Staff Conference Program 23

NATIONAL STAFF CONFERENCE

"Expanding the Possibilities"

August 1-5, 2023

Memphis, TN

Welcome From National

Dear “I Have A Dream” Foundation family,

Welcome to Memphis! Thank you for making the time to take part in our annual convening. We are all busy supporting our Dreamers and each other to enhance the experience and promise of the “I Have A Dream” Foundation, so let us make the most of this opportunity to learn, share and reset for the upcoming school year.

As the new national President and CEO of the “I Have A Dream” Foundation, I am looking forward to sharing my views and experiences with you but most importantly hearing from you. Your voice will inform our direction with the hope of creating a more supportive and safe space for you and our Dreamers.

Therefore, bring your full self to this week of learning and sharing.

Bring your full self and lived experience to highlight obstacles and opportunities.

Our goal is that you leave stronger than you arrived, so may you have an exciting week and take this energy back to your Dreamers and their families.

Lastly, thank you to Danny Morris and the national conference committee in advance for your work and dedication to create this meaningful experience for all.

Program At-A-Glance

Tuesday, August 1st

The Peabody Hotel

4:00 - 6:00 pm

Arrival and Check-In

The Peabody Ducks march

@ 5 pm in the lobby

7:00 - 9:00 pm

Evening Rendezvous

The Peabody or Memphis Pyramid

Wednesday, August 2nd

Note: The Executive Director Institute meets until 5:30 pm

Vining Hall

8:00 - 9:00 am

Breakfast

9:15 - 9:25 am

Staff Conference Welcome

Danny Morris

9:30 - 9:55 am

Community WelcomeElaine Turner, Heritage Tours and Slave Haven Underground

Railroad Museum

10:00 - 11:00 am

State of the Network — Otis Hackney

11:15 am - 12:00 pm

Data at "I Have A Dream"

Justine Rosenthal

12:15 - 1:15 pm

Lunch and Group Photo

Visible College Classrooms

1:30 - 4:30 pm

Track Trainings and Workshops

(See detailed schedule for more information)

4:30 - 6:30 pm

Free Time

Vining Hall

6:30 - 8:30 pm

Dinner and Celebration

Thursday, August 3rd

Vining Hall

8:00 - 9:00 am

Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 am

Best Practices Roundtable

10:00 - 10:45 am

Context Conversation with Olliette Murray-Drobot, CEO, 02Strategic Partners

Visible College Classrooms

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Track Trainings and Workshops

Vining Hall

12:45 - 1:45 pm

Lunch

Group Outing: National Civil Rights Museum and Discussion

2:00 - 6:00 pm Please meet in the hotel lobby to walk as a group or take the streetcar.

Community Groups for Dinner in Downtown Memphis

6:30 - 8:30 pm

Friday, August 4th

Vining Hall

8:00 - 9:00 am

Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 am

Keynote with Memphis City Council Member Michalyn

Easter-Thomas

10:00 - 11:00 am

CPO Presentation

Richard Rivera

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Free Time

Vining Hall

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Lunch

Visible College Classrooms

1:00 - 4:00 pm

Track Trainings and Workshops

4:00 - 6:00 pm Free Time

Vining Hall

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Closing Dinner

Visible Music College

200 Madison Ave

Memphis, TN 38103

Vining Hall - First Floor Workshop Classrooms - Third Floor

From the Peabody: Walk east on Union Ave toward B B King Blvd, turn left onto S B.B. King, and turn right onto Madison Ave Visible Music College will be on the left

Learning Tracks

National staff facilitators are highlighted in blue Please see workshop descriptions for information on specific sessions

Note: Staff in the Executive Director Track will be participating in the Executive Director Institute. Workshop times and locations may differ and are highlighted in blue.

Executive Director

Lori Canova Dr. Mariama Grimes

Phil Honoré

Danny Morris

Nadira Saunders

Dan Schiller

Jonas Severe

Chaznae Walker

Post-Secondary

Yazmin Avila

Johana Campos

Alma Cayetano

Karlisle Honore

Shaun Oliver

Michel'le Owens

Treston Lambert

Aurora Santos

Mentoring SEL

Alisha Caesar

Jessica Elsaesser

Lisa Heid

Miosha Randolph-Johnson

Cherlin "Chey" Ongkeko

Stephanie Rupay

William Whitlow

Brandi Davis

Melissa Hunte

Joy McBride

Sally McMullin

Johanna Ruiz

Jonah Sales

Nicole Taylor

Jasmine Tyler

Tristan Wilson

Program Schedule

Tuesday, August 1 and Wednesday, August 2

Tuesday, August 1

Welcome to Memphis!

