Two-episode series follows three young roadtrippers across the country as they meet visionary leaders using finance to drive profit, community growth, and sustainable impact.
Premieres locally October 16 on KQED 9
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — KQED and Roadtrip Nation present Roadtrip Nation: Wealth of Opportunity, a new two-episode documentary series exploring the multifaceted world of modern finance, impact investing, and community wealth building. The series follows three young aspiring professionals—Michal, Madeline, and Grace—as they travel across the United States to discover how finance careers can combine profit and growth with community advancement.
The narratives surrounding finance careers can often feel one-size-fits-all, but Roadtrip Nation: Wealth of Opportunity shows there is ample room for individuals to carve out their own unique paths. Guided by their distinct backgrounds and personal aspirations, the roadtrippers sit down with pioneering leaders across impact investing, private equity, real estate development, and financial literacy.
Meet the Roadtrippers
- Grace (21, Philadelphia, PA): A senior at Temple University’s Fox School of Business studying finance and real estate, Grace is eager to build her network in alternative investment management. Her long-term goal is to pursue an MBA and lead sustainable development projects in emerging nations, including Nigeria, where her family is from.
- Michal (21, Malibu, CA): A senior studying finance at Pepperdine University, Michal comes from humble beginnings and is looking to break into the mergers and acquisitions space. Inspired by personal family experiences with medical challenges, Michal aims to explore private equity opportunities that advance healthcare innovation and improve medical outcomes for all.
- Madeline (22, Portland, OR): As the eldest of five children, Madeline has always forged her own path. She is focused on sharing financial knowledge within her community and championing greater representation for Latina women in alternative investment management.
Behind the Journey
The journey spans the country from Southern California to the East Coast, diving into key industry focus areas through two thematic episodes:
- Episode 1: Investing in Impact — Michal, Madeline, and Grace launch their trip learning how financial strategy can prioritize community impact and new frontiers in investing. They sit down with impact investors, personal finance content creators, and private equity leaders shaping global sports and community wealth.
- Episode 2: Community & Connections — Traveling through Portland, Philadelphia, and New York City, the roadtrippers connect with visionary developers and venture investors. They learn how aligning capital with neighborhood development and equitable investment drives both growth and long-term profit.
Featured Leaders & Locations
Throughout the series, the roadtrippers gain real-world insights and career guidance from industry changemakers, including:
- Lauren Grattan — Co-Founder & Chief Community Officer, Mission Driven Finance (San Diego, CA)
- Yanely Espinal — Author, Content Creator & Director of Educational Outreach, Next Gen Personal Finance (Midway City, CA)
- Amiyr Jackson — Senior Vice President, Oaktree Capital Management (Los Angeles, CA)
- Himalaya Rao-Potlapally — Managing Director, The BFM Fund (Portland, OR)
- Yesenia Gallardo Avila — Impact Investor & Managing Director, Lemnis Alliance (Portland, OR)
- Leslie Smallwood-Lewis — Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Mosaic Development Partners (Philadelphia, PA)
- Kitan Irukera — Investor, Dynasty Equity (New York City, NY)
- Madison Hardy — Senior SRII Research Analyst, Bailard (New York City, NY)
Broadcast & Streaming Details
KQED is the presenting station for Roadtrip Nation: Wealth of Opportunity, which will air on PBS stations nationwide starting October 1, 2026 (check local listings) with streaming available on the free PBS App and PBS.org. Locally, the mini-series will premiere on Fridays, October 16 and October 23 at 8:00 PM on KQED 9.
Roadtrip Nation: Wealth of Opportunity is distributed by American Public Television (APT), the leading syndicator of high-quality programming to public television.
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Press Inquiries
Dan Ford | 949-764-9121 | [email protected]
Press Materials
Trailer
Photos
Photo Captions
Descriptions
Brand Assets
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Roadtrip Nation: Wealth of Opportunity is made possible by the Ares Charitable Foundation and Strada Education Foundation
Websites and Social Media
roadtripnation.com
youtube.com/roadtripnation
x.com/RoadtripNation
facebook.com/RoadtripNation
instagram.com/roadtripnation
tiktok.com/@roadtripnation
threads.net/@roadtripnation
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About APT
American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children’s series and news and current affairs programs. Midsomer Murders, America’s Test Kitchen, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Pacific Heartbeat, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, The Indian Doctor, Legacy List with Matt Paxton, Lidia’s Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, Front & Center, James Patterson’s Kid Stew and NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV — featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programming — and WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. aptonline.org
About KQED Presents
KQED Presents is the national television distribution service of KQED, the San Francisco-based PBS and NPR member station. Since 1987, KQED Presents has worked with independent producers to bring the highest-quality documentary films and series to public television stations across the country. KQED Presents guides producers through the complexities of public media distribution, ensuring their programs meet all technical, editorial, and funding standards necessary for national broadcast. kqed.org/about/kqed-presents