Prebys Foundation’s Podcast Features Big Thinkers Including Philanthropist Irwin Jacobs, San Diego Symphony Music Direct Rafael Payare, and Doris Duke Foundation’s Dr. Sindy Escobar Alvarez
The Stop & Talk Podcast is thrilled to celebrate its one-year anniversary with the release of its 25th episode.
Hosted by Grant Oliphant and co-hosted by Crystal Page, both from the Conrad Prebys Foundation, the podcast has established itself as a premier platform for exploring the insights and innovations of thought leaders in philanthropy, medical research, arts, and culture, with a particular focus on San Diego County. Guests have discussed topics ranging from the role of the arts in powering civic imagination, to the role of underrepresented researchers in producing better science for everyone, to the importance of art and nature in countering America’s youth mental health crisis.
Since its inception, the Stop & Talk Podcast has featured a diverse array of influential guests. In its inaugural season, the podcast welcomed notable figures such as:
- Dr. Svasti Haricharan, Breast Cancer Researcher and Associate Professor, College of Sciences Biology, SDSU and UCSD Moores Cancer Center
- Dr. Daniel “Dan” Calac, Chief Medical Officer at the Indian Health Council
- Felicia Shaw, Executive Director of San Diego Art Matters
- David Miyashiro, Superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District
- john a. powell, the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley
- Rafael Payare, Music Director for the San Diego Symphony
- Megan Thomas, President & CEO of Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties
- Sidd Vivek, the President and CEO of Junior Achievement in San Diego County
- Roxana Velásquez, the Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO at the San Diego Museum of Art
- Macedonio Arteaga Jr, Executive Director of Izcalli
- Caroline (Cara) dessert, CEO of The San Diego LGBT Community Center
This season, listeners have been treated to conversations with prominent leaders including:
- Micah Parzen, CEO of the Museum of Us
- Diane Moss, the CEO of Project New Village
- Preeti Bhattacharji, Head of Sustainable Investing at J.P. Morgan Chase Private Bank
- Ramel Wallace, a multifaceted artist, activist, and community builder
- Philanthropist Irwin Jacobs
- Dr. Constance Carroll, President and CEO of the California Community College Baccalaureate Association
- Dr. Mary Walshok, recently retired UCSD Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Programs and, Dean, University Extension
- Dr. Benjamin Maxwell, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Rady Children’s Hospital
- Dan Yates, board chair of the Prebys Foundation and co-founder/CEO of Endeavor Bank
- Amina Sheik Mohamed, Director and founder of the Refugee Health Unit, UC San Diego Center for Community Health
- Dr. Isabel Newton, Professor of Radiology, UC San Diego Health and Chief of Interventional Radiology at the Veteran’s Administration
- Dr. Sindy Escobar Alvarez, Program Director for Medical Research at the Doris Duke Foundation
As Season 2 winds down, Stop & Talk will welcome Omar Blaik, who has been helping San Diego civic leaders reimagine the potential for its six-block downtown civic center, CEO Carol Dedrich, who is supporting a vision of Girl Scouts advancing regional mental health; and playwright Thelma Virata de Castro, who is helping the local community heal and learn through playwriting.
The final episode is scheduled to drop on November 6, 2024. Looking ahead, Season 3 is set to launch in January 2025, promising even more engaging discussions and insightful dialogues.
“We are incredibly proud to reach this milestone and grateful for the continued support of our listeners and guests,” said Grant Oliphant. “The past year has been a remarkable journey of discovery and connection, and we’re excited to continue sharing the stories and perspectives of the extraordinary individuals shaping our community.”
The Stop & Talk Podcast remains dedicated to spotlighting the important work being done in San Diego and beyond, fostering a deeper understanding of the issues and innovations that drive positive change.
For more information about the Stop & Talk Podcast, upcoming episodes, and past interviews, please visit stopandtalkpodcast.com or follow us on https://linktr.ee/conradprebysfound.
Oliphant hosted his first podcast with the Heinz Foundation’s “We Can Be Podcast” for four seasons, from 2018 until his departure in 2022. Oliphant uses his podcast platform on behalf of the organizations he leads to inspire a broader, richer vision and celebrates voices whose leadership makes a difference.
