This series is designed for individuals in leadership and policy-making roles wherever children are served. Our intention is to present the most current, innovative thinking from outside the field to challenge and inform the future strategic direction for early childhood.

Previous Speakers: Read comments from attendees

• Rich Neimand read bio
• President/Creative Director, Neimand Collaborative
• Thursday, May 13, 2010    9:00-10:00am
• Messages for Leading Progress: Talking Return on Investment

• Andrea Batista Schlesinger read bio
• Special Advisor to the Mayor
  and Director of Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services
• Thursday, April 22, 2010   8:30-10:00am
• From Answers to Questions: Why Inquiry is our Best Tool to Prepare Learners - and Citizens

• Karen M. Proctor read bio
• Vice President, Community Affairs and Government Relations, Scholastic Inc.
• Thursday, March 18, 2010   9:00-10:00am
• Essential Leadership Strategies for Supporting
  Early Literacy and Learning

• Maryam Banikarim read bio
• Senior Vice President, Integrated Sales Marketing, NBC Universal
• Thursday, February 4, 2010   9:00-10:00am
• Creating a Culture of Innovation

• Majora Carter read bio
• CEO & President, Majora Carter Group, LLC
• Friday, January 8, 2010   9:00-10:00am
• Green the Ghetto: And How Much it Won't Cost Us

Majora Carter to top
Majora Carter addresses public health, poverty alleviation, and climate change as one of the nation's pioneers in successful green-collar job training and placement systems. She founded Sustainable South Bronx in 2001 to achieve environmental justice through economically sustainable projects informed by community needs. Her work has garnered numerous awards, including a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship. She sits on many boards, hosts NPR's "The Promised Land," and advises cities, foundations, universities, businesses, and communities on unlocking their green-collar economic potential to benefit all.

Maryam Banikarim to top
Maryam Banikarim is the Senior Vice President for Integrated Sales Marketing at NBC Universal. Before joining NBC Universal, she was the chief marketing officer of Univision Communications Inc., the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. She was named one of Crain's New York Business' "40 under 40," a change leader in marketing, and the Girl Scouts Council of Greater New York's "Woman of Distinction." Banikarim sits on several boards, including the Mt. Sinai Adolescent Healthcare Center, and chairs the Affiliates Council for Prep for Prep.

Karen M. Proctor to top
Karen Proctor, of Scholastic Inc., has worked with numerous organizations and foundations on early literacy and family-strengthening initiatives, and spearheaded Scholastic Book Grants, a program that annually donates more than two million books to nonprofit organizations across the globe. Previously, she served as Director of Community Relations at the National Basketball Association. She is President and Trustee of the M.R. Robinson Fund and a board member of PENCIL, a New York City-based education advocacy group.

Andrea Batista Schlesinger to top
Andrea Batista Schlesinger is currently applying her background in public policy, politics, and communications to her new position as Special Advisor to the Mayor and Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. She is the author of The Death of Why: The Decline of Questioning and the Future of Democracy, and serves on the Editorial Board of "The Nation," and on the boards of the Sadie Nash Leadership Project, WireTap, and the Applied Research Center. She analyzes, writes about, and lectures widely on some of America's greatest challenges, and is the recipient of numerous awards.

Rich Neimand to top
Rich Neimand has built a successful career providing strategic message and creative development to organizations, causes, and products, and offering solutions to change public perceptions. Well acquainted with issues such as health care, education reform, conservation and human rights, his clients have included the American Heart Association, Council on Foundations, the National Health Council, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Meyer Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, among other campaigns and causes.