Advertise on podcast: CaseyCast - the monthly podcast of The Annie E. Casey Foundation

On this episode of CaseyCast, Foundation President and CEO Lisa Lawson spoke with Assi Sy and Julia Baez from Baltimore’s Promise about what young people need to thrive, the importance of youth engagement and why their perspectives should shape the programs, policies and systems intended to serve them. Sy and Baez are working together on Baltimore’s Promise’s Youth Well-Being Landscape Project — the third iteration of the organization’s Youth Opportunities Landscape. The citywide initiative centralizes, aggregates, maps and analyzes the opportunities available to Baltimore residents ages 0 to 24. Young Baltimoreans are helping lead the work, defining well-being, conducting research, interpreting findings and shaping recommendations for change. Learn more at aecf.org/podcast.

People don't make deci­sions based on facts alone. They rely on sto­ries and assump­tions to make sense of com­plex issues like juvenile jus­tice, eco­nom­ic oppor­tu­ni­ty and child well-being. Those nar­ra­tives shape not only what peo­ple believe but also the solu­tions they are will­ing to support. On this episode of CaseyCast, Foundation President and CEO Lisa Lawson talks with Nat Kendall-Taylor, CEO of the FrameWorks Institute, about why facts alone rarely change minds, how framing shapes public understanding and how stories grounded in research can build support for solutions that help children, youth and families thrive.

On the lat­est episode of Cas­ey­Cast, Foun­da­tion Pres­i­dent and CEO Lisa Law­son talks with Dr. Jef­frey Arnett, pro­fes­sor at Clark Uni­ver­si­ty and the psy­chol­o­gist who coined the term “emerg­ing adult­hood,” about how young peo­ple nav­i­gate the years between adolescence and established adulthood. Emerg­ing adult­hood refers to the life stage from about ages 18 to 29 — a peri­od marked by explo­ration, iden­ti­ty for­ma­tion and major deci­sions about edu­ca­tion, work, rela­tion­ships and inde­pen­dence. Arnett’s research high­lights how this stage has changed over the past sev­er­al decades as young peo­ple mar­ry lat­er, have chil­dren lat­er, take longer to find sta­ble work and face a more com­plex path to adulthood.

This episode of CaseyCast is adapted from a live conversation at the 2026 Adolescent Brain Development Summit hosted by the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent. Foundation President and CEO Lisa Lawson joined Adriana Galván for a fireside chat about how to better support young people as they navigate the path to adulthood.

On the lat­est episode of CaseyCast, the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Pres­i­dent and CEO Lisa Law­son talks with Michelle Jacobs, asso­ciate vice pres­i­dent of col­lege and career ready at Unit­ed Way of Greater Atlanta, about how Career Ready ATL is reimagining pathways to work for young people. Career Ready ATL is a youth apprenticeship program designed to support young people ages 16 to 24 who are furthest from opportunity — including those involved in foster care, the juvenile justice system or disconnected from school and work. Through partnerships with employers, schools and community organizations, the initiative combines paid, on-the-job learning with education and wraparound supports to help young people build sustainable careers.

Nicole “Nikki” Clifton, president of social impact at UPS and president of the UPS Foundation, joins the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Lisa Lawson to discuss how companies can support young people through jobs, mentoring and community partnerships — from delivering vaccines to fighting trafficking to creating career pathways.

Adolescence is a time of both vulnerability and possibility. UCLA professor Adriana Galván — a leading researcher on the adolescent brain — joins Casey Foundation President & CEO Lisa Lawson to discuss how brain science can guide education, justice, and social systems to better support young people on their path to adulthood.

Lisa Lawson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, introduces her new book Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children. In this special short episode, Lisa shares why adolescence is not just a challenge to navigate but an opportunity to help young people ages 14 to 24 flourish — and previews upcoming CaseyCast conversations inspired by the book.

What if Medicaid could do more than cover doctor visits? What if it could change lives? In this episode of CaseyCast, public health expert Alex Briscoe joins host Lisa Lawson to explore how rethinking Medicaid can unlock better mental health care, build a more diverse workforce and empower young people. Alex shares the story of EMS Corps, a program he helped launch that trains young adults — many with experience in foster care or juvenile justice — to become emergency medical technicians. With mentorship, stipends and real career options, EMS Corps is proving that workforce development can be a healing intervention. Hear how this model is scaling nationally — and what it takes to turn policy into purpose.

Artis Stevens, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, joins the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Lisa Lawson to discuss how mentorship transforms lives. From breaking cycles of poverty to promoting equity and inclusion, Stevens highlights BBBSA’s innovative programs and vision for the future. Tune in to hear how mentorship creates opportunity and empowers youth to thrive. Learn more at https://www.aecf.org/blog/mentorship-as-a-pathway-to-opportunity-a-conversation-with-artis-stevens

In this episode of CaseyCast, Lisa Hamilton speaks with Lawrence F. Katz, Harvard economist and co-founder of J-PAL North America, about the transformative role of research and evidence in addressing poverty and inequality. They discuss sectoral employment training, the power of randomized control trials to shape effective social policies and groundbreaking programs like Moving to Opportunity. Katz shares insights on building pathways to economic mobility, the importance of neighborhood effects and how partnerships between researchers, communities and policymakers can drive meaningful change. Tune in to explore how data and collaboration are creating a brighter future for kids and families. Learn more at https://www.aecf.org/blog/lawrence-katz-on-how-research-and-evidence-drive-social-change

Join Lisa Hamilton, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, as she interviews Ellen Roche, a leading voice in early childhood education. Discover why relationships are crucial for creating ideal learning environments where all children thrive. Explore the intersection of research and practice, and learn how we can build a brighter future by investing in our youngest learners.

In this episode, Lisa Hamilton chats with United Way of Northern New Jersey’s Stephanie Hoopes about building a better measure of financial hardship for workers and families. Stream it now. Learn more at https://www.aecf.org/blog/stephanie-hoopes-on-building-a-better-barometer-for-financial-hardship.

In this episode of CaseyCast: Casey's Lisa Hamilton chats with Nicole Lynn Lewis, who leads Generation Hope, a nonprofit devoted to helping young parents go to — and graduate from — college.

Casey's Lisa Hamilton chats with Naomi Wadler who, at age 11, captivated millions at a 2018 March For Our Lives event in Washington, D.C. Now 15, Naomi continues to connect with audiences and advocate against gun violence. In this episode, Wadler about her rapid rise as a youth advocate, how parents — and politicians — can support young leaders, and what kids should keep in mind as they speak up and seek out meaningful change. Learn more at https://www.aecf.org/blog/naomi-wadler-on-raising-youth-voices-and-youth-advocates