Planet of the Associations — Seth Kahan &amp

What does a steelworker’s son from Northern England know about global business elevation? Quite a lot, as it turns out. My guest today, Chris Cooper, has a story that feels less like a traditional career ladder and more like a masterclass in intentionality. We explore his journey from the gritty reality of the British steel industry to the helm of one of the world’s longest-running business podcasts. Chris is a man who truly embodies "Business Elevation." He isn’t just talking about bottom lines; he’s talking about the "ripple effect" of leadership—how one person’s energy can lift an entire team, a company, and even a community in Kenya. In this episode, we discuss: The "Chief Executive" Moment: The childhood encounter that changed Chris’s trajectory at age 13. Energy Management: Moving teams from the "Crap Zone" to a high-performance frequency. The Elevation Collective: Why Chris is gathering "lights" from around the world to amplify social good. Purpose in Practice: Chris’s hands-on work with Molly Bedingfield’s Global Angels project in Kenya. Legacy Projects: How business and community good merged in the creation of Everards Meadows. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and collaborator Andrew Kutt, founder and Board Chair of Oneness-Family Montessori School in Chevy Chase, MD—a school that mattered deeply to my family during my kids’ early years. Andrew shares how his path from world literature and meditation to Montessori training led him to open the school in 1988 with just seven students, and how it’s grown into a multi-generational community with alumni around the world. We unpack the school’s three-part model—Academy, Self-Discovery, and Manifestation—and how Oneness is responding to today’s “polycrisis” world with new upper-grade initiatives, including courses on the history of capitalism and Being Human in the age of AI, plus a push to build an endowment for long-term sustainability. Learn more: onenessfamily.org Contact Andrew: andrew@onenessfamily.org For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this episode, I sit down with Joe Feldman, founder and CEO of Cover My Mental Health. His website, CoverMyMentalHealth.org, is filled with free resources—including helpful instructions and templates—designed to empower families and clinicians. Joe’s journey began when his child was denied essential mental health care—sparking a federal lawsuit and igniting his passion for advocacy. He shares how that fight led to the creation of Cover My Mental Health, a nonprofit equipping families and clinicians with practical tools—letters, scripts, and resources—to challenge insurance denials and access care. Drawing on his startup background and collaborations with advocates, clinicians, and even former insurers, Joe launched the organization in just months. We talk about turning personal struggle into systemic change, the importance of coalition-building, and why encouragement and accessibility are key to reform. If you’ve ever faced a mental health coverage denial—or work on the front lines—this conversation offers hope, strategies, and a reminder: you don’t have to take no for an answer. Learn more at covermymentalhealth.org For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this episode, I talk with filmmaker and mental health advocate Max Blaska, whose short film Last Rung on the Ladder—an adaptation of a Stephen King story—became both a tribute to his late aunt and a lifeline in his own battle with anxiety and depression. Max shares how the project nearly fell apart amid a personal crisis, how seeking inpatient care became a turning point, and how a dedicated team helped him bring the film to life. Since then, he has screened it nationwide, partnering with local mental health organizations to ensure audiences leave with both inspiration and resources. Now, Max is launching the Mental Health Warrior Film Festival (Sept 16–30, 2025), featuring over 20 short films from across the U.S. and beyond—each exploring themes of suicide prevention and mental health from diverse perspectives. Tune in for an honest conversation about art, recovery, and the power of storytelling to save lives. 