Dare to Disrupt

Turning Principles into Leadership with Patrick Kinney

Patrick Kinney, CEO of Keystone Agency Partners, shares his remarkable journey from hitchhiking to Penn State Hazleton without a dollar to his name to leading transformative growth in the insurance industry. What began as a determined search for any job—despite not even knowing what insurance was—turned into a 30+ year career at Travelers, where he rose to Executive Vice President and developed a product that generated $5 billion for the company. Growing up in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Patrick built his career on resilience, resourcefulness, and a deep commitment to people-centered leadership. In this episode, he reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his path, including a life-changing job interview that set everything in motion. After retiring from Travelers, Patrick entered an entirely new chapter—stepping into the startup world as CEO of Keystone Agency Partners. He shares what it’s like to transition from a large corporate environment to a high-growth, entrepreneurial company, and the guiding principles he’s carried with him along the way. Later in the episode, current Penn State student Arnav Aggarwal joins the conversation. Arnav is a freshman at Penn State in the BS/MD accelerated medicine program. With mentorship from Happy Valley LaunchBox, Arnav is developing Campus Cabs, a student-run mobility solution aiming to provide safer, more affordable campus transportation. Arnav and Patrick discuss how Patrick’s 22 guiding principles apply in practice, the insurance and liability considerations founders should keep in mind, the value of an MBA, and the advice Patrick would give his younger self. Episode Chapters 0:00 - 4:49 A challenging start in Kensington, PA 4:49 - 9:44 Patrick's mother convinces him to go to college, experience at Penn State Hazleton 9:44 - 11:15 Becoming a logistics major at Penn State University Park 11:15 - 20:18 A life-changing job interview with Travelers  20:18 - 24:17 Applying street smarts to the insurance industry 24:17 - 25:43 Putting pen to paper on 22 guiding principles as a reflection on his career 25:43 -29:57 Jumping into the startup world with Keystone Agency Partners post-retirement 29:57 - 34:56 How Keystone Agency Partners is disrupting the insurance industry 34:56 - 37:07 Rapid Fire Round 37:07 - 50:38 Student Section 37:56 - 40:50 Adopting a strategic mindset as a founder 40:50 - 43:41 Insurance risks to consider for Arnav's startup 43:41 - 46:13 Proving a concept in a way that attracts long-term partners 46:13 - 47:50 The value of an MBA 47:50 - 50:38 Advice for Patrick's younger self About Patrick Kinney Patrick Kinney is the CEO of Keystone Agency Partners, the nation’s first broker network Patrick graduated from the Penn State Smeal College of Business with a bachelor’s in business logistics, and received his MBA in finance from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  About Arnav Aggarwal Arnav Aggarwal is a freshman at Penn State in the BS/MD accelerated medicine program. He is the founder of CareForAll, a nonprofit that mobilizes doctors across India to deliver free healthcare to underserved communities. During high school, he also launched LendingLibrary, a B2B platform now deployed nationwide, coordinating book exchanges within gated communities across India. More recently at Penn State, with mentorship from Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank, Arnav is developing Campus Cabs, a student-run mobility solution aiming to provide safer, more affordable campus transportation. The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.

