We Can Be podcast - The Heinz Endowments

About We Can Be podcast - The Heinz Endowments

The Heinz Endowments aims to build an exemplary, sustainable region where everyone prospers and belongs.  Endowments President and podcast host Chris DeCardy welcomes thought leaders in the arts & culture, environmental, workforce, veterans and civic participation fields who share their experiences at the intersection of public service, philanthropy and nonprofit communities with honesty, humanity and hope.

Publisher

The Heinz Endowments

Category

arts · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

28 Feb 2018

Latest episode

30 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

100 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Sept 2026

   Setting the standard for healthy rivers w/ Three Rivers Waterkeeper's Heather Hulton VanTassel (S07EP03)

   Three Rivers Waterkeeper Executive Director Heather Hulton VanTassel joins Heinz Endowments President and host Chris DeCardy for this episode of “We Can Be.” Three Rivers Waterkeeper is one of 300 organizations that are part of the worldwide Waterkeeper Alliance, which safeguards 2.5 million square miles of lakes, coastal waterways and rivers around the globe. “In the United States, we have fantastic federal and state clean water laws that protect pollution from entering our drinking water sources,” Heather said. “The challenge is enforcing them, especially when regulators are chronically underfunded and sometimes politically driven to make things happen differently.” Pittsburgh’s river system is seeing significant progress, due in no small part to Three Rivers Waterkeeper’s 15 years of work. Its fearless, science-based legal challenges to polluters, as well as partnerships with a network of community volunteers who collect water samples, has resulted in major water safety improvements that have garnered national attention. Heather has held positions at some of the country’s most esteemed environmental entities, including the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Park Service. She holds the deep belief that working toward sustainability also requires an equal effort toward social and environmental justice. “We’ve found that most of our work is in communities that are disproportionately impacted by social issues because that's where the pollution has historically been found,” said Heather. “The need for safe water doesn’t know municipality boundaries.” Learn what happens behind the scenes in the efforts to keep our rivers safe and stick around through the end for insight from Endowments Senior Director of Climate, Environment & Health Philip Johnson. Notes on this episode: Produced by Scott Roller with research by Becky Brindle and technical production by Josh Franzos and Tim Murray of Treehouse Media. Guest image: Josh Franzos. Subscribe, listen and share episodes on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

2. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Uniting a community of helpers w/ United Way SWPA Pres/CEO Bobbi Watt Geer (S07E02)

   United Way Southwestern Pennsylvania President and CEO Bobbi Watt Geer joins Heinz Endowments President and host Chris DeCardy for this episode of “We Can Be.” Founded nearly 140 years ago, the United Way has become a volunteer and community assistance powerhouse, with more than 1,100 chapters spread across 30-plus countries. United Way SWPA annually invests over $38 million in communities in the Pittsburgh region and engages more than 5,200 volunteers. “We are uniting a powerful community of helpers,” Bobbi tells Chris. “And it's really important to me that in all that we do, that we do it with humility, respect, and helping people to unlock opportunity for themselves.” They dive into United Way SWPA’s dedication to increasing workforce opportunities for young people, its goal of lifting over 6,000 regional households out of economic hardship, and the experiences that led to Bobbi dedicating her professional life to helping others. Bobbi’s respected leadership has earned her positions on the United Way Worldwide Network Advisory Council, the International Women’s Forum, and the Pittsburgh Human Services Policy Committee at the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics. She has served as President of The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County and held positions at St. Anne Home, an intermediate and skilled nursing care facility, and the American Heart Association. “One of the things that is so special about this region is that it's big enough that we can do some important stuff, but small enough that we know who to call,” says Bobbi. “Together, we can collaborate in ways that individually we may never have thought of to be able to solve problems.” Notes on this episode: Special commentary for this episode by Megan Andros, Endowments Director of Workforce and Veterans. Produced by Scott Roller with research assistance by Becky Brindle and technical production by Josh Franzos and Tim Murray of Treehouse Media. Guest image: Josh Franzos. Subscribe, listen and share episodes on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

3. 

   2 Sept 2026

   Uplifting culture as the soul of community w/ Kelly Strayhorn Theater's Joseph Hall & Melanie Paglia (S07EP01)

   Kelly Strayhorn Theater Co-Executive Directors Joseph Hall and Melanie Paglia join Heinz Endowments President and podcast host Chris DeCardy to kick off the seventh season of “We Can Be.” Named after two legendary Pittsburghers — actor and dancer Gene Kelly and jazz composer, pianist and lyricist Billy Strayhorn — the Kelly Strayhorn Theater is a vibrant hub for creative theater and dance experimentation, community dialogue, and collective action in the liberation of Black and queer people. The Kelly Strayhorn’s arts-focused career development, innovative ticket-pricing model and thoughtful, dynamic programming have made it a beloved regional arts anchor while garnering national attention for its inclusive approach to all it does. “Inclusivity cannot only live in our mission statement or on the stage alone,” says Melanie. “It has to affect who has access to the space, who is resourced, who is centered and who's paid. It has to affect who feels welcome, who gets to experiment, who gets to make decisions and who gets to shape what comes next.” Joseph and Melanie both bring extensive management experience from other renowned arts entities to their roles as co-executive directors. Joseph served as Deputy Director of the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance in New York City, and Melanie was a director at the Andrew Carnegie Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. Joseph and Melanie are respected leaders, holding a strong belief in community-centered cultural institutions owning their space, and successfully guiding playwrights, performers, and directors to acclaimed careers. “Culture is the soul of community, and art is the expression of that soul,” says Joseph. “I think art looks at our culture, it looks at us, and It reflects back. It asks questions about how we are living.” Notes on this episode: Special commentary for this episode by Jasmin DeForrest, Endowments Managing Director of Arts & Culture. Produced by Scott Roller with research assistance by Becky Brindle; Technical production by Josh Franzos and Tim Murray of Treehouse Media. Guest image: Josh Franzos. Subscribe, listen and share episodes on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

19 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

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