Topic: Equity and inclusion

Five Minutes with… the Center for Audit Quality

Posted on by Brianna Provenzano

At a moment when the accounting profession faces both a shrinking talent pipeline and an urgent need to diversify who enters the field, the Center for Audit Quality’s Accounting+ program is reshaping perceptions of what a career in accounting could look like. 

Launched as a profession-wide response to longstanding recruiting challenges, Accounting+ meets students where they are to spotlight the dynamic, impactful opportunities that exist within the accounting profession. Now in its fifth year, CAQ’s 2025 Annual Report shows that Accounting+ has strengthened awareness and engagement with accounting careers through data-driven content, strategic partnerships, and sustained outreach that reflects real student interests and aspirations. 

For this installment of 5 Minutes With, NationSwell sat down with Liz Barentzen — Vice President of Operations and Talent Initiatives at the Center for Audit Quality — to talk about how, against a backdrop of declining accounting graduates and broader enrollment pressures, Accounting+ is not just raising visibility for the profession but also helping to rewrite its narrative for the next generation of talent.

Here’s what she had to say:

NationSwell: What specific gap have you identified in the types of applicants the accounting profession typically attracts that made a broad, student-facing awareness campaign feel necessary? How has the Accounting+ program sought to address that gap?

Liz Barentzen, CAQ: The accounting profession was facing a dual challenge: a shrinking talent pipeline overall and persistent underrepresentation of Black, Latino, and other students of color. But what made a broad, student-facing campaign feel necessary — rather than just more targeted recruitment — was the data on awareness. Many students, particularly those without family connections to business or professional services, simply didn’t have accounting on their radar as a viable, appealing career path. They associated it with tax prep or number-crunching, not with the strategic advisory work, global mobility, or earning potential the profession actually offers.

So Accounting+ was designed to intervene earlier and more broadly — to shift perceptions before students make decisions about majors or career tracks. We’re working to widen who even considers accounting, not just compete for students already headed toward business fields.

NationSwell: You’ve described Accounting+ as working in two major buckets: large-scale brand awareness and in-classroom activation. How do those two strategies reinforce each other in practice, and where have you seen the strongest shifts in student perception?

Liz Barentzen, CAQ: The large-scale brand awareness work — think digital campaigns, influencer partnerships, broad-reach content — creates cultural receptivity. It plants the seed that accounting is something worth paying attention to. But awareness alone doesn’t give students the information or confidence to actually pursue it.

That’s where the in-classroom activation comes in, primarily through our partnership with EVERFI. We’ve reached nearly 260,000 students across thousands of high schools with a curriculum that goes deeper — explaining what accountants actually do, the variety of career paths, the earning potential and stability.

And critically, it doesn’t stop at awareness. When these previously primed students come to the Accounting+ website, they’re offered concrete next steps — internships, scholarships, programs that help them continue the journey. So we’re not just inspiring interest and then leaving students to figure it out on their own. We’re building a pathway from “I didn’t know this was an option” to “here’s how I actually get there.”

Some of the strongest perception shifts we’ve seen are around long-term earning potential and career stability. Students are starting to see accounting as a path to financial security — not just a boring desk job that requires advanced mathematics.

NationSwell: What has your research revealed about how students’ priorities are changing over time, and how has Accounting+ — and your messaging strategy — adapted in response?

Liz Barentzen, CAQ: Our longitudinal research has tracked a real shift. When we first launched the campaign, the messages that resonated most were about accounting as a pathway to starting your own business or giving back to your community. Students were drawn to the autonomy and purpose narratives.

Now, what’s landing is stability and long-term security. When we ask high school students what matters most in a career, long-term earning potential outranks starting salary — 68.5% prioritize it. They’re thinking about financial trajectory, not just what they’d make in year one.

That shift likely reflects the broader environment these students are coming of age in — economic uncertainty, headlines about layoffs and AI disruption, watching their families navigate instability.

So, our messaging has adapted accordingly. We’re still telling the full story of what accounting offers, but we’re leading with the durability of the career path, the flexibility it provides, and the financial foundation it builds. We’re meeting students where their priorities actually are, not where we assumed they’d be.

NationSwell: Accounting+ has been explicit about reaching students with the least exposure to accounting; what are the mechanics you employ to ensure that the campaign is widening the funnel rather than simply reaching students already on a professional track?

