Speakers and Facilitators | Office Depot Foundation

Luncheon Keynote Speaker - March 23

Rick Baker

Rick Baker, Vice President for Economic Development and Director of Innovation Partnerships, University of South Florida; former Mayor of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and author, The Seamless City — From 2001 through early 2010, Baker served as mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida’s fourth largest city. He led the city through an historic renaissance period in downtown, midtown, the neighborhoods and the public schools. In 2008, Mayor Baker was named America’s Mayor/Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine. He practiced corporate law for 19 years and was president of St. Petersburg’s oldest law firm. He was active in founding and leading many civic, cultural and charitable organizations and in 2000 wrote a book on the history of the St. Petersburg and Florida entitled Mangroves to Major League. Baker is an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute’s Center for State and Local Leadership based in New York City; and recently released his second book The Seamless City, which was published by Regnery Publishing in Washington D.C. The book is about city leadership and an approach to urban revitalization in America.

Speakers/Panelists - March 23-24

Cynthia Bailie

Cynthia Bailie, Director, Cleveland Office and Special Information Initiatives, The Foundation Center, Cleveland, Ohio – Cindy Bailie has worked with the Foundation Center in a variety of roles since 1997. Currently serving as director of its Cleveland office and special information initiatives, Cindy has extensive experience developing and overseeing information and programmatic assets for in-person and virtual delivery to audiences worldwide. Co-directing the development of the Foundation Center's award-winning web site, grantspace.org, Cindy enhances its reach, relevance and value to the social sector by working across geographies to lead a team of content developers and creative thinkers. She currently serves on the board of Greater Cleveland Community Shares.

Erin Carlstrom

Erin Carlstrom, Director of Education Programs, Feed The Children, Oklahoma City, Okla. – Erin Carlstrom serves as Director of Education Programs for Feed The Children, one of the largest international charities. Since she joined the organization in 2002, its education program has grown to include services to many educational constituents: children in the U.S and internationally, teachers, adults who need help with illiteracy and/or English as a second language and the exploding population of homeless children in America. By partnering national and multi-national corporations – such as Office Depot − with Feed The Children, Carlstrom has spearheaded developing programming and assembling critical educational materials and supplies that feed minds as well as bodies. Prior to joining Feed The Children, Erin worked in the food and pharmaceutical industries..

Dr. Robert Corbin

Dr. Robert Corbin, Vice President of Learning Experiences, Discovery Place, Charlotte, N.C. - A National Board Certified Science Teacher, Robert became Vice President of Learning Experiences at the Discovery Place Science Center in Charlotte in 2007. He serves as associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and adjunct professor at Wingate University. He served the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system as Earth Science Academic Content Coach from 2005-2007 and taught in a variety of public high school, middle school and university settings for 20 years. He has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Michigan State University and an I.M.A. in Natural Science Education from the University of South Carolina and a Ph. D. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in Science Urban Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Stephen Jordan

Stephen Jordan, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center, Washington, D.C. - As the founder and executive director of the Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC), the corporate citizenship affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Stephen leads BCLC's engagement with a broad spectrum of companies, chambers of commerce, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. He serves on the U.S. National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Board of Governors of the Corporate Responsibility Officers’ (CRO) Association and the New World Institute. Previously, he served as executive director of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America. He holds an M.B.A. from Georgetown University and an M.A. in Political and Social Thought from the University of Virginia, and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the business honor society.

Katheryn Preston

Katheryn Preston, Executive Director, Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness, Atlanta, Ga. - Katheryn works in partnership with legislators, government officials, homeless advocates, homeless task forces and coalitions all over the state of Georgia. She sits on the S.E. Regional U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Georgia Interagency Council on Homelessness and the DCA Homeless Advisory Committee. She has served as a member of the Georgia Policy Academies for State and Local Policy Makers on Ending Chronic Homelessness and on Improving Access to Mainstream Services for Families with Children Experiencing Homelessness. Katheryn has over 25 years of experience working with victims of domestic violence, homeless persons, the elderly and families and children. She is a Gerontology Community Leadership Specialist, has a Family Centered Practice Certification, is a Presbyterian Elder and has been a foster and adoptive parent.

Lois Savage

Lois Savage, President, The Lodestar Foundation, Phoenix, Ariz. – After many years as a real estate attorney and community volunteer, Lois Savage embarked on a second career in philanthropy. She helped found The Lodestar Foundation and has served as president since its inception in 1999. Lodestar’s mission is to expand the growth and impact of philanthropy through two primary strategies: by supporting organizations and projects that directly advance philanthropy; and by encouraging non-profits to adopt business practices (with an emphasis on collaboration) that enable the impact of philanthropic dollars to be maximized. Lois also served as charter executive director of Social Venture Partners Arizona, a venture philanthropy organization initiated by Lodestar. She holds a B.A. in English from Vassar College, an M.A. in English from Simmons College and a J.D. from Boston University.

Joe Sibilia

Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire, Springfield, Mass. – As a visionary of the socially responsible business movement, Joe Sibilia is founder and CEO of Meadowbrook Lane Capital (MBLC), described by The Wall Street Journal as a “socially responsible investment bank” specializing in turning values into valuation. He is also the CEO of CSRwire.com, the social responsibility newswire service that distributes and archives corporate social responsibility/sustainability news to journalists, analysts, investors, activists, academics, public relations and investor relations professionals worldwide. Joe also founded the Gasoline Alley Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation that has incubated 43 small businesses since 1985, and teaches inner city and/or underprivileged persons to be successful entrepreneurs using socially responsible/sustainable business practices while revitalizing inner city neighborhoods.

