2018 Grow Our Own Summit Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018
Too many southwest Minnesota kids aren’t getting the best start to life. We’re working to change that, and so are our friends and partners.
Hundreds of employers, educators, students, elected officials, nonprofits and service providers, community leaders, and concerned citizens joined the Southwest Initiative Foundation for the 2018 Grow Our Own Summit. We brought together some of the best thinkers and doers we know—nationally, regionally and locally—to help us learn how to support all our kids and the communities they call home.
During the summit, we shared new ideas and became inspired to take action that will benefit youth, as well as our businesses, organizations, schools, communities and families.
Check out the biographies and presentations from our speakers below. And read this message from Diana Anderson, our president/CEO, that sums up our day.
Want to dig into the Grow Our Own work in your community? Contact Nancy Kaping at 320-587-4848 to request a local presentation.
SPEAKERS
Nisha Patel served as executive director of the US Partnership on Mobility from Poverty, guiding a task force in answering one big, bold, exciting question: What would it take to dramatically increase mobility from poverty? She is now managing director of narrative change and national initiatives at Robin Hood, New York’s largest poverty-fighting organization. Read Nisha’s full biography.
Ray Boshara is a senior adviser and the director of the Center for Household Financial Stability at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The center conducts research on family balance sheets and how they matter for strengthening families and the economy. He is also a senior fellow in the Financial Security Program at the Aspen Institute. Read Ray’s full biography.
Keith Maki is director of marketing and public relations at Cascade Engineering in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This “Triple Bottom Line Company” believes that business has the unique opportunity to expand its purpose beyond financial prosperity to have a positive impact on society and the environment. Keith will share innovative approaches that benefit Cascade Engineering’s employees and its 10 manufacturing companies. Read Keith’s full biography.
Vanessa Goodthunder, Sna Sna Wiƞ (Snah-Snah Weeƞ) comes from C̣aƞṡayapi (Chahƞ-shah-yah-pee), also known as the Lower Sioux Indian Community. Currently she serves as the director of the C̣aƞṡayapi Waḳaƞyeża Owayawa Oṭi, a Dakota Immersion Early Head Start and Head Start, the first Dakota Head Start in the State of Minnesota. Her passions are education, revitalizing the Dakota language, and working with Native youth. Read Vanessa’s full biography.
Gigi Bisong is a freelance corporate and motivational speaker and currently an impact speaker for United Way. Her partial speaking credits include Ecolab, US bank, Wells Fargo, The National Youth Leadership Conference, Minnesota State University – Mankato and Atlanta’s Women’s Conference. Gigi is also a graduate of the Jeremiah Program, an organization that moves families from poverty to prosperity. Read Gigi’s full biography.
“Providing Support that Empowers” regional panelists:
- REACH Program, Hutchinson – Rhoda Hubbard and Theodora Jarrell
(Read biography for Rhoda | Read biography for Theodora) - A Unique Approach to Jail Corrections, Renville County – Ned Wohlman and Matthew Mallery
(Read biography for Ned | Read biography for Matthew) - PASS–Parents Advocating for Student Success, Worthington – Adry Stafford and Blanca Palma
(Read biography for Adry | Read biography for Blanca) - Moderator Dana Nelson (Read biography for Dana)
The Grow Our Own Summit was sponsored in part by Bush Foundation.