Leading a High-Impact Nonprofit with Jackie Foor

Jackie Foor is the Executive Director of the Consortium for Public Education, a nonprofit that connects schools with partners and resources to help students prepare for their futures.  In this episode, Jackie shares what it takes to run a successful and impactful nonprofit, reflects on how the collapse of the steel industry shaped the Pittsburgh region, and discusses the growing role of AI in education. She also explains how the consortium works to bridge the gap between what students learn in school and the skills they need to succeed in the workforce and in postsecondary education. Later in the episode, recent Penn State graduate student Edward Amoah joins the conversation. Edward recently earned his doctorate in ecology with a dual title in international agriculture and development and is currently a postdoctoral researcher and ICDS Rising Research Fellow. He is President of Nyansapo Labs, whose mission is to expand equitable access to targeted teaching and personalized learning through AI-enabled teaching and learning systems. Edward participated in the Invent Penn State NSF I-Corps short course program, won the Nittany AI Challenge, and participated in the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE) program in the College of Engineering. Edward and Jackie discuss how the consortium goes about building relationships with workforce, as well as AI-adoption across schools and different industries.  Episode Chapters: 0:00 - 4:50 Growing up in Pittsburgh during the collapse of the steel industry 4:50 - 5:58 Penn State experience 5:58 - 10:45 The importance of grant writing 10:45 - 15:07 The mission of the Consortium for Public Education 15:07 - 20:55 Bridging the gap between workforce and education 20:55 - 26:13 What it means to lead a nonprofit as a social entrepreneur 26:13 - 31:08 The future of education 31:08 - 32:05 Advice for someone wanting to start a nonprofit 32:05 - 33:57 Rapid Fire Segment 33:57 - 47:35 Student Questions 35:03 - 39:58 Building trusting relationships with workforce 39:58 - 45:33 How AI can and should be implemented into the classroom, augmenting the workplace 45:33 - 47:35 Re-inventing K-12 education with work-based learning opportunities  About Jackie Foor Jackie Foor is the Executive Director of the Consortium for Public Education, a nonprofit that connects schools with partners and resources to help students prepare for their futures. Jackie graduated from Penn State with a bachelor’s in secondary education from the College of Education, and received her master's in organizational leadership from Carlow University.  About Edward Amoah Edward recently earned his doctorate in ecology with a dual title in international agriculture and development and is currently a postdoctoral researcher and ICDS Rising Research Fellow. He is President of Nyansapo Labs, whose mission is to expand equitable access to targeted teaching and personalized learning through AI-enabled teaching and learning systems. Edward participated in the Invent Penn State NSF I-Corps short course program, won the Nittany AI Challenge, and participated in the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE) program in the College of Engineering. The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.

Bringing Dermatology to your Doorstep with Curology Co-founder Nancy Satur

Dr. Nancy Satur is co-founder and medical director emerita of Curology, a skincare brand delivering personalized prescription treatments straight to customers’ doorsteps. Dr. Satur earned her undergraduate pre-medical degree from Penn State, and her medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. A board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Satur worked as a private practice dermatologist before becoming co-founder, medical director and dermatologist at Curology full-time.On this episode, Dr. Satur shares her experience growing up on a dairy farm in central PA, her path to becoming a dermatologist, and how she and her sons ended up building Curology, which has now served over 5.5 million patients nationwide.Later in the episode, current Penn State student Maya Anderson joins the conversation. Maya is a senior studying biotechnology in the Eberly College of Science. She is the founder and CEO of Vayla, a hair‑accessory brand engineered for durability, curl compatibility, and eco‑conscious materials. She won third place at the Happy Valley LaunchBox Pitch Fest and is currently a participant in the Happy Valley LaunchBox FastTrack Accelerator program.Episode Chapters:0:00 - 5:18 Growing up on the dairy farm eldest of 65:18 - 9:14 The rigorous 5-year Penn State - Jefferson College medical program experience9:14 - 12:48 Project USA, the ER, and working towards specializing in dermatology12:48 - 18:02 The launch of Curology18:02 - 21:46 Compounding prescription formulas in-house21:46 - 24:40 Expanding Curology's reach24:40 - 26:46 Rapid Fire Questions26:46 - 35:35 Student Questions27:27 - 28:37 Learning to delegate28:37 - 29:29 Startup finances29:29 - 31:24 Building customer trust31:24 - 32:45 Ensuring alignment across your team 32:45 - 33:46 Making decisions without all the answers33:46 - 35:20 Handling shifts in customer expectationsAbout Dr. Nancy SaturDr. Nancy Satur is co-founder and medical director emerita of Curology, a skincare brand delivering personalized prescription treatments straight to customers’ doorsteps. Dr. Satur earned her undergraduate pre-medical degree from Penn State, and her medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.About Maya AndersonMaya is a senior studying biotechnology in the Eberly College of Science. She is the founder and CEO of Vayla, a hair‑accessory brand engineered for durability, curl compatibility, and eco‑conscious materials. She won third place at the Happy Valley LaunchBox Pitch Fest and is currently a participant in the Happy Valley LaunchBox FastTrack Accelerator program. The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.

