We entered into this Season determined to find a way to navigate the phase change we're experiencing without losing sight of our mission and our values. After diving deeply into the hearts and minds of every member of the Civilla team we've lan

4x10 - Pass the mic

Aug 13th, 2019 29m 51s

Rachel has guided our audio voyage through two seasons of One Billion. In this episode our host transitions from being the interviewer to being the interviewee. She shares her own story of learning about design thinking, becoming a professional

Stay Close to the Knitting

Aug 5th, 2019 39m 48s

While every member of the Civilla team has left fingerprints on the organization, Civilla would not exist without Michael Brennan. By title, he is our CEO, but his impact extends far beyond the four walls of the studio. His story helps us under

Believe in Yourself (and Practice)

Jul 30th, 2019 22m 5s

Since childhood, Scott put all his eggs in one basket: he was going to be an artist. And no one or nothing could stop him. While today, he's living that dream at Civilla, he'll be the first to tell you the journey was all but direct. In this ep

The 2nd Quasi-Annual Civilla Reunion

Jul 23rd, 2019 16m 37s

In this interlude, we go behind-the-scenes with 6 individuals who have a unique, but critically important perspective on the phase change we're navigating: over the last 3.5 years, they've each lent their time and talent to Civilla. As a result

You Have to Show Up

Jul 16th, 2019 25m 48s

What in an organization should stay constant amidst change? What should evolve? This week, we dive into these questions with the one and only: Gaby Dorantes. Since Civilla's early days, Gaby has helped to steward our mission into the world. And

The Priority

Jul 9th, 2019 27m 22s

This week, we dive deep into Rachael's journey of self-discovery. In her interview, she illustrates the power of investing in our whole selves, rather than just the people we are at work. Then, she challenges us to face a growing tension: the t

Into the Mind of an Activator

Jun 25th, 2019 26m 30s

If you need help jump starting a project, Adam's your guy. However, this phase change is challenging him to think differently about how to leverage this superpower here at Civilla. In this episode we explore both the beauty of Adam's strength a

Learning to Fly

Jun 18th, 2019 27m 19s

Meet Sam: a designer, a researcher, a policy maker, a data guru, and a project manager. His role at Civilla has grown exponentially since he joined the team full time. But he'll be the first to tell you that when he came to Civilla, he didn't h

Stepping Into Design Leadership

Jun 10th, 2019 24m 50s

This week, we hear from Lena Selzer, one of Civilla's founding team members. She walks us into the heart of her journey as the organization's Design Director: the ups, the downs, and the lessons she's learned along the way. She leaves us with a

Season 4 Opener

Jun 4th, 2019 20m 35s

Here at Civilla, things are changing - quickly. And so, this season we’re bringing you right into the heart of that evolution - the fun, the pain, and the fear. Our goal? To determine how to grow our impact without compromising our culture or o

Interlude - How Civilla Got it's Name

Oct 15th, 2018 14m 56s

In this interlude, we hear from Paul Seibert, the designer who gifted Civilla with it's name. Listen in to hear the story and learn from his process. www.civilla.com

3x11 - Bring it on home

Sep 18th, 2018 31m 59s

This is the season 3 finale! Lena, Adam, and Michael all join in to share their conclusion after 10 podcast episodes about how change actually happens in the world. www.civilla.com

03x10 - Living Out Conviction

Sep 4th, 2018 39m 47s

Meet Leon Stevenson. He'll share the story of how the Mack Avenue Community Church came to be. Learn more about the role of unwavering personal commitment in the pursuit of social justice. www.civilla.com

03x09 - Leadership is Inhumane

Aug 28th, 2018 12m 27s

Meet Lena and Michael, two Civilla teammates with a point of view on our previous podcast episode and guest Amy Kaherl. Tune in to hear their thoughts about giving oneself permission to take care of your own needs as a leader. www.civilla.com

03x08 - The power right here

Aug 21st, 2018 28m 45s

Meet Amy Kaherl. She'll share some of the story of how Detroit Soup came to be and where the journey has taken her. Learn more about the toll change work can take on the individual and at least one strategy for addressing it (it involves a week

03x07 - Charge into the next thing

Aug 14th, 2018 28m 9s

Meet Michael Arena, the Chief Talent Officer at General Motors. He's spent much of his life passionately exploring how to lead change inside large complex organizations during which he's learned a thing or two. www.civilla.com

03x06 - Lazy (in a strategic way)

Aug 7th, 2018 34m 24s

Meet Bryan Boyer, a true pioneer in the application of design to large government systems. He'll share incredible stories about his experiences traveling the globe and helping launch the esteemed Helsinki Design Lab. This is an episode you won'

03x05 - Secret Weapon

Jul 31st, 2018 11m 13s

Meet Rachael, a Civilla design researcher with a very relevant point of view on our previous guest, LanVy Nguyen. Tune in to hear her reactions to the interview and episode. www.civilla.com

03x04 - Hungry for change

Jul 24th, 2018 31m 20s

Meet LanVy Nguyen - the founder of Fashion4Freedom, a social enterprise that aims to transform establish a sustainable, ethical, supply chain featuring the work of some incredible artisans. Hear her incredible story and learn from her perspecti

03x03 - Nothing happens without pain

Jul 3rd, 2018 28m 33s

Meet Taavi Kotka - the Chief Information Officer of Estonia (the former Soviet nation that borders Russia). Taavi helped lead Estonia's digital transformation to become the world's first e-government. He has an amazing story and a bold perspect

03x02 - The Institutional Dilemma

Jun 26th, 2018 18m 17s

Listen in as we discuss THE biggest problem in the world. Literally. Institutions are the entities with the greatest impact on our lives that are simultaneously the hardest to change! Fear not: we're going to figure out what the equation for re

03x01 - Season 3 Opener

Jun 19th, 2018 10m 41s

Meet Rachel. In just 10 weeks she's leaving to bike across the U.S.A. Before leaving she has decided to answer one extremely difficult question: how does change actually happen? She's going to chronicle her adventure from the Civilla podcast st

Judge's Feedback

Apr 7th, 2017 36m 24s

In this final interlude from Season 1 we hear the entire Civilla team read the feedback they received from applying to the Macarthur Foundation's 100&Change grant. www.civilla.com

018 - The Final Week, Part 2 (Day 17 of 17)

Mar 1st, 2017 29m 38s

In the eighteenth episode of One Billion we listen as the Independent Sector executive leadership team responds to the user research work their team has conducted. We hear what excited them and what scared them. And then we hear the answer to t