PhilanthroThink

In this episode of PhilanthroThink, Jonathan Harline and Mekayla Dionne speak with Lisa Wolverton, President of Forward Global and Director of the Wolverton Foundation, about family philanthropy, giving with trust, and how wealth holders can move more resources toward urgent work. Lisa shares how her path began with community-based work focused on families and children, and later grew through board service, foundation work, and her role helping build Forward Global’s Canadian community.
A key part of the conversation is the idea of “enoughness”: asking what families truly need, what they want to leave behind, and what capital they can move now. Lisa explains how that reflection can help open up more funding for climate, Indigenous-led solutions, women’s leadership, and community-led change, while also challenging funders to think differently about power, legacy, accountability, and trust.

Takeaways

-Philanthropy often starts at the family table.
-Communities know what communities need.
-Trust-based giving is about partnership, not stepping away.
-“Enoughness” can help families move more capital now.
-Peer learning can shift how wealth holders think and act.
-Long-term support helps organizations grow with confidence.
-Legacy doesn’t always mean holding capital forever.
-More resources need to reach the people closest to the work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to PhilanthroThink
00:59 Lisa Wolverton's Journey into Philanthropy
04:01 The Impact of Arts and Music on Communities
10:17 Family Philanthropy: Values and Legacy
14:08 Building Community and Navigating Power Dynamics
17:37 The Evolution of Philanthropic Roles
19:57 Navigating Philanthropy in a Changing World
23:09 The Evolution of Impact Investing
25:15 Building Trust in Philanthropy
28:08 Redefining Legacy and Enoughness
30:42 Mobilizing Capital for Indigenous Solutions
34:25 Trust-Based Philanthropy in Action
40:41 A Vision for the Future
44:41 AI and the Future of Philanthropy

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Twitter: https://x.com/mpnlcarleton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carletonmpnl/
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Guest

Lisa Wolverton

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisawolverton/

Forward Global

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fwd-global/
Website: https://forward-global.org/

Hosts
Jonathan Harline
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathankharline/

Mandy Pui
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-pui-2259617b/

Titilayo Adedeji
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/titilayoadedeji/

Mekayla Dionne
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekayla-dionne-57b091234/

Production
Keenlii
Website: www.keenlii.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keenliico/

Subscribe and engage
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube and leave a review. Let us know what topics you would like us to explore next.

Support our podcast
Share this episode with colleagues, friends, and anyone interested in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership.

About PhilanthroThink
PhilanthroThink is a podcast series from Carleton University’s Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program. Each episode features wealth creators, philanthropic leaders, and innovative thinkers sharing insights on the challenges and opportunities shaping the sector in Canada and beyond.

In this episode of PhilanthroThink, Jonathan Harline and Titilayo Adedeji speak with Annabel White, founder and co-CEO of Dragonfly Ventures. Annabel reflects on inheriting family wealth at a young age, learning how finance works over time, and building a more values-led approach to philanthropy and investing.
The conversation explores impact investing, environmental and human health, trust-based philanthropy, unrestricted funding, and blended finance. Annabel also shares why she believes community-led solutions matter and why capital should be put into motion where it can do the most good.
Thank you to IG Private Wealth Management for a grant to make the PhilanthroThink Podcast series possible.
Takeaways
-Annabel White inherited family wealth through a trust structure linked to a media business in London, Ontario.
-She learned finance slowly and practically by asking questions and showing up to meetings.
-Dragonfly Ventures grew from her belief that wealth could be managed differently.
-Her work connects environmental health, human health, and community well-being.
-Dragonfly screens out investments that do not align with its values.
-A blended finance partnership in Clyde River stands out as one of her most meaningful examples of community-led work.
-She believes unrestricted funding helps organizations respond to real needs.
-Her wider view is that money should circulate more broadly to support stronger communities.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to PhilanthroThink
00:42 Introducing Annabelle White and Dragonfly Ventures
01:26 Inheriting wealth at 19
04:10 Learning finance and taking responsibility
08:22 Trust structures, autonomy, and family wealth
10:13 Why Dragonfly Ventures took a different path
12:30 Environmental health, land, and mission
17:09 Screening investments through values
18:53 Sponsor segment: IG Private Wealth Management
22:31 Environmental health and public health
24:58 Community-led solutions and blended finance
29:11 Unrestricted funding and trust-based philanthropy
30:12 How to build trust-based relationships
32:13 Annabel’s view on capital and circulation
35:04 Eric Peterson’s question on long-term action
37:22 Annabelle’s question for the next guest
38:02 Closing reflections