Building Community on Broadway with Marathon Digital Founder Mike Karns

Mike Karns is a Tony Award-winning theater producer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Marathon Digital, Broadway's premiere social media agency, which creates content and cultivates communities for some of Broadway’s biggest shows, non-profit arts organizations, and live entertainment brands around the world, including Hamilton, Hadestown, The Outsiders, and more. In 2024, he also co-founded The Season, a new producing and marketing company, alongside Broadway marketing executive Steven Tartick.In this episode, Mike shares his path into Broadway production, his early work across a variety of theater-related roles, and how—through networking, timing, and persistence—he landed the opportunity to manage social media for Hamilton. He explains how that experience sparked the creation and growth of Marathon Digital, and reflects on building two innovative companies, producing award-winning theatre, and what the future holds for Broadway marketing and emerging artists.Later in the episode, current Penn State student Teagan Jai Boyd joins the conversation. Teagan is a third-year BFA Acting student who recently appeared in the Centre Stage production of Rhinoceros and is currently in rehearsal for The Glass Menagerie. A member of the Presidential Leadership Academy, she and Mike discuss the importance of community when building a startup, making difficult decisions, handling burnout, and how Penn State provides hands-on experiences that prepare students for careers in the arts.Episode Chapters:0:00 – 6:03 Growing up in Erie, developing a love for theatre6:03 – 12:33 Choosing Penn State, working theatre-adjacent internships12:33 – 18:58 Breaking into Broadway production with an informational interview 18:58 – 21:16 The Hamilton phenomenon21:16 - 26:38 Building Marathon Digital, the entrepreneurial nature of Broadway 26:38 - 31:51 Producing on Broadway, launching The Season 31:51- 33:30 Navigating AI in social media industry33:30 – 36:05 Rapid Fire Questions36:05 – 47:50 Student Questions36:05 – 37:35 The importance of community in building company culture 37:35 – 38:46 Refueling and staying organized 38:46 – 39:58 How Mike overcame his most difficult business decision39:58 – 42:47 Managing uncertainty and patience42:47 – 45:08 Incentivizing audiences to come see a Broadway show45:08 – 47:50 The value of the hands-on experiences at Penn State About Mike KarnsMike Karns is the founder and CEO of Marathon Digital, Broadway's premiere social media agency; co-founder of The Season; and a Tony Award-winning theater producer. He graduated from the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Stage Management & Lighting Design.About Teagan Jai BoydTeagan is a third-year BFA Acting student who recently appeared in the Centre Stage production of Rhinoceros and is currently in rehearsal for The Glass Menagerie. She is also a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy. The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.

LIVE from The Global Impact Forum: Leveling Up Education Tech with Techademics Founder Al Motley

Al Motley is the founder and CEO of Techademics, a technology company driving innovation in education, social impact philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector.In this episode, Al shares his journey from working at Penn State’s Center for Academic Computing as a student to leading an international tech company transforming the education and social impact sectors. With offices in Philadelphia, Buenos Aires, and Botswana, Techademics delivers digital solutions and strategic guidance to schools and nonprofits around the world—impacting hundreds of thousands of students, educators, and community leaders.Al discusses his path in education, how Techademics helps schools and nonprofits build effective tech infrastructure, what’s next for the edtech industry, and how mission-driven entrepreneurship can create lasting change.Episode Chapters0:00 - 5:20 Moving from school to school growing up5:20 - 10:26 Choosing Penn State and getting heavily involved as a student10:26 - 11:34 Knowing technology was the path for him11:34 - 12:57 Al's time with Mastery Charter School in Philadelphia to learn change management and scale12:57 - 18:40 The inspiration behind launching Techademics 18:40 - 22:57 Positioning schools to be successful in evolving technology landscape22:57 - 24:21 Advice for his younger self The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.