Inspiring People: Stories of Innovation and Service

Positive stories of remarkable individuals and organizations making a difference in the world. From entrepreneurs and activists to educators and healthcare professionals, we showcase people who are bringing about positive change in their communities, locally, globally, and digitally. Produced by the Rotary eClub of Silicon ValleyHost: Rushton HurleyPodcast Producer: Elton Sherwin For more information visit our website: rotary.cool or https://www.siliconvalleyrotary.com/

Inspiring People: Stories of Innovation and Service is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 163 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Inspiring People: Stories of Innovation and Service, a business show with 163 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #162

  162. San Jose State Record Clearance Project

  Aug 3, 202635 minS4

  The Record Clearance Project (RCP) promotes justice by providing needed services to those who cannot afford them to foster rehabilitation and reduce recidivism, boasting a 99% success rate in court. To do this, the RCP's legal services program informs people regarding their legal rights to a clear record and provides the legal assistance necessary for them to achieve the second chance that the law promises. The RCP's Path to Expungement Service Navigation Program provides guidance as people leave custody to move forward with their lives. As undergraduates make a difference in the lives of others, they gain the experience and motivation to promote social justice. The RCP is the only legal services clinical education program in the nation taught at the undergraduate level. Emily Benson recently graduated from San José State University with a degree in Justice Studies and a concentration in Criminology. With a passion for community activism, she began volunteering as a teen first responder in high school, working with the San Diego Police Department for two years to support victims in the aftermath of tragedy. Through a semester-long study abroad program in Greece, she volunteered with a local non-profit organization that helped Syrian refugees rebuild their lives. Her experiences have deepened her commitment to social justice both domestically and internationally. Emily is grateful to make a positive impact through her involvement with the Record Clearance Project. Project Assistant Sandra Carrillo is a first-generation college student, who graduated in Fall 2024 with a major in Criminal Justice and minors in Psychology and Forensic Science. Born in Los Angeles but raised in Mexico, Sandra is fluent in Spanish. Sandra seeks to uplift those who are underrepresented in the community and to provide the support they deserve but often lack. Sandra works with the mentoring program, teaches Computers and the Internet courses in Spanish and English to formerly incarcerated participants, and helps with legal services presentations and other RCP work as needed. To learn more, go to: https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/sjsu-rcp-landing-page/home To learn more about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley, go to https://rotary.cool

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  Episode #161

  161. Creating Impact Through Technology and Everyday Ideas

  Jul 27, 202632 minS4

  Funda Erdin shares her journey from over 25 years in corporate roles to building her own technology-driven product from the ground up. Drawing on her experience in product, program, and customer success management, she walks through how an idea rooted in personal values—wanting better transparency around health, sustainability, and everyday choices—evolved into GreenIt. Along the way, she reflects on how passion, persistence, and years of experience came together with the support of AI to turn an idea into reality, driven by a genuine desire to help people make more informed choices. Funda also explores the growing role of AI as a powerful enabler, especially for individuals and small businesses who want to build, experiment, and bring ideas to life without traditional barriers. This talk is about more than one app—it’s about rethinking what’s possible, using technology to create impact, and taking the first step toward building something meaningful. Funda Erdin, is the founder of GreenIt, a platform she created to help people make more informed everyday decisions, both for their health and for the environment. After more than 25 years in corporate roles across product management, program management, and customer success, she decided to build something of her own. Throughout her career, she worked closely with developers, turning ideas and business needs into real products, and that experience became the foundation for what she’s building today. GreenIt started from something very personal: wanting not just healthier options, but also to support companies whose environmental values she could trust, and to better understand what happens to products after we’re done with them. Using her product background and the help of AI, she brought that idea to life. Today, she’s on a mission to use technology to connect people, create real impact, and help small businesses grow and succeed by giving them a stronger technological foundation. To learn more, go to: https://www.greenit.app https://anka-technologies.com