Follow us on social media
Twitter: https://x.com/mpnlcarleton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carletonmpnl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpnlcarleton

Guest
Annabelle White
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabelle-white-351766203/
Dragonfly Ventures
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dragonfly-venture-holdings/?originalSubdomain=c

Hosts
Jonathan Harline
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathankharline/
Mandy Pui
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-pui-2259617b/
Titilayo Adedeji
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/titilayoadedeji/
Mekayla Dionne
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekayla-dionne-57b091234/

Production
Keenlii
Website: www.keenlii.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keenliico/

Subscribe and engage
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube and leave a review. Let us know what topics you would like us to explore next.

Support our podcast
Share this episode with colleagues, friends, and anyone interested in nonprofit work.

About PhilanthroThink
PhilanthroThink is a podcast series from Carleton University’s Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program. Each episode features wealth creators, philanthropic leaders, and innovative thinkers sharing insights on the challenges and opportunities shaping the sector in Canada and beyond.

In this episode, we speak with Eric Peterson, co-founder and co-director of the Tula Foundation and founder of the Hakai Institute. Eric reflects on selling his medical imaging company, Mitra, and choosing to mobilize nearly all of the proceeds into science-driven initiatives focused on coastal research in British Columbia and public health programs in Guatemala.

He shares why he sees himself as an operator rather than a philanthropist, why he believes wealth should be put to work rather than preserved, and how long-term relationships with local communities and First Nations have shaped his approach.
A thoughtful conversation on wealth mobilization, leadership, and building public impact in an unpredictable world.
This episode also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the podcast, with Jonathan Harline, Titilayo Adedeji, Mandy Pui, and Mekayla Dionne joining as new hosts for the season.

TAKEAWAYS
-Eric Peterson transitioned from a tech entrepreneur to philanthropy
-He emphasizes the importance of personal involvement
-Building relationships with communities is crucial for lasting results
-Collaboration with Indigenous Nations strengthens project success
-Wealth mobilization can create more impact than wealth preservation
-Philanthropy is about putting resources to work efficiently
-Collaboration plays a central role in addressing global challenges
-Planning for the future is complex in an unpredictable world
-People are central to successful initiatives
-Work should be meaningful and enjoyable

CHAPTERS

00:00 Journey from Tech to Philanthropy
02:44 Transitioning from Donor to Operator
05:29 The Importance of People in Philanthropy
08:10 Building Relationships with First Nations
10:50 Collaborative Science and Community Engagement
19:28 Empowering Organizations Through Modern Techniques
20:27 The Philosophy of Spending Down
23:28 Investment vs Philanthropy: Understanding the Ecosystem
26:01 Rejecting Labels: The True Nature of Philanthropy
29:33 Reflections on Life Choices and Future Generations

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

MPNL Website: https://www.carleton.ca/mpnl/
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: https://x.com/mpnlcarleton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carletonmpnl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpnlcarleton
CREDITS

Guest: Eric Peterson
Co-founder and Co-director of the Tula Foundation and Founder of the Hakai Institute

Tula Website: https://tula.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-peterson-a0672826b
Foundation LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tula-foundation
HOSTS

Jonathan Harline
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathankharline/
Mandy Pui
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-pui-2259617b/
Titilayo Adedeji
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/titilayoadedeji/
Mekayla Dionne
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekayla-dionne-57b091234/

PRODUCTION

Keenlii
Website: www.keenlii.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keenliico/

SUBSCRIBE AND ENGAGE

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube and leave a review. Let us know what topics you would like us to explore next.

SUPPORT OUR PODCAST

Help us bring you more insightful stories by sharing this episode with fellow nonprofit leaders and changemakers.

ABOUT PHILANTHROTHINK

PhilanthroThink complements Carleton University’s Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program. In each episode, we sit down with wealth creators, philanthropic leaders, and innovative thinkers to explore the real challenges, opportunities, and strategies shaping the sector at home and abroad.