Liz Barentzen, CAQ: This is something we’re deliberate about. The mechanics include: partnering with 38+ state CPA societies to reach schools in communities with less exposure to professional services; working through EVERFI to deploy curriculum in Title I schools and districts we wouldn’t otherwise access; and ensuring our digital content doesn’t just target business-oriented students but reaches broader interest categories.

We also track who we’re reaching. If our data showed we were just preaching to the choir—students already in AP Economics or DECA — we’d know something was off. What we’re seeing instead is engagement from students who didn’t have accounting anywhere in their consideration set before encountering our content. The goal is exposure equity: giving students the same information about this career that kids with accountant parents or professional networks get at the dinner table.

NationSwell: As AI reshapes the accounting profession and companies rethink entry-level hiring, how are you reframing the value proposition of accounting for students today?

Liz Barentzen, CAQ: This is the live tension right now. Students are hearing headlines about AI replacing jobs and firms pulling back on entry-level hiring. If we’re not careful, the narrative becomes “why would I pursue a profession that’s automating itself out of existence?”

Our reframe is this: accounting skills are foundational to understanding how any organization works—financially, operationally, strategically. AI will change how accountants work, but it increases the need for people who can interpret, advise, and exercise judgment. The profession is shifting from compliance and data processing toward analysis and strategy.

We’re also honest with students that the entry-level landscape is evolving, and we’re working with firms and educators to ensure there are clear pathways in. But the core value proposition — financial literacy, career stability, multiple exit options, strong earning trajectory — remains sound. We just have to tell that story with more nuance now.

NationSwell: Your annual report shows accounting enrollments growing significantly faster than overall college enrollment, driven largely by Black and Latino students. What does that data tell you about what’s working — and what still needs to change to sustain this momentum long-term?

Liz Barentzen, CAQ: The headline is striking: accounting enrollments grew 13.9% while overall undergraduate enrollment grew just 5.2% — and that growth was driven disproportionately by Black and Latino students. Accounting programs are outperforming national trends across all demographic groups.

What does that tell us? First, that the awareness investment is working. When students know about a career path and see people like them succeeding in it, they pursue it. Second, that the profession’s efforts on diversity and inclusion — however imperfect — are registering with students. They’re voting with their enrollment decisions.

But to sustain this? We need to ensure students don’t just enroll — they persist, they pass the CPA exam, they get hired, they advance. That’s where the ecosystem needs to keep evolving. The pipeline is widening, but the profession has to be ready to receive and develop this talent. That’s the next chapter.

Liz Barentzen, CAQ: Is there anything else that feels important to mention?

First, Accounting+ is a coalition effort — major firms, state societies, educators, NABA Inc., AICPA, and more. That’s unusual in professional pipeline work, and it’s been essential to our scale and credibility. When students see the whole profession showing up, not just one firm recruiting for itself, it signals something different.

Second, we’re at the five-year mark, and we’ve seen meaningful movement. But this isn’t a problem you solve in five years. The question now is how we sustain momentum, continue adapting to a changing landscape, and ensure this generation of students has the support they need all the way through — from awareness to enrollment to career success.

Impact Next: An interview with Deloitte’s Dana O’Donovan

Posted on by Brianna Provenzano

In moments of challenge and opportunity, who is advancing the vanguard of economic and social progress? Whose work is fostering growth that helps to ensure individuals thrive? Who will set the ambitious standards that mobilize whole industries, challenging their peers to reach new altitudes of social impact? 

In 2026, Impact Next — an editorial flagship series from NationSwell — will spotlight the standard-bearing impact leaders, entrepreneurs, experts, and philanthropists whose catalytic work has the potential to shape the landscape of progress.

For this installment, NationSwell interviewed Dana O’Donovan, US Purpose leader at Deloitte.

NationSwell: What brought you to the field that you’re in right now? Was there an early moment, a relationship, or an experience that galvanized your commitment to driving bold action?

Dana O’Donovan, Deloitte: I didn’t realize it at the time, but the genesis of my work really began when I was adopted at three weeks old, which completely changed the trajectory of my life. I was adopted by wonderful parents and given every opportunity to fulfill my potential and succeed.

As I got older, that personal experience became deeply formative; it drove a passion in me around the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background or the circumstances of their birth. I’m very aware that my life could have turned out very differently — that I could just as easily have been someone the nonprofit sector exists to serve; that awareness has stayed with me.

