The Power of Possible: Leadership Edition
Chanda Smith Baker shares insights into how leadership advances the Power of Possible.
Welcome to The Power of Possible: Leadership Edition!
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation exists to bring communities together, harnessing collective energy to make the biggest dreams possible for our state. In The Power of Possible: Leadership Edition, Foundation President and CEO, Chanda Smith Baker, invites listeners into an honest exploration of leadership as a daily practice — one shaped by values, lived experience and courageous decision-making. Drawing from her journey as a seasoned executive and nationally recognized thought leader, Chanda examines how leaders hold vision in uncertainty, stay anchored to purpose and expand what’s possible for the people they serve.
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Watch the Series
The Power of Possibility: Why is this important in leadership?
In this opening episode of The Power of Possible, Dr. Tashion Macon sits down with Chanda Smith Baker, President and CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, to explore what it means to lead with possibility.
Unscripted Leadership: Where does one’s leadership journey begin?
In this episode of The Power of Possible, we invite listeners into to take a deeper look at where Chanda Smith Baker’s leadership was first shaped.
The Ripple Effect: How do leadership decisions drive change?
Chanda has led through moments of pivotal and societal change, where Minnesota has often been at the center, including and leading up to this moment. This episode explores her perspective on how systemic change requires long-term commitment, patience and tolerance for conflict and discomfort.
Being the First: How does identity shape the way we lead?
In this episode, Chanda reflects on being the first Black CEO at the Foundation — and a woman — and how that reality shapes how she approaches leadership. The conversation explores how lived experience informs decision‑making, risk‑taking, and care for people and institutions.
Leading a Community Foundation: How can we amplify our impact?
This episode brings listeners inside what it means to lead a community foundation. Chanda describes a community foundation as the place where generosity meets purpose and legacy. Leading this kind of organization requires more than strategy.
Leading with Trust and Vulnerability: How do we best lead across differences?
Dr. Tashion Macon and Chanda Smith Baker explore what it really means to lead with trust and vulnerability — especially when working across difference. The conversation centers on the idea that effective leadership isn’t about avoiding discomfort but learning how to stay in it long enough to understand it.
Leading From the Middle: What does “middle” leadership look like?
Leading from the middle is perhaps an unexpected leadership approach from a CEO, and yet, the very essence of Chanda’s success built upon this powerful approach. The conversation invites listeners to rethink what leadership looks like — shifting from perfection and performance to authenticity, self-awareness and connection.
Hope, Joy & Possibility: How do leaders hold a future vision in chaos?
How do leaders stay connected to a larger vision when the present moment feels heavy or chaotic? Explore what it means to hold on to hope — and even joy — when the future feels uncertain.
Meet the Hosts
Chanda Smith Baker
Chanda Smith Baker became the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation’s President & CEO on August 25, 2025. She takes the helm of Minnesota’s largest community foundation, which has granted over $2 billion to the community since its inception in 1940 and stewards $1.9 billion in charitable assets for community good. The Foundation is a trusted philanthropic partner for individuals, families and organizations statewide, providing more than 9,000 grants annually.
A visionary in community leadership , Chanda brings deep expertise in aligning vital resources with community priorities and a steadfast belief in what’s possible when people unite around a common purpose. Chanda has long championed equitable, enduring institutions across our region and beyond.
She joins the Foundation from Smith Baker, the organization she founded to cultivate leadership and drive transformative change across businesses and communities. She previously served as Chief Impact Officer at the Minneapolis Foundation and as Chief Executive Officer of Pillsbury United Communities.
Dr. Tashion Macon
Dr. Tashion Macon, PhD, MBA, is a strategist, culturalist, and communications advisor whose work sits at the intersection of strategy, culture, and influence. Leveraging her training and experience in psychology, marketing, and popular culture, she helps individuals and institutions clarify vision, align purpose, and achieve meaningful outcomes.
Throughout her career, Tashion has helped shape the branding, positioning, and cultural relevance of award-winning artists, global brands, and mission-driven organizations. A strategist by training and instinct, she specializes in helping leaders and institutions anticipate where culture and the consumer are headed—and what those shifts mean for leadership, business, philanthropy, and impact.
Her work lives at the intersection of the for-profit and for-purpose sectors, where influence, identity, and innovation converge. Through insight, foresight, and wisdom, she helps organizations strengthen their narratives, deepen their relevance, and build lasting connections with the communities they serve.
As President and Chief Strategy Officer of strut AGENCY, Dr. Tashion serves as a trusted advisor and strategist to CEOs, foundations, nonprofits, and brands, helping them align vision, narrative, culture, and strategy to achieve transformational outcomes.
About the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation believes in the best of Minnesota and the power of its communities. With roots in Saint Paul and partners across the state, it is Minnesota’s largest community foundation and the partner of choice for thousands of donors, nonprofits and community organizations.
The Foundation aspires to create an equitable, just and vibrant Minnesota where all communities and people thrive by inspiring generosity, advocating for equity and investing in community-led solutions.