Episodes
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Since getting her first job in development right after graduating from college, Kendra Davenport knew that the nonprofit sector was where she belonged. Kendra shared that early in her career, “[I] realized how difficult it would be for me to work for a private sector company, as opposed to a nonprofit that really had a mission of helping and serving people.” Kendra has dedicated her career to mission-based NGOs with the purpose of serving those marginalized and in need, all while keeping her Catholic faith at the core of her personal, professional, and family practices.
On this episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, we welcome Kendra Davenport, President and CEO of Easterseals, a national organization leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through life-changing disability and community services. Kendra joins hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson and shares her story of faith, leadership, and service with our listeners.
About Kendra
Kendra E. Davenport, MPL, CFRE, is President and CEO of Easterseals. Kendra brings more than three decades of experience working exclusively in the nonprofit arena. She has managed several national development and communications portfolios, served as president of a nonprofit serving veterans’ families, and was a philanthropy and communications consultant to several national and international nonprofit organizations.
Previously, Kendra served as the chief development officer for Operation Smile, where she managed multichannel global philanthropy efforts, including domestic and international corporate fundraising, mass market and direct response, digital fundraising, major gifts and planned giving, community engagement, special events and partnerships, private sector grants, and government relations. Kendra possesses extensive management experience, having overseen more than 1,000 international staff across eighteen sub-Saharan countries while working for Africare, one of the largest African American founded and led nonprofits at the time. Much of Kendra’s career has been dedicated to facilitating the provision of critical services and interventions with organizations that include the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Alliance, Goodwill Industries, and The Arc Montgomery County.
Follow Kendra on:
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendradavenport/) @kendradavenport
Twitter (https://x.com/kendraedav) @kendraedav
Learn more about Easterseals on their website, www.easterseals.com, or on social media:
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/easterseals) @easterseals
Twitter (https://x.com/eastersealshq) @eastersealshq
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/eastersealshq/) @eastersealshq
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/easterseals/) @easterseals
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/easterseals1) @easterseals1 -
“Have you ever thought about being a sister?” That simple invitation from a religious sister became a call to consecrated religious life for Dr. Carol Zinn, SSJ. Looking back on her life, Dr. Zinn, a religious sister with the Sisters of Saint Joseph, sees a series of invitations to which she responded “yes,” each of which shaped her vocation, career, and spirituality.
On this episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson talk with Dr. Zinn who today is Executive Director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR). She draws back the curtain on the state of religious life in the United States and provides a candid look at how discernment, charism, and vocation are shaping the landscape of consecrated and religious life in the 21st century. Dr. Zinn also provides insight into her work at the U.N., working for global peace.
About Sr. Carol
Dr. Carol Zinn, a sister of St. Joseph from Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA has ministered in education as a teacher, professor, religious educator, sacramental coordinator, and music minister. Dr. Zinn holds a Doctorate in Curriculum Development and Education Foundations from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
Dr. Zinn worked in grassroots-based international movements as consultant and facilitator. In particular, she worked on the United Religions Initiative and the Earth Charter. Dr. Zinn served as the main representative for the Congregations of St. Joseph, an NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations. She represented over 15,000 Sisters of St. Joseph who live and minister in 57 countries. Dr. Zinn also worked as the Education Program Director for Global Education Associates, a non-governmental organization working to further global systemic change.
Dr. Zinn served on her Congregation’s leadership team and in the Presidency of Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) from 2012-2015. Currently, Carol serves as the Executive Director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.
You can learn more about the Sisters of Saint Joseph on their website (https://ssjphila.org/), www.ssjphila.org, and on social media:
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ssjphiladelphia/) @ssjphiladelphia
X (https://x.com/ssjphila) @ssjphila
You can learn more about LCWR on their website, www.lcwr.org (http://www.lcwr.org), and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/lcwr.org) @lcwr.org. -
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Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta (now Kolkata) has left an indelible impact on the Church, the world, and the life of Jim Towey. What began as a one-day stop in Kolkata to meet the renowned sister ended up transforming Jim’s life and forming an enduring, close friendship between the lawyer and the nun. Today, Jim credits much of who he is to Mother Teresa and the lessons she taught him.