Arrival and Check-In

The Peabody Hotel

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Evening Rendezvous @ The Peabody and/or Memphis Pyramid

7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Wednesday, August 2

Morning Program and Welcome | Visible Music College Vining Hall (First Floor)

Breakfast

8:00 - 9:00 am

Staff Conference Welcome: Danny Morris, IHDF Director of National Programs

9:15 - 9:25 am

Community Welcome: Elaine Turner, Heritage Tours and Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum 9:30 - 9:55 am

State of the Network: Otis Hackney, President & CEO, National “I Have A Dream" Foundation

10:00 - 11:00 am

Data at “I Have A Dream”: Justine Rosenthal, IHDF Director of Data and Reporting Learn about what we ’ ve accomplished around data so far and find out about where we plan to go

11:15 am - 12:00 pm

Group Photo Immediately Following

Lunch & special presentation by Zachary Baquet, Contract Manager, Project Wayfinder

12:15 - 1:15 pm

Track Trainings and Workshops | Visible College Classrooms (Third Floor)

1:30 - 4:30 pm (see the following page for details and times)

The Peabody Ducks march daily at 11 am and 5:00 pm in the hotel lobby

Wednesday, August 2 (cont.)

Classroom numbers will be announced daily and posted on the conference webpage (see name badges for a link)

Note: Staff in the Executive Director Track will be participating in the Executive Director Institute. Workshop times and locations may differ and are highlighted in blue

Executive Director Institute - Led by Lori Canova, Chief Growth Officer

1:15 - 3:15 Executive Director/National Leadership Roundtable

IHDF National is committed to supporting Affiliates in their work to improve Dreamer outcomes and to expand to serve more Dreamers. Join us for a discussion of these supports and their impact and participate in a conversation on how Affiliate Leaders can be engaged in shaping the direction of the national organization

3:15 - 4:15 Listening Session with the CEO of IHDF National Small group meeting of Affiliate Leadership to discuss issues of concern, share suggestions and discuss the future with IHDF CEO, Otis Hackney

4:30 - 5:30 How to be an Emotionally Intelligent Leader with Carlo Kriekels Manage, support and retain your greatest resource - yourself & your staff

1:30 - 4:30 Great Expectations 2 0 Led by Karlisle Honore, Director of Post-Secondary Success

IHDF National continues to invest in improving the postsecondary persistence and completion rates of Dreamers across the network via the Great Expectations Initiative. Over the past four years, we have made some strides in Dreamer postsecondary success, but we ’ ve also failed to reach all of our goals due to a variety of internal and external factors As a result, we are working on expanding and strengthening Great Expectations to better support Affiliates. In this workshop, participants will also learn about the proposed GE expansion

1:30 - 4:30 Inspire the Dream Training and Topics Led by Stephanie Rupay, Mentor Training and Technical Assistance Manager

The peer mentoring session will address the key elements of peer mentoring and how this model differs from adult-youth mentoring This will be a practical work session to prepare each participating affiliate with concrete information for their program

1:30 - 4:30 SEL Training and Topics – Led by Melissa Hunte, IHDF National Social Work Manager Come join our workshop as we share our 2022-2023 journey with SEL incorporating an overview, our wins and outlook for the upcoming school year

Program Schedule

Thursday, August 3

Welcome to Day 2! | Visible Music College Vining Hall (First Floor)

Breakfast

8:00 - 9:00 am

Executive Director Institute Attendees @ Momentum Partners Nonprofit Talent Summit; Please meet in the lobby at 8:45 to carpool to Christian Brothers University, Buckman Hall, 650 E Parkway

9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Best Practices Round Table

9:00 - 10:00 am

Context Conversation: Olliette Murray-Drobot, CEO, 02Strategic Partners

10:00 - 10:45 am

Track Trainings and Workshops | Visible College Classrooms (Third Floor) 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Filling Your Cup & Staying Energized for the Long Haul - Led by Carlo Kriekels

To work in the field of serving youth is very fulfilling, but can also be extremely frustrating, discouraging, making you feel overworked, tired, burned-out

Don't allow burnout to take away your passion

Let's look at the root causes. Learn essential emotional intelligence strategies providing you the insight and management tools to continue serving youth from a place of balance

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Family Engagement - Led by Lisa Moore, Girls, Inc

Organizations say they want more active family engagement and involvement Event flyers and invitations are sent home and when attendance numbers fall short of expectations, we wonder why Sound familiar? In this session we will hear from families and identify effective strategies to engage and retain active family member involvement

