Innovators at the Intersection

What happens when a drummer approaches a creative career with the mindset of an entrepreneur?
Jason Gianni’s journey brings together talent, opportunity, preparation, and an entrepreneurial mindset. As the drummer behind the iconic SpongeBob SquarePants theme—and a contributor to its creation—Jason’s career has taken him from commercials and live performance to education, authorship, and entrepreneurship.
In this conversation, Jason shares the moments that opened doors, the lessons he’s learned, and how approaching creativity with a business mindset can help build a sustainable career.
A conversation about drumming, creativity, opportunity, and entrepreneurship.

Welcome to the debut episode of Culture of Sport, a curated podcast series from Innovators at the Intersection exploring where sports, culture, leadership, and community intersect.
Our first guest is Danique Liddell—boxing media personality, journalist, analyst, and community leader. Danique shares her nonlinear journey from healthcare to sports media, the lessons that shaped her leadership, and how boxing can create opportunity, connection, and lasting impact.

Divine’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and full-circle transformation. After experiencing hardship, incarceration, and the realities of street life, he found purpose through hip-hop, mentorship, and entrepreneurship. In this conversation, Divine opens up about his evolution from MC to fintech leader and how he and the legendary Rakim are building NOTES to empower the next generation of artists and creators. 
 

In this episode, we sit down with Aisha Bowe, former NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur, and space traveler who shares her journey from humble beginnings to breaking barriers in STEM.
A powerful conversation on resilience, vision, and expanding what’s possible.

In this episode, we talk with Hikaru Hayakawa, Executive Director of Climate Cardinals, a global youth-led movement breaking language barriers in climate science so every community can take action. He explains how most climate information exists in English while much of the world does not speak it and how Climate Cardinals is translating knowledge and empowering young people worldwide.
We discuss youth activism, accessible information, and how the next generation is driving real climate action.

This episode features Dr. Ian Levy, Assistant Professor of School Counseling at Rutgers University and emcee. We discuss how he uses hip-hop to support student mental health, bridge culture and counseling, and engage young people in urban schools. Dr. Levy’s work has been featured by The New York Times and CNN, and he is the author of Hip-Hop & Spoken Word Therapy in School Counseling.

In this episode, artist/curator Alice Mizrachi, graffiti legend Lady Pink, and developer/art collector Brian Lockner discuss how art shapes community, transforms public spaces, and fuels New York’s creative spirit. 

Jennifer Alvarez, a former U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer and Brand Innovation Manager joins us to discuss how her military service shaped her leadership and creativity in the private sector. She shares insights on connecting the dots between leading in the Navy and driving innovation for global brands. 

On this episode, we sit down with advertising legend Aaron Walton, CEO of Walton Isaacson. Aaron shares how he crafted iconic campaigns for brands like Lexus and PepsiCo, collaborated with cultural icons such as Michael Jackson, and championed inclusivity both inside and outside his agency. Tune in for insights on authenticity, culture, and the future of advertising.

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Cheri Walsh—former professional dancer turned philanthropic force. Cheri shares her journey from navigating the competitive dance world in New York City to becoming the Director of the Billy & Alexis Joel Foundation and Board Chair of ETA. We explore how her early passion for the arts shaped her commitment to uplifting communities through education, opportunity, and creativity. It’s a powerful conversation about purpose, resilience, and using your platform to give back.