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  Episode #160

  160. Seacology: Protecting Island Habitats and Cultures

  Jul 20, 202636 minS4

  Seacology may be one of the most successful and innovative nonprofits you've never heard of. For over three decades, Seacology has been successfully saving island cultures and communities across the world. By focusing on Seacology's "win-win" model, our speaker, Max Rojas-Domke , will highlight how community-identified needs can be turned into multi-generational conservation wins, fostering long-term wins for communities who need them now. As Individual Giving Manager, Max is eagerly one of the first people you'll typically meet on Seacology's staff. With a background in education and consulting, Max delights in highlighting Seacology's win-win approach to island conservation. Joining Seacology a little under three years ago, Max focuses on connecting Seacology's supporters to the impact they've facilitated. So when he's not meeting with donors or facilitating conversations, you can find him enjoying the beaches we all love. To learn more, go to: https://www.seacology.org/ (Seacology main page) https://www.seacology.org/projects/ (interactable map of all Seacology projects) https://www.seacology.org/projects/ (travel with Seacology to see our impact firsthand) https://www.seacology.org/donate/ (donate to support Seacology)

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  Episode #158

  158. Advancing a Disability-Forward Housing Future

  Jul 6, 202634 minS4

  The Kelsey is a Bay Area-based nonprofit with a national impact, working at the intersection of housing and disability. The Kelsey both builds and advocates for accessible, affordable, and inclusive housing—what they call "disability-forward" housing. You will get an overview of The Kelsey's work, sharing how The Kelsey came to be, why this work matters, its current projects and impact, and how to get involved. Micaela Connery is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Kelsey, a national nonprofit pioneering disability-forward housing solutions that are affordable, accessible, and inclusive. She launched this work alongside her cousin and co-founder, Kelsey , a passionate advocate for access and inclusion who lived with multiple disabilities. Their shared vision continues to shape the organization’s mission and impact. Since founding The Kelsey in 2018, Micaela has led the organization to develop over 200 disability-forward homes, unlock nearly $190 million for inclusive housing, and scale its influence to reach thousands of advocates and homes nationwide. As a Fellow at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, she published leading national research on housing and disability, laying the groundwork for The Kelsey’s model . Her commitment to inclusion began early—as the founder of Unified Theater, which she launched at age 15 and scaled to schools across the country. Micaela is recognized as an Ashoka Fellow, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur, Mitchell Scholar, and Harvard Social Innovation and Change Initiative Fellow. A graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, the University College Dublin Smurfit School, and the University of Virginia, she is a leading voice on inclusive design, housing innovation, and community-based living. Through The Kelsey, she is advancing a bold vision: communities where people of all abilities and incomes live side by side—with dignity, equity, and belonging. To learn more, go to: The Kelsey's website: https://thekelsey.org/ Top 12 Moments from The Kelsey's work in 2025: https://thekelsey.org/eoy-recap-top-12-moments-of-2025/ Voices from the Community (hear directly from The Kelsey's residents): https://thekelsey.org/voices-from-the-community/

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  Episode #157

  157. Making Solar Work for Every Home

  Jun 29, 202633 minS4

  Meghan Wood, co-founder of Raya Power , explains how solar power, despite its substantial promise, is still out of reach for many families. In the U.S., even small plug-in solar systems can trigger complex utility rules, shutting out renters and middle-income households. In Puerto Rico, residents face some of the highest electricity rates in the country and hundreds of power outages each year. And in parts of California, high energy costs and an unstable grid leave families vulnerable to blackouts. Raya Power addresses these challenges with a compact, plug-and-play solar-battery system that can be installed in a backyard in just a couple of hours. It powers critical appliances during storms, helps reduce monthly energy bills, and works for households that can't install traditional rooftop solar. Meghan shares how this approach could democratize access to clean, resilient energy, making it as normal and essential as wifi, while giving communities a reliable solution when the grid fails. Meghan Wood founded Raya Power to help fill a huge market often ignored by residential solar companies: working class families who rent an apartment and might want to add "balcony solar." Wood aims to address that market by turning home solar into a product or appliance -- modular, plug-and-play, no permits required, and installed in a few hours. Raya Power has raised over $1.2 million and launched three pilots from New York City to Puerto Rico with more on the way. To learn more, go to: https://rayapower.com/ https://www.instagram.com/rayapower_official/

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