11:00 am - 12:30 pm Case Management for Non-Clinicians - Led by Melissa Hunte & Yazmin Avila

Do you provide services to Dreamers? Are you a non-clinical staff member? Then this workshop is for you This workshop will give non-clinical staff the opportunity to understand what case management is, how to do it, how to track it in Salesforce and best practices for engaging with your Dreamer and their families

Thursday, August 3 (cont.) and Friday, August 4

Community Groups for Dinner in Downtown Memphis

6:30 - 8:30 pm

Program Schedule

Choose from some of the city's well-known local restaurants and end the day by breaking bread with colleagues

Thursday, August 4

Executive Director Institute

1:00 - 2:30 pm Board Development, Management & Governance with Saad&Shaw

Workshop with Memphis-based, nationally recognized experts Mel and Pearl Shaw on developing boards that are actively engaged in fundraising

2:45 - 4:00 pm Get Fired Up for Fundraising with Saad&Shaw

Saad&Shaw will share the building blocks of a successful development and fundraising program. Discuss creative funding solutions and share your ideas for funding over the long haul

Track Trainings and Workshops | Visible College Classrooms (cont.)

1:00 - 4:00 pm Safe Talk, Suicide Alertness for Everyone - Led by Justin Johnson

SafeTALK is a half-day training program that teaches participants to recognize and engage persons who might be having thoughts of suicide and to connect them with community resources trained in suicide intervention

SafeTALK stresses safety while challenging taboos that inhibit open talk about suicide. The program recommends that an ASIST-trained resource or other community support resource be at all trainings The ‘safe’ of safeTALK stands for ‘suicide alertness for everyone ’ The ‘TALK’ letters stand for the practice actions that one does to help those with thoughts of suicide: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe.

The SafeTALK learning process is highly structured, providing graduated exposure to practice actions. The program is designed to help participants monitor the effect of false societal beliefs that can cause otherwise caring and helpful people to miss, dismiss, or avoid suicide alerts and to practice the TALK step actions to move past these barriers Six 60-90 second video scenarios, each with non-alert and alert clips, are selected from a library of scenarios and strategically used through the training to provide experiential referents for the participants

SafeTALK was developed by LivingWorks Education to complement longer suicide intervention training. Developers in Australia and Canada designed and field trialed the program in 2004-05 based on stakeholder reports of a training gap between short suicide awareness sessions and longer suicide intervention skills training

1:00 - 3:45 pm Best Practices for Administering the SEL Survey - Led by Melissa Hunte

Best Practices for Administering the SEL survey is a workshop geared towards support staff as they complete the SEL survey with their Dreamers. The facilitator will engage participants on the breakdown of the SEL Survey questions, best practices and live demonstrations to support each participant

Yazmin Avila

Yazmin Avila is the Program Assistant of NY-East Harlem Cohort 1. Yazmin assists the Program Director in providing a year-round program of academic and social support to high school students

Yazmin joined the I Have A Dream Foundation in October 2022 In her previous role, Yazmin worked with youth ages 15-19 who’ve been involved in the criminal justice system In her role, Yazmin was an analyst, strategic and critical thinker who was passionate about permanently moving young people’s trajectories away from systems of incarceration and court-involvement

Yazmin is passionate about providing the proper tools and resources to youth who live in

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Zachary Baquet

Zachary Baquet came to Project Wayfinder following eight years working with independent schools in Louisiana and Texas His career reflects a passion for building partnerships and leveraging relationships to drive student social, emotional and academic growth

While earning his Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from Carleton College, his research encompassed street performers in city centers throughout the Andes, including Ecuador and Peru, where he developed a love for exploring alternative forms of education He taught at an international day school in Quito that created a space for kids who were homeless to receive access to nutrition, job training, and fundamental curriculum. Additionally, he partnered with educational non-profits in Lima to leverage street performance as a tool to preserve and share the cultural artifacts of the city

Continuing his research, Zach received funding from Indiana University and a Tinker Grant to extend his relationships in Latin America while pursuing his master’s degree In addition, Zach spent his graduate school weekends supporting students at Upward Bound in Indianapolis as the Community Liaison for the Title XI Center. It was through this work that his love for mentorship and teaching blossomed and he transitioned to the classroom full-time as a Spanish teacher in New Orleans

Zach has since worn a number of hats within schools, including Math Teacher, Dean of Students, and his role of the last five years: Vice-Principal Zach holds a MS from Johns Hopkins School of Education in Educational Technology and Digital Age Learning and hosts a blog on emerging trends in educational technology and educational research When he’s not working overtime to build better educational experiences, you can find him behind the trumpet playing jazz in a New Orleans style band in Houston, snowboarding in the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico, and enjoying car shows with friends!