👉 Learn more at mentalhealthwarriorfilmfest.com Attend the festival, or connect with Max: Mental Health Warrior Film Festival September 16 - 30th, 2025 Email: warrior@mentalhealthfilmfest.com Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Mental-Health-Warrior-Film-Festival/61557935377670/ Instagram: @mentalhealthwarriormax TikTok: Max Mental Health Warrior For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this episode of my podcast, I dive into a question every leader faces sooner or later: What do we do when the world around us is filled with uncertainty, challenge, and disruption? While the circumstances of today may feel unique, we’ve been through turbulent times before. Crises like 9/11, the 2008 mortgage meltdown, and the COVID-19 pandemic shook the foundations of our economy and our daily lives. Looking back, we can see what worked—and what didn’t—for leaders who had to steer their organizations through upheaval. From these experiences, I’ve identified seven elements of leadership for turbulent times that consistently make the difference. They include situational awareness, strategic agility, stakeholder alignment, value-driven decision making, visibility and voice, building a culture of adaptation, and systemic foresight. In this episode, I break each of these down, showing how they apply when the ground is shifting beneath our feet. For example, situational awareness comes from gathering multiple perspectives so you see the whole picture, not just one angle. Strategic agility means developing nimble game plans that can flex as events unfold. And systemic foresight equips leaders to prepare for what’s coming next—not just react to what’s already here. Together, these practices create resilience and stability even in chaos. Whether you’re leading a business, an association, or any mission-driven organization, these seven elements provide a roadmap for not only surviving disruption but emerging stronger. My goal is to give you practical insights you can put into practice right now, so you and your team can move forward with clarity and confidence in the face of turbulence. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this powerful episode, Seth Kahan sits down with Dale Cyr, CEO of Inteleos, to explore how bold leadership, smart technology, and collaborative ecosystems are reshaping global healthcare—starting with portable ultrasound. Cyr leads Inteleos, a nonprofit certifying over 150,000 healthcare professionals across 100 countries, with a mission rooted in patient safety through clinical proficiency. But this isn't just about credentials—it's about saving lives. 🚀 A Global “Moonshot”: Ultrasound Proficiency by 2030 The centerpiece of the conversation is Inteleos’ Ultrasound Proficiency Grand Challenge, an ambitious global effort to ensure all healthcare professionals using ultrasound are proficient by 2030. It’s a big goal—but it’s already producing results. Cyr shares how the initiative launched in Kenya, where maternal mortality rates are alarmingly high. By collaborating with the Ministry of Health, local midwives, and over a dozen stakeholder groups, Inteleos helped create a national policy requiring education and certification for handheld ultrasound. The impact? Thousands of lives could be saved annually—especially mothers and babies in rural communities. 🩺 From Washing Machines to Smartphones Cyr explains how ultrasound technology has gone from $250,000 machines the size of washing machines to $2,000 handheld devices that connect to smartphones. This game-changing shift is putting powerful diagnostic tools into the hands of midwives, nurses, and clinicians in remote areas, but only if they know how to use them properly—Inteleos’ core mission. 🌍 Building an Ecosystem, Not Just a Program One of the most innovative aspects of the initiative is the use of “interaction field” thinking—a business model built on shared value and collaborative ecosystems. Cyr emphasizes that 95% of impactful change can’t be done alone. Instead, Inteleos partners with governments, equipment manufacturers, professional societies, and local communities to create win-win solutions where everyone contributes—and everyone benefits. 💡 Scaling with Vision, Tech, and Trust The fastest policy adoption Dale has seen in his career—from pilot to national strategy in just two years. He highlights: How AI is becoming a “cognitive partner” at Inteleos, freeing professionals from repetitive tasks and unlocking creative, mission-driven work Inteleos’ governance transformation to support global scaling and cross-sector impact 💬 Final Word: “We're In It for the Long Haul” Cyr concludes with a call to action: though USAID funding was recently cut, Inteleos is pressing forward. The board has committed to continuing the Kenya initiative—and scaling across East Africa and beyond. For Dale, it’s not about temporary impact. It’s about sustainable, systemic change. “We’re not here for a quick hit—we’re building lasting infrastructure that transforms lives.” For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