On this episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson welcome Jim Towey, author of To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa. Jim offers a glimpse into his close friendship with Mother Teresa, sharing leadership lessons she modeled, as well as her spiritual struggles, and her lifelong calling to serve those experiencing poverty.
Jim also shares about his time working in the White House as head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and how his work with Mother Teresa led him to create Aging with Dignity, the organization he founded to bring advocacy and support to end-of-life issues and planning.
About Jim
Jim Towey was a trusted advisor and personal friend of Mother Teresa of Calcutta for 12 years and did the first reading at her Mass of Canonization in Saint Peter’s Square. He has been pro bono legal counsel to the Missionaries of Charity for 38 years.
He previously headed the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under George W. Bush for four years and served on his senior staff. His career spans the presidency of two Catholic colleges for thirteen years, a seven-year stint as a US Senate staffer, and the leadership of Florida’s 40,000-employee Health and Human Services agency. In 1996, with Mother Teresa’s encouragement, he founded the nonprofit advocacy organization Aging with Dignity and created the Five Wishes Advance Directive, which has sold over 40 million copies. He currently serves as the organization’s CEO.
Towey is the recipient of seven honorary doctorate degrees, including ones from Catholic University of America and Franciscan University. In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II awarded him a papal medal for distinguished service. He currently is a trustee of The Papal Foundation.
In 2022, Towey authored To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa, published by Simon and Schuster, which is now available in five languages. He and his wife Mary are donating the book’s royalties to charities affiliated with the saint’s work. Towey met his wife in Mother Teresa’s Washington D.C. AIDS home and married her in 1992. They have five children and three grandchildren and reside in Falls Church, Virginia.
To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa can be purchased through Simon and Schuster (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/To-Love-and-Be-Loved/Jim-Towey/9781982195632).
You can find Jim’s blog at agingwithdignity.org/jim-toweys-blog (https://agingwithdignity.org/jim-toweys-blog/).
You can learn more about Aging with Dignity at agingwithdignity.org.
You can follow Aging with Dignity on:
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/agingwdignity) @agingwdignity
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/agingwithdignity) @agingwithdignity
You can learn more about the Five Wishes program at www.fivewishes.org (https://www.fivewishes.org/).
You can follow Five Wishes on:
Five Wishes (https://www.facebook.com/5WishesOrg/) @5wishesorg
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/5wishesorg/) @5wishesorg
Twitter (https://twitter.com/5wishesorg) @5wishesorg
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNgZvSBrRPXWAQJ0twyYCNg) @UCNgZvSBrRPXWAQJ0twyYCNg -
Moments when success may seem elusive are moments where Dr. Hosffman Ospino sees opportunity for innovation. Dr. Ospino is a professor, writer, and researcher in the fields of theology, religious education, and Catholic Hispanic/Latino ministry. Dr. Ospino is a leading scholar in the conversations surrounding how to engage young adults in the Church, how to grow and foster greater Hispanic/Latino leadership, and how to create a healthy, thriving Catholic Church.
Join us for the latest episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, where our hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson sit down with Dr. Ospino. Dr. Ospino shares insights into what he has learned through his research surrounding ministry and engagement with Hispanic/Latino Catholics, his work teaching and forming young adults, his leadership in the V Encuentro, and two exciting projects he’s piloting at Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry to support Hispanic/Latino leaders: “Nuevo Momento” and “Haciendo Caminos.”
About Hosffman:
Hosffman Ospino, PhD, serves as Professor of Theology and Religious Education and Chair of the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College, Clough School of Theology and Ministry. His research explores the relationship between faith and culture, and how that relationship shapes Catholic ministerial and educational efforts. Dr. Ospino has served as the principal investigator for several national studies on Hispanic Catholics. He is the director of Boston College’s five-year national initiative “Nuevo Momento: Leadership and Capacity Building for Ministerial Organizations Serving Hispanic Catholics” (2024-2028) and one of the principal investigators for the project “Haciendo Caminos: Theological Education for New Generations of U.S. Latino/a Catholics” (2023-2027), in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame.
