Last modified: Monday, September 9, 2013
Founding Gates Foundation CEO to keynote Indianapolis Women's Philanthropy Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 9, 2013
INDIANAPOLIS -- Civic engagement with a special focus on service learning is the theme of the second biennial Indianapolis Women's Philanthropy Conference on Friday, Nov. 8, in Indianapolis. Open to the public, the event offers a day of philanthropic exploration, education and networking among leading nonprofit professionals and volunteers.
Hosted by the Indiana University Foundation with support from the Indiana University Alumni Association, the conference will take place at the Campus Center at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
President and CEO of Martha's Table Patty Stonesifer will be the featured guest of the keynote session. Martha's Table is a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., committed to developing sustainable solutions to poverty with programs focused on providing food, nutrition and education. Stonesifer will be interviewed by Emmy Award-winning WTHR Channel 13 evening news anchor Anne Marie Tiernon.
Stonesifer served as the founding CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for 11 years. In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed her to serve as chair of the White House Council for Community Solutions. Her extensive nonprofit board experience includes serving on the Smithsonian Board of Regents and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, among many others. Before her tenure at the Gates Foundation, Stonesifer was senior vice president of the consumer and interactive products division at the Microsoft Corp. Stonesifer is an honorary doctorate degree recipient from IU, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Tufts University. She holds a bachelor's degree in general studies from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
"We are honored to have Patty back at IU to participate in the Indianapolis Women's Philanthropy Conference," said Dan Smith, president and CEO of the IU Foundation. "Patty is a trailblazer in the nonprofit arena. Her conversation with fellow IU alumna Anne Marie Tiernon will underscore the importance of civic engagement in fostering healthy society. I am confident that Patty's insights will inspire all those who attend."
Tiernon's work has been recognized by several prestigious journalism awards, including the Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards; the Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards; and two National Headliner Awards for Health/Science Reporting. The Associated Press has honored her for her live, breaking news reporting. Tiernon holds a Bachelor of Science in business finance from the IU Kelley School of Business in Bloomington.
The conference will also feature student panel discussions moderated by IUPUI faculty. Session one will include student panelists from four service-learning classes. For example, some panelists are capstone students assigned to help assess the remodeling needs of the Humane Society of Indianapolis and the Hawthorne Community Center. Other student panelists are taking a class titled "Learning by Giving" that provides real-world experience in the process of giving wisely and making grants. Karen Yoder, director of civic engagement and health policy, and professor of preventive and community dentistry, at IUPUI will moderate session one.
The second session will feature the Graduate Art Therapy Program at the Herron School of Art and Design, which received an inaugural Women's Philanthropy Council grant in the amount of $25,000 that served as seed funds to start the program. Juliet King, director of the Graduate Art Therapy Program, will moderate session two.
"We each have something unique to offer our communities through our professional and volunteer endeavors," said Nancy Hunt, WPC member and co-chair of the Indianapolis Women's Philanthropy Conference Steering Committee. "The Indianapolis Women's Philanthropy Conference is a forum for seeking and sharing ideas and finding inspiration for ways -- both large and small -- that we can make a difference individually and collectively."
Reservations for the event can be made online and will be accepted through Friday, Nov. 1. Space is limited.
The conference fee ($50 general admission, $35 for students) includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the program scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Campus Center is at 420 University Blvd., Indianapolis.
Convened by the Indiana University Foundation Board of Directors in 2010, the IU Women's Philanthropy Council mission is to lead fundraising and engagement efforts that inspire women to give of their time, talent and resources to Indiana University, and to develop female leaders in philanthropy.
Founded in 1936, the Indiana University Foundation maximizes private support for Indiana University by fostering lifelong relationships with key stakeholders and providing advancement leadership and fundraising services for campuses and units across the university.
