Featured Speakers

Barbara Bush, Former First Lady of the United States, Founder, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

Mrs. Bush often jokes that her successful life is a result of marrying well, but her spirit and dedication are an inspiration to us all. Since leaving the White House in 1993, she continues to serve others with the same energy, goodwill and humor that endear her to so many people around the world. Public service is a common thread in the Bush family. Their son George W. served as the Governor of Texas and the nation's 43rd President, their son Jeb was the Governor of Florida for two terms and their son, Neil, serves as the Chairman of the Board of Points of Light. A tireless advocate of volunteerism, Mrs. Bush helped countless charities and humanitarian causes during her years in public life. Mrs. Bush's primary cause through the years has been promoting literacy. She believes that so many of our nation's problems would be solved if every man, woman and child could read, write and comprehend. In 1989 she founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy which supports family literacy programs where parents and children can learn and read together. Today she enjoys reading to children at schools and hospitals across the nation.g.

David Armano, EVP, Edelman Digital; EVP, Global Innovation & Integration

In his work for Edelman Digital, David Armano uncovers and activates strategic and innovative social business solutions for Edelman's clients as well as the firm. Armano also acts as Editor In Chief for Edelmandigital.com and has been working in the digital space since 1997. In his career, David has worked with global brands such as RIM, eBay, and Adidas. David is considered to be a highly influential voice on the subject of social media for business and has nearly 70,000 combined subscribers to his blog — which has consistently ranked in the top marketing blogs according to the Ad Age Power 150 — and Twitter stream. Prior to Edelman, David was a part of the founding team of social business consultancy Dachis Group and helped launch the business from stealth mode into the marketplace. He also writes regular industry perspectives for the Harvard Business Review, was featured several times in BusinessWeek and is best known for his distinct brand of visual thinking.

General George W. Casey, Jr., Former Chief of Staff, U.S. Army

General George W. Casey, Jr. is one of the most accomplished soldiers in U.S. history and an authority on strategic leadership. As the 36th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, General Casey led the world's largest and most complex organizations during one of the most extraordinary periods in military and global political history. He is widely credited with restoring balance to the war-weary U.S. Army, modernizing and leading the transformation necessary to defend our nation in the 21st Century, and ensuring the current force deployed in the war on terror was the best this country has ever fielded. His great love of country and his life of service and sacrifice form the basis of his viewpoints on leadership, vision, organizational culture and leading transformational change.

Carol Cone, Global Vice Chairman, Edelman Business + Social Purpose

Carol has over 25 years of experience creating substantive public-private partnerships that advance solutions for social issues. As founder of Cone, Inc., she led the development of initiatives for Avon; ConAgra Foods; Chevrolet; ITT; PNC Financial Services; Procter & Gamble; Reebok; Western Union; and the American Heart Association, helping raise awareness and more than $1.2 billion for causes. In 2007, PRWeek called her "arguably the most powerful and visible figure in the world of Cause Branding." At Edelman, Cone provides strategic counsel to clients on the development of purpose, social issues and public engagement strategies, as well as corporate and brand citizenship. She has a deep commitment to innovative research with consumers, executives and employees. She works with the firm's leadership to apply insights from Edelman's annual goodpurpose™ global consumer study and its Trust and Health Engagement Barometers to client assignments, reports and proprietary methodologies.

Sec. Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education

Arne Duncan was named U.S. secretary of education by President Barack Obama and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Jan. 20, 2009. Prior to his appointment, Duncan served as the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools from June 2001 through December 2008, becoming the longest-serving big-city education superintendent in the country. Before joining the Chicago Public Schools, Duncan ran the Ariel Education Initiative (1992-1998), a nonprofit focused on advancing educational opportunities in economically disadvantaged areas. He has served on the boards of the Ariel Education Initiative, Chicago Cares, the Children's Center, the Golden Apple Foundation, the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, Jobs for America's Graduates, Junior Achievement, the Dean's Advisory Board of the Kellogg School of Management, the National Association of Basketball Coaches Foundation, Renaissance Schools Fund, Scholarship Chicago and the South Side YMCA. He has also served on the Board of Overseers for Harvard College, the Visiting Committees for Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration. From 1987 to 1991, Duncan played professional basketball in Australia, where he worked with children who were wards of the state. Duncan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1987. He is married to Karen Duncan and has two children, Claire, 7, and Ryan, 5.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Honorary Co-chair and Invited Featured Speaker

