We’re launching a podcast! It’s called Hunger & Heart, and it’s about the intersection of wild ambition and fierce compassion.
Our seventh guest is Joe Kennedy, Director of Athletics and Sports Leadership at the Obama Presidential Center.
Here’s the best part: we’re recording the episodes as webinars — and you’re invited to join! Reserve your spot below.
Register for this free session:
About Kaila Colbin
Kaila Colbin is founder and CEO of Boma, an organisation building a world of intentional, intelligent, courageous leaders. Boma is the creator of the Crusaders Leadership Programme™.
An award-winning leader renowned for impact, Kaila works with teams and organisations to build cultural alignment, cultivate honesty, and adapt to a rapidly changing world.
As an international keynote speaker, she has shared the stage with the likes of Bear Grylls, General Stanley McChrystal, astronaut Chris Hadfield, and Swati Mandela. Her powerful, up-to-the-minute insights and world-class delivery make her a standout favourite with any audience.
She developed TEDxChristchurch into New Zealand’s flagship TEDx event and brought Singularity University to New Zealand and Australia, supporting thousands of people to engage with exponentially accelerating technologies and their impact on humanity. Her work to champion Aotearoa New Zealand on a global stage saw her given the 2022 Kea World Class New Zealanders Friend of New Zealand award.
As a founder of the non-profit Ministry of Awesome, Kaila played a critical role in developing Christchurch’s startup ecosystem. She has extensive governance experience, and has been involved with mergers, capital raises, and company sales in the US and NZ. She trained with Brené Brown and Al Gore, and is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors and a certified Project Management Professional.
A native New Yorker, Kaila speaks English, Spanish, French and Italian. She holds a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration from Cornell University. Her purpose in life is to be an uplifting presence.
About Joe Kennedy
Joe Kennedy is a lifelong basketball player and coach with deep experience in both sports and the nonprofit sector. He is the inaugural Director of Athletics and Sports Leadership at the Obama Presidential Center (OPC), where he leads transformational programming designed to empower communities through holistic health and wellness, leadership development, career exploration, and relationship-building through sports and play.
A 2007 Northwestern University graduate with a degree in education and social policy, Kennedy was a four-year letterman on the men’s basketball team, captain, and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree for the Wildcats.
His career began in public service as a special assistant in the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, where he worked with national organisations to advance legislative initiatives. He also played a key role in creating a coalition of major sports organisations to support First Lady Michelle Obama Let’s Move campaign and coordinated championship team visits to the White House.
Kennedy transitioned into basketball operations and coaching, serving as director of men’s basketball operations at Northwestern, director of player personnel at Oregon State, and video coordinator for the Sacramento Kings. He spent seven years as the lead assistant coach at the College of the Holy Cross, where he helped lead the team to the 2016 Patriot League Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. A 12-year coaching veteran, he remains an active member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
In 2022, Kennedy co-founded The Team and became its first executive director. He had previously collaborated with Coach Eric Reveno during the 2020 election cycle to launch All Vote No Play, a college athletics movement focused on increasing student-athlete voter participation. Partnering with Lisa Kay Solomon and Coach Reveno, they developed innovative civic engagement resources for college coaches and teams across the country. Kennedy is passionate about making civic engagement a priority in college athletics and believes The Team can drive meaningful systems change in the civic space.
