Speakers

Jessica Jackley

Keynote Address

"Love, Money and Work: Social Entrepreneurship as a Career"

Co-founder of Kiva.org

Jackley will share the inspirational path that led her, just after graduation, to create Kiva. It's a story of unorthodox beginnings, surprising growth, and the unprecedented social change that has revolutionized a worldwide micro-lending movement.

Named as one of the top ideas in 2006 by the New York Times Magazine and called "revolutionary" by the BBC, Kiva (www.kiva.org) lets internet users lend as little as $25 to specific developing world entrepreneurs, providing affordable capital to help them start or expand a small business. Kiva has been one of the fastest-growing social benefit websites in history, and since its founding in 2005, has loaned over $100M from lenders to entrepreneurs across 182 countries. In the midst of these successes, Kiva remains focused on a very simple idea: bringing people closer to each other. Kiva’s mission, “to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty,” and the idea that relationships are a powerful force for positive change, remain foundational for the organization’s strategy – and for Jessica's work. Jessica’s work with Kiva has been featured in a wide array of media and press including Oprah, the Today Show, CNN, BBC, NBC, ABC, PBS, NPR, the WSJ, NYTimes, The Economist, and more. A finalist for TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2009, Jessica has received numerous awards for her work, and speaks widely on microfinance and social entrepreneurship. Jessica currently serves as a director on several boards (both non-profit and for-profit), and is an active member on a number of affiliate groups championing women, tech, and the arts. Jessica holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business with Certificates in Global Management and Public Management, and a BA in Philosophy and Political Science from Bucknell University.

Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund

Personal Growth

"Transforming Religious Conflicts Into Interfaith Pathways to Peace"

In the fall of 2005, the United Church of Christ called the Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund to be its pastor. She is a graduate of Trinity University of San Antonio, Texas, where she majored in religion with minors in English literature and women's studies. Pastor Sarah called to ministry began through her volunteer work at the San Antonio Homeless shelter where she felt the power and presence of Jesus Christ. The summer after her junior year she volunteered with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, serving as the chaplain for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. She graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with her Master of Divinity and earned her Master of Social Work at Rutgers University of New Brunswick, New Jersey. During her seminary and social work studies, she interned as a chaplain at a homeless center in Glasgow, Scotland, a student minister for a house church in Brooklyn, New York, a hospital chaplain in Honolulu, Hawaii, and as a chaplain/counselor for victims of domestic violence in New Jersey.

In October of 2002, Sarah was ordained to Christian ministry by the Mid-America Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Her first call was to Plymouth Congregational Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she served as the Minister for Outreach. With members of Plymouth she travelled to Cuba on a religious visa, as part of an effort to create a partnership with progressive Cuban churches. During her time at Plymouth she also took a spiritual pilgrimage to South Africa, focusing on the transformative power of Christian social justice. During her ministry at Plymouth, she also volunteered as a chaplain for the Minneapolis women's prison.

Since becoming pastor of the UCC of NSB, Pastor Sarah has served in the wider church as a UCC delegate to Israel and Palestine in 2007 and to the Dominican Republic in 2011. She served as the Florida Conference Registrar on the Board of Directors. She actively serves the Florida Conference as an Open and Affirming Consultant, meeting with congregations for conversation and education about becoming more welcoming to all people. Her passions in ministry include empowering community transformation and equipping lay leaders for ministry. In May of 2011, she graduated with her Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary of Chicago with her thesis entitled, "Ministry and Social Media: The Challenges of Building a Beloved Community on Facebook."

Pastor Sarah is married to Jonathan Lund, a graphic artist at the Daytona News Journal, and they are the proud parents of their son Carter and dog Luna. They live in Edgewater.

Andy Brantley

Global Citizenship

"A Call to Action: A More Diverse, Inclusive Campus Creates Institutional Excellence"

President and CEO, College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)

Diversity, equity and inclusion are not abstract concepts. Instead, diversity, equity and inclusion should be key drivers that help define the culture and values of colleges and universities. Higher education faculty, staff and students are changing and becoming more diverse on many dimensions (gender, sex, sexual orientation, language, age, ability status, national origin, religion, race, ethnicity, etc.). Those who manage the higher education workforce or who work with students must be prepared to address the changing environmental factors that influence performance and affect employees’ and students’ wellbeing. Students must also have a voice in defining diversity, equity and inclusion and a role in creating a campus environment that is conducive to their learning and growth.

Andy will lead participants through an exploration of what diversity, equity and inclusion could and should be. He will also share his thoughts on how an unabashed commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion can advance institutional excellence.

Dr. Debra Nixon

Intellectual Development

"Genuine Knowledge: From Reading and Talking To Being and Doing"

Dr. Debra Ann Nixon, a native of Dallas, Texas, is a dynamic lecturer and voice of inclusion and women’s issues. She matriculated through the Texas educational system where she received a high school diploma from South Oak Cliff High, Dallas, Texas; a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Texas at Austin; a Masters of Arts Degree from Texas Woman’s University at Denton; and her Doctorate of Philosophy Degree in Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Debra also studied Family Counseling and Religious Education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. Biblical Studies was her first love, as her first book, Womanhood: a Journey towards Love, is a self-publication that combines her excitement about women’s issues and her love for biblical examination. Additionally, her doctoral dissertation (October 2000) highlights the experiences—voices–of African American clergywomen. Debra has also studied at The Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta Georgia and South Florida Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is an ordained minister and founder of Liberation Outreach Ministries a non-traditional ministry that takes a holistic—inclusive--approach to meeting human need. Her vision is to forge relationships by building community both inside and outside the classroom, using family therapy concepts of honoring and privileging all voices. Dr. Nixon’s most recent advance a campus-wide inclusion initiative "Do Something Different." As professor, Debra fosters an atmosphere of learning that is challenging, yet inviting. Her goal, she says, is to use therapeutic skill to facilitate collaborative learning. Her travels include Israel, Jordan, Europe and Africa. She has the support of her husband (of 25 years) Michael and their two children Jon (23) and Micha (22).