The Starfish Institute

Are you interested in what it takes to create real, lasting change in education? Check out this conversation between our Founder and Executive Director Talia Milgrom-Elcott and Greg Satell on the latest episode of Changemaker Mindset, where they discuss the power of innovation, the role of networks in driving systemic change, and how fostering a sense of belonging can fuel progress.

For most of us, our brain is an essential, familiar, yet strangely mysterious part of who we are. For Brain Awareness Week, I talked to neuroscientist and master educator Dr. Melina Uncapher to demystify and explain the most important parts of our brain and share five essential facts every adult should know about children’s developing brains. I also got to curate amazing and accessible brain activities and resources from Beyond100K partners like Science Friday and KQED that you can do with your students, children, or on your own. https://lnkd.in/ewhzNF7N

At Starfish, our work often involves mapping complex systems to uncover insights and surface opportunities for meaningful action. As many of our partners are navigating layoffs, funding cuts, and ongoing uncertainty about the future, we're inspired by Abigail André's recent mapping of how federal workforce reductions during the Trump administration are reshaping government agencies. This sort of work is both timely and essential to understanding the impact of these decisions –?highly recommend checking it out or contributing if you have data to share:

Our sister organization, Beyond100K, just dropped it's 2025 Trends Report, and it’s full of powerful insights into the real time shifts, emerging patterns, and the undercurrents shaping STEM education. Some of the biggest takeaways: ?? ???? ???? ???????? ???? ???????? – but how do we ensure equity in its adoption? ?? ???????????????????? ???? ?? ????????-?????????????? – and a promising answer to the STEM teacher shortage. ?? ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????????? – yet partners are holding the line and pushing forward. ?? ???????????? ???? ?????????????? ????????????????? – as more leaders recognize its role in systemic change. There’s so much to unpack, and we’d love to hear from our network: Which of these trends are you seeing in your own work? What do you think is missing from the conversation? Let’s discuss! ?? ?? Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/er3x_UrH? #STEMEducation #Beyond100K #FutureOfLearning

Winning climate policy fights has never been easy, but as we prepare for four challenging years under an administration hostile to climate action, it's looking harder than ever. Many are now exploring other strategies, like narrative change to shift public discourse, influence behavior, and set the stage for future policy wins. Yesterday, our team was thrilled to join Rare and United Talent Agency for an inspiring event that asked: “Can Entertainment Shift Our Climate Culture?” Here are a few key takeaways: ?? ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????? ??????????: Several speakers cited how the “designated driver” campaign by the Center for Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health partnered to incorporate the idea into shows like "Cheers" which transformed public behavior, contributing to a 30% reduction in alcohol-related auto fatalities. Groups like Rare’s Entertainment Lab (E-Lab) are working to develop the climate analogs to this effort. ?? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ????????????????: When traditional Hollywood players organize with groups like Sustainable Entertainment Alliance, they can leverage the power of networks. However, people increasingly show greater trust in independent content creators and spend more time absorbing their messages. How can organizations better support these creators to weave climate themes into their work, beyond the confines of established studios and distribution networks? ??????????????????????? ???????? ???? ??????????:?For-profit media must balance creative storytelling with viewer demand and market appeal. Strategic partnerships with sustainable brands such as Rivian can provide the marketing dollars needed to make climate-positive content more attractive to the bottom line. Climate orgs that can navigate these incentives will be more successful at driving the production of content with climate messaging. ?? ???????????? ?????????????? = ???????????? ????????????: Like wrapping a dog pill in peanut butter, great storytelling helps make messages about challenging issues palatable, as shown by field leaders like Yellow Dot Studios, which produced the climate denial comedy “Don’t Look Up” –?the second most streamed movie in Netflix’s history. ?? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????????????: Beyond the rich data streaming services offer, established tools like media analysis, surveys, and social listening demonstrate that narrative work isn’t unquantifiable or “magical”— a notion that’s discouraged some from pursuing narrative campaigns in the past (For more on this, check out this great piece from Brett Davidson: https://lnkd.in/gKQesTHW). Measuring impact is key to getting buy-in from funders and iterating on strategies over time. At Starfish, we’re passionate about the power of stories to drive systemic change. If YOU want to be doing more to drive narrative change in a networked way, reach out –?we’d love to connect!

???We’re thrilled to welcome Justin D'Angona as the new Managing Director of The Starfish Institute! In his role, Justin will lead the Starfish Institute into its next chapter of growth, focusing on advancing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change and education. Justin comes to Starfish from XPRIZE, where he built global partner ecosystems to accelerate innovation and scale the impact of emerging solutions to humanity’s grand challenges. Prior to this, he spent a decade working at Greenpeace USA, where he developed strategic campaigns and grassroots networks that drove major environmental wins. “I’m inspired by Starfish’s mission to tackle big, complex problems through collaboration and collective action,” Justin shared. “I’m honored to build on its transformative work and eager to expand its legacy with new partners and projects.” The Starfish Institute has already partnered with organizations like Dell Technologies, Data Science 4 Everyone, Heising-Simons Foundation, Johnson & Johnson and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to drive systemic change and is poised for significant growth under Justin’s leadership. ??We’re excited to partner with mission-driven organizations to catalyze systemic change. If you’re interested in collaborating with us or learning more, let’s connect!