Lean Six Sigma for Good Podcast
A business podcast focused on teaching how Lean and Six Sigma methodologies can be applied to environmental issues like waste, energy, and emissions, as well as societal challenges such as poverty and healthcare. It aims to help businesses, nonprofits, and communities save money, engage people, and become better environmental stewards. The show shares practical techniques and principles for process improvement in these contexts.
Episodes
E137: Impact Evaluation for Nonprofits with Shenae Samuels
In this episode, I share an interview with Shenae Samuels, PhD, MPH with Map Data Studio. We met in Fort Lauderdale at a Social Impact event where I shared my experiences working with nonprofits, and we connected over our passion for helping nonprofits and using statistical analysis. She discusses her transition from an academic research
Continue Reading
E136: Facilitating Improvement Events with Evan Unger
In this episode, I share an interview with Evan Unger, who is a change leader with expert facilitator that helps leaders transform their virtual teams to dramatically increase collaborative decision-making, buy-in and results. He shares his professional journey from a leadership role at Merck to becoming an expert in collaborative leadership and facilitation. He introduces
Continue Reading
E135: Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures with Travis Keener
In this episode, I share an interview with Travis Keener (the “Spill Plan Man”) from November 2025. He is a licensed engineer specializing in spill prevention, control, and countermeasures (SPCC) for industrial facilities. He explains that federal EPA regulations require sites storing over 1,320 gallons of oil-based liquids to maintain rigorous spill plans and secondary containment systems, such a
E134: Quality Improvement for Society with Dr. Yvonne Howze
In this episode, I share an interview with Dr. Yvonne Howze from December 2025. She specializes in Personal Mastery Leadership along with Organizational and Operational Excellence. She shares her remarkable journey from kindergarten lessons to becoming a nationally recognized leader in education, quality, and nonprofit improvement. With professional experiences spanning education, healthcare, tran
E133: Applications of Lean Six Sigma in Dermatology Clinics
I share a presentation I gave in July 2025 at the Practical Symposium in Beaver Creek Colorado. The topic was titled “Operations Management – Make Practice More Efficient” which described my experience working with two dermatology clinics. In the presentation, I explain my background in healthcare improvement using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. I explain
Continue Reading
E132: Lean Six Sigma for Corporate Giving with Anthea Rowe
In this episode, I share an interview with Anthea Rowe, corporate communications and PR expert. She discusses her career trajectory and the application of Lean Six Sigma principles to non-technical fields like communications and philanthropy. She details a major project she led at 3M, where she utilized the DMAIC process and a Pugh Matrix to
Continue Reading
E131: Agile and Sustainability in the UK with Mike Wrathall
In this episode, I share an interview with Mike Wrathall, where I explore his background in strategy, agile methods and sustainability. His early career involved building digital services, primarily for government and social housing organizations, such as streamlining the process for getting people who are homeless or victims of domestic violence into safe housing quicker.
Continue Reading
E130: Agile Sustainability Manifesto with Ines Garcia
In this episode, I share an interview with Ines Garcia, who is one of the creators of the Agile Sustainability Manifesto. She emphasizes the importance of adapting sustainable behaviors to individual lifestyles and advocating for change through personal example rather than pressure. She stresses that meaningful change starts with individual willingness to be part of
Continue Reading
E129: Reducing Malnutrition in South Sudan with Chelsie Azevedo
In this episode, I share an interview with Chelsie Azevedo, who has a masters in Public Health and is a Registered Dietician (RD), and was previously the Nutrition Technical Advisor for Rise Against Hunger. She shares the story of a powerful multi-year project she helped lead in South Sudan with students at Hope for South
Continue Reading
E128: Transforming Lives Using Lean with Patrick Adams
In this episode, I share an interview with Patrick Adams, founder of Lean Solutions based in Michigan. We met virtually during the pandemic in the Lean Communicators Network, and later in-person at the Lean Six Sigma World Conference. He hosts an annual conference called Lean Solutions Summit that will take place in a few weeks
Continue Reading
E127: Applying Kaizen in Developing Countries with Sammy Obara
In this episode, I share an interview with Sammy Obara, Founder and Senior Partner at Honsha, a consulting firm made up of former Toyota employees. He recently presented a topic called “Kaizen without Borders” at the 2025 UCSD ProcessPalooza, and I invited him on the podcast. We discuss applying these powerful concepts to NGOs and
Continue Reading
E126: Using Lean Six Sigma to Make Wishes Come True with Kristle Bulleman
In this episode, I share an uplifting interview with Kristle Bulleman, Process Manager at Make-A-Wish. She shares insights into her process improvement role at this well-respected nonprofit, outlining the impactful work done by Make-A-Wish to grant wishes for children with critical illnesses. We dive into her experiences in using Lean and Six Sigma tools to
Continue Reading
E125: Using Lean Six Sigma to Change Lives with Luke Chesla
In this episode, I share an inspiring interview with Dr. Lucas Chesla, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with Value Added 616, and founder of the nonprofit, Full Armor Ranch. In a world where continuous improvement leads to transformative change, he stands out as a master in blending Lean Six Sigma methodologies with meaningful purpose.
