Why people don't show up (and what we can do about it) with Matt Penniman, Cecilia Sepp, Stacy Averill, and Michelle Thompson-McCune
Storylinking
Building authentic community engagement, with insights from across the Storylinking community With this episode of Storylinking, we're trying something a little different. Instead of a one-on-one interview, I’ve pulled together responses from four generous members of the Storylinking community: Matt Penniman, a writer and community advocate; Cecilia Sepp, a longtime association and nonprofit leader; Stacy Averill, a leadership coach and facilitator; and Michelle Thompson-McCune, a co-creative designer who builds with communities. Each of them shares their take on why it’s hard to get...
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Engaging with Media for Action (Not Overwhelm) with Tyler Sonnamaker and Jane Bunch
Storylinking
With this episode of Storylinking, we’re trying something new! Instead of the usual one-on-one conversation, I’m sharing a panel discussion from a recent event called The Future is Now, where I had the opportunity to speak alongside journalist Tyler Sonnamaker. The conversation was moderated by Jane Bunch from Revalue, a values-based investment advisory firm. Together, we explore how news and storytelling shape our communities, the responsibilities of storytellers, and the role of local media in building trust and engagement. We dig into why reframing our relationship with media is...
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Science and Story - Connecting Cultures, with Cecilia Wandiga
Storylinking
This episode features Cecilia Wandiga, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI) in Nairobi, Kenya. Cecilia’s work brings science and storytelling together in a way that makes complex research practical and relevant for communities facing environmental and climate challenges. In our conversation, we explore how science connects our stories, grounding them in knowledge and shared reality, while storytelling frames science in ways that make it personal, memorable, and actionable. Cecilia shares how CSTI translates climate research into practical solutions...
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Leading with Curiosity and Bridging Divides, with Mónica Guzmán
Storylinking
I had the privilege of sitting down with Mónica Guzmán for this episode of Storylinking. Mónica is the Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, the author of "I Never Thought of It That Way," and the host of the podcast "A Braver Way." She’s someone I deeply admire for her ability to lean into curiosity and use it as a tool for building trust and understanding across political and cultural divides. In our conversation, we explored how curiosity can help us navigate tough conversations, whether we’re engaging with colleagues, family members, or entire communities. Mónica...
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Theatre as a Model for Dialogue and Engagement, with Chad Swan-Badgero
Storylinking
How theater can create space for meaningful dialogue, build community trust, and inspire engagement among diverse audiences In this episode of Storylinking, Chad Swan-Badgero (founder and artistic director of Peppermint Creek Theatre and program manager for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs) joins host Tom Lietz for a conversation about how theater creates space for communities to navigate tough conversations. From Peppermint Creek’s origins to its evolution as a platform for addressing current societal issues, Chad shares his insights on approaches to audience engagement,...
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Leveraging AI to Scale Human Connection and Creativity, with David Norris
Storylinking
How AI can elevate human creativity and community engagement In this episode of Storylinking, musician/developer/founder/creator David Norris and host Tom Lietz talk about how generative AI is transforming creativity and community engagement. They discuss practical ways to integrate new AI-based approaches while staying human-centered, balancing innovation with ethical considerations, and using new tools to build meaningful connections at scale. Key topics include the potential of generative AI to transform creativity and community engagement, the balance between AI innovation and...
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Using Co-Creation to Break Silos and Build Alignment, with Susan Bartlett
Storylinking
Harnessing Co-Creation for Aligned Impact in Healthcare and Beyond, with Workomics founder Susan Bartlett In this episode of Storylinking, Susan Bartlett, co-founder of Workomics, joins host Tom Lietz to explore the transformative power of co-creative practices in breaking down organizational silos and building alignment across diverse teams. Susan shares how her work bridges internal and external barriers to help organizations create solutions that resonate with all stakeholders: from internal departments like legal and compliance to the end users of healthcare systems. Key...
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Building Trust and Engagement, with Jody Horntvedt and Eriks Dunens
Storylinking
Understanding how the Trust + Engagement Cycle can Enhance Collaboration in Communities and Organizations In this episode of Storylinking, Jody Horntvedt and Eriks Dunens join us to share insights on trust, engagement, and the relationship between both as we build thriving communities. Drawing on their extensive experience as applied researchers, extension educators, and community builders, they unpack the multifaceted nature of trust (including contractual, communication, competence, and caring) and how each type of trust can play a critical role. The conversation offers...
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Community and Career: Unpacking the 2024 Wiley Society Member Survey with Rich Green
Storylinking
In this episode of Storylinking, Rich Green (Commercial Director at Madgex) and host Tom Lietz dive into the results of the 2024 Wiley Society Member Survey. Together, they unpack the survey's findings on career development within associations, highlighting a pressing issue: the gap between members' expectations for career advancement and the support they actually receive. Rich, an innovator in job boards and career center solutions, shares his perspective on how associations can adapt to better meet members' needs by prioritizing career services, networking opportunities, and professional...
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Facing the Fracture, with professor of counseling psychology Tania Israel, Ph.D.
Storylinking
How community builders can respond to political polarization In this episode of Storylinking, counseling psychology professor and author Dr. Tania Israel shares her journey of bringing people together across deep political divides. Dr. Israel discusses growing challenges of political polarization and introduces practical, research-based strategies for fostering understanding and connection in divided communities. She explores how reducing polarizing input, recognizing cognitive biases, and using storytelling can help bridge divides and support a healthier democracy. Key takeaways...
info_outlineThis episode features Cecilia Wandiga, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI) in Nairobi, Kenya. Cecilia’s work brings science and storytelling together in a way that makes complex research practical and relevant for communities facing environmental and climate challenges.
In our conversation, we explore how science connects our stories, grounding them in knowledge and shared reality, while storytelling frames science in ways that make it personal, memorable, and actionable. Cecilia shares how CSTI translates climate research into practical solutions for communities, the role of citizen science in driving local engagement, and the barriers that can make scientific progress difficult to implement. We also discuss the importance of trust in community-led initiatives and how meaningful storytelling helps align people around shared goals.
If you’re thinking about how to make complex ideas more engaging, bring diverse communities into the conversation, or turn specific knowledge into real-world action, you’ll want to hear what Cecilia has to say.
Connect with Cecilia Wandiga & CSTI:
- Follow Cecilia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliawandiga/
- Follow the Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI) on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/centre-for-science-and-technology-innovations-csti/
Check out more from Storylinking:
- Go behind the scenes of this episode: https://storylinking.com/blog/ep11
- Full show site: https://storylinking.com
Key Moments from This Episode:
01:30 Introducing Cecilia Wandiga and CSTI
02:11 CSTI’s Mission and Early Work
03:19 Challenges and Innovations in Climate Adaptation
07:13 The Role of Storytelling in Science Communication
09:38 Personal Background and Influences
24:53 Biochar: A Multifaceted Solution for Energy and Sustainability
35:52 The Ice Block Conundrum: Making New Ideas Familiar
37:12 Citizen Science in Action: Engaging the Public in Research
40:32 How to Successfully Engage Communities in Climate Solutions
43:47 Cultural Barriers to Science and How to Overcome Them
53:49 Staying Optimistic in the Face of Global Challenges
57:20 Practical Advice for Community Builders on Science & Storytelling