Speaker: Mark Washington - City Manager, City of Grand Rapids Speaker Topic: Balancing Commerical and Community Interests in Decision Making for City Development BIO: Mark Washington has been Grand Rapids’ City Manager since October 2018. As City Manager, he functions as the municipal corporation’s Chief Executive Officer. He oversees a $690 million budget, a 2700-person […]
Speaker: Scott Vander Kooy – President, Comprenew Speaker Topic: Protecting People and Planet Bio: Scott Vander Kooy started Comprenew in 1986 as an IBM mainframe refurbisher in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As computers became more affordable and more electronics began entering the waste stream, Comprenew expanded its services to include recycling to help reduce this environmental […]
Speaker: David Vessey – Philosophy Professor, GVSU Speaker Topic: Philosophical Reflections on Artificial Intelligence Bio: David Vessey is a Professor of Philosophy at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where he has been a faculty member since 2008. He specializes in 19th and 20th-century Continental philosophy, with a particular focus on hermeneutic phenomenology and the philosophical […]
Join us for our annual STRIVE (Students Taking Renewed Interest in the Value of Education) student mentorship luncheon. We will celebrate and highlight all the progress and wonderful things the student mentees and mentors have been up to! ABOUT STRIVE: Strive is a motivational mentoring program that targets high school junior and senior students who want […]
Join us for a special luncheon led by the Rotary Interact Club! This event brings together community members for a delicious meal while supporting a good cause. The Rotary Interact Club is a youth-driven organization focused on leadership, service, and community engagement, and they are excited to share this experience with you.
Speaker: Andy Guy - Chief Outcomes Officer, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Speaker Topic: Grand River Greenway Projects Bio: Andy Guy serves as Chief Outcomes Officer at Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., responsible for place management and city building in Downtown Grand Rapids. Guy directs DGRI’s policy, strategy and communication initiatives in this role. Guy brings 15 […]
Speaker: Ryan VerWys - President & CEO, ICCF Community Homes Speaker Topic: Affordable housing Issues in Kent County Bio: Ryan Verwys is the President and Chief Executive Officer of ICCF Community Homes, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing and supporting economic development in communities across the region. With a passion for empowering individuals […]
Speaker: Gloria Lara - Commission, Chair, Michigan Civil Rights Commission Speaker Topic: Michigan Civil Rights Commission Update and the Impact on Businesses Bio: Commission Chair Gloria Lara is the former Executive Director of Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance, a Holland, MI-based non-profit organization, which works to build bridges between organizations and individuals throughout our communities and […]
Speaker: Ken James - Chief Compliance & Title IX Officer, Muskegon Community College Speaker Topic: Emotional/Psychological Safety, Civility, and Communication Speaker Bio: James was director of management learning and development at Hackley Hospital for a year before becoming assistant vice president for affirmative action in 2008 at his alma mater, Grand Valley State University. He […]
Speaker: LaSandra Gaddy – President & CEO, Grand Rapids Community Foundation Speaker Topic: Centering Community Voice Bio: As president and CEO, LaSandra guides the Community Foundation’s staff and Board of Trustees in their fundraising, grantmaking and community leadership efforts. A passionate servant leader, she is focused on expanding the scope and impact of the Community […]