See Zach at the session on Social Emotional Learning Data at 1:30 pm on Wednesday

Lori Canova

As the Chief Growth Officer, Lori Canova is responsible for the development of the national growth and expansion strategy for the “I Have A Dream” Foundation affiliate Network Before joining the national team in March of 2020, Lori Canova served as the President and CEO for the “I Have A Dream” Foundation of Boulder County Colorado for 23 years Lori’s nonprofit career has always been focused on empowering youth from marginalized communities. She has held positions at Big Brothers; Mental Health Association of Colorado; Jefferson Center for Mental Health; and Human Services.

Lori holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Colorado State University, a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver and is a graduate of the 50 for Colorado Leadership Program through the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business

See Lori at the Executive Director Institute Wednesday through Friday

Presenter Bios

Michalyn Easter-Thomas

Michalyn Easter-Thomas was elected Councilwoman for Memphis City Council District 7 in 2019 because she understands that it is the time for engagement over apathy and action over complacency Raised by her parents in Frayser, Michalyn attended Memphis City Schools. There she learned first-hand the importance of an active government providing meaningful services for the community Her lifetime membership with the Girl Scouts, as well as a half decade of involvement with the Memphis Parks Commission's Summer Camp program at the Ed Rice Community Center and the Mayor's Summer Youth Job program at Vollintine Elementary, further cemented her commitment to community involvement and an understanding of how both private organizations and local governments could empower and improve local communities

Her upbringing in District 7, as well as her experiences elsewhere, helped Michalyn see Memphis through a new lens - one that shed light on the immense challenges and disparities that faced her community, but also magnified the potential and greatness that had long existed there She recognizes a better future comes only through action in the present, and we can together build the communities our children deserve through action and advocacy.

See Councilwoman Easter-Thomas's keynote address, "Expanding the Possibilities," on Friday at 9:00 am

Otis Hackney

Otis Hackney is the President & CEO of the “I Have A Dream” Foundation and is responsible for leading the national education nonprofit and its vision of college access and opportunity for all He believes every child deserves to attend great schools within their own communities and is committed to effecting positive, sustainable social change

In his previous role as Chief Education Officer for the City of Philadelphia, Otis championed crucial collaboration and partnerships with

hen the local educational landscape and advance key educational policy. He ict of Philadelphia (SDP) return to local control with a mayoral-appointed board and worked to secure free internet access for students to participate in virtual learning at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with the SDP, he launched several important equity-centered initiatives, including a locally funded PreK program called Community Schools Ever mindful of the importance of access to post-secondary opportunity, Otis is also known for working with the Community College of Philadelphia to secure tuition-free scholarships and basic needs support

Otis joined the National Board of Directors at the “I Have a Dream” Foundation in 2019. Along with his extensive knowledge and experience in education, his tenure on the board made him a prudent choice for President & CEO Under his leadership, IHDF is well-poised to continue making equitable education a reality by engaging communities and children (“Dreamers”) through individualized programming and guaranteed post-secondary tuition support

See Otis at the State of the Network Welcome on Wednesday and various sessions throughout the week

Karlisle Honore

In her 15 years at “I Have A Dream”, Karlisle Honore has served in several roles, including Program Director for the Ravenswood II Program in Queens, NY for over 10 years and Director of College and Career Success for IHDF-NY for 4 years In those roles, she provided a year-round program of academic and social support to school-aged youth and counseled students and families on the college application process She also co-created the college-going and persistence program and managed IHDF-NY’s tuition assistance support for Dreamers

In her current role as Director of Postsecondary Success, she supports the postsecondary goals and efforts of the National IHDF Office, including hosting staff collaborative workshops and developing and managing education, employment, and enrichment opportunities for Dreamers across the network. My work is informed by cultural sensitivity, communication, strong sense of identity, community, empathy, and respect.

Karlisle is a native New Yorker who has lived and worked in the city her entire life She is an avid reader, a plant mom, and a cake/pastry/bread fiend. She also loves visiting state and national parks

See Karlisle's session on Great Expectations at 1:30 pm on Wednesday

Melissa Hunte

As the Social Work Manager, Melissa oversees Social Work Interns at IHDF National/NY and provides supervision, and implementation and administration of the Social Emotional Learning Curriculum for NY and the IHDF network.

