#186 | Building Brighter Futures: Leadership, Tech Equity, and the Power of Corporate Citizenship from Contagious Culture

Contagious Culture

Kyle S. King

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#186 | Building Brighter Futures: Leadership, Tech Equity, and the Power of Corporate Citizenship

52 minutes Posted Jun 15, 2026 at 9:00 am.

— Introduction00:30 — Meet Olivia Jefferson01:15 — Kyle shares Olivia’s impact on his leadership02:00 — Who Olivia is outside of work03:00 — Family, friendship, mentorship, and community service04:30 — The journey that shaped Olivia’s values05:30 — Olivia’s mother’s accident and resilience07:00 — Learning the power of grants and philanthropy08:30 — Discovering philanthropy through the Kresge Foundation09:45 — Purpose and corporate philanthropy11:00 — Carrying the weight of impact work12:30 — Why people like Olivia need to be in corporate spaces14:30 — Unlearning ego in impact work15:15 — Learning to trust yourself as a leader16:30 — Leading young and growing through responsibility18:30 — The importance of coaches, sponsors, and advocates20:00 — Accountability, repair, and leadership growth22:00 — Are young people ready for the workforce?23:00 — Skills-first hiring and economic mobility24:30 — Durable skills and the automation of entry-level work27:30 — Where jobs are going and how young people can prepare28:30 — Relationships, curiosity, communication, and critical thinking30:30 — AI as a resource, not a replacement31:00 — What real partnership looks like32:00 — Supporting nonprofits beyond the grant dollar35:30 — Vetting partnerships and reducing wasted time38:00 — Why nonprofits should not shape-shift for funding40:30 — Best Buy Foundation’s work in community41:30 — Tech-reliant careers, skills, and credentials43:00 — Teen Tech Centers and preparing young people early44:30 — The next generation of community impact leaders46:30 — Corporate philanthropy aligned with business strategy48:00 — Where to connect with Olivia and Best Buy Foundation

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Show notes

In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Olivia Jefferson, VP of Social Impact at Best Buy and a leader helping drive the vision of the Best Buy Foundation.

Olivia shares how her personal story, her mother’s resilience after a life-changing accident, and her early exposure to philanthropy shaped her purpose and commitment to community impact. She explains why philanthropy is not just about moving dollars, but about stewarding resources in ways that change lives, open doors, and create lasting opportunity.

Kyle and Olivia also discuss corporate philanthropy, authentic partnership, youth workforce development, durable skills, AI, mentorship, accountability, skills-first hiring, and how the Best Buy Foundation is helping young people move from access to technology toward economic opportunity and mobility.

Key Topics:

Olivia’s journey into philanthropy and social impact

How her mother’s resilience shaped her purpose

Why corporate philanthropy can drive meaningful community change

The weight of leading impact work from inside a corporation

What Olivia had to unlearn to become the leader she is today

Trusting yourself as a leader

The importance of coaching, accountability, and repair

Why durable skills matter in the future of work

How AI is changing workforce preparation

Why relationships, curiosity, and critical thinking still matter

What strong partnership looks like beyond the grant dollar

How funders can reduce friction for nonprofit partners

Best Buy Foundation’s work around technology, mentorship, and economic mobility

Episode History

Guest Bio

Olivia Jefferson is the VP of Social Impact at Best Buy and a leader helping drive the vision of the Best Buy Foundation. Her work sits at the intersection of corporate citizenship, community partnership, youth opportunity, technology access, mentorship, and workforce development. Through her leadership, Olivia helps create pathways that support young people as they move from access to technology toward economic opportunity, mobility, and real-world career exposure.