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is the 55th mayor of Chicago. A native with three terms representing his district in Congress, he is a strong, effective voice for the city's neighborhoods. Emanuel most recently served as the White House Chief of Staff in President Barack Obama's administration. During his tenure, he helped orchestrate the passage of key milestones such as the economic Recovery Act, Wall Street reform, and health care reform — increasing access and decreasing costs for millions of Americans. In August, Emanuel played a crucial role in securing a bipartisan compromise that saved 140,000 teacher's jobs — and protected 5,700 jobs in Illinois. Emanuel has served as the House Democratic Caucus Chair, Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and, prior to being elected to Congress, served as a key member of the Clinton White House from 1993 to 1998, rising to serve as Senior Advisor to the President for Policy and Strategy.

Brad Keywell, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Lightbank; Co-founder and Director of Groupon

Brad Keywell has a long history in innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-based business. He is the Chairman of the Illinois Innovation Council, is on the Mayor's Committee on Technology Infrastructure, and the Mayor's Chicago-China Friendship Initiative, and is the Chairman of the Future Founders Foundation which runs programs designed to help teach and inspire high school students in entrepreneurship and connect then with mentors and role models. Keywell is the Founder and Chairman of Chicago Ideas Week, an annual event which hosts nearly 200 speakers at 80+ events with global media coverage, and is emerging as one of the major ideas and innovation conferences and platforms in the country.

Connie Lindsey, EVP and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Northern Trust; Board President, Girls Scouts of the USA

Connie is responsible for the design and implementation of the global Corporate Social Responsibility strategy for Northern Trust. As National Board President of the Girl Scouts of the USA, she is the highest ranking volunteer leader of this 3.4 million member organization. She has been recognized for her leadership professionally and in the community by the National Diversity Council's Most Powerful and Influential Women for 2010 Award.

Wes Moore, Captain, U.S. Army (retired), Author

Wes Moore is a youth advocate, Army combat veteran, promising business leader and national bestselling author. He spearheaded the American strategic support plan for the Afghan Reconciliation Program and is recognized as an authority on the rise and ramifications of radical Islamism in the Western Hemisphere. Moore serves on IAVA's Board of Directors (Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America), Johns Hopkins University's Board of Trustees, NFTE Baltimore's Advisory Board (the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) and is a Clinton Global Initiative LEAD program Fellow. Wes is committed to helping young people redirect their lives and supporting the parents, teachers, mentors and volunteers who care for, and work with, our nation's youth.

Mark McKinnon, Political Strategist and Vice Chair, Hill + Knowlton Strategies

For 30 years, Mark McKinnon has been helping solve complex strategic challenges for causes, companies and candidates, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong and Bono. McKinnon is an award-winning media producer and communications strategist who has served as principal media advisor for hundreds of corporate and political campaigns around the world. McKinnon has helped engineer five winning presidential primary and general elections. He has been awarded more than 30 Pollie and Telly awards, honoring the nation's best political and public affairs advertising. McKinnon is co-founder of No Labels, a non-profit organization dedicated to bipartisanship and civil discourse in politics and is co-chair of Arts+Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.

Jan Masaoka, Executive Director, California Association of Nonprofits

Named eight times as one of the "Fifty Most Influential People" in the nonprofit sector nationwide, Jan Masaoka founded and managed Blue Avocado magazine, an online journal with more that 66,000 readers. She served 14 years as executive director of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and serves on the board of organizations such as BoardSource and Bridgespan. She is the founding board president of the San Francisco Foundation Community Initiative Funds and was a member of the 2008 California Grantmaker Associations Diversity in Philanthropy Advisory Committee as well as a panelist for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on the Nonprofit Sector. Masaoka is the author of four books and a highly respected and influential leader in the nonprofit sector.