Medical physics plays a vital role in nearly every aspect of modern healthcare. From diagnostic scans like CT imaging to advanced treatments such as radiotherapy, medical physics is behind the technology and precision that drive these procedures. In this video, we explore how medical physicists contribute to ensuring the right dose reaches the right patient—whether through imaging, therapy, or radiopharmaceuticals. You'll also learn how treatment is monitored and adjusted based on models that track patient progress before, during, and after care. Discover how this essential field is quietly transforming the way we diagnose and treat disease every day. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

Chris and I discuss the origins of the Thriving Earth Exchange, a program connecting scientific expertise with local community needs. The initiative began around 2016 with a young scientist's idea to address community challenges through scientific collaboration. The program focuses on participatory, place-based science, where communities and scientists co-create solutions to local problems like water quality, soil contamination, and environmental challenges. Key to its success was flexible funding, support from the AGU board, and the leadership of Raj Pandya. By 2019, the program had completed 100 projects benefiting 17 million people. Challenges included explaining the concept, finding the right scientists and communities, and measuring social impact beyond traditional financial metrics. The Thriving Earth Exchange has since grown, expanded partnerships, and become an integral part of AGU's mission to extend scientific expertise to communities. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

I'm thrilled to share insights from a recent conversation with Dr. Ehsan Samei, Reed and Martha Rice Distinguished Professor of Radiology at Duke University. We discussed an exciting Grand Challenge I’m leading with the American Association of Physicists in Medicine—focused on identifying bold, breakthrough challenges that could shape the future of medical physics. But what is medical physics? Its applications are vast—spanning MRI, lasers, ultrasound, AI, and nuclear medicine. As I’ve spoken with physicists dedicated to this field, I’ve been inspired by the incredible advancements on the horizon. From AI models to digital twins, the future of medical physics is unfolding in powerful ways. During our conversation, Dr. Samei shared his perspective on developing AI models for medical applications. He echoed the famous phrase, “All models are wrong, but some are useful,” emphasizing that the goal is to find models that are truly impactful in advancing patient care. Scientific breakthroughs don’t just improve technologies—they open doors to new research, innovative techniques, and deeper understanding. They prevent suffering, save lives, and reshape our world. It's a privilege to contribute to this transformative work. Dr. Samei’s leadership has been pivotal in integrating physics principles into clinical practice, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in patient care. Listen in to learn more about this groundbreaking work! For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

Welcome to the podcast on grand challenges. Today, I’m diving into Stop Stigma Together, an initiative I lead that aims to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorders on a national scale. This effort was launched through the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, following a transformative $150 million gift from the Huntsman family to the University of Utah. Stigma exists at three levels—structural, social, and individual—impacting policies, workplace environments, and personal attitudes. To tackle this, we collaborate with major organizations like Mental Health America, NAMI, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Association, working across sectors such as media, criminal justice, education, and marginalized communities. Our approach includes advocacy, policy reform, and public awareness campaigns like Love Your Mind and Mental Health Care Works. By bringing together experts, policymakers, and those with lived experience, Stop Stigma Together is building a movement to transform how Americans think about and address mental health. Visit StopStigmaTogether.org to learn more and join us in this grand challenge. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this interview, I sit down with Glenn Kreiner, the Ellis Skaggs presidential chair in business ethics at the University of Utah, to discuss his involvement with the Stop Stigma Together initiative, a Grand Challenge focused on addressing mental health stigma. Kreiner shares his passion for applying research to real-world problems and highlights the initiative's key achievements, such as building a diverse leadership infrastructure and convening impactful summits. You both emphasize the importance of balancing ambiguity and concrete goals, leveraging complementary skills within the leadership team, and learning from other Grand Challenges, like the innovative mental health court model in Miami-Dade. Kreiner also discusses his current work on workplace stigma, legal analysis, and longitudinal research, all aimed at driving long-term, systemic change. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this podcast, we'll delve into the world of 'wicked problems' – those complex, interconnected social issues that seem to defy easy solutions. Think poverty, climate change, or even ensuring everyone has access to quality healthcare. To tackle these challenges, we need a different approach. That's where 'Grand Challenges' come in. These are ambitious, collaborative efforts to drive large-scale, systemic change. Now, to understand how to effectively address these wicked problems, I'll introduce a 'systems model for change.' This model highlights three key levels: Personal Beliefs: Our individual values and beliefs profoundly influence our actions and how we interact with the world. Social Systems: The environments we live and work in – our families, workplaces, and communities – shape our behaviors and opportunities. Structural Systems: Government policies, laws, and regulations at the local, state, and federal levels significantly impact our lives and the challenges we face. The key here is recognizing that these levels are deeply interconnected. Changes in one area ripple through the others. For example, improving access to healthy food (structural) might require shifting societal norms around food choices (social) and empowering individuals to make healthier decisions (personal). Let's look at a couple of examples: the 'Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation' Grand Challenge aims to improve the health and well-being of nurses, recognizing that healthy nurses are better able to care for their patients and contribute to a healthier society. This requires addressing issues across all three levels – from supporting nurses' mental health (personal) to improving workplace safety (social) and advocating for better healthcare policies (structural). Another example is the challenge of ensuring ultrasound proficiency in healthcare. This requires not just training healthcare providers (personal) but also creating systems that support ongoing education and access to technology (social) and establishing clear guidelines and regulations for ultrasound use (structural). To truly solve these wicked problems, we must engage stakeholders at every level. This means involving individuals, communities, healthcare providers, policymakers, and everyone in between. You want the people who will be impacted by and involved in implementing these changes to be part of the process from the start. This ensures their understanding, buy-in, and ultimately, the success of the initiative. Now, it's important to remember that these are complex systems within systems. But don't lose heart. We can achieve meaningful change. My work with Grand Challenges is all about finding those collaborative solutions that work across these different levels. Solving social problems is inherently social. It requires community, it requires working together. And I want to acknowledge the foundational work of the Center for Disease Control, particularly the team led by Kenneth McLeroy, whose original model inspired this framework. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