He was instrumental in developing core resources for and designing the process guiding the Fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry (2018). Dr. Ospino is a prolific writer with more than 20 books and 250 articles, both academic and general. He is Past-President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS) and is currently an officer of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA). He is actively involved in ministry with his family in the Archdiocese of Boston.
You can follow Dr. Ospino on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hosffman.ospino/) @hosffman.ospino and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hosffman-ospino-598a44206/): @hosffman-ospino-598a44206.
You can learn more about Dr. Ospino on Boston College, Clough School of Theology and Ministry’s website (https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/stm/faculty/faculty-directory/hosffman-ospino.html).
You can follow Boston College, Clough School of Theology and Ministry on:
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bcstm/) @bcstm
Twitter / X (https://twitter.com/bcstm) @bcstm
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bcstm/) @bcstm
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-college-school-of-theology-and-ministry/) @boston-college-school-of-theology-and-ministry
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@bcstm/featured) @bcstm -
Gloria Purvis didn’t set out to be an author, commentator, and the host of a popular Catholic podcast. But as she says, “the Lord has a funny sense of humor.”
Join us for the first episode of Season 2 of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, where we talk with Gloria about how her faith in God’s plan for her life has steered her career from real estate finance to journalism and advocacy. In this episode, we will delve into her work to promote racial and social justice in the Church and our world through The Gloria Purvis Podcast and how she still applies the lessons of working in finance to hosting her show and having synodal, listening conversations about her faith.
Follow Gloria on X (Twitter) @gloria_purvis (https://twitter.com/gloria_purvis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) and on Instagram @iamgloriapurvis (https://www.instagram.com/iamgloriapurvis).
Learn more about The Gloria Purvis Podcast (https://www.americamagazine.org/voices/gloria-purvis-podcast) on americamagazine.org and listen on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gloria-purvis-podcast/id1566614456) and Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/30CM6AMWHGr2LPEEbD7kEb?si=35baa9f435d94f1e&nd=1&dlsi=5889d9ac37094a72).
View full show notes at https://www.leadershiproundtable.org/podcast (https://leadershiproundtable.org/news/?openDrawer=https%3A%2F%2Fleadershiproundtable.org%2Fdrawer%2Fthe-catholic-leaders-podcast%2F). -
Season 2 of The Catholic Leaders Podcast is here! This season, Leadership Roundtable and Catholic Charities USA are partnering to bring you interviews with esteemed Catholic leaders doing renowned work in synodality, outreach, and community building. Join our hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson for these conversations you won’t want to miss!
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It’s the season one finale of The Catholic Leaders Podcast! As we wrap up an amazing season, Kim and Kerry sit down to reflect on this incredible first season of the podcast and what’s to come. Both hosts share about recent personal experiences of discernment and transition, from Kim’s recent pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago to Kerry taking on the role of President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work and for full show notes. www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
Nicola Brady, Ph.D., is the General Secretary for Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. She previously served as the General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches and Joint Secretary of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting where she facilitated relationship-building between Christian churches in Ireland and collaborative action on issues of shared concern to member churches.
Brady has particular experience in the area of faith-based peace-building in Ireland and internationally, including human rights advocacy, support to victims/survivors, facilitation of civic dialogue, community engagement with policing, and research across a broad range of issues relevant to reconciliation. She is vice chair of the Board of the Christian Aid Ireland and a board member of the Maximilian Kolbe Foundation, which works to extend the lessons of German-Polish reconciliation post-World War II to other conflict areas.
In 2017, Brady took part in an international workshop organized by the Catholic Bishops of Germany and Colombia to support the peace process in Colombia, engaging with victims and survivors, armed actors, NGOs and faith communities. In 2019, she became an Eisenhower Fellow and undertook a professional development program in the US with a focus on developing the capacity of the faith sector to promote social cohesion in communities divided by race, violence, political polarization and socio-economic inequality. She is currently chairing the Steering Committee for the Synodal Pathway of the Catholic Church in Ireland. She has a BA in European Studies from Trinity College Dublin. Her Ph.D., also from Trinity College Dublin, examined the response of the Catholic hierarchy to political violence in Northern Ireland (1921-1973) and the Basque Country (1936-1975).
