Spotlight

A monthly podcast shining a light on philanthropy in Topeka and Shawnee County. Follow and watch on Youtube or listen on your favorite podcast platform.

Hosted by Marsha Pope, President, Topeka Community Foundation.

Episodes

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  • Marsha Pope and Janice Watkins sit at a table talking to each other. The Spotlight podcast logo is centered in the photo.

    House to Home: Impact Investing with Topeka Habitat for Humanity

    Foundation President Marsha Pope sits down with Janice Watkins, CEO of Topeka Habitat for Humanity, to talk about an innovative program made possible by TCF’s Impact Investing program.
    Release Date: April 1, 2026.

    Episode 1
  • Marsha Pope and Jamie Jalil are sitting at a table and talking to each other. The Spotlight podcast logo is centered on the photo.

    The Power of Partnerships: Be Filled of South Topeka

    Foundation President Marsha Pope is joined by Jamie Jalil, Executive Director of Be Filled of South Topeka, to discuss the role of one nonprofit in one unique neighborhood.
    Release Date: May 1, 2026

    Episode 2
  • Marsha Pope, Keith Warta, and Erin Steele are sitting around a table and talking to each other. The Spotlight podcast logo is centered on the photo.

    Intergenerational Care: Heritage Home

    Foundation President Marsha Pope and Keith Warta, Chair of the Local Impact Investing Committee, chat with Erin Steele about a unique care home + childcare center located in Alma, KS.
    Release Date: June 1, 2026.

    Episode 3
  • Marsha Pope, Dr. David Price, and Emily Harmon sit around a table talking with each other. The Spotlight podcast logo is centered on the photo.

    Social Entrepreneurship: The Community Innovation Challenge

    Marsha Pope is joined by Dr. David Price, Business Marketing Professor, and Emily Harmon, 2025 winner of the Brenneman School of Business Community Innovation Challenge, in which students pitch business ideas that focus on solving social issues.
    Release Date: July 1, 2026

    Episode 4
  • Tara Dimick sits at a table and is speaking into a microphone. The Spotlight podcast logo is centered on the photo.

    Tara Dimick: Seed Funds, Leadership, and Philanthropy

    Tara Dimick sits down with Marsha Pope to chat about the role of the community foundation, entrepreneurship, and building a family culture of philanthropy with a Seed Fund. Tara is a TCF Board Member and CEO of Compass Marketing & Advertising Partners.
    Release Date: August 1, 2026

    Episode 5
  • Hurst Coffman and Marsha Pope sit at a round table talking to each other. The Spotlight podcast logo is centered on the photo.

    BONUS Episode: Legacy Planning with Hurst Coffman

    August is Make-a-Will Month. We invited local estate planning attorney Hurst Coffman to chat about his experience working with individuals and families to align their charitable goals and estate planning. In addition to entertaining stories and TCF lore, this conversation includes practical tips for clients and professional advisors.
    Release Date: August 19, 2026

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  • Dr. Tiffany Anderson and Marsha Pope sit at a table talking to each other. The Spotlight podcast logo is centered on the photo.

    Topeka Public Schools: How Community Helps Students Thrive

    Dr. Tiffany Anderson has been the Superintendent of Topeka Public Schools since 2016. In this episode, she reflects on some of the biggest challenges, hard-earned successes, and the community partnerships helping students thrive today.
    Release Date: September 1, 2026

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  • Cody Foster and Carrie Higgins sit at a table with microphones, looking off camera. The Spotlight logo is centered on the photo.

    Impact Avenues: An Innovative Model Reducing Student Homelessness in Topeka

    The Impact Avenues program uses a Collective Impact Model to provide wrap-around services to regional families with the goal of reducing student homelessness. Carrie Higgins, Housing Services Division Director for the City of Topeka, and Cody Foster, CEO of Advisors Excel, share the origins of Impact Avenues and some of the challenges and success stories from the first 5 years.
    Release Date: October 1, 2026

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