
Laurie Styron
Executive director of CharityWatch.org with decades of experience analyzing nonprofit financials and governance, providing expert guidance on charity ratings and donor best practices.
Best podcasts with Laurie Styron
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Jan 1, 2026 • 39min
Ari Weitzman interviews Laurie Styron from Charity Watch
Laurie Styron, the executive director of CharityWatch.org, is dedicated to improving charitable practices with years of expertise in nonprofit analysis. In this discussion, she emphasizes the importance of choosing charities wisely to avoid impulsive donations. Laurie highlights the limits of automated charity ratings, warning of hidden abuses in high scores. She shares practical tips for vetting local charities, and encourages proactive, informed giving strategies. This conversation is essential for anyone looking to make meaningful end-of-year donations.

Dec 3, 2024 • 56min
The ‘Seductive Promise’ and Peril of Microfinance
Mara Kardas-Nelson, an independent journalist and author, sheds light on her book about microfinance's complex reality, especially for impoverished women in West Africa. Laurie Styron, CEO of CharityWatch, discusses the challenges of transparency in charity donations. They explore harrowing stories of women jailed for unpaid microloans and question the sustainability of high-interest models. The conversation also emphasizes responsible charitable giving and alternative solutions to poverty, urging a more thoughtful approach to philanthropy.


