Series premiere: Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert in conversation with award‑winning journalist Ari Shapiro, former host of NPR’s All Things Considered

Ravi K. Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets, and Society at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business named presenting sponsor

BOSTON — Expanding on live event programming in 2026, WBUR, Boston’s NPR, announced the debut of a new business-focused series titled “The WBUR Breakfast Club” that brings Boston decision makers together to connect and explore the most pressing issues facing business leaders today. 

The inaugural event on Thursday, January 22, at 8 a.m. will feature Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert in conversation with Ari Shapiro, former host of NPR’s All Things Considered.

“People are so busy with work and life,” said WBUR CEO Margaret Low. “We wanted to create an experience for Boston decision makers that would be irresistible. A chance to gather for intimate conversations with some of the country’s most fascinating leaders.”

The WBUR Breakfast Club, sponsored by the Ravi K. Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets, and Society at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, will offer business leaders an opportunity to foster genuine connections and engage in meaningful dialogue. 

Each month, top executives will gather at WBUR CitySpace (890 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston) for behind-the-scenes conversations with newsmakers from across the country about business trends and insights for navigating complex leadership issues. 

For the kick-off event onThursday, January 22, doors will open at 7:30 a.m. for a networking breakfast. The conversation between Gellert and Shapiro begins at  8 a.m. and will last one hour. Gellert, who joined Patagonia in 2014, was named CEO in September 2020.

“WBUR is one of Boston’s most trusted conveners of civic dialogue, and we are delighted to partner with them on this speaker series. The Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets, and Society is dedicated to advancing rigorous, real-world conversations about the role business does, can, and should play in society,” said Kris May, executive director at Ravi K. Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets, and Society. “Together, this partnership convenes business leaders to explore how corporations and regulators, as complementary institutions, can strengthen market confidence, support innovation and enable long-term value creation in an increasingly complex and interconnected economy.”

The WBUR Breakfast Club will meet at WBUR CitySpace (890 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston). Tickets are $75.00 each and can be purchased online at wbur.org.

“WBUR is not only a trusted source for deeply reported local and national news, it’s also a keystone of the local business community,” said Kirsten Kalkhurst, Director of Business Partnerships at WBUR. “The WBUR Breakfast Club will further deepen our ties in the region while creating a forum for meaningful conversation and connection. We’re grateful for the Mehrotra Institute’s support, which fueled the opportunity to develop this new event series.”

The series will run from January through April 2026 and again from September through the end of the year. We will announce forthcoming speakers soon.

To learn more about upcoming WBUR events, visit wbur.org/events and sign up for the WBUR Events newsletter.