Live from The Summit: An open conversation with Peter Ward and Lindsay Mastrogiovanni
Bringing leaders together isn’t always about the content— it’s about the connection.
Recorded live in Old Forge, N.Y. at Disrupt North Country 2.0, Peter Ward (Co-Founder, Making the City Smaller) and Lindsay Mastrogiovanni (Founder, DisrUpstate & ConsciousHR) sit down for an unscripted conversation about what happens when you stop networking and start actually connecting — and why leading with genuine relationships beats the "what can you do for me" approach every single time.
Peter shares his story: growing up 26 miles from Old Forge, leaving the North Country at 21 with no college degree, building a business in Syracuse from nothing but relationships — and spending the first 38 years of his life being who everyone else needed him to be before finally finding his authentic self.
About Peter Ward
Peter Ward is the co-founder of Making The City Smaller (MTCS), a community-connection venture built on one belief: connection is the true currency. For six years, Peter has been on a mission to replace transactional networking with something more human — bringing people together through shared experiences, honest storytelling, and the kind of introductions that actually change trajectories.
He hosts the MTCS podcast and works alongside nonprofits and businesses as a strategic ecosystem partner — helping organizations stop operating in silos and start building the community connections that move their mission forward. Peter is based in the Mohawk Valley.
About Lindsay Mastrogiovanni
Lindsay Mastrogiovanni is the founder & CEO of ConsciousHR and DisrUpstate. Guided by the belief that better people build better businesses, build better communities, she leads a multi-brand people-strategy ecosystem operating across HR consulting, workforce compliance, leadership and community development in Upstate New York. Lindsay is also the founder of POPI — People on Purpose Inc., a 501(c)(3) providing HR strategy to under-resourced nonprofits and small businesses across Central New York.
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