At a moment of inequality and division, who is advancing the vanguard of economic and social progress to bolster underserved communities? Whose work is fostering the inclusive growth that ensures every individual thrives? Who will set the ambitious standards that mobilize whole industries, challenging their peers to reach new altitudes of social impact? 

In 2025, Impact Next — an editorial flagship series from NationSwell — will spotlight the standard-bearing corporate social responsibility and impact leaders, entrepreneurs, experts, and philanthropists whose catalytic work has the potential to shape the landscape of progress amid urgent need for social and economic action.

For this installment, NationSwell interviewed Brian Tippens, Senior Vice President and Chief Social Impact Strategist at Cisco.

Greg Behrman, CEO and founder, NationSwell: What brought you into social impact work? Was there a moment, a relationship, or an experience that galvanized your commitment to driving bold action?

Brian Tippens, Senior Vice President and Chief Social Impact & Inclusion Officer, Cisco: I’ve always been the type of person naive enough to believe that I could change the world and do well by doing good — I’ve been focused on community all my life. I grew up in West Oakland, California, with hardworking parents who sacrificed to send my sisters and me to Catholic school across town. That parochial upbringing emphasized giving back, lifelong learning, and making an impact. My early career started in technology, but I went to law school—not to practice law, but to be a more empowered IT professional. I worked in legal roles at Intel and Hewlett-Packard, but quickly realized the work was transactional and adversarial, and it didn’t satisfy my need for purpose.

That realization led me to pivot into supplier diversity, overseeing procurement programs to increase spend with minority- and women-owned businesses. From then on, every role I’ve taken has centered on creating impact while also tying that impact to business value.

Both of my parents were from small towns in East Texas, though they met later on the West Coast, where their families had moved for work. They weren’t college educated initially — my mother eventually earned a degree later in life — but they modeled a deep commitment to education, lifelong learning, self-improvement, family, and community. Those values shaped me profoundly, and their sacrifices to send us through Catholic school and university reinforced the importance of staying connected to both community and impact.

Behrman, NationSwell: As you think back on what you’ve learned on your leadership journey, are there any particular principles, approaches, or ideas that are central to your brand of leadership? 

Tippens, Cisco: Earlier in my career at HP, I led supplier diversity within the procurement team. It was my first move from individual contributor to people manager, and at the time social media was just emerging. I leaned in, building a reputation as a thought leader in entrepreneurship, small business, and procurement. I was spending a lot of time at trade shows, on stages, and in industry press, earning awards and recognition for both myself and the company. At first I shared those wins with my team and boss, but eventually I worried it might seem self-serving and stopped talking about them.

That changed during an offsite when my boss pulled me aside. I braced for criticism about spending too much time outside the company, but instead he said: ‘I wish all my leaders were seen as thought leaders — can you teach your peers to do what you do?’ It was a wake-up call to embrace my strengths rather than hide them. Since then, leaning into your superpowers — and fighting imposter syndrome — has become a cornerstone of my leadership philosophy. I see myself as a player-coach: mentoring and educating my team, but also rolling up my sleeves to work alongside them.

One of the lessons I often share is, never waste a good crisis. In impact work, challenges and controversies are inevitable. I encourage my team to view tough moments as opportunities: to rethink processes, update policies, adapt to change, and even raise our visibility by helping steer the company through uncertainty. Crises, if approached with that mindset, can become catalysts for growth and impact.

Behrman, NationSwell: Is there a particular program, signature initiative, or some facet of the work that you would like to spotlight for us that is driving outcomes for the work?

Tippens, Cisco: One area I’m especially proud of is Cisco’s crisis response work. For more than 20 years, our Crisis Response Team has deployed technology to connect first responders during natural disasters, from earthquakes in Morocco to wildfires in California. We use everything from suitcase-sized kits that can be carried on a plane to full-scale network emergency response vehicles with satellite capabilities. Increasingly, this work extends to refugee crises as well. In Syria, Ukraine, and now Burundi, we’ve seen connectivity become the first request — on par with food, water, and shelter — as people need Wi-Fi to reach loved ones, access financial services, and search for jobs. Today, nearly a thousand Cisco employees volunteer as part of this extended response network, many of them trained engineers who put themselves on the frontlines.

We’ve also built on this by creating a more deliberate approach to societal issue response. Many companies struggle to speak out on geopolitical and social issues without appearing reactive or inconsistent. Our goal is to provide a clear framework and governance process so that when crises arise, we can respond thoughtfully, consistently, and with impact. It’s not perfect — every situation is different — but it keeps us from reacting only by instinct or pressure in the moment.

Looking ahead, we’ve also set a bold new goal in honor of Cisco’s 40th anniversary to help build 40 connected, resilient, thriving communities over the next decade. By bringing together all of our resources — employee volunteerism, nonprofit partnerships, digital skills training, and the strength of our customer network — we aim to drive long-term, place-based systems change. It’s still early days, but this vision of combining Cisco’s full power with that of our partners is one of the efforts I’m most excited about.

Behrman, NationSwell: Of the socially motivated leaders you consider your peers, who are 2-3 whose work has inspired you and whom you hold in high esteem?

Tippens, Cisco: The first mentor I’ll mention is John Hope Bryant, the founder of Operation Hope in Atlanta, has been a friend for decades. He launched the organization after the Rodney King riots, recognizing that much of the destruction was to property people didn’t own. His mission became advancing financial literacy and dignity, helping check-cashing customers become bank account holders and renters become owners. Through initiatives like Banking on Our Future and Hope Inside Centers, his organization has grown tremendously, offering financial education and credit counseling to empower communities. What has always impressed me is his singularity of purpose: he lives and breathes impact through financial literacy, and I’ve tried to model that same alignment with core values in my own work.

Then there’s Hugh Evans, the founder of Global Citizen, which mobilizes people worldwide through music and campaigns. From him, I’ve taken the power of setting bold, audacious goals — the kind that feel almost impossible at first. His mission to eradicate poverty in our lifetime is a prime example, and it’s inspired me to embrace moonshot thinking in my own approach to impact.

Behrman, NationSwell: Are there any resources you’d recommend — books, podcasts, Ted talks — that have influenced your thinking that might influence others as well?

Tippens, Cisco: Related to my mantra of never wasting a good crisis is The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek, which reframes leadership as an ongoing, long-term pursuit rather than a short-term contest. It reminds me not to get caught up in the turbulence of today, but to focus on building resilience over time.

I also often return to Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove. During my years at Intel, when Grove was still there, it was required reading. His insights on strategic paranoia — anticipating crises and preparing for disruption — have stayed with me. Similarly, The HP Way by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard shaped my approach during my years at HP. It emphasized people-first leadership: management by walking around, open-door policies, and the belief that people are inherently good and capable of succeeding if given the right conditions.

Together, these books reinforce the core of my leadership style: long-term vision, readiness for disruption, and a people-centered philosophy that empowers teams to thrive.