When I first started my career, I was focused almost entirely on client service. I came from corporate and business unit strategy, worked in strategy consulting, and then shifted into client service work for nonprofits and foundations (I used to joke that my two jobs were horse camp counselor and consultant).

About 18 years ago, I took an in-house role at a nonprofit, and that experience fundamentally changed my perspective. It gave me a deep appreciation for how hard day-to-day operations are, especially in the nonprofit space. Strategy, I realized, is often the easy part — implementation and operations are where the real challenges live.

When I returned to client service after that, it changed how I worked. Strategy still mattered, but I became much more focused on how it connected to what teams actually do every day, and that mindset has guided me ever since. I’ve held hybrid roles since then, never fully leaving client service but adding management and leadership responsibilities over time.

That blend of experiences ultimately led me to my current role, and it’s what energizes me most today: drawing on that full arc of experience to lead with both vision and practicality.

NationSwell: What are some touchstones that you have for yourself from that past experience that you’re bringing into how you’re leading now?

O’Donovan, Deloitte: I think one of the core roles of any leader is shaping vision and strategy — but it’s just as important to understand the operational reality your team is living in. You have to stay close enough to the day-to-day to help remove obstacles, spot opportunities, and keep the work moving as effectively and efficiently as possible. We often underestimate how much time and energy it takes just to keep the trains running on time; that’s something I learned very clearly during my nonprofit experience, and it’s stayed with me.

I also believe deeply in the power of communication. It’s almost impossible to over-communicate with your team — about what’s exciting you, what you’re seeing in the broader landscape, and where you think things are headed, both externally and inside the organization. We actually have a standing agenda item in our team meetings called “Dana’s downloads,” where I share those reflections. It’s a good reminder for me to keep doing that consistently.

There’s no denying how much is happening in the world right now, but I also see this moment as one of extraordinary opportunity. New technologies and capabilities are opening up possibilities we couldn’t imagine before, and I’m seeing a growing willingness to engage in bolder, more meaningful collaboration to drive impact.

On the corporate side, purpose is increasingly a market driver — it’s no longer something adjacent or optional; it’s core. At Deloitte, we see growth and purpose as deeply linked, and that connection helps us stay relevant in a world that’s moving incredibly fast.

I feel fortunate to have a front-row seat to this moment — through my role at Deloitte, through our client work across industries, and through conversations with leaders across the NationSwell community. I’m encouraged by how many organizations are finding new ways to make purpose central to their strategies and to collaborate beyond what any one organization could do alone. That kind of creativity and collaboration is really the only way we’re going to meet this moment — and it’s where I see real possibility for lasting impact.

NationSwell: Is there a particular lever you’re pulling or an approach that you have to that work that you think sets it up for success? 

O’Donovan, Deloitte: I do think we’re seeing more meaningful multi-sector collaboration than in the past. We’ve talked about collaboration for years, but it hasn’t always been as common or as effective as it needs to be. The reality is that the challenges trying to be solved are far too complex for any single organization — even one as large as Deloitte — to tackle alone.

That’s why focus matters. Organizations need clarity on the issue areas they’re committed to. But the real power of corporate purpose lies in how we show up. It’s not funding alone, which will always be modest compared to large foundations; it’s not talent engagement, pro bono work, or skills-based volunteering on their own. Impact comes from intentionally combining those assets.

At Deloitte, that “how” is grounded in place-based, issue-driven ecosystems. A strong example is the Yes San Francisco urban sustainability challenge, launched in 2023 as a collaboration among Deloitte, Salesforce, the World Economic Forum, and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. The aim was to support local urban sustainability innovators in developing solutions to help revitalize the city post-COVID, and in doing so build a more resilient economy.

That work has since evolved into a broader blueprint called Yes/Cities, focused on using cross-sector collaboration to drive sustainable change in cities globally. We’re not creating the solutions — we’re creating the conditions to help local innovators succeed.

One key lesson from San Francisco: Strong ecosystems require collaborators across sectors, each bringing distinct skills, resources, and networks. Place-based work also has to be community-centered — designed by, for, and with the people closest to the challenges. That means leading with questions, listening deeply, and building alongside communities rather than arriving with answers.

NationSwell: What’s defining the current social and economic environment that we’re in — what are the trends that you’re currently seeing, and what’s giving you hope?

