general session speaker
General Session
Creating the Future, Together
Today, we are undergoing a paradigm shift as the world becomes more dynamic, intertwined, and unpredictable. Organizations must develop an ecosystem approach to innovation, leveraging talent inside and outside the company to navigate the future.
Shawn Kanungo provides a bold, unique, contrarian view of the near-term future. He outlines disruptive forces impacting every industry (AI, Digital Business Models, etc.). He then explores how organizations can become more adaptable, experimental, and collaborative.
Weaving together storytelling, humor, inspiration, and actionable takeaways, audiences will walk away with a roadmap on how to disrupt themselves before someone else does and how organizations can create a brighter future together.
PLENARY SESSIONS
The social impact sector is full of contradictions and often does not operate with a standard set of definitions. With ESG taking center stage, both in criticism and impending regulations for corporations, what is the state of CSR? Do both exist at the corporate level? Is CSR being acquired by ESG, or are companies even shying away from using terms like ESG, given the recent news backlash? During this debate-style session, hear from voices in the field and gain insight into conversations at the corporate level regarding structure, emphasis, and the future of corporate social impact.
Speakers:
- Molly Porter, Chief Administrative Officer, Wells Fargo Foundation, Wells Fargo (Moderator)
- Olivia Khalili, VP, Global Impact, PagerDuty
- Kimelyn Harris, Philanthropic Giving Strategy Executive, Bank of America
Participatory Practices…a buzzword that’s been thrown around in social impact for several years, but when placed into action what does this truly look like? How can organizations start incorporating this into their work more while being mindful of the pitfalls but open to the possibility. This panel discussion will highlight organizations that have opened lines of communication both internally through ERGs or Volunteer Council programs to externally by bringing diverse community voices to the table to assess and inform their processes and work.
Speakers:
- Tori Farmer, Managing Director, KPMG
- Stacey Smida, Senior Manager Global Employee and Community Engagement, Cargill
- Anique Hameed, Senior Manager, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences
Whether they live separately or together at your organization, the work of social impact can and should support ESG efforts enterprise-wide. While this intersection is not always well defined, human rights due diligence and supplier diversity are two areas where overlap can exist, and both have been in the recent spotlight. Hear how these organizations collaborate across the company and use their social impact programs to advance their companies’ ESG goals.
Speakers:
- Erandhi Mendis, Social Impact Lead A/NZ, Kyndryl
- Additional speakers to be announced soon
Learning Labs
Monday, September 9 @ 2:05 – 3:05 PM
If 2023 was the year of discussion and debate, 2024 is the year of AI action. This session features real-world examples, ideas, and strategies to incorporate AI in your daily work, enhance productivity, program participation, and impact.
Speakers:
- Devi Thomas, Global Leader, Community Engagement, Microsoft Philanthropies, Microsoft
- Sam Caplan, Vice President of Social Impact, Submittable
Watson Institute will facilitate a conversation between one of its corporate partners and a participating entrepreneur to explore how the Fellowship model uniquely positions corporations to:
1. Develop underserved entrepreneurial talent in their priority markets and
2. Create connectivity and engagement across the corporation.
Speaker: Ariana Agombar, Associate VP of Development, Watson Institute
A panel discussing the disaster philanthropy landscape on topics such as when/where to give, how to integrate equity in your disaster giving, managing up with the C-suite during disasters, trust-based philanthropy, & other audience-driven topics.
Speakers:
- Sara Manning, SVP, Head of Operations, Truist Foundation
- Christine Riley Miller, Executive Director, Responsible Business & Sustainability, BeiGene
- Devin Mathias, Senior Director, Development, Center for Disaster Philanthropy
Speakers:
- Mark Feldman, Principal + Managing Director, Cause Consulting
- Nikki Korn, Principal and Chief Strategy Officer, Cause Consulting
Speakers:
- Carolin Fermin, Corporate Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, New York Life Insurance Company
- Heather Nesle, SVP, Corporate Responsibility, New York Life Insurance Companyny
Speaker: David Wofford, Senior Director, Private Sector Engagement, United Nations Foundation
Interactive Workshops
Monday, September 9 @ 10:00 – 11:15 AM
In this interactive workshop, we will equip corporate citizenship professionals with the knowledge and tools to consider more equitable funding policies and procedures, with a specific focus on addressing the disparities faced by Black-led nonprofits. Participants will explore the unique challenges and opportunities encountered by Black-led organizations and engage in discussions on strategies to establish and nurture trust-based relationships between funders and Black-led organizational grantees.
Speakers:
- Leslie Jefferson, Growth Advisor, The Black Mill
- Chelsea Brown, Founder & Principal Strategist, The Black Mill
Champion programs are critical to increase awareness, engagement & impact of a company’s CSR & ESG efforts. Increasingly, these programs are more sophisticated in their design & efforts. We’ll share new data, trends and tactics to boost your program.
Speaker: Rich Maiore, CEO & Founder, Rocket Social Impact
This session will discuss the creation and adaptation of Curaleaf’s Feed the Block program and the process of stakeholder inclusion in planning and program development.
Speaker: Raheem Uqdah, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Curaleaf
Think tanks have often been at the frontier of innovation on specialized issues. Join us to learn from leading corporate foundations who are pushing the boundaries of impact by adopting similar practices.
