Between Ideals and Impact: The Reality of Building Better Cities

Too Costly to Build: The Missing Middle in California Housing

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Louis Mirante, Senior Vice President of Public Policy at the Bay Area Council and former Legislative Director at California YIMBY, to discuss the policies, costs, and trade-offs shaping California’s housing crisis. Louis shares insights from his work on major housing legislation, including SB 79. He explains how zoning […]

Between Ideals and Impact: The Reality of Building Better Cities

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Dr. Nader Afzalan, Founder of The Triangle and Director of Sustainable Environmental Design at UC Berkeley, to discuss how data-driven program design can improve outcomes in housing, climate resilience, and economic development. Nader shares insights from his work advising governments and building California’s first statewide homelessness data system, […]

Engineering Hope: Inside the Global Clean Water Movement

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Seda Arzumanyan, Former Chief Development Officer at Water for Good, to discuss how sustainable water infrastructure and community-led solutions are expanding access to clean water in some of the world’s most fragile regions. Seda shares insights into Water for Good’s work across countries such as the Central African […]

Fixing the Flow: How California Is Reimagining Water Equity with Greg Pierce and Grace Harrison

In this episode, Greg Pierce, Director of UCLA’s Human Right to Water Solutions Lab, and Grace Harrison, Project Manager at the Luskin Center for Innovation, join Sarah Johnson to explore how California is advancing water equity through policy, innovation, and community advocacy. From small rural systems in the Central Valley to climate-driven challenges in cities, […]

The Case for Impact Investing in Affordable Housing with Rachel Mavrothalasitis

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Rachel Mavrothalisitis, founder and principal at Reach & Root Partners, to explore how impact investing in affordable housing is creating stability, preventing homelessness, and shaping healthier, more resilient communities. About Our Guest Rachel Mavrothalisitis is the Founder and Principal of Reach & Root Partners, an advisory firm that […]