O’Donovan, Deloitte: I think we still need to push ourselves to think about innovation not just for what’s required right now, but for what nonprofits will need five or ten years down the road. That’s especially true as we think about the commitments we’re making to help the social sector meet this moment from a technology perspective.

We’ve spoken with dozens of nonprofit leaders about their technology challenges and opportunities, and what’s clear is that they’re not naïve about the potential of tools like AI or integrated systems to help transform their work. The challenge isn’t awareness — it’s capacity. It’s not just about access to a platform; it’s about having the technical talent and resources to customize, maintain, and continually adapt those systems to their specific models.

As a result, technology takes up an enormous amount of nonprofit leaders’ mindshare — often at the expense of their core mission. I would love to help lower that burden so leaders can spend more time focused on impact. This is where Deloitte can play a valuable role. We bring deep experience in the social impact space alongside the scale and sophistication of our broader technology capabilities — the same kinds of platforms and support we provide to corporate clients.

Talking about innovation and potential isn’t enough if we can’t translate it into something usable and practical. The real opportunity is connecting technology to day-to-day operations in a way that helps organizations work more effectively, more efficiently, and stay deeply mission-focused. That’s the gap I’m most excited to help close.

NationSwell: What advice do you have for others about how they can lean in and use their superpowers to help the nonprofit sector?

O’Donovan, Deloitte: One thing I believe very deeply — and anyone on my team will tell you I say this all the time — is that Deloitte can do almost anything. But the real question isn’t what we can do — it’s what we should uniquely do to be most helpful.

I think we’re past the era of check-the-box corporate philanthropy: writing a check, running employee giving campaigns, and calling it a day. That work mattered, but we’ve learned so much more about the real superpowers corporations can bring to the table. When you do deep listening — when you talk to communities, engage people on the ground, and really understand what’s needed — you get fundamentally different answers.

That’s when you’re able to focus on what your organization is uniquely positioned to contribute. Because while you can do a lot of things, not all of them add up to the kind of change this moment actually demands.

NationSwell: How do you cultivate purpose within your team? How do you help people understand their purpose and feel guided by that?

O’Donovan, Deloitte: I think the good news about Deloitte is that we’ve cared about impact for more than 180 years. We’re starting from a place of real strength. For me, my role is about continuing to evolve that purpose in line with the moment we’re in.

A big part of that is making sure there’s as little daylight as possible between our ambitions and how we actually show up. When I think about our investments, commitments, and social impact work, we’re focused on sustainability, opportunity, and trust — areas aimed at creating positive impact in our organization and in our communities genuinely make sense for us. My work has been about sharpening that focus: aligning our portfolio with those priorities and doing the work with communities, not for them, and never alone.

Our senior leaders share this commitment and believe deeply in strengthening local efforts, convening decision-makers, and facilitating collaboration across sectors. That’s really shaped our approach — not just what we focus on, but how we show up. It’s about working alongside organizations closest to the issues, supporting strategic initiatives, and driving collective action. We started from a strong place; the work now is about raising our game and focusing on what we can uniquely do to create long-term impact — building access to opportunity, family-sustaining jobs, and more resilient communities.

I also want to be clear that leading with purpose isn’t limited to my role. I get to focus on this every day, and we empower our people to lead with purpose in how they show up with their teams and respond to opportunities including our client service professionals that can help think through the impact of their work on people and communities.

Part of my role is making that easier — helping our professionals and leaders embed purpose into their team and client engagements. Many of our clients care deeply about this too, which creates real opportunity. Whether it’s co-investing in communities, showing up together on Impact Day, our annual day of collective service, or building purpose into long-term client relationships, there are so many ways we can demonstrate what it looks like to lead with purpose as an organization.

NationSwell: Of the socially motivated leaders you consider your peers, are there any whose work inspired you and whom you hold in high esteem?

O’Donovan, Deloitte: First, I get a lot of energy from people and community — meeting new people, reconnecting with trusted peers, and talking through how we’re seeing the world. Those conversations often spark new or unexpected ideas. That’s why I value spaces like NationSwell so much. There’s real power in community building, especially when it’s a group you trust. I’ve always had what I call a “kitchen cabinet” — a personal board of directors. They’re not all in similar roles, but they’ve known me at different stages of my life, and when I’m facing a big decision, their perspectives are invaluable.