She has been dedicated to servicing underserved populations in NYC. Since graduating from Howard University with her MSW in 2015, she has worked with parolees- providing holistic trauma informed case management services. She then moved on to work with individuals who are part of the NYC Shelter system - providing advocacy, medication, referrals, and trauma informed care services

Melissa is passionate about advocating for underserved individuals at all levels and enjoys providing one-on-one counseling

See Melissa's session on Social Emotional Learning Data on Wednesday at 1:30 pm, Case Management for Non-Clinicians on Thursday at 11:00 am, and Best Practices for Administering the SEL Survey at 1:45 on Friday

Justin Johnson

Justin Johnson is a native of Millington, TN and graduated from Millington Central High school in 2002 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps the same year Mr Johnson is an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran serving tours in the years of 2005 and 20082009. After serving his country he served his local community as Memphis Police Officer for five years

Mr. Johnson is an alumnus of the University of Memphis having earned a bachelor and master’s degrees in social work Mr Johnson is currently employed as the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, Regional Director for the Greater Memphis Region As a Regional Director he advocates to eliminate the stigma of suicide, provide evidence-based trainings, and helps network like-minded individuals in his region into teams to provide prevention, postvention and intervention services. Mr. Johnson currently resides in Collierville, TN with his girlfriend Lauren Rauch and their infant son Micah

See Justin at SAFE Talk (Suicide Alertness for Everyone) at 1:45 on Friday

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”

-Audre Lorde

Carlo Kriekels

Carlo Kriekels was born in Belgium and is a first-generation American Citizen. He holds two law degrees (a J.D. from Belgium and a LL M from Germany) and is proficient in six languages, including Spanish After completing an intensive four-year training program in emotional intelligence coaching, Carlo taught leadership and emotional intelligence skills to business leaders in Europe and the United States for many years In 2001, he cofounded the Denver based educational nonprofit, YESS Institute in order to bring the benefits of emotional intelligence skills to at-risk youth, role models and the agencies that serve youth.

Now 22 years later, YESS has served over 9,000 students As the YESS Institute’s co-founder, Carlo has trained over 4,000 youth and role models at national, regional, and local conferences and workshops, including at MENTOR’s National Mentoring Symposium in DC Since 2006, he has been an active member of the Denver Youth Mentoring Collaborative’s (YMC) training committee and co-chaired the YMC in 2009-10 He has been one of the key leaders in the creation of the statewide agency Mentor Colorado, and still serves on its advisory board Carlo has served on both The Denver Foundation’s Inclusiveness Committee and Education Committee

In partnership with the Denver Office of the Independent Monitor, Carlo is one of lead curriculum developers of the nationally recognized Forums: “Youth Outreach Project –Bridging the Gap: Cops and Kids” In partnership with the Denver Chief of Police, he trains the entire Denver police force in reducing harm through emotional intelligence strategies.

Carlo is the author of the audio course and ebook:“The 9 Key Components of Peer Mentoring.” He received the 2011 “Heavy Lifting Award” from the Denver Mayor’s Office for Education and Children for his efforts to improve the lives of youth in Denver In addition, Carlo accepted the 2016 My Brother’s Keeper Award from Mayor Michael Hancock and the City and County of Denver for work with young men of color on behalf of the YESS Institute. In 2021, he was recognized by Titan100 as one of Colorado’s top 100 CEO’s for exceptional leadership, vision, and passion The Belgian Ambassador to the United States nominated Carlo in 2022 for the prestigious Christoffel Plantin award highlighting Belgians which elevate the prestige of Belgium abroad.

Carlo lives in Denver with his wife, two sons and their Wheaten Terrier In his free time he enjoys cycling over and across the Colorado Rockies.

See Carlo at the Executive Director Institute on Wednesday, and Filling Your Cup and Staying Energized for the Long Haul on Thursday at 11 am

Lisa Moore

Ms. Lisa Moore is a sought after leader, facilitator, consultant, writer and speaker in areas including leadership, community development, inclusion/diversity, organizational management, strategic thinking/planning and personal renewal Her personal mission statement is to equip individuals and groups to lead well and thrive She’s lived this mission out daily through her professional roles at Girls Inc ’ s across the country, BRIDGES, and FedEx Services. She currently serves as President/CEO of Girls Inc. of Memphis She stays active in civic engagement efforts which have included the establishment of the bachelor’s degree program in Youth Development at the University of Memphis College of Education, middle school reform think tank Concept Council of Memphis City Schools, the Urban Aspiration team of the University of Memphis’ College of Education, Imagine Memphis, Memphis/Shelby County Youth Development Collaborative and Common Ground, with her most recent civic engagement being a run for City Council