Jeff Sparks

Jeff Sparks, President/CEO and Founding Board Member of the Heartland Truly Moving Pictures, Indianapolis, Ind. — Sparks received his Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre from the University of Evansville and went on to complete a Master of Fine Arts degree in directing from Florida State University in 1975. Since then, he has served as Assistant Professor of Theatre at St. Leo College, St. Leo, Fla., and Executive Director of the Indiana Children’s Christian Home (ICCH), a treatment center for emotionally disturbed youth. During his time at ICCH he helped found The New Harmony Project — a writer’s Laboratory developing new scripts for theatre and film , which he served as Executive Director from 1987 to 1999. Heartland Truly Moving Pictures was established in 1991 to recognize and honor filmmakers whose works explore the human journey, artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.

Bill Taft

William G. (Bill) Taft, Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Indianapolis, Ind. — Since 2005, Bill Taft has been executive director of LISC Indianapolis, which has invested more than $125 million into projects developed by neighborhood-based community development corporations and other non-profits. Most recently, he played a key leadership role in the $150-million Near East Super Bowl Legacy Initiative. From 1991-2005, Bill served as the president of Southeast Neighborhood Development Inc., which invested over $30 million into dramatically revitalizing the Greater Fountain Square Area of Indianapolis. Previously, he was the executive director of Main Street Richmond and served with the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, the office of Senator Richard Lugar and the Historic American Buildings Survey.

Lana Wachniak

Lana Wachniak, Board Chair, Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness, and Professor Emeritus, Kennesaw State University, Acworth, Ga. — Lana holds a Ph.D. in sociology, a master’s degree in criminology and an undergraduate degree in criminal justice. She started her teaching career at Georgia Southern University and was the university’s first female recipient of the distinguished teaching award. Her experience at Kennesaw State University involved teaching and administrative duties. She spearheaded Homelessness Awareness Week (HAW) at KSU (weeklong educational activities culminating in a two-night Sleep-Out simulation of homelessness) and received KSU’s 2010 Meritorious Service Award for her work on this project. Additional recognitions include her selection by the Georgia Sociological Association as the 2011-2012 Sociologist of the Year and by GAEH for the 2011 Community Champion Award. She serves on the GAEH Board of directors and is a commissioner on the Regional Commission on Homelessness.

Tina Jo Walters

Tina Jo Walters, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, JPMorgan Chase, Indianapolis, Ind. — Tina has been a marketing, community affairs and foundation professional for more than 16 years. Her career has included experience in product and sponsorship development and corporate giving. She was selected by Business First of Louisville as one of its “40 under 40” young business leaders. She joined JPMorgan Chase in 1991 and, as vice president of Corporate Responsibility, strategically manages philanthropic investments in Indiana and Kentucky communities on behalf of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. Tina is an active community volunteer and leader in both Indiana and Kentucky. She serves on the boards of Women 4 Women and LISC Indianapolis and on advisory committees for the United Way of Central Indiana, Legacy Housing Inc. and the Paul W. Ogle Cultural Center. Tina holds an MBA from Bellarmine University.

Facilitators

Mary Wong

Mary Wong, President, Office Depot Foundation, Boca Raton, Fla. – Mary was named President of the Foundation in 2007 after serving as Director of Community Relations for Office Depot since 2000. She serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for a Competitive Workforce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center, where she co-chairs the Business Disaster Assistance and Recovery Program. She is a former member of the White House Disaster Assistance Recovery and Volunteerism Committee and served on the board of directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of America. Mary has been with Office Depot 18 years, serving first as a store manager in Minnesota and then as a district manager in Chicago.

Mark J. Dobosz

Mark J. Dobosz, President, The SCORE Foundation, and Vice President, Development, SCORE, Herndon, Va. − The first executive director of The SCORE Foundation and vice president, development for SCORE, Mark has spent more than 25 years working in a variety of leadership roles for not-for-profit organizations including development, marketing, public relations, community and government relations, operations and teaching. He has served organizations that address community needs in the areas of education, health care, disabilities, children’s services and community development, including the The Out-of-Door Academy. Mercy Health Care System, Easter Seals, Friends School in Detroit and other independent schools. A graduate of St. Mary’s College in Orchard Lake, Mich., Mark has received the CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) Circle of Excellence in Fundraising Award.

Jay Hein

Jay Hein, President, Sagamore Institute, Indianapolis, Ind. – Jay helped establish the Sagamore Institute, an Indianapolis-based think tank, in 2004. He was Deputy Assistant to the President and director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives from August 2006-August 2008. Jay is also Distinguished Senior Fellow at Baylor University's Institute for the Study of Religion. Earlier, he was a welfare reform policy advisor to Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson and director of civil society programs at the Hudson Institute. He was also chief executive officer from 2002-2006 of the Foundation for American Renewal. Hein began his career in Illinois government and he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Eureka College, where he was an inaugural member of the Ronald Reagan Fellowships.

Amy Hever

Amy Hever, Executive Director, Schoolhouse Children’s Museum & Learning Center, Boynton Beach, Fla. — Prior to joining the Schoolhouse Museum, Amy was the director of advancement for the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Fla. In addition to her work in Florida for the arts and cultural sector, Amy’s career has also included New Jersey and Southern California. She is well versed in collaborative partnerships, advocacy work, marketing and development and has also spent significant time in the health and human services, disaster services and medical research sectors. Amy spent her elementary and middle school years in Japan, and holds a B.A. (honors) in History and East Asian Studies.