Second, I’m very intentional about continuing to invest in my own leadership. I love a good podcast or audiobook — especially thinkers who combine data with practical, human-centered insights. That blend of rigor and applicability really resonates with me and helps shape how I think about leading in complex environments.

And finally, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn from some exceptional mentors over the course of my career. A few former managers are still part of my kitchen cabinet today. One mentor, in particular, taught me so much about leadership—especially how to support people through different seasons of their careers. She helped me see possibilities for myself long before I could see them on my own. Watching her do that shaped how I lead today and how I think about developing others on my team.

Seeing people grow over time — and helping them prepare for what’s next — is one of the most fulfilling parts of leadership for me.

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

O’Donovan, Deloitte: I just finished the audiobook of Strong Ground, Brené Brown’s new book, and I found it incredibly insightful — especially in how it talks about leadership, transformation, and what’s actually required of leaders in this moment. I don’t think I’ve fully processed all of it yet, but it’s already prompting me to reflect on where some of my default settings might need an upgrade. It’s the kind of book that stays with you, and I know I’ll be carrying those questions with me as I think about 2026.

For people who want to come into this space, one thing I’ve found to be profoundly important is the combination of two kinds of experience and knowledge. First, deep industry knowledge in the social impact space — really understanding what it takes to create change, which for me and my team has come from decades of working closely with nonprofits, foundations, and communities. And second, a strong understanding of how change actually happens inside a corporate environment.

You need both. If you only have industry knowledge, your options can be limited if you don’t know how to galvanize people and move work forward in your organization. And if you only understand corporate systems without the depth of issue-area knowledge, the impact may not be meaningful. I certainly had to build that second muscle when I came to Deloitte 13 years ago — learning how things get done here to match my external experience.

When you bring those two together, the opportunity set expands exponentially. It’s incredibly energizing, because you start to see what’s actually possible. But it’s also complex work. This space can look appealing from the outside — and it is rewarding — but it requires a lot of reps, learning, and humility. That’s why I often tell junior professionals: go deep on one side first, build real experience, and then start layering in the other. Purpose alone isn’t enough — you need the skills and capabilities to turn it into lasting impact.

Childcare for All Solutions Wheel

Childcare for All Solutions Wheel

The Case for Childcare Collaborative designed this interactive resource hub to help employers explore childcare solutions that support working families and strengthen their workforce. Through research, real-world examples, and practical tools, the site helps organizations understand the business impact of childcare and identify benefits and policies that work for employees across industries and income levels.

Whether employers are just getting started or expanding existing supports, the platform offers actionable guidance to help build more inclusive, resilient workplaces where workers — and businesses — can thrive.

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The Workforce of the Future: Skills and Strategies for What’s Next

Posted on by Brianna Provenzano

The pace of change in the workforce is high.  Artificial intelligence, demographic shifts, economic uncertainty, and other disruptive forces  are reshaping the jobs of tomorrow, redefining the skills employees need, and challenging employers to build stronger, more adaptable talent pipelines. 

On December 2, in partnership with our Workforce Innovation Collaborative, NationSwell hosted a virtual Leader Roundtable designed to bring together impact leaders across sectors to surface the most promising models, partnerships, and strategies shaping the future of work. Some of the most salient takeaways from the discussion appear below:

Key Takeaways:

Normalize many paths over one pipeline. The four-year degree can’t be the only story we tell about success; apprenticeships and tech training need equal visibility. When young people can stack paid work, credentials, and education in parallel, they build higher earning power and employers gain a real, renewable talent strategy instead of a nice-to-have program.

Treat talent as a system, not a series of programs. The bright spots aren’t isolated pilots, but sector-level models where industry, K–12, higher ed, philanthropy, and government rewire how they work together. When employers define skills, commit to hires, and co-fund shared infrastructure, training stops being philanthropy and starts being core business.

Make AI a muscle everyone builds instead of a specialty held by few. AI “readiness” requires weaving tools, experimentation, and ethics into every role, curriculum, and career stage. When learners and employees practice using role-specific AI in real workflows, they show up as operators and co-designers in a rapidly changing economy.

Design for a figure-eight career. The new reality is looping: people move into a role, come back for training, pivot to a new role, and repeat. Workforce systems should celebrate these shifts, provide ongoing upskilling, and build clear internal pathways.

