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Bela Bajaria is Chief Content Officer at Netflix, where she oversees a $20 billion budget for content accessible in 190 countries worldwide. In this episode, Bela speaks about how Netflix operates globally—including through 27 country offices developing regional content—and how some of those shows (such as Squid Game, Adolescence, and K-Pop Demon Hunters) become global phenomena. A global citizen herself, Bela was born in the United Kingdom to Indian parents before spending part of her childhood in Zambia and relocating to California, where her family started a car wash business. It was there that Bela learned the value of hard work and developed her deep love of movies and television. Bela references her parents, as well as television executive Nancy Tellem, as profound influences on her life and career.

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On May 12, 2026, the world lost Jason Collins ’97. In the wake of his passing, we re-share a conversation with Jason from episode 9 of this series, which was recorded on February 28, 2020.

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Mariko Silver ’95 is the President and CEO of Lincoln Center, the largest performing arts campus in the United States, featuring eleven resident arts organizations ranging from the Metropolitan Opera to Julliard to New York City Ballet to Jazz at Lincoln Center. In this episode, Mariko tells her story. From growing up in New York City before moving to LA and entering Harvard-Westlake in the 10^th grade. It was there where she met performing arts and history teachers who inspired Mariko to find her voice as both an artist and a leader. Following Yale and two post-graduate degrees, Mariko led a fascinating career–becoming President of Bennington College at age 35, leading the Henry Luce Foundation, and serving in the Department of Homeland Security in the Obama administration. All of this has led to her current role leading Lincoln Center, bringing “the best of New York to the world and the best of the world to New York.” Mariko references Harvard-Westlake teachers Karl Kleinz, John West, and Cyndy Winter as profound influences on her life and career.