TrustFund Podcast

Scientific research—just the phrase conjures images of test tubes, sterile labs, and professors in tweed with elbow patches. It suggests detachment, objectivity, and the studied avoidance of bias. But what if research could also be about love? About community? About cultivating deep, reciprocal relationships?Better yet—what if the person teaching you this was a Cuban-identifying, breakdancing dean?Today, Dr. Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda upends conventional notions of what it means to be a researcher. With warmth, brilliance, and bold authenticity, she shows us how trust is built in the research process, what we truly owe to our participants, and how researchers—if we’re doing it right—earn our pay.

What does it mean to be truly seen—and believed—in a world that often tells us to fragment who we are? In this episode of TrustFund, we sit down with Jonathan Bell, a therapist whose work centers on relational healing, LGBTQ+ affirmation, and recovery from religious trauma. Drawing from evidence-based approaches and a deep commitment to honoring the whole self, Jonathan talks about how trust is built (and sometimes broken) in therapy, what it means to hold complexity in identity work, and how people can reclaim meaning after spiritual harm. Whether you’ve been in therapy, thought about it, or are just curious about what trust really looks like in practice, this conversation will stay with you.

How are you feeling about politicians these days? In my social sphere, even the mere mention of them provokes eye-rolling and a sigh of skepticism. And I get it. But I can also attest, through years of working in policy, that there are some really good people serving as elected officials. There are indeed still politicians with steel spines and soft hearts that work to improve the lives of their constituents and beyond.Today I am so psyched to be talking to one of the best politicians around: NC Representative Julie Von Haefen.

What does it really mean to be a trustworthy healthcare provider? In this deeply thoughtful and refreshingly human conversation, Dr. Neal Prose—pediatric dermatologist, professor, and long-time advocate for compassionate care—helps us rethink the clinical encounter.We trace Dr. Prose’s journey from Brooklyn to Duke Medicine, and explore how a lifetime of listening, teaching, and showing up for patients led him to center trustworthiness as a core clinical skill. He shares stories from the classroom, the exam room, and even a dermatology conference where he asked seasoned physicians a deceptively simple question: What do you do to make patients feel safe?From birth trauma to language barriers, from humility to humor, Dr. Prose reveals how trustworthy practice isn't just ethical—it's transformative. As he puts it, "I became less judgmental, more curious, and more joyful in my work."

Oh, the American Dream…. If you work hard, keep your nose to the grindstone we can all achieve the same level of success and personal satisfaction. Sounds okay, but when I look around my life, too often that equation just doesn’t make sense. Too often I see folks working REALLY hard, doing all the right things, and still struggling to find comfort and success in our lives. Which makes me think, is the American Dream more like a fairytale?Today I am delighted to speak with Jay Pearson. Dr. Pearson’s research, teaching and advocacy address how policy sponsored and structurally rooted social inequality influence the social determination of health disadvantage.

In a world flooded with information, how do we know which stories to trust? Today’s guest, Lisa Sorg, an investigative journalist for a Pulitzer Prize–winning climate news outlet, pulls back the curtain on the reporting process. She shares how she builds trust with both her readers and her sources—and why that trust matters more than ever. Plus, she recounts an unexpectedly sacred moment involving a honey-drenched biscuit that just might restore your faith in humanity.