Meet emerging workers where they are. Gen Z expects mobile-first, gamified, peer-driven experiences that help them explore, belong, and level up. Career hubs, points, leaderboards, reels, and mentors – especially when built by young people – translate opaque industries like technicians, data centers, and advanced manufacturing into tangible and desirable futures.

Center narrative, transparency, and trust in the AI era. There’s a growing gap between expert optimism about AI and everyday workers’ questions about surveillance, environmental impact, and job security. Leaders who listen continuously, speak plainly about how tools are used, and invite employees into shaping guardrails can turn anxiety into agency.

Build for scale by proving ROI and impact. Philanthropy can ignite innovation, but durable solutions hinge on employer investment tied to clear returns. When companies can see and measure how apprenticeships, scholarships, and AI-enabled matching drive productivity and retention, “workforce of the future” shifts from a social good project to a competitive advantage.

Q3 2025 Social Impact Trends

Q3 2025 Social Impact Trends

NationSwell’s quarterly trend spotter provides impact professionals with visibility into the most noteworthy, timely, and material shifts in the field. For Q3 of 2025, our report explores the following six trends:

  1. Corporations are quieter on ESG/DEI – and delaying some reports
  2. “One Big Beautiful Bill” has material implications for corporate giving strategies
  3. Values-driven public pressure is influencing reputations and sales
  4. Workforce development is surging as a strategic priority, driven by widening skills gaps
  5. Impact teams are increasing AI adoption while attention grows on need for ethical governance
  6. The U.S. is experiencing climate & ESG policy setbacks while global rules march on
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What’s Ahead for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Posted on by Brianna Provenzano

On November 12, NationSwell hosted a virtual Leader Roundtable dedicated to examining what’s ahead for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Amid a turbulent year for DEI, the discussion was designed to unpack the pressures, highlight innovative responses, and surface practical strategies that enable organizations to safeguard hard-won gains, navigate uncertainty, and continue advancing more equitable workplaces and communities.

Some of the most salient takeaways from the event appear below:

Key takeaways

Maintain progress over posture. It’s critical to make progress, not a just point—staying committed to tangible outcomes rather than symbolic gestures. This mindset demands both courage and strategy: being careful not to obey in advance to external pressures or political headwinds that discourage action.

Focus on the problem you’re solving: access, opportunity, and shared prosperity to strengthen its staying power. Get clear about naming the challenges you’re solving, like inequitable access to capital or opportunity, rather than centering the focus solely on identity. This approach to language helps protect the intent of the work while expanding its reach and legitimacy across audiences.

Reimagine investment for systemic impact. Practitioners are aligning the levers of philanthropy with the principles of venture capital, while ensuring that the return on investment accrues to the communities themselves. This means mobilizing catalytic capital that addresses the intersections of material conditions such as housing, economic mobility, and entrepreneurship.

Embed equity into leadership and institutional DNA. The shift from programmatic to executive–led initiatives ensures accountability at the highest levels. By developing collectives of teams and integrating initiatives across business units, companies can ensure inclusive work becomes a shared operational responsibility and cannot easily be targeted, defunded, or liable to scrutiny.

Build local, cross-functional ecosystems to spread the risk and keep moving forward. Leaders are forging stronger alignment among legal, compliance, communications, and other teams—working in lockstep to mitigate risk without compromising purpose. The question is not whether risk exists, but who can take on what risks, and where the risks lie. Consider which local partners you can work with to keep pushing beyond where your organization is able. Ask yourself: what costs are we willing to bear to uphold our values? And what do we lose if we don’t?

Adapt and sustain commitments amid scrutiny. Even as language shifts and brand sensitivity heightens, the overwhelming majority (94% of purpose-driven companies) continue the work. Many are increasing investment in ERGs, volunteering, and community engagement because changing words, not work, allows employees to feel continuity of mission while maintaining public trust and compliance.

A strong future hinges learning from our past, and having the courage for tomorrow. “History is repeating and rhyming, and it’s a great teacher.” By staying committed to the work while strategically responding to external conditions, organizations can thrive amid headwinds. Communicating clearly about what is changing and what remains constant, helps counter perceptions of retreat, while sharing authentic stories of impact reinforces enduring credibility.

Impact Next: An interview with Cisco’s Brian Tippens

Posted on by Brianna Provenzano

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.