Rev. Otis Moss, III, Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ

Reverand Otis Moss III is part of a new generation of ministers who believe that love and justice are inseparable companions. The work and legacy of Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the pastoral ministry of his father, Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. have been primary mentors for his spiritual formation, and he lists Zora Neale Hurston, August Wilson, Howard Thurman, jazz and hip-hop music and his primary influences. Moss' creative messages inspire young and old alike. In 1999, he published his first book, Redemption in a Red Light District and co-authored The Gospel Re-Mix; How to Reach the Hip-Hop Generation in 2006. He is an ordained minister in the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the United Church of Christ.

Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Global Ambassador, Chairman and President of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation

Honored with USA Weekend Magazine's "Most Caring Athlete Award," and from FOXSports.com as the most generous athlete in the world, NBA All-Star Mutombo of the Houston Rockets has long been dedicated to improving the health, education and quality of life for the people in his birthplace, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Created in Atlanta, Georgia 1997, the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation is attempting to eradicate many childhood diseases that have virtually disappeared in developed countries while those diseases are still life threatening to children in the Congo every day.

Jenne Myers, Chief Service Officer, City of Chicago

Jenné Myers was appointed in 2010 to lead Chicago's participation in Cities of Service, a national civic initiative launched by the Rockefeller Foundation and the mayors of New York, Chicago and other major urban centers that now has over 100 communities participating all across the country. As the first-ever Chief Service Officer for Chicago, her charge is to develop and implement a citywide plan for increasing volunteerism and utilizing volunteers to address some of the city's greatest needs. The service plan and campaign she has developed is called One Good Deed Chicago. Prior to her work with Cities of Service, Jenné served for four years as the Executive Director of Working in the Schools (WITS), a Chicago nonprofit that engages over 1,200 volunteers to promote the love of reading through one-on-one tutoring and mentoring for more than 2,000 Chicago Public Schools elementary students every year. Before her work at WITS, Jenné was Assistant to the Chair of the Chicago Cultural Center Foundation and served as a member of the advance staff for Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Craig Newmark, Founder, craigslist

Craig founded craigslist, the web-based platform that fundamentally changed classified advertising. Since its founding in 1995, craigslist has become one of the Internet's 10 most-visited English language sites. In early 2011 Craig launched craigconnects, his initiative to link up everyone on the planet using the Internet to bear witness to good efforts and encourage the same behavior in others.

Eboo Patel, Founder and President, Interfaith Youth Core

Named by US News & World Report as one of America's Best Leaders of 2009, Eboo Patel is the founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a Chicago-based organization building the global interfaith youth movement. Author of the award-winning book Acts of Faith, Patel is also a regular contributor to the Washington Post, USA Today and CNN. He served on President Obama's inaugural Advisory Council of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and holds a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes scholarship.Patel recently participated in an interview where he spoke extensively about the power of service — especially young people — to bridge cultural and religious divides and facilitate change. Listen to the interview.

Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois Governor and Honorary Co-chair

Governor Pat Quinn has focused on restoring integrity to state government and, in his first official act, signed an executive order establishing the Illinois Reform Commission to examine ethics rules and practices in state government. Dedicated to investing in Illinois’ economy, Quinn worked with the General Assembly to pass a $31 billion capital construction jobs program to create and retain more than 436,000 jobs over six years. Since taking office he has made tough, responsible choices to ensure that the state of Illinois can afford to pay its bills. Quinn has served the people of Illinois for more than 30 years as both a citizen and a public official. He has organized grassroots petition drives signed by more than 4 million voters, walked across the state in support of decent health care for all, and proposed historic tax reform for working families. He has served Illinois as Lieutenant Governor, State Treasurer, commissioner of the Cook County Board of (Property) Tax Appeals and revenue director for the City of Chicago.

