From a childhood shaped by crisis in the Bronx to leading one of New York’s most influential juvenile justice organizations, Dr. Gisele Castro shares how lived experience became the foundation for systemic change and courageous leadership.In this episode, Ron welcomes Gisele Castro, CEO of Exalt, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to supporting court-involved youth through education, paid internships, and cross-sector collaboration. Recently earning her Distinguished Doctoral Degree from NYU Steinhardt, Dr. Castro reflects on her journey as a scholar-practitioner who bridges research, policy, and on-the-ground impact. With more than two decades in the juvenile justice field, she is widely respected for building ecosystems that center young people while transforming how institutions work together.
Dr. Castro traces her purpose back to a defining moment at age fourteen, when her older brother was shot and became entangled in the juvenile justice system. Witnessing her family navigate a broken system without adequate resources reshaped how she understood inequality, poverty, and opportunity. Though she once imagined a career in journalism, that same curiosity evolved into a deeper question: what could she build to change outcomes for young people facing the same barriers her family did?
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Castro unpacks the philosophy behind Exalt’s success, from cultivating internal self-reflection and coaching to uniting judges, prosecutors, educators, nonprofits, and youth who rarely sit at the same table. She shares insights from her doctoral research, Innovation Versus Incarceration, and introduces the emerging 2030 Project for Juvenile Justice—a blueprint designed to close the gap between scholarship and practice while centering youth voice. Listeners will also hear how Exalt approaches leadership development, talent mobility, and intentional scaling as it expands from New York City to Syracuse.
At its core, Dr. Castro’s journey is a powerful example of legacy, environment, and responsibility. She challenges leaders to reject scarcity mindsets, invest deeply in people, and model wellbeing so young people can truly thrive. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on how proximity to adversity, paired with disciplined leadership, can reshape systems and create lasting impact.
Chapters🌱
00:39 Meet Dr. Gisele Castro and Her Journey of Resilience
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01:53 Publish your book at
https://leveragepublishinggroup.com/ ✨
01:53 The Spark Behind a Lifelong Mission
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02:46 Building Exalt and Transforming Systems and Lives
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04:43 Personal Reflections and Future Aspirations
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17:12 Find support for writing your impact-driven book at
booksthatmatter.org 🧠
26:25 Intellectual Inspiration and Family Legacy
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29:45 Exalt Expands Its Impact to Syracuse
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32:16 A Methodical and Strategic Approach to Scaling
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35:09 Building the Next Generation of Leadership in New York City
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38:24 Inside Exalt’s Leadership Development Model
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40:52 If you are a leader or changemaker looking for support, check out
geniusdiscovery.org 🎙️
52:29 Want a podcast just like this one? Check out
podcastsmatter.com LinksWebsite:
www.exaltyouth.org Connect with Dr. Gisele Castro’s work through Exalt and follow her journey as she continues to reimagine juvenile justice, leadership development, and systems built to help young people and communities thrive.
Episode 77