Five Minutes With… Lisa Lawson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation

Posted on by Brianna Provenzano

For this installment of 5 Minutes With, NationSwell sat down with Lisa Lawson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, to talk about her new book, Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children.

The book explores how breakthroughs in adolescent brain science reveal what young people need to thrive, why our systems so often fail to provide those essentials, and how families, communities, and institutions can come together to build the stable relationships, opportunities, and supports that help all children reach their full potential.

We asked Lisa what the research means for educators, policymakers, and young people themselves — here’s what she had to say:

NationSwell: Your book weaves together a lot of powerful new insights from brain science. How should this research change the way educators, youth leaders, or policymakers show up for young people?

Lisa Lawson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation: The research is clear: young people’s brains are still under construction through their mid-20s — especially the parts that control judgment, planning and emotional regulation. We also know they are wired for rewards, highly influenced by peers and learn best when they’re actively engaged rather than passively instructed. That means that some of the behaviors we sometimes label as defiance in young people is often just development in action.

Knowing this, we should redesign systems to work with the adolescent brain, not against it. That means moving beyond one-size-fits-all instruction and embracing hands-on, real-world learning; shifting from compliance to connection; prioritizing relationships and rewards; and creating meaningful opportunities for young people to shape programs and policies that affect their lives. 

As I write in Thrive, when we align our programs and policies with what science tells us young people need, we not only set them up for success — we strengthen our workforce, our communities and our country’s future.

NationSwell: We know relationships and real opportunities are essential for kids to thrive. Where do you see the biggest disconnect between what the science says and what young people actually get from our systems today?

Lawson: The science tells us teens need caring adults and chances to learn and lead. But our systems too often offer punishment without purpose and rules without relationships. 

In foster care, for example, tens of thousands of teens age out each year without a permanent family. Many want to be adopted, but to do so, they may be forced to cut legal ties with their birth family. That’s why the Annie E. Casey Foundation partnered with young people to create the SOUL Family Framework. It lets youth choose a circle of caring adults who can support them legally — without cutting off their existing connections. Kansas has been the first state in the nation to create a SOUL Family legal permanency option. 

At the end of the day, if we want different outcomes, we need different systems that trust young people’s voices and build with, not for, them.

NationSwell: Unequal experiences of adolescence often ripple into lifelong inequities; what does it look like in practice to make sure every young person — especially those growing up in poverty or foster care — has a fair chance to thrive?

Lawson: It starts with meeting their most basic needs. When young people are just trying to survive — worrying about food, housing, health care or safety — they can’t thrive.

That’s why “basic needs” is one of the five essentials the Foundation invests in through our Thrive by 25 ® effort. But we go beyond survival. We work with communities to ensure youth have stable relationships, flexible education paths, real work opportunities and chances to lead.

NationSwell: Outside of formal systems, what role do you see families and neighborhoods playing in putting brain science into action for everyday adolescent development?

Lawson: Families and communities are such an important part of the construction crew for the bridge to adulthood. Brain science tells us teens are wired for rewards and responsive to relationships — which means parents, neighbors, coaches and mentors have enormous influence.

Just being present, especially during the messy moments, is powerful. The guidance of one caring adult can buffer trauma, strengthen resilience and shape a young person’s sense of identity and possibility.

Even small acts of support — like a teacher who listens, a neighbor who offers a job or a relative who sticks around — can anchor a young person during this period of immense growth.

NationSwell: If you could wave a wand and get policymakers to make one change tomorrow that aligns with what we now know about adolescent development, what would it be and why?

Lawson: I would have policymakers shift from crisis response to prevention. Too often, our systems only engage with young people after something has gone wrong — after they’ve dropped out, gotten in trouble or landed in foster care. But adolescent brain science tells us prevention isn’t just more humane — it’s also smarter and more cost-effective.

Imagine if our child welfare systems invested as much in strengthening families on the front end as they do in out-of-home placements. Or if our cities dramatically expanded summer job programs and mentorship opportunities, which we know reduce the likelihood that young people will come into contact with the justice system.

Policies that reflect adolescent development would focus on building stability, opportunity and connection before a young person falls into crisis. That shift would not only change individual lives — it would strengthen our workforce, our communities and our country’s future.

NationSwell: Finally, thinking about NationSwell’s community of leaders and changemakers: if there’s one call to action you’d want them to take from Thrive, what would it be?

