New York Times Columnist and Pulitzer Prize-Winner, Nicholas Kristof, is the Series’ First Guest and Focuses on Societal Inequality, With Subsequent Podcast Participants Focusing on Human Rights, Sustainable Development, Technology and Policy, Bringing “Unbanked” Individuals into the Financial System, and Building Impactful Organizations.
February 21, 2020
NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs Launches Connecting the Dots, a Podcast Series Featuring Leading Experts, Who Will Tackle Pressing Global Issues and Social Challenges
NEW YORK, February 20, 2020—The NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Center for Global Affairs (CGA), which is celebrating its 15th Anniversary, will launch a new podcast series—Connecting the Dots—for the next generation of global professionals, which will tackle key global challenges by turning ideas into action. CGA, which boasts an incredibly diverse roster of faculty members who are leading experts in their fields, is uniquely positioned to explore and amplify the connections between business, human rights, transnational security, sustainable development, and innovation.
The podcast series will be hosted by Dr. Christian Busch, a clinical assistant professor at CGA, and the director of its Global Economy concentration, who teaches classes on purpose-driven leadership, impact entrepreneurship, social innovation, and emerging markets. His upcoming book, The Serendipity Mindset, which develops a science-based framework for individuals and companies to help prompt and then leverage positive accidents, has been named a finalist for the Financial Times/McKinsey Bracken Bower Prize for “best business book by a young author.” His deep insights will help to drive provocative discussion that will search for answers to some of the most difficult issues we face.
During the first podcast in the CGA series, Busch interviews New York Times journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winner, Nicholas Kristof, who discusses effective ways of confronting societal inequality. Listen to the first podcast at: sps.nyu.edu/cga/connectingthedots.
“In a complex and fast-changing world, navigating the linkages between global, environmental, and social challenges and potential viable solutions has never been more necessary,” noted Busch. “This podcast series aims to create a trusted, credible, and engaging platform for one-on-one conversations with established and emerging leaders around the world, and to share the resources and ecosystems that can help act upon those ideas.”
(Please see release dates and background information for each podcast below.)
If you are a member of the press who wishes to speak with Professor Busch, please contact Alka Gupta at aag13@nyu.edu or Paola Curcio-Kleinman at pck211@nyu.edu.
Connecting the Dots Podcast Release Dates:
PODCAST 1
Nicholas Kristof: A winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, Kristof is an American journalist who writes for The New York Times, and is a bestselling author who is focused on highlighting social injustices. His areas of interest and expertise include human rights, women’s rights, health, and global affairs. In this podcast, Kristof will discuss effective ways to confront societal inequality. Release Date: February 20, 2020
PODCAST 2
Yaël Eisenstat: Eisenstat is a thought leader and strategist working with governments, tech companies, and investors focused on the intersection of ethics, tech, society, and policy. She has spent 18 years utilizing her expertise around the globe as: a CIA officer, a national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, the global head of elections integrity operations in Facebook’s business integrity org, a diplomat, a corporate social responsibility strategist, and the head of a global risk firm. This podcast will focus on the nexus of technology, policy, and business. Release Date: March 4, 2020
PODCAST 3
Joe Colombano: As the economic adviser to former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Colombano played a key role in orchestrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.” The SDGs, set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, are intended to be achieved by the year 2030. In this podcast, Colombano will discuss the inside story of the SDGs and his exciting journey as director of the related UN Office. Release Date: March 18, 2020
PODCAST 4
Sylvana Q. Sinha: Founder and CEO of Praava Health, this Bangladeshi-American attorney and entrepreneur redesigned the way healthcare is delivered in developing countries. Spending over a decade in international law and development, pursuing her long-time intent to do work that leveraged her American education to make an impact in the world, she has held positions at the World Bank, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and several law firms. Sinha will discuss how to build an impactful organization from the ground up, even in the most challenging environment. Release Date: April 1, 2020
PODCAST 5
Michael Fraccaro: As chief people officer at MasterCard, Fraccaro is responsible for all human resources (HR) functions globally, including driving cultural transformation, building leadership capability, and creating a company that is “most valued to work for.” He has played a crucial role in guiding the company in bringing hundreds of millions of “unbanked” individuals into the financial system. Fraccaro will discuss how MasterCard is reinventing itself to play a larger role in solving global problems. Release Date: April 15, 2020
PODCAST 6
Debra Jones: Jones runs major campaigns that focus on human rights. She currently serves as the global advocacy director at Lumos, an organization that works around the world to help the millions of children in orphanages regain their right to a family. Prior to her position at Lumos, she served as president, director, and United Nations representative of Save the Children International. In addition, she was the former director of global advocacy at Family Care International. Jones will discuss how to protect human rights—especially those of children—in a fast-changing and unpredictable world. Release Date: April 22, 2020
About the NYUSPS Center for Global Affairs
Celebrating it 15th anniversary, the NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs facilitates change by educating and inspiring our community members to become global citizens who are capable of identifying and implementing solutions to pressing global challenges. We believe that the development of solutions to global problems must be informed by an understanding that the world’s challenges are not merely challenges for and among states and traditional diplomatic outlets, but also challenges for nonstate actors, urban and rural communities, and regional organizations.
Through the MS in Global Affairs, the NEW MS in Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime, professional education programs, and public events, we prepare global citizens who are at home in all of these environments—and thus, who are effective agents of change.
For more information, visit sps.nyu.edu/cga.
About the NYU School of Professional Studies
For 85 years, the NYU School of Professional Studies has been a deeply respected institution of higher education that is grounded in applied learning. From its early years, training returning World War II veterans to fulfill the nation’s urgent need for skilled technical workers, it has evolved into a professional education powerhouse that offers 20 graduate degrees, 13 bachelor’s degrees for traditional and post-traditional students, four associate’s degrees, and a plethora of non-degree courses and credentials.
NYUSPS is a thought leader, and serves as an incubator for new ideas in industries that are constantly changing, including real estate, real estate development, and construction management; hospitality, tourism, travel, and event management; global affairs and global security, conflict, and cybercrime; global sport and sports business; publishing; marketing; public relations; project management; executive coaching and organizational consulting, human resource management and development, and human capital analytics and technology; management and systems; translation; and professional writing. It is focused on building skills that open doors to opportunities in emerging fields and global markets. NYUSPS faculty members are leading experts in their areas of discipline, with a hands-on approach that encourages students to push beyond their limits and to break new ground.
Home to some of the largest and most prestigious industry conferences in the world, including the Schack Institute of Real Estate’s Capital Markets Conference, REIT Symposium, and National Symposium of Women in Real Estate; and the Jonathan M. Tisch Center’s International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, the School’s invaluable connections to industry leaders are a truly distinguishing factor in the education that it provides. Through career development services and resources provided by the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development at NYUSPS, guest lecturers, site visits, participation in numerous conferences and events, and Global Field Intensives, students benefit from an NYU education that will set them apart. In addition, they have the opportunity to learn from and network with more than 27,000 NYUSPS alumni who live, work, and contribute to innovation in industry around the world. To learn more, visit sps.nyu.edu.