Through her consulting practice DancingWater, Lisa provides leadership development through coaching, workshops and retreats. Lisa, a native Memphian, graduated from Memphis State University with a bachelor’s in education, received her master’s in education from Concordia University, St Paul, MN, and is a 2003 graduate of Leadership Memphis Her awards include, Memphis’ Most Powerful People list 2023, Interesting and Influential 100 inaugural issue member, included in the 2018 Commercial Appeal Citizen of the Year which honored “The Citizen Activist” for her work to stop a landfill in Frayser, 2007 Professional Advocate of the Year from the West Region of Tennessee Conference for Social Welfare, voted one of 12 People Who Made A Difference by the Commercial Appeal in 2008 and received two Bravo Zulu awards at FedEx Services

See Lisa's session on Family Engagement on Thursday at 11 am

“The world would be a paradise of peace and justice if global citizens shared a common definition of love which would guide our thoughts and actions.”

-bell hooks

Danny Morris

Danny Morris currently serves as Director of National Programs for the “I Have a Dream” Foundation. In this role he oversees the delivery of supports and services to the network of IHDF affiliates Danny began his career as an elementary school teacher in Inglewood, California. He was also a founding teacher and collaborative team member for Soaring Heights Charter School in Jersey City, New Jersey The school recently celebrated its 25th year of operation.

Prior to joining the “I Have a Dream” Foundation, Danny served in different capacities at a couple of local non-profit organizations, including Children’s Aid (formerly Children's Aid Society). There he led a team of youth development specialists who provided academic enrichment, social support, college and career readiness, and health services to students in grades 9 through 12

Danny is a graduate of Yale University, and holds an M P A from the Baruch College School of Public Affairs

See Danny at the Conference Welcome on Wednesday at 9:15

Olliette Murray-Drobot

Olliette Murry-Drobot is the Chief Executive Officer of O 2 Strategic Partners, a Licensed Consultant with Standards for Excellence Institute® The firm focuses on facilitation, operations, and training with a specialization in advocacy, social justice, and public policy Olliette has over 25 years of experience leading mission driven organizations and social justice and community building strategies. Most recently Olliette served as Executive Director of the Family Safety Center of Memphis and Shelby County, a public private partnership focused on the co-location of services and increased access to resources for survivors of intimate partner violence At the Family Safety Center, she significantly expanded support for women of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, specifically Black women of trans experience, and advocated for policy changes to dismantle barriers experienced by survivors.

Olliette was a presenter for TEDX Memphis 2016: THE VALUE OF X in which she spoke on the importance of providing a supportive community for victims of trauma. She received the 2016 Loretta Ross Award from SisterReach for her contributions and dedication to enriching the lives of women, girls, and their families in Memphis Olliette has a Master’s degree in Applied Anthropology and MBA focused on organizational change and leadership. Olliette serves on the Board of Directors of Emerge Tennessee and Safeways. In addition, Olliette serves on the steering committee for Healthy and Free Tennessee, the LeBonheur Healthy Families America Community Advisory Board, and served on the Shelby County End HIV 901 Advisory Board. Olliette lives in Memphis, Tennessee with her husband Tadeusz Drobot and their three dogs, Loki, Luna, and Sadie

See Olliette lead our Context Conversation on Thursday at 10:00 am

Presenter Bios

Richard Rivera

Richard Rivera has been in education for 30+ years, starting off as a middle school teacher. He spent half his career creating and leading college access and retention programs, five years working for nonprofit organizations developing work-based learning programs, and, for the past two and half years, has been developing national programming that serves students from Kindergarten through Post Secondary

Education

Richard is currently the Chief Program Officer of the "I Have a Dream" Foundation, where he's created and launched a number of initiatives to close the opportunity gaps that exist within underserved communities

Prior to joining I Have a Dream Foundation in 2020, Richard took on two exciting challenges. As a consultant to CareerWise, an apprenticeship organization, he developed a pathway for apprentice students to earn up to 30 college credits over the three-year program During this time, he worked closely with a colleague to develop and launch Kura Labs, an online academy that provides free training and job placement in Cloud Infrastructure Engineering, DevOps, and SRE at leading tech companies for aspiring engineers from underserved communities. Over the first two years, 80% of the students were placed in positions with an average salary of $90,000

