Скачать или смотреть From Outsider to Community Builder: Hal Cato’s Lifelong Mission to Strengthen Nashville

In this episode of re:Purpose, host Buddy Teaster sits down with Hal Cato, CEO of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, for an honest and inspiring conversation about leadership, belonging, and what it really takes to strengthen a community.

Hal shares his journey from growing up in Nashville to launching Hands-On Nashville as a 20-something, transforming youth services at Oasis Center, scaling Thistle Farms alongside founder Becca Stevens, and now reimagining what a modern community foundation should be. He opens up about navigating founder transitions, rebuilding boards, leading through crisis, and knowing when to step away — even from opportunities like a potential mayoral run.

With warmth and candor, Hal discusses how empathy, trust, and collaboration guide his work, why cross-sector partnerships matter more than ever, and how Nashville can address its most complex challenges when everyone has a seat at the table.

In this episode you’ll learn:
• Why Hal believes empathy is a leadership superpower
• The lessons he learned from Oasis Center and Thistle Farms
• How to build trust in organizations undergoing big change
• Why he walked away from a mayoral campaign
• His vision for the Community Foundation’s next chapter
• How Nashville can move forward through shared action and collective purpose

If you’re passionate about community impact, nonprofit leadership, or the future of Nashville, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

Listen, subscribe, and share to help us spread stories of purpose-driven leadership. Learn more at www.s4s.org or visit www.buddyteaster.com/podcast. Order From Tailspin to Tailwind: Leadership Lessons for Turning Crisis into Clarity on Amazon at https://a.co/d/6IJttpR.