This conversation explores Dr. Darrell Kirch's personal and professional journey in addressing mental health stigma. It highlights the formation of the "Stop Stigma Together" initiative, the impact of COVID-19, and the challenges and successes in driving cultural change around mental health awareness and acceptance. Read more about my work in Grand Challenges on my website. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this episode, I talk about the 10 key elements for social change that have inspired my approach, based on the work of Dr Christina Economos and a team she led in 2001.  This rubric is intuitive, easy to understand, and has an enormous impact. Click here to download a high-resolution image of the 10 key elements graphic. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

Former CEO of the American Nurses Association, Marla Weston led the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation Grand Challenge to improve nurses' health and impact patient outcomes. The initiative engaged diverse stakeholders and overcame challenges, but Weston emphasizes defining the problem, allowing flexibility, and meeting people where they are. The pandemic amplified the issues, underscoring the Grand Challenge's importance. Weston would have moved faster, but the lasting impact was raising awareness and driving systemic change around nurses' health, invaluable during the pandemic. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

This episode introduces six grand challenges I've helped design and lead, including two I'm actively working on and four in progress. Here's an overview, followed by details and links to learn more: Thriving Earth Exchange – This initiative, conceived by Chris McEntee during her CEO tenure at the American Geophysical Union, connects communities with scientists to address environmental challenges. I helped define its scope, launch it, and served two terms on the American Geophysical Union board to support its growth. It has expanded from a few projects to over 140. Visit thrivingearthexchange.org. Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation – Created to improve the health of America’s 4 million nurses, this challenge began when Marla Weston, then CEO of the ANA, reacted to data showing nurses were generally less healthy than the average American. Her words, "Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation," became the initiative’s foundation. Visit healthynursehealthynation.org. Center for Financial Planning – Led by the CFP Board, this challenge focuses on diversifying the financial planning profession by engaging individuals under 30, women, and people from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Learn more at cfp.net. Intellios Ultrasound Proficiency – Aims to certify and ensure proficiency in ultrasound use worldwide by 2030, enhancing healthcare equity and patient safety. With ultrasound devices becoming affordable and widely available, this initiative addresses the need for global proficiency. Stop Stigma Together – using the National Academies’ report, Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders, this initiative addresses stigma through structural, social, and individual approaches. Now in its fourth year, I continue to lead this effort. American Association of Physicists in Medicine – A newly launched challenge to identify critical breakthroughs in medical physics over the next decade. It includes exploring theranostics, a personalized medicine technique combining imaging and targeted therapies, and AI applications in both research and clinical settings. Join me as I share the stories behind each challenge, highlight the contributions of leaders like Chris McEntee and Marla Weston, and provide links for you to explore further. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this episode, Seth Kahan sits down with Patrick Kennedy, former U.S. Congressman and renowned mental health advocate, for a candid conversation on the urgent need to address mental health and substance use stigma. Drawing from his personal and professional experiences, Patrick shares the challenges and breakthroughs he's encountered in advocating for mental health reform, as well as insights into the systemic barriers that hinder progress. Together, Seth and Patrick explore the critical role of leadership, public policy, and community action in creating a society that supports mental well-being for all. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding mental health advocacy and hear firsthand about strategies that can drive meaningful change. This episode offers powerful perspectives on what it takes to build a more compassionate and inclusive world. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this inaugural episode, Seth Kahan introduces listeners to the transformative potential of Grand Challenges as a force for systemic change. He draws on his extensive experience leading initiatives that tackle societal issues, including his work in Earth and space science, nursing, medical ultrasound, mental health and substance use disorders, finance, and physics in medicine. Seth shares the core purpose and vision behind his work. He outlines the key concepts and practical approaches that will be explored in future episodes, creating a foundational understanding for anyone eager to drive impactful social change. Seth also brings insights from his bestselling book, Getting Change Right, shedding light on the techniques, mindset, and hard-won lessons that have fueled his success. This episode sets the stage for an inspiring journey, designed to provide listeners with tools and strategies to take on today’s most pressing challenges. For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

Listen in as Seth and Mark as they unpack precision, defining quality, knowledge management, 3,000 surgical gloves, and codified knowledge.

Listen in as Mark and Seth talk about the "Farley Commitment," leading from behind, yes in the land of no's, equal distribution of likes and dislikes, Evolution of Dance, “nobody knows anything,” and lots more!