Speakers:
- Lakshmi Iyer, Managing Director, FSG
- Nikhil Bumb, Managing Director, FSG
Different approaches to employee volunteering in each of six regions of the world will be presented, with explanations on the role of culture, religion, and national development goals. Volunteering in war and other crises will also be covered.
Speaker: Lorrie Foster, Director, Corporate Strategy, International Association for Volunteer Effort
- How to attract and retain top new talent by understanding their values and priorities
- How to structure a corporate community program
- How to communicate corporate community partnerships internally and externally
Trust-Based Philanthropy has quickly become a buzz phrase in the CSR space. Join Liquid I.V. & MAP Int’l as they remove the buzz, discuss collaborative in-kind & grantmaking programs, and explore the realities of working in a trust-based partnership.
Speakers:
- Jayce Newton, Head of Impact, Liquid I.V.
- Brooke Allison, Director, Programs, MAP International
Tuesday, September 10 @ 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
Effectively marketing an organization’s charitable giving efforts requires not only the application of creative advertising principles, but an underlying familiarity with applicable responsibilities under federal, state, and local laws.
Speaker: Cristina Vessels, Counsel, Venable LLP
How do you align a strong appetite by employees for community involvement and a company’s bold vision for social impact? Taproot Foundation will share trends and case studies from companies that highlight unique pro bono experiences that align to business priorities. For example, Capital One is a leader in the pro bono field and built a strong foundation of support and engagement. In 2022, Capital One, leveraged more than 900 associates supporting 135 unique community partners. Come learn about pro bono best practices as well as trends and how that translates to programming.
Speaker:
- Stephanie Fleming, Director of Skills Based Social Volunteering, Capital One
- Ashley Trick, Pro Bono Program Senior Manager, Capital One
- Season Eckardt, Director, Taproot Foundation
Join eBay to explore trust-based practices that empower community partners. You’ll learn how to implement the co-creation mindset into volunteering opportunities that deeply impact employees and their communities.
Speakers: Tiana Austel, Sr Manager, Employee Engagement, eBay
Learn the practical tips and tricks a Fortune 75 international healthcare company uses to run a CSR program that regularly defies industry benchmarks and makes a life-changing impact on their community, colleagues, and company.
Speaker: Dana Patel, Director, HCA Healthcare Foundation, HCA Healthcare
Are you familiar with impact investing? It is still uncommon for corporate foundations to be impact investors, yet impact investments are an emerging tool for companies to use to lift economic and equitable opportunities.
Speakers:
- Susanne Salerno, Founder, Social Impact Consultant, Salerno Consulting
- Christen Graham, President, Giving Strong
Leave this discussion with an example framework to help you strategically evaluate internal collaboration efforts that reinforce your corporate sustainability work, instead of diluting your mission and resources.
Speaker: Emily Wheeler, Senior Manager, Sustainability + ESG, GoDaddy
Join Karen in this engaging session as she delves into the dynamic evolution of PayPal’s corporate rapid response strategy. Gain insights into the creation of a versatile framework designed to navigate events with speed, consistency, impact & equity.
Speaker: Karen Little, Rapid Response Senior Lead, PayPal
CSR Marketplace Live
Explore AI-driven CSR as we delve into real-world examples of driving employee engagement and community impact. Our panel discussion will cover gaining buy-in, program enhancement, and the art of transforming data into compelling narratives using AI.
Speakers:
- Jewell Willett, Senior Manager of Customer Success, Blackbaud, Inc
Explore how integrating an employee disaster and hardship relief fund into ESG and CSR strategies can further your company’s social impact goals and enhance employee well-being, engagement, and productivity.
Speaker: Michelle Naggar Reichenbach, Vice President of Strategic Initatives, Emergency Assistance Foundation
Learn how PIMCO’s CSR program integrated meaningful impact measurement without burdening their nonprofits–building a strategy to not just prove their results but improve them in years to come.
Speakers:
- Sara Ansell, Senior Social Impact Manager, True Impact
- Nate Brown, SVP, Director, PIMCO Foundation
CSR groups work with many stakeholders when navigating where resources & dollars go. Learn how BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation uses the transformative power of data to help tell their story to all stakeholders on the impact of a signature cause.
Speakers:
- Keith King, Manager of Community Relations & Foundations, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
- Rick Wood, Senior Business Development Manager, Impact Parks
- Chelsea Johnson, Director of Community Relations & Foundations, BlueCross BlueShielf of Tennessee Foundation
There is measured evidence that personal hardships affect an increasing number of individuals in today’s workplace landscape. Join E4E Relief’s Ashley Oster, VP & Director, Marketing and Partnerships along with an E4E Relief client in the Fortune 500 space in a spirited group discussion unpacking corporations’ responsibility in helping workforces navigate difficult life events including three specific hardships: grief/bereavement, domestic violence and mental health and well-being. Together, they will look at how the landscape shifts from expectations to impact and what we see increases resiliency and belonging in the workplace.
Speaker: Ashley Oster, VP & Director, Marketing & Partnerships, E4E Relief
During this session, we’ll explore how increased transparency between funders, grantees, and employees can improve funding outcomes, build capacity, and create shared community impact.
Speaker: Lauren McCarthy, VP of Product Management, Strategic Philanthropy, Bonterra
More session descriptions will be added as confirmed. Session dates and times subject to change.