In the Summer of 2016, Richard was a founding member of HERE TO HERE, a Bronx-based nonprofit that united employers, educators, and community-based organizations to connect young people to sustaining careers and create a thriving and inclusive economy Over the course of 2 years, he hired a team of five people, provided professional development to a network of 3 high schools, developed a Bronx Private Industry Council and placed over 1,100 high school students in summer training programs and internships

Prior to joining HERE TO HERE, Richard was the Associate Director of Educational Programs at Goddard Riverside Community Center, where he managed a youth department staff of 50+ and a budget of $4.5 million that served over 2,000 youth. He also oversaw the Options Institute - a leader in providing professional development on college access to the NYC Department of Education and CBO staff

In 2007, Richard worked for Kingsborough Community College as the founding Director of the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) a retention and graduation program where participants’ graduation rate (56%) was more than double the national average graduation rate of community colleges (23%)

In 2000, he founded the Institute for Leadership Excellence and Academic Development (I-LEAD) Program at Bank Street College, a leadership and college access program During his tenure, 98% of all students attended college and the program raised over $4 2 million dollars

Richard has been an adjunct professor at Bank Street College, Bronx Community College and the NYU School of Professional Studies He is a graduate of Syracuse University and has Master's degrees in Urban Affairs from Hunter College and in Public Administration from Baruch College

See Richard's CPO Presentation on Friday at 10:00 am

Justine Rosenthal

As the Director of Data and Reporting at IHDF, Justine ensures staff members across the network have the information they need to guide programming and best support students Before joining IHDF National in 2017, Justine worked as a college counselor for high school students in New York City. Her direct experience working with students inspired her to make certain all students get the resources and support they deserve

Justine strongly believes in the power of data as a tool for continuous improvement She holds a B A in history and a minor in gender studies from Eugene Lang College, The New School and a master’s degree in public administration from NYU’s Robert F Wagner School of Public Service.

In addition to her passion for Excel, she enjoys exploring different neighborhoods and eating all the amazing food New York City has to offer.

See Justine's session on Salesforce at 11:15 am on Wednesday

Stephanie Rupay

As the Mentor Training and Technical Assistance Manager for IHDF, Stephanie supports Affiliates in the development and implementation of the Inspire The Dream Mentoring Program She grew to love grant administration while working on federal grants for the State of Georgia and recognized the power of partnerships, social justice, and program development Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree from Southern Adventist University, where she specialized in Trauma and Emergency Management When she is not learning about mentoring, she enjoys volunteering at the local cat shelter with her wife and traveling to see family around the world

See Stephanie's session on Inspire the Dream at 1:30 pm on Wednesday

Access the conference page for session locations, schedule changes, and conference information!

Presenter Bios

Saad&Shaw

Saad&Shaw is fully owned and operated by principals Mel Shaw and Pearl Shaw. They are a husband-and-wife team with over 50 years of combined experience serving diverse organizations across the country Saad&Shaw was established in 2004, bringing together Shaw & Company, founded by Melvin Shaw (1995) and Phrased Write, founded by Pearl Shaw (2001) They draw on Mel Shaw’s extensive experience working with nonprofits, colleges, universities, grassroots organizations, celebrities, corporate leaders, and membersof the media in all their work

Mel's tried and tested techniques form the backbone of the Saad&Shaw approach to fundraising, community engagement, and successful business operations. These are leveraged by Pearl Shaw’s writing and analytic skills, allowing Saad&Shaw to provide clients with more than concepts, more than talk They document all suggestions so clients can reference them for future use.

Saad&Shaw's offices were first located in Oakland California, and in 2010 they relocated to Memphis, Tennessee. They continuously refine their services to best meet the needs of new and returning clients Their experience has allowed them to develop a professional specialization that focuses on helping nonprofits build their fundraising capacity and infrastructure while preparing for and conducting campaigns that represent a significant increase from prior campaigns.

Affiliate Leaders will work with Mel & Pearl at the Executive Director's Institute on Friday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm

“Pick up the battle and make it a better world. Just where you are.”

-Dr. Maya Angelou

Elaine Turner

Elaine Lee Turner has served the Memphis community in various capacities as an educator, a civil rights activist, an entrepreneur and a historian After spending l5 years in the teaching profession, she decided to pursue other endeavors Her interest in history inspired her to launch her own business. In 1983, she along with her sister Joan, co-founded the first African American oriented tour company in the state of Tennessee, with some authorities in the tourism industry crediting Heritage Tours as being the first of its kind in the United States

Her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement began as a high school and college student. As a Civil Rights activist, she participated in numerous protest demonstrations including sit-ins, marches, pickets, boycotts, and pray-ins, which challenged the segregation laws in Memphis Her involvement in the various sit-ins resulted in her being arrested three times throughout the 1960's, along with her six sisters. She participated in the Selma March in 1965 and also the Meredith March Against Fear in 1966, where she met Dr Martin Luther King, Jr and other Civil Rights leaders

Recently, the General Assembly of the Tennessee State Legislature presented a Resolution to the Lee Sisters to acknowledge their Civil Rights participation Also, the Shelby County Historical Commission erected an historical marker in recognition of the Lee Sisters on Main Street because o1'the pivotal role that they played helping to make Memphis a better place.