Sarah Jane Rehnborg

Sarah Jane Rehnborg brings a rich background of experience to the Summit. A past president of the Association for Volunteer Administration, Rehnborg developed the association's performance-based certification system and served on the founding board of the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration. Rehnborg currently serves as a Lecturer for the University of Texas at Austin and as Associate Director for the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service. Her professional work includes research and writing in the field of volunteerism and volunteer administration; graduate level instruction in the field and work in the assessment and evaluation of volunteerism and nonprofit organizations.

Brian Reich, Author, "Shift and Reset: Strategies for Addressing Serious Issues in a Connected Society"

Brian is well known for his expertise in new media, Web 2.0, social networks, mobile, community, ecommerce, brand marketing, cause branding, and more. Brian is the author of "Shift & Reset: Strategies for Addressing Serious Issues in a Connected Society." Brian contributes as a Fast Company Expert, hosts a regular podcast discussion about the impact of media and technology on society and teaches consumer behavior and marketing strategy in the graduate school of communications at Columbia University.

Paul Schmitz, CEO, Public Allies, Member of the White House Council for Community Solutions

Paul Schmitz founded Public Allies Milwaukee in 1993, and has served as the national CEO of Public Allies since 2000. In December 2010, Schmitz was named to the newly created White House Council for Community Solutions. He also serves as Chair of the Nonprofit Workforce Coalition, Co-chair of Voices for National Service, is a board member of Our Good Works, a blogger on leadership for The Washington Post, and a faculty member of The Asset-Based Community Development Institute at Northwestern University. As a private volunteer, Paul co-chaired the Obama campaign's civic engagement policy group and was a member of the Obama-Biden Transition Team.

Larry Soler, CEO and President, Partnership for a Healthier America

Lawrence (Larry) A. Soler joined Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) in January 2011 as the organization's first employee. Prior to PHA, Soler was Chief Operating Officer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and oversaw the bulk of their activities, including all fundraising and local chapters, marketing and communications, information technology, government relations and international development. Among his signature accomplishments at JDRF, Mr. Soler served as the executive sponsor of JDRF's Artificial Pancreas Project, an ambitious effort to accelerate the development of the closed loop insulin pumps and glucose monitoring systems, a cutting edge device. Mr. Soler previously worked for eight years in federal relations positions at the Association of American Universities, focusing on education, health and immigration issues. He is an active volunteer and currently serves as a member of the JDRF International Government Relations Committee.

Betty Stallings

An experienced trainer and published author of six books in the field of volunteerism and fund development, Betty Stallings started her career as founder and 14-year executive director of nationally recognized Valley Volunteer Center. Stallings has trained internationally for 20 years and has serves on the faculty of The Summit for Advanced Volunteer Engagement (SAVE) and on the staff of CU (Colorado University) for eight years, featuring beginning to advanced level training for practitioners in the field. For ten years she served as the Training Design Editor of e-Volunteerism Journal.

Lynne Vaughan, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, YMCA of the USA

As Chief Innovation Officer, Lynne Vaughan ensures that the YMCA continues to be relevant in a rapidly changing world. She has provided organization-wide leadership in the identification, development and implementation of large scale strategic opportunities that have the potential to significantly impact the growth and strengthening of the YMCA movement. Vaughan's current focus is the development of a knowledge management approach for the YMCA movement, impact measurement and innovation projects. Vaughan began her 30-year YMCA career as a part-time lifeguard and swim instructor at the Battle Creek Family YMCA in Michigan. From there, she was promoted to various program leadership responsibilities addressing health and fitness, corporate wellness, disabled adults and preschool programming.

Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author, "The Warmth of Other Suns"

Isabel Wilkerson won the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for her reporting as Chicago bureau chief of The New York Times. The award made her the first black woman in the history of American journalism to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first African American to win for individual reporting. She won the George Polk Award for her coverage of the Midwest and a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for her research into the Great Migration. She has lectured on narrative writing at the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University and has served as Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University and as the James M. Cox Jr. Professor of Journalism at Emory University. During the Great Migration, her parents journeyed from Georgia and southern Virginia to Washington, D.C., she was born and raised.

National Conference on Volunteering and Service