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The Criterion Institute Podcast

The Criterion Institute Podcast

Written by: Joy Anderson
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 How do we disrupt the entrenched power dynamics in finance to advance a more equitable future? Join us for the Criterion Institute Podcast as Joy Anderson, a global thought leader in business and social change, leads us through a series of discussions, interviews, frameworks, rants, and re-frames that will help you better understand how to use finance as a tool for transformative systems change. Learn more by visiting us at www.criterioninstitute.org.Copyright 2026 Joy Anderson Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • #77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led Finance

    #77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led Finance
    Apr 23 2026
    #77: Strength Is the Strategy: A Conversation on Movement‑Led FinanceWhat happens when feminist movements stop asking permission—and start acting as asset owners?In this episode, Joy Anderson is joined by Giselle Carino and Meradith Leebrick of Fòs Feminista to explore how movement‑led organizations are building financial tools, institutions, and enterprises that sustain reproductive justice over the long term.In this conversation, they reflect on why organizational strength (governance, reserves, and financial discipline) is not separate from movement work but essential to it; how Fòs Feminista was deliberately designed by and for organizations in the Global South; and what it looks like to act as a financial intermediary without training wheels. They trace Fòs Feminista’s long history with innovative finance, dig into the creation and scaling of INNOVA Health Supplies as a feminist social enterprise, and challenge conventional assumptions about risk, collateral, and repayment, arguing instead for designing capital that matches the realities, time horizons, and power dynamics of real change.Episode Highlights00:00 - Introduction to Fòs Feminista and Its Mission02:50 The Concept of 'Fòs' and Its Origins05:40 Building a Strong Ecosystem for Reproductive Justice08:01 Organizational Stability and Movement Leadership14:18 Innovative Finance Strategies in Reproductive Health17:33 Collaborative Solutions for Sexual and Reproductive Health22:15 Acting as Asset Owners in the Movement30:11 Scaling Impact and Future DirectionsRelevant LinksCriterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedInGiselle Carino, CEO, Fòs Feministahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/giselle-carino-937285102Meradith Leebrick, Lead, Social Innovation & Financing, Fòs Feministahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/meradithMentioned in this EpisodeFòs FeministaINNOVA Health SuppliesFeminist Impact Fund (Fòs Feminista)Dive DeeperIntroducing Standards of Practice for Gender Lens InvestingProcess Metrics that Analyze Power Dynamics in InvestingDisrupting Fields: Addressing Power Dynamics in the Fields of Climate Finance and Gender Lens InvestingFostering a Feminist Financial ImaginationOther episodes you might also like:#74: No Permission Required: Volunteerism as a Power Shift#72: From Add-on to Operating System: Rethinking the Role of Services in Local Value Creation#73: Search Funds Reframed: Expanding Access to Business Ownership#20: Shifting Power in Investment Practice: The Costs of Doing BusinessPart of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network
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    36 mins
  • #76: Bring Your Expertise: Why AI Needs More Voices

    #76: Bring Your Expertise: Why AI Needs More Voices
    Apr 9 2026
    In this conversation, Joy Anderson and Mara Bolis discuss the intersection of gender lens investing and AI, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping the future of technology. Mara shares her journey from working at Oxfam to exploring AI at the Kennedy School, and her reflections on addressing gender inequality in emerging technologies. They explore the challenges of navigating spaces traditionally dominated by experts and why it’s time to bring new types of knowledge into AI discussions. The conversation underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches and the power of collective learning to empower underrepresented voices in the tech space.Episode Highlights00:00 - Introduction to AI and Power Dynamics03:11 - Imposter Syndrome and Interdisciplinary Leadership06:06 - The Importance of Domain Expertise in AI09:08 - Challenging Traditional Notions of Expertise11:55 - The Role of Gender in Economic Systems15:12 - Agency and Participation in AI Development17:59 - Practical Tips for Engaging in AI20:49 - Building Community and Learning TogetherRelevant LinksCriterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedInMara's LinkedInDive DeeperDisrupting FieldsFostering a Feminist Financial ImaginationIntroducing Standards of Practice for Gender Lens InvestingIf enjoyed this episode, consider listening to “Knowledge and Power,” which offers language for recognizing and challenging whose expertise carries weight in decision‑making spaces, and “Disrupting Fields,” which looks at how authority, legitimacy, and participation take shape as new fields emerge.Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts
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    25 mins
  • #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities

    #75: When the Moment Arrives: Acting on Systems Opportunities
    Mar 26 2026
    In this episode, we share how Criterion approaches systems change—by paying close attention to where leverage actually lives, how power moves through relationships, and why timing matters as much as ideas. You’ll hear how we think about staying close to the people and systems that can shift outcomes, even when it looks like we’re waiting. This perspective reframes strategy as readiness: noticing signals, building trust, and being prepared to step forward when the moment to act genuinely arrives.Episode Highlights00:00 Introduction to Systems Change and Strategy03:01 Understanding Systems Opportunities05:49 The Role of Timing in Systems Change09:13 Defining System Tensions and Opportunities12:06 Strategic Posture and Approach14:58 The Importance of Relationships in Systems Change17:55 Conclusion and Call to ActionRelevant LinksCriterion Institute website and LinkedInJoy’s LinkedInCriterion’s Strategic PlanDonella Meadow’s Leverage PointsIf this episode resonates, you may also want to listen to “Clarity Is Relational,” which explores how sense‑making and strategy emerge through relationships, and “Navigating Paradoxes,” which looks at how leverage and emergence show up in real market systems.Part of the ImpactAlpha Podcast Network https://impactalpha.com/podcasts
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    20 mins
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