Christine Baranoucky, Vice President of Engagement, Stewardship, and Corporate Philanthropy for the Children’s Wisconsin Foundation, reveals how community-driven philanthropy creates lasting impact for children and families.

Christine traces the incredible evolution from a modest hospital founded by seven women to an institution touching over 7 million lives annually. She shares the story behind “Rally Round” — a reinvigorated, festival-style fundraiser that celebrates care providers, families, and spirited community partners, while raising vital funds for non-reimbursable services like art therapy, music therapy, and mental health initiatives.

Christine delivers practical inspiration on the ripple effects of generosity, the power of collaboration, and why supporting others makes for stronger communities.

Episode Highlights:

02:43 - 130 years ago, we were caring for 200 kids on an annual basis. And now today we have 7.3 million connections with kids throughout the state every single year, which is really amazing. We really touch and affect the most kids throughout the state.

06:35 - It really was the evolution of a 45-year tradition that we had with Al's Run and Walk... he really wanted to give back, and he wanted his players to give back. So we had that amazing event for 45 years

09:57 - So how we do that is every hour there's an honor lap. And so each hour is connected to a service line area... They'll have a specific hour where all the care providers are going to gather all the kiddos that were cared for by that service line.

15:37 - So we had 32 very brave care providers that agreed to be in the dunk tank... And so back then to now, or right before the event, what people will do is they can make donations.

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Sarah Urban, founder of She Carries It, joins the podcast to reveal the hidden challenges women face juggling executive careers, family, and community expectations. Sarah draws deeply from her personal journey, a high-powered 30-year corporate track, motherhood, and a pivotal realization about the power of being present. She lays out her proprietary C.A.R.I. methodology, offering listeners real strategies and stories that illuminate the pathway from overwhelm to fulfillment.

Sarah’s wisdom and honesty shine as she unpacks the “invisible load,” why women unconsciously take on more, and how individuals and organizations alike can take practical first steps toward sustainable change.

Episode Highlights:

07:46 – The invisible load is the mental and emotional work that happens in addition to the tasks you perform. It can take up a significant portion of your mental capacity and your time.

14:43 – I have an Invisible Load Inventory—an assessment that makes visible what you’re carrying at home and work. Seeing it on paper can be shocking and is often the first step toward real change.

21:39 – Organizations can do an office housework audit: look at who’s taking on extra, unassigned work, and make sure it’s rotated—not just left to the same people to avoid burnout and foster growth.

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Erik and Becki sit down with Andrew Zimdars, Director of Partner Services at GPS Education Partners, for a myth-busting look at the future of work-based learning and talent pipelines.

Andrew shares bold insights into why the traditional four-year degree isn’t the only path to prosperity and why Wisconsin employers must shift gears to survive the “silver tsunami” of retirements. Vibrant stories from the front lines reveal how technical education is transforming students, businesses, and communities.

Andrew’s direct perspective on generational change, soft skills, and the immersive apprenticeship model offers a powerful roadmap for business leaders navigating the shrinking labor pool.

Episode Highlights:

04:03 - Everybody's heard about the millennial student debt thing, right? We all went to college for the experience instead of the pathway. And I think more and more students are feeling the pressure to know what they want to do when they get out of high school and to figure out, like, am I going to go to college? Am I going to go in the workforce? What do I want to be when I grow up? So, work-based learning provides them an opportunity to, at a low stakes, figure out, like, what they're good at, what are they interested in, what they want to do after high school, what are their skill sets?

08:22 - I think as a generality it's kind of seeing a student that comes in very immature, thinks they know what they want to do. Some career interest survey at the high school told them they were going to do this or that. Kind of felt like they had it figured out. And then to kind of be able to see that evolution of growth, to be just more informed and mature when they graduate. I think that's one kind of success that always stands out to me.

13:06 - They spend half of the day there finishing their high school curriculum, graduating with a diploma from their home high school because they maintain the status of being a student at the high school they're at. And the ed center has a bunch of different kids from a bunch of different high schools there. And then the rest of the day, we put them into a youth apprenticeship and they have to work and get skills through that and experience through that. What's really cool is that this kind of work-based learning, full circle happens where in the classroom they're being coached on things that are going to happen at the job. And then the employers are giving us feedback on what's happening at the job, and then we coach them in the classroom.

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