The conference kicks off with the plenary “Democracy at a Crossroads,” which will examine democracy in our country today and the dramatic challenges produced by ideological, societal, and political forces. The panel -- including Gara LaMarche, president and CEO of Atlantic Philanthropies, and Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute -- will share their perspectives on how we can overcome the gridlock that paralyzes our Congress and state capitols and what the nonprofit sector’s role might be in generating progress. Moderated by Rey Ramsey, president and CEO of TechNet, the session also includes a performance by Anna Deavere Smith, an actress, playwright, and professor at New York University. Her performance is made possible by Americans for the Arts.
Thursday, following the IS annual business meeting, NPR CEO Vivian Schiller will headline the “Conversation with a Sector Leader” as she is interviewed by Roberto Suro, a professor at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California.
The luncheon plenary will feature Independent Sector president and CEO Diana Aviv outlining her vision for the sector. Introduced by Ingrid Saunders Jones, chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation, the session also includes speaker U.S. Congressman John Lewis and panelists Irene Hirano, president, U.S.- Japan Council; and Shirley Sagawa, co-founder of sagawa/jospin consulting and visiting fellow at Center for American Progress. John Seffrin, CEO of American Cancer Society will moderate.
Thursday evening will bring the much-anticipated John W. Gardner Leadership Dinner.
The dinner will celebrate leadership and includes the presentation of two awards. The
John W. Gardner Leadership Award is presented each year to an individual who, like Independent Sector’s founding chairperson John Gardner, has advanced the common good by building, mobilizing, and unifying institutions or causes. Independent Sector will honor General Colin L. and Alma J. Powell in recognition of their tireless commitment to young people, service, and advancing the common good. The American Express NGen Leadership Award will be presented to Darell Hammond, co-founder and CEO of KaBOOM!, a nonprofit that builds play spaces for communities that lack them. The inaugural award recognizes nonprofit leaders under the age of 40 who have already had a transformative impact on society.
In an exciting closing plenary “Building a Sustainable World,” on Friday, October 22, an
inter-generational panel will reflect on creating a more sustainable world and discuss how leaders from every generation can work together to meet the challenges we face. The keynote speaker is Stephen B. Heintz, president of Rockefeller Brothers Fund and incoming IS board chair. Other speakers include Kelly Caffarelli, president, The Home Depot Foundation; Gerry Salole, chief executive, European Foundation Center; Paul Schmitz, president and CEO, Public Allies; and Trish Tchume, director of civic engagement, Building Management Project, Demos. Johnnetta B. Cole, director, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, will moderate the session, which is made possible by The Home Depot Foundation.
Innovative workshops and dynamic sessions throughout the 2010 Annual Conference will allow hundreds of CEOs, trustees, senior-level professionals, and scholars to address how nonprofit and philanthropic professionals can better communicate their impact, increase effectiveness, foster innovation, and strengthen democracy.
Learn more about the Annual Conference.
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Independent Sector is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of approximately 550 charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs, collectively representing tens of thousands of charitable groups in every state across the nation. Its mission is to advance the common good by leading, strengthening, and mobilizing the nonprofit and philanthropic community.