Continue Reading
E124: Applying Data to Food Quality and Safety with Eric Moore
In this episode, I share an interview with Eric Moore, Global Director of Food Safety & Industry Outreach at Testo Solutions, where we discuss Food Safety and Quality, Sustainability, and Innovative Data Monitoring. Eric delves into his extensive 25-year career in food safety, beginning with his education in hospitality at Penn State University and his
Continue Reading
E123: Driving Lean Leadership into Government with Andrew Rowe
In this episode, I share an interview I had with Andrew Rowe, former CEO and Executive Chairman of AllMed Healthcare Management in Portland, Oregon. After 20 years of leading AllMed through a Lean transformation, he is now focusing his time on bringing Lean and quality principes into the Portland metro area as a community service
Continue Reading
E122: Applying Lean at the City of Grand Rapids with Alen Ganic
In this episode, I share an interview I had with Alen Ganic, an experienced Lean and Six Sigma coach who spent 14 years with the City of Grand Rapids implementing Lean and has also setup numerous volunteer groups and organizations to help those in need. He shares examples of project improvements he worked on in
Continue Reading
E121: Using Lean Principles for Non-Profits and NGOs – ASQ Lean Division
In this episode, I share a webinar I gave to the ASQ Lean Enterprise Division I share examples of how Lean tools like process mapping, 5S, and Kanban boards helped improve efficiency and effectiveness for nonprofit organizations focused on societal or environmental challenges. I also share my favorite real-world examples from the City of Denver,
Continue Reading
E120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024
In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
Continue Reading
E119: Applying Lean within Municipal Electric and Water Utilities – Interview with Jennifer Peterson
In this episode, we interview Jennifer Peterson, the manager of Continuous Improvement at Muscatine Power and Water (MPW) in Muscatine, Iowa. She discusses how she got into continuous improvement (CI) and the impact it has had on MPW employees and customers. She highlights the importance of: Jennifer also shares several examples of successful CI projects
Continue Reading
E118: Supply Chains for Good – Interview with C.J. Nord
In this episode, we interview C.J. Nord, a passionate supply chain manager and consultant, who shares her journey towards driving societal change through supply chain. As the founder of Supply Chains for Good, C.J. discusses her extensive career in supply chain management, her recovery from cancer, and how that inspired her skills to launch impactful
Continue Reading
E117: Transforming Healthcare with Lean Six Sigma – Interview with Sarah Cook
In this episode, I interviewed Sarah Cook, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt consultant from Pepper Foster Consulting in Portland, Oregon. She shares her journey from the VA medical center to becoming a performance engineer in healthcare. She discusses the application of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to healthcare, the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare
Continue Reading
E116: Using Energy Treasure Hunts and Energy SWAPs to Engage Employees and Reduce Costs
In March of 2024, the Iowa Sustainable Business Forum (ISBF) and Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) were still separate organizations, and they agreed to host a joint webinar to promote Energy Efficiency and Lean. I was fortunate to connect up with Paul Lemar, Jr. from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), who has
Continue Reading
E115: Using Lean to Minimize Waste Within ESG Initiatives
Continuing our discussion on Lean Six Sigma and ESG, I brought back last episode’s guest, Erin Bauer (Product Development Manager at ASQE) and added a new guest, Beth Cudney. She is a Professor of Data Analytics and the Program Coordinator for Data Analytics at Maryville University. She received her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from North
Continue Reading
E114: Sustainability Benchmarking Studies with Erin Bauer
I had a great interview with Erin Bauer, who is the Product Development Manager at ASQE, which is a trade association created by ASQ to provide benchmarking assistance to corporations within ASQ. One of their key products is the Insights on Excellence® (IoE) Benchmarking Tool. The benchmarking survey results are available to members and nonmembers
Continue Reading
E113: Applying Lean Six Sigma within Nonprofits and Life Coaching with Aleshia Jordan
I had a great interview with Aleshia Jordan a few weeks ago, to discuss how she transitioned from finance to Lean and Six Sigma consulting, and how she is now taking her Master Black Belt skills and over 20 years of experience into her firm Virtualocity, LLC to help organizations, nonprofits and individuals in their
Continue Reading
Recommended
Jubal Phone Pranks from The Jubal Show
پلی لیست | PlayList
English with Olivia | Slow Conversations & Vocabulary
Bible Tea
TED Talks Daily
Pod Save America
Dateline NBC
صداستان: ساعتی با موسیقی
Becoming: HER with Nikki Spoelstra
Exposing Workplace Bullying
Everyday AI Made Simple - AI For Everyday Tasks
FemTech Focus