Elaine Turner serves as director of Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum and the W C Handy Memphis Home & Museum In l987, Heritage Tours established the W C Handy Heritage Awards which pays tribute to the many outstanding Memphis musicians who have contributed to our musical heritage and to keep the legacy of W C Handy alive

See Elaine at the Community Welcome on Wednesday at 9:30 am

“Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society.”

-John Lewis

Our Host City

Known as the home of the Blues & Birthplace of Rock ' n ' Roll, Memphis is a city steeped in history and culture. Here are just some of the sights and sounds to enjoy during your stay Memphis:

Civil Rights and History

Please join us for a special group outing to visit the National Civil Rights Museum on Thursday, Aug 3 from 2-6 pm

Located at the historic Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, the museum complex and its historic buildings feature immersive multi-sensory and multi-media installations, historical artifacts, and more.

Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum

slavehavenmuseum.org

Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Hourly tours; group reservations required

Cost: $12 for adults, $11 seniors & students Group rates available

Hear from museum director Elaine Turner at the community welcome on 8/2

Self-Guided Tours of Orange Mound and Soulsville USA

Situated on the grounds of the former John Deaderick Plantation, Orange Mound was founded in 1890 as the first subdivision in the U.S. planned specifically for African Americans. In Soulsville, known as the Global Capital of Soul, visit the birthplace of Aretha

Franklin and see the original site of Stax Records - the imprint that launched the careers of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, and others (see pg 26 for tour information). More maps available at: memphisheritagetrail.com

Cost: Free

Beale Street Entertainment District

bealestreet.com

Highlights:

A. Schwab Dry Goods Store (163 Beale St.)

The only remaining original business on Beale and a hub for all things Memphis, the store opened in 1876 Its motto was, “If you can’t find it at Schwab’s, you ’ re

better off without it ” Burgers at Dyer's (205 Beale St ) The restaurant claims the key to its famous burger is "the grease, " and they've purportedly moved the magic cooking fat to new locations under the protection of an armed police escort.

Silky O'Sullivans (183 Beale & South B.B. King) features live music and live goats on the patio.

Graceland

graceland.com

Beale Street was established in 1841 and became a thriving area for Black commerce and culture around the time of the Civil War. After yellow fever devastated the city in the late 1870s, the land around it was acquired by formerly enslaved entrepreneur Robert Church. His investments not only helped restore the business community’s faith in Memphis, but transformed it into one of the most iconic streets in America.

civilrightstrail.com

Visit the 13 8-acre estate and museum owned by singer Elvis Presley Presley is buried there, as are his parents, paternal grandmother, grandson, and daughter.

Hours: Daily 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; Elvis' Airplanes open at 10:00 am

Cost: Adults $49 75-$215 00, group discounts available

The Orpheum Theater at South Main & Beale

Arts and Entertainment (cont)

Stax Museum of American Soul Music

staxmuseum com

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Cost: Adults $15

Sun Studio sunstudio com

45-minute guided tours of the studios that catapulted Elvis, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and others to fame.

Hours: Sunday - Thursday 10:00 am to 5:15 pm; Friday and Saturday 10:00 am to 6:15 pm

Cost: Adults $15

Memphis Rock and Soul Museum

memphisrockandsoul org

Hours: Daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Cost: Adults $13, AARP, AAA, and Smithsonian membership discounts

Parks and Nature

The Metal Museum and Sculpture Garden metalmuseum.org

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, Watch metalworking demonstrations every Saturday and Sunday at 1:30pm

Cost: Adults $8

Mud Island River Walk

Walk through a scale model of the Mississippi, enjoy views of the river and downtown skyline, and get your picture taken with the 50-foot MEMPHIS sign

Hours: Daily 6:00 am to 7:00 pm

Cost: Free

"I Have A Dream" Anniversaries

We'd like to share a special acknowledgement to our fellow staff members celebrating their anniversaries with the “I Have A Dream” Foundation!

Five Years

Alm Lo

Treston Lam

Chelsea