Inspira podcast: Episode 20 - Joanne Pasternack (USA)

Erika Mueller Chen speaks to Joanne Pasternack about how she has nourished professional relationships to open doors, what it was like to be on the front lines when Colin Kaepernick took a knee, and the role of professional athletes' voices to advocate for social justice.

About Inspira

Launched in January 2023, the Inspira Podcast with Erika Mueller Chen is an interview-based podcast that provides career advice and stories from global change-makers in Sport for Development, Social Impact, and the Diplomatic Service. In 2023, 50 interviews with inspirational leaders working in Sport for Development and Peace from over 35 different countries will be published.

About the Episode Guest

Joanne Pasternack is a philanthropic strategist who, over the past two decades, has galvanized community engagement with internationally recognized brands including the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers, ServiceNow, City of Mountain View, and Special Olympics. As the President and CEO of Oliver+Rose and Co-Founder of Athletes’ Voices, Joanne works with professional athletes, entertainers, philanthropists, and executives to amplify impact and inspire change around their areas of passion.

Previously, Joanne spent twelve seasons leading philanthropic efforts for professional sports franchises, serving as Vice President, Philanthropy and Executive Director of the charitable foundations for the Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco 49ers. Joanne studied at the University of Pennsylvania (BA), Santa Clara University (JD), and Stanford GSB (EPNL) and is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown, University of San Francisco, and the SEIC program. Joanne is former professional ice skater, and a vocal advocate for gender parity, inclusion, LGBTQIA+, and, in memory of her father, Bruce Pasternack, research around younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Listen to Episode 20: Joanne Pasternack (USA) - How can pro athletes’ voices drive social justice?

Learn More

To learn more about the Inspira Podcast, read episode transcripts, and access “Erika’s Global Resource Hub” - a robust written resource created to support folks interested in Sport for Development and Peace, please visit Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen.

Erika Mueller Chen is an international development specialist with over a decade of experience leveraging the amazing power of sport to promote peace and positive social impact. She currently works in Sports Diplomacy and resides in Mexico.