In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Khari Brown, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Spark the Journey. In the conversation, Khari Brown shared the impact of his upbringing, what drew him to basketball, and the leadership lessons he learned in playing the game.    Khari shared the origin of his passion for educating youth and his involvement in Capital Partners for Education, rebranded last year as Spark the Journey. Khari Brown talked about the impact of the organization and the need for the community to rethink the approach to education for greater equity and access to opportunities for all. Finally, Khari Brown shared thoughts on the necessity for and benefits of sabbaticals by leaders, especially leaders in the nonprofit sector, who work tirelessly to meet the community's needs.  Some highlights:- Khari Brown on why investing in youth sports matters- Playing professional basketball in Finland and the lessons learned from the experience- The challenges of the education system, especially when it comes to students of color- Khari Brown's strategies for growing a nonprofit and scaling its impact- Spark the Journey's focus on supporting the "academic middle" students in low-income communities- The value of upstream thinking in tackling issues in the community- Why Khari Brown led the effort to rebrand Capital Partners for Education to Spark the Journey - Business's role in the community to service and making a difference- The need for sabbaticals, especially in the nonprofit sector- Khari Brown on playing basketball with President Barack Obama at Camp David- The need for lifelong learning and education for organizational leadersConnect with Khari BrownSpark the Journey Website Khari Brown on LinkedIn Khari Brown on Twitter Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website