In this episode of PhilanthroThink, Megan Skivington and Fengwen Yu speak with Raksha Bhayana, CEO and co-founder of the Bhayana Family Foundation, about recognition in the nonprofit sector and why it matters. Raksha reflects on her early career in social work, her family’s values, and how those experiences shaped the Foundation’s focus on celebrating frontline nonprofit workers across Canada through partnerships with United Way. She also discusses the advocacy behind nonprofit appreciation initiatives in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and British Columbia, and how the next generation is helping guide new priorities, including awards recognizing entire emergency department teams in Toronto hospitals.

A grounded conversation on advocacy, leadership, and sustaining family philanthropy over time.

TAKEAWAYS
Frontline nonprofit workers often carry invisible pressure and limited recognition
Awards can serve as catalysts for broader awareness and change
Advocacy for the nonprofit sector requires persistence and collaboration
Family foundations evolve when leadership is shared across generations
Whole-team recognition strengthens healthcare and community systems

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to PhilanthroThink
00:40 Introducing Raksha Bhayana
02:30 Family roots and values in giving
05:00 Frontline experience and recognition gaps
07:10 Awards with United Way across Canada
09:15 Next-generation involvement
11:45 Emergency department recognition
15:20 Advocacy and nonprofit appreciation initiatives
19:45 Leadership and future priorities
29:55 Advice for emerging changemakers
32:10 Closing thoughts

GUEST
Raksha Bhayana
CEO and Co-Founder, Bhayana Family Foundation

Website: https://bhayanafoundation.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmb1/
Foundation LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bhayana-family-foundation/posts/?feedView=all
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
https://www.carleton.ca/mpnl/

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: https://x.com/mpnlcarleton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carletonmpnl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpnlcarleton/

CREDITS
Hosts:
Megan Skyvington
Emily Goodwin
Fengwen Yu
Daniel H. Lanteigne

Production:
Keenlii
Website: https://www.keenlii.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keenliico/

Producer: Barry Keegan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrykeegan/

SUBSCRIBE AND ENGAGE
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube and leave a review. Let us know what topics you would like us to explore next.

SUPPORT OUR PODCAST
To help us bring more thoughtful conversations to the sector, please consider sharing this episode with friends, peers, and changemakers.

ABOUT PHILANTHROTHINK
PhilanthroThink is a podcast series from Carleton University’s Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL) program. Each episode features conversations with philanthropic leaders and changemakers exploring the challenges and opportunities shaping the sector in Canada and beyond.

In this episode, we speak with entrepreneur, CEO, podcaster and changemaker Cherry Chan, founder of Nonprofit CFO and CEO of OTUS Financial Solutions. Cherry shares how her background in real estate, accounting and community work shaped her commitment to helping nonprofits build financial stability.
She talks about her goal to help organizations raise 50 million dollars over the next decade, why revenue planning matters, and how leaders can move beyond constant funding stress to create stronger long-term models.
A thoughtful conversation on money, mission and what financial sustainability can look like in the nonprofit sector.
TAKEAWAYS
-Cherry's cultural background influences her approach to finance and philanthropy.
-Raising funds for nonprofits is often more challenging than expected.
-Maximizing impact is essential for nonprofit sustainability.
-Nonprofits can generate profit in unique ways to support their missions.
-Adapting to market changes is important for long term success.
-Diversifying revenue streams helps organizations stay stable.
-Starting with small, manageable projects can open the door to bigger ideas.
-Sharing stories consistently can strengthen community engagement.
-Creative fundraising can lead to major sponsorship opportunities.
-Future nonprofit leaders will need courage to make necessary changes.

CHAPTERS

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

MPNL website: https://www.carleton.ca/mpnl/
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter: https://x.com/mpnlcarleton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carletonmpnl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpnlcarleton

CREDITS
HOSTS
Megan Skyvington
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganskyvington/
Fengwen Yu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengwen-yu-891504131/
Emily Goodwin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-goodwin-/
Daniel H. Lanteigne
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhlanteigne
PRODUCTION

Keenlii
Website: www.keenlii.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keenliico/
SPONSOR
IG Private Wealth Management
For more information, visit: www.igprivatewealth.com

SUBSCRIBE AND ENGAGE
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube and leave a review. Let us know what topics you want us to explore next.

SUPPORT OUR PODCAST
Share this episode with colleagues, friends and anyone interested in nonprofit work.

ABOUT PHILANTHROTHINK
PhilanthroThink is a podcast series from Carleton University’s Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program. Each episode features wealth creators, philanthropic leaders and innovative thinkers sharing practical insights on the challenges and opportunities shaping the sector in Canada and beyond.