work. * You want actionable next steps—where to plug in, what questions to ask, and how to support organizations doing long-term work. Resources covered in the episode * Digital Nomads for Good (website) [https://digitalnomadsforgood.com/] * Digital Nomads for Good (DNfG official site) [https://www.dnfg.org.uk/] * Digital Nomads for Good (Instagram) [https://www.instagram.com/dnfg_official/] * Get involved / donate [https://digitalnomadsforgood.com/get-involved/] * Children of Medellín – Fundación Caminos [https://www.childrenofmedellin.com/] * Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences [https://www.amsterdamuas.com/] * Sabine Bouwmeester (LinkedIn) [https://co.linkedin.com/in/sabine-bm-socialworker] Bio: Sabine Bouwmeester [https://co.linkedin.com/in/sabine-bm-socialworker] is a humanitarian and development professional with over nine years of experience across international development, community foundations, fundraising, and communications. She is currently Director of Operations at Digital Nomads for Good [https://digitalnomadsforgood.com/], supporting daily operations and partnerships that bridge international volunteers, donors, and locally led foundations in Colombia. You can connect with her here: https://lnkd.in/exf8z9mg [https://lnkd.in/exf8z9mg]. From 2019 to 2025, Sabine served as International Director at Children of Medellín – Fundación Caminos [https://www.childrenofmedellin.com/], a community foundation working with over 500 children in neighborhoods shaped by displacement and violence. Her work included international communication, fundraising, volunteer coordination, project design, and long-term community engagement. Earlier in her career, Sabine worked as a sports and movement professional, group fitness instructor, and sports broker in Amsterdam-Noord, using sport as a tool for inclusion, coaching, and youth engagement. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Cultural and Social Development from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences [https://www.amsterdamuas.com/], with a minor in International Social Development.