Brady’s recent publications include The Churches, Reconciliation and Addressing the Legacy of Intercommunal Violence in Northern Ireland, Glencree Journal (2021), 92-102 — co-authored with Dr Gladys Ganiel, Queen’s University Belfast and Pulling Together or Pulling Apart: Perspectives on Nationhood, Identity and Belonging in Europe (Peter Lang, 2019) — co-edited with Dr. Susana Bayó Belenguer, Trinity College Dublin.
You can learn more about Churches Together in Britain and Ireland on their website, https://ctbi.org.uk/, or on social media:
Facebook: @CTBIshare
Instagram: @CTBImedia
Twitter: @CTBI
You can learn more about The Synodal Pathway of the Catholic Church in Ireland on their website, https://synod.ie/, or on social media:
Facebook: @synodalpathway
Twitter: @synodalpathway
In this episode, we touch on:
* The efforts for peace, accountability, and synodality in Ireland and worldwide
* Uniting Christians worldwide
* Catholic young adult perspective -
Trigger Warning: Suicide is briefly mentioned in this episode.
Ellen Koneck is the Executive Director of Commonweal, a Catholic, lay-led publication committed to hosting thought-provoking discussions surrounding faith, public affairs, and the arts through their magazine, website, podcast, and live and virtual events. In our latest episode, Ellen joins our hosts Kerry Robinson and Kim Smolik to discuss female, young adult, and lay leadership and engagement in the Church.
You can follow Ellen on:
LinkedIn @Ellen Koneck
Facebook @ellen.koneck
Instagram @ellenkoneck
Twitter @ellen_koneck
You can learn more about Commonweal at https://www.commonwealmagazine.org or on their social media platforms:
LinkedIn: @commonwealmagazine
Facebook @commonwealmagazine
Instagram:@commonwealmagazine
Twitter: @commonwealmag
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work and for full show notes. www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ made history when she was named Undersecretary for the Synod and became the first woman to ever hold a voting role at a Synod of Bishops. Don’t miss our inspiring conversation with Sr. Nathalie about women, leadership, and the important role of mentorship for leaders on the latest episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast!
Follow Sister Nathalie on Twitter: @SrNatB
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work and for full show notes. www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
In this month’s episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, Kerry Robinson and Kim Smolik sit down with Dr. Kathleen McChesney, CEO of Kinsale Consulting. Kathleen’s years of experience in criminal justice and child protection makes for an inspiring and unique conversation. In this episode, Kathleen discusses co-responsible leadership in decision-making — especially with regard to women, protecting children and vulnerable adults — and maintaining hope in the midst of challenging times.
You can learn more about Kathleen’s work at Kinsale Consulting at www.KinsaleMgmt.com.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work and for full show notes. www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
Welcome to the Catholic Leaders Podcast! In this episode, our Executive Partners Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson sit down with Amy Goldman, CEO and Chair of GHR Foundation. Kim, Kerry, and Amy talk about philanthropic work, Pope Francis’ leadership, and the power of working together as a co-responsible Church.
You can learn more about GHR Foundation at https://www.ghrfoundation.org/.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work! www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
Welcome to The Catholic Leaders Podcast! In this episode, our Executive Partners Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson talk with Sr. Teresa Maya about God's call to accompany one another in our vocations, the vital role of women religious, and the transformative power of inclusive leadership.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work! www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
Welcome to The Catholic Leaders Podcast! In this episode, our Executive Partners Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson talk with Fr. James Martin about welcoming those at the margins, the value of diversity, and young adult participation.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work! www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
Welcome to The Catholic Leaders Podcast! In this episode, our Executive Partners Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson talk with Kim Daniels about faith, leadership, and Pope Francis's impact on the Church.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work! www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable
Instagram: @LeadershipRoundtable
Twitter: @leadershipround
LinkedIn: @leadershiproundtable -
Welcome to The Catholic Leaders Podcast! Be sure to subscribe so that you never miss an episode.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Leadership Roundtable.
Visit our website to learn more about our work: www.leadershiproundtable.org.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @LeadershipRoundtable (https://www.facebook.com/LeadershipRoundtable)
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