GENERAL SESSIONS

Opening General Session
Sunday, June 1, 4:30 - 6:30 pm

The Opening General Session is the official kickoff of the National Conference on Service and Volunteering and will set the tone for 2 1/2 days of sessions, forums and dialogues-all organized around the Conference theme "The Urgency of Now," a call to action for a new generation of civic leaders.  Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the theme recognizes the growing momentum for service as a necessary way to address the toughest challenges facing our nation, especially in the areas of education, helping America's youth, and responding to disasters. Plenary session presenters include Congressman John Lewis, Mayor Shirley Franklin, conference host committee co-chairs Eric Tanenblatt and Ann Cramer, David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and Points of Light & Hands On Network CEO, Michelle Nunn and Board Chair, Neil Bush. Other plenary session speakers are still being confirmed.

	U.S. Representative John Lewis U.S. Congressman, civil rights movement icon, author, humanitarian and former head of the federal volunteer agency ACTION under President Carter, John Lewis embodies the ideals of service in America.
	Mayor of the City of Atlanta Shirley Franklin In 2001 the people of Atlanta elected Shirley Franklin, a first time candidate for public office, to serve as the 58th Mayor of the City of Atlanta. She became the first female mayor of Atlanta and the first African American woman to serve as mayor of a major southern city. Since her inauguration in 2002, Mayor Franklin has worked to build a "Best in Class" managed city by strengthening existing frameworks, implementing progressive changes and making the tough decisions necessary to improve Atlanta.
	Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter Ronald A. Tschetter is the 17th director of the Peace Corps. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on September 13, 2006. Mr. Tschetter is the third director in the Peace Corps' history to have served as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Mr. Tschetter and his wife, Nancy, were Peace Corps Volunteers in India from 1966-1968, where they served as community health workers. Improving the lives of others has been a life-long passion of Mr. Tschetter.

Closing General Session
Tuesday, June 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Michael W. Smith, Grammy award winning singer, will lead off the closing general session that wraps up the conference and sets the tone for continued engagement and involvement in critical issues facing our nation. This call to action will be punctuated by remarks from President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter and presentation of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Campus Community Partnership Foundation Award; Stephen Goldsmith, Chair of the Board of the Corporation for National and Community Service; and a "discussion of the whole" conducted in town hall fashion. Senator Sam Nunn will be available for interview and comment in this session as well as others representing diverse groups: corporate, entertainment, nonprofit, and youth. Attendees will depart ready to go back to "roll up their sleeves" in their respective communities. 

	Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter served as the thirty-ninth president of the United States from Jan. 20, 1977 to Jan. 20, 1981. In 1982, he became University Distinguished Professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., and founded The Carter Center. Actively guided by President Carter, the nonpartisan and nonprofit Center addresses national and international issues of public policy. Carter Center fellows, associates, and staff join with President Carter in efforts to resolve conflict, promote democracy, protect human rights, and prevent disease and other afflictions.
	Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has worked for more than three decades to improve the quality of life for people around the world. Today, she is an advocate for mental health, early childhood immunization, human rights, and conflict resolution through her work at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga. A full partner with the president in all the Center's activities, the former first lady is a member of The Carter Center Board of Trustees. She created and chairs The Carter Center's Mental Health Task Force, an advisory body of experts, consumers, and advocates promoting positive change in the mental health field.
	Senator Sam Nunn Statesman and businessman, Sam Nunn is currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.  Nunn served for twenty-four years as a United States Senator from Georgia.
	Former Mayor of Indianapolis Stephen Goldsmith Stephen Goldsmith, former mayor of Indianapolis (1992 to 2000) and Daniel Paul Professor of Government at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, is a nationally recognized expert on government management, reform and innovation. Mr. Goldsmith currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation for National and Community Service, as well as on the Boards of America’s Promise Alliance, the Fannie Mae Foundation, Homes for Working Families, and the Finish Line Corporation. In 2006, he received the Outstanding National Service Advocacy award for his leadership in making national service a federal priority.
	Michael W. Smith Michael W. Smith is a multi-platinum recording artist and serves on the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. He’s written and recorded pop music that has infused America’s cultural climate with hope.

Check back for other updates as other speakers are confirmed in the weeks ahead!