Lawson: I would call on them to use their influence to shift the narrative about adolescence. Too often, we see teenagers through a deficit lens — focusing on what’s wrong instead of what’s possible. Thrive makes the case that adolescence is one of the most powerful windows of opportunity we have to shape the future.

That means every leader, no matter their sector, has a role to play in building a stronger “bridge” from childhood to adulthood. I use this metaphor throughout the book because adolescence really is a long, sometimes shaky crossing. Young people are still developing the skills and supports they’ll need to stand firmly on the other side. When the bridge is missing planks or guardrails, too many fall through. But when we reinforce it with caring adults, real opportunities and policies grounded in science, we give every young person a sturdy path forward.

Policymakers can invest in prevention instead of waiting for crisis. Employers can create meaningful first-job experiences. Communities can make sure every young person has at least one caring adult walking alongside them.

If NationSwell’s leaders step up in these ways — guided by the science and by the voices of young people themselves — we can ensure this generation doesn’t just make it across the bridge, but thrives once they do. And when our young people thrive, so does our country.

Inclusive Approaches to Workforce Innovation

Posted on by Brianna Provenzano

As the global economy undergoes rapid transformation driven by digital innovation and artificial intelligence, the future of work demands a new approach—one that centers inclusion, equity, and adaptability.

During a virtual Leader Roundtable hosted on September 10, NationSwell members unpacked how integrating digital fluency into skilled trades training, advancing skills-based hiring, and designing accessible learning pathways that center future-ready skills can help build a more inclusive and representative workforce.

Key takeaways:

  • Design training programs in close partnership with employers. Employer-informed curricula and training ensure learners are trained for actual demand, not theoretical needs. Models like customized training tracks for data center technicians show how alignment with industry can lead to placement rates above 80% and help close gaps in fast-evolving fields.
  • Build agility into workforce initiatives. Instead of long planning cycles, programs can adopt short pilots, rapid iteration, and feedback loops to adapt quickly. This allows leaders to experiment, take risks, and scale what works — an approach critical in a labor market reshaped by AI and automation.
  • Pair technical training with wraparound supports. Barriers like childcare, transportation, housing, or career navigation often determine whether someone can complete training. Embedding these supports — sometimes through cross-sector partnerships — translates access into real outcomes, especially for women, parents, and workers from historically excluded groups.
  • Strengthen social capital alongside skills. Networks matter as much as technical ability in securing jobs. Programs that cultivate alumni pipelines, peer mentorship, and hiring networks replicate the advantages of traditional social capital and help level the playing field in an era where AI screening increases applicant volume.
  • Break down silos in education and training. Cross-disciplinary programs that cut across engineering, data science, environmental science, and business better prepare students for the complex, blended challenges industries face. Universities that shift from teaching “departments” to solving cross-disciplinary “problems” are modeling the future of workforce education.
  • Engage communities where new industries take root. Data centers, renewable energy hubs, and advanced manufacturing facilities are creating jobs in rural areas, but also raising concerns around land use, environmental impact, and neighborliness. Leaders who pair workforce investment with intentional community dialogue and benefit-sharing will unlock more durable opportunities.
  • Invest in real-time labor market intelligence. Traditional labor data lags six to nine months, often missing critical inflection points. By collecting live input from job seekers, students, and employers — and analyzing it with AI — leaders can spot emerging trends earlier, respond faster, and avoid over- or under-investing in certain skills.
  • Reframe high-demand industries to attract the next generation. Manufacturing and skilled trades are increasingly automated, tech-driven, and well-paid, but remain plagued by outdated perceptions. Recasting these jobs as high-tech, sustainable, and future-focused is essential to inspire young people and address looming talent shortages.
  • Expose young people to career pathways early and often. Many students simply don’t know what opportunities exist or how their skills connect to them. Career awareness programs, mentorship at the high school level, and early exposure to applied training help bridge the gap between education and the jobs of tomorrow.
  • Expand inclusive on-ramps for nontraditional learners. Talent often sits outside four-year institutions. Short-term credentials, apprenticeships, and alternative pipelines — combined with recognition of prior learning — allow individuals from varied backgrounds to enter high-demand fields and build economic mobility.

Explore how NationSwell’s Workforce Innovation Collaborative is charting a more inclusive path forward to ensure the future of work works for everyone.