This year's plenary sessions at the 2011 Family Philanthropy Conference featured a stellar lineup of speakers that included CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien, CBS anchor Katie Couric, and Special Olympics President and CEO Timothy Shriver. Attendees also heard about the passions of three pairs of family philanthropists, discovered how design can be an agent of change in philanthropy, and learned about the food-to-table movement while enjoying an exquisite, sustainable meal.



O’Brien and Family Pairs Discuss Passion for Philanthropy

The conference opened with a discussion about the role of family legacy in philanthropy. The spirited exchange was moderated by CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien and featured three family pairs—Valerie Rockefeller Wayne and Charles Rockefeller, Woodrow Myers Jr. and Kimberly Myers Hewlett, and Agnes and Catherine Gund—talking about the role family legacy has played in their philanthropic ventures.


O’Brien, noting that "ultimately what connects everyone in this room is passion," asked the panelists to discuss their passions for diverse areas such as health care, education, and the arts. Myers Hewlett perhaps summed up the feelings of everyone when she conveyed her sense of accomplishment in working with family foundations: "I feel like I’m saving the world."


Couric Tells Conference Attendees How Cancer Inspired Her Philanthropic Efforts

Veteran journalist Katie Couric spoke movingly about the losses of her husband, Jay, and her sister, Emily, to cancer. She said their deaths changed the course of her philanthropic life. Because she "didn’t have the ability or the expertise to set up a foundation" by herself, Couric worked with the Entertainment Industry Foundation and others to launch the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) to raise the public’s consciousness about cancer and cancer research.

"Nothing motivates you like something that touches you personally," Couric explained during Monday morning’s plenary session. "That’s Jay’s [and Emily’s] legacy. It really focused my attention on this disease." Those efforts have paid off. The NCCRA already has raised $33 million to fight this deadly disease, and SU2C has raised $180 million.


Attendees "Eat, Drink, and Be Sustainable" During Lunch Plenary Session

Slow Food USA President Josh Viertel told attendees Monday afternoon he "grew up on the floor of my parents’ kitchen. That was my playpen." So it was his destiny to help people create a world in which everyone can eat food that is good for them, for the farmers who grow it, and for the planet as a whole.

After Viertel’s remarks about the rewards of getting involved in the slow-food movement—such as discovering a commitment to social justice and the environment—the audience ate a delicious meal cooked by Renato Piredda, executive sous-chef at the New York Marriott Marquis. Piredda said the goal for the meal was simple: "We want it to be organic. We want it to be local. We want it to be without pesticides."

As everyone enjoyed creamy butternut squash soup with crème fraiche and a salad of mixed field greens with caramelized apples and crumbled blue cheese, Piredda prepared herb oil roasted chicken breast, smashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and braised carrots. One satisfied consumer summed up the experience this way: "This definitely wasn’t your average conference meal!"

Encourage "Burning Eyes" and "Wild Ideas"

Paul Bennett, managing partner and chief creative officer for IDEO, one of the world’s largest design firms, noted that design "is a powerful agency for change" that has "put us at the forefront of innovation." It’s important to work with people who have "burning eyes," he said, because they’re passionate about what they’re doing. "Burning eyes are the business eyes of the future. Burning eyes are the opportunity for philanthropy in the future."


Bennett also told the rapt audience at Tuesday’s breakfast plenary session to "encourage wild ideas because you never know where they are going to end up." But, he added, those ideas should be human, simple, and small because "the more personal you can make this world the better...philanthropy is about people and their stories."


Following in his Parents’ Footsteps by Leading a "Fully Realized Life"

When Sargent Shriver died just one week before the family conference, his son—Special Olympics President and CEO Timothy Shriver—wasn’t sure he had the strength to come to New York and speak at Tuesday afternoon’s closing plenary session. But then Timothy heard his father’s voice: "You get your rear end up to New York and tell them about your mother."

And so he did. He talked about how philanthropy was always a very hands-on experience in his family because his parents truly believed "that everybody counts the same." That’s why his mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founded the Special Olympics in 1968 to celebrate the diverse gifts of people with intellectual disabilities—and why her son also decided to make it his life’s work. "It’s the best place in the world to lead a fully realized life," he explained, "and have fun in the process."



Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation
AIDS United
Allen H. and Selma W. Berkman Charitable Trust
Alvaralice Foundation
Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies
Arabella Advisors
Arcus Foundation
Asante Foundation, Inc.
Atherton Family Foundation
Attendee Interactive, LLC
Ausherman Family Foundation
B.W. Bastian Foundation
Ball Brothers Foundation
Banco JPMorgan
Banque de Luxembourg
Barbara & Stephen Miller Foundation
Bella Vista Foundation
Better Way Foundation
Bezos Family Foundation
Birchall Family Foundation
Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation
Bombardier Foundation
Bridgemill Foundation
Carolyn Foundation
CEDAR Foundation
CFAR Consulting
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Colonel Robert H. Morse Foundation
Columbia Foundation
Columbine Foundation
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Community Foundation of Jackson Hole
Compton Foundation
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Council of Michigan Foundations
Crain Family Foundation
Crown Family Philanthropies
CS FUND
David & Lucile Packard Foundation
David Rockefeller Fund
Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation
Doyle Family Foundation
Dresher Foundation
EarthSea
Einhorn Family Charitable Trust
Emory University
Environmental Grantmakers Association
Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation
FACT
Fanny Landwirth Foundation
Farese Family Foundation
Federal Street Advisors
Firelight Foundation
Fleishhacker Foundation
Florence & Laurence Spungen Family Foundation
Fondation ARAOK
Fondation Caritas France
FONDATION HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON
Frank H & Eva B Buck Foundation
FTI-Schonbraun McCann Group
Gerstner Family Foundation
GGS Foundation
Global Greengrants Fund
Goldseker Foundation
Graham Strategic Philanthropy
Gray Matters Capital
Gray Matters Charitable Foundation
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
Hallador
Hamilton Community Foundation
Hardesty Family Foundation
Harvard Kennedy School - Executive Education
Harvey Family Foundation
Hayden-Harman Foundation
Helen Bader Foundation
HIPPOCRENE
HopeLab Foundation
Institute for Philanthropy US
Instituto Geracao
INTENTional Philanthropy
Isabel Foundation
Jackie Robinson Foundation
Jacobs Family Foundation
Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation
Jewish Community Endowment Fund
Jewish Community Federation -SF, CA
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford
Jewish Funders Network
Jewish Funds for Justice
JFN Philanthropic Services
John and Katherine Duda Foundation
John M. Belk Educational Endowment
Joseph H. & Florence A. Roblee Foundation
Josephine and Louise Crane Foundation
Joukowsky Family Foundation
Just Detention International
Kaye Family Business Associates
Kenneth T. & Eileen L. Norris Foundation
Lawrence Welk Family Foundation
Leo and Libby Nevas Family Foundation
Leonetti/O'Connell Family Foundation
Marbrook Foundation
Marie C. & Joseph C. Wilson Foundation
Martin county community foundation
Martin Foundation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation
Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation
McMurtry Family Foundation
Michelson Family Foundation
Miller Strategic Philanthropy
Morgan Family Foundation
Morning Glory
Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation
Neithercut Philanthropy Advisors
Nesholm Family Foundation
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
North Star Fund
Norton Family Office
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
NYU Academy for Funder Education
O.P. & W.E. Edwards Foundation
ONE DROP FOUNDATION
Orfalea Foundations
PACE-Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement
Patrick & Aimee Butler Family Foundation
Perpetual Limited
Perrin Family Foundation
Peternell Family Foundation
Phil In: Filantropía Inteligente - Philanthropic Intelligence
Philanthropy from the Heart
Prince Charitable Trusts
Proteus Fund
Putnam Family Foundation Inc
Putnam Foundation
Ralph E. Ogden Foundation
Rasmuson Foundation
RELGALF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Renova Foundation
Richard & Susan Smith Family Foundation
RNR Foundation / Princeton University
Robert and Joan Dircks Foundation
Robins Foundation
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rose Community Foundation
Rosenbluth Family Foundation
Roy A Hunt Foundation
Sam L. Cohen Foundation
Saul Silbert Charitable Trust
Schwab Charitable
Segal Family Foundation
Serimus Foundation
shambavi shahana organization
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Slaggie Family Foundation
Slocum and Associates
Solidago Foundation
stackpole-hall foundation
Starwood Consulting, LLC
Steans Family Foundation
Stollery Charitable Foundation
Stranahan Foundation
Strategic Philanthropy, Ltd.
T.D. Williamson, Inc.
Taconic Foundation
Tarsadia Foundation
The Allyn Foundation
Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore
The Boston Foundation
The Bridgespan Group
The Brin Wojcicki Foundation
The Brinson Foundation
The C. E. and S. Foundation
The Cemala Foundation
The Christopher Family Foundation
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
The Dayton Foundation
The Denver Foundation
The Durfee Foundation
The Eshelman Foundation
The Firelight Foundation
The Fran and Warren Rupp Foundation
The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation
The George Gund Foundation
The Goldseker Foundation
THE GOTTESMAN FUND
The Hawaii Community Foundation
The Jack DeLoss Taylor Charitable Trust
The James and Beatrice Salah Charitable Foundation
The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation
The Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds
The Karma Foundation
The Kenneth T. & Eileen L. Norris Foundation
The LARRK Foundation
The Laura Jane Musser Fund
The Lawrence Welk Family Foundation
The Leighty Foundation
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Lupton Company
The Marilyn & Henry Taub Foundation
The McKnight Foundation
The Michelson Family Foundation
The Minneapolis Foundation
The Nathan Cummings Foundation
The Nord Family Foundation
The Orton Family Foundation
The Ottinger Foundation
The Palmer Foundation
The Rhode Island Foundation
The Rockdale Foundation
The Ross Foundation
The Russell Family Foundation
The Ruth and Hal Launders Charitable Trust
The Samuel Bronfman Foundation
The Sandy River Charitable Foundation
The Seabury Foundation
The Seattle Foundation
The Self Family Foundation
The Springs Close Foundation, Inc.
The Stackpole-Hall Foundation
The Stocker Foundation
the Stranahan Foundation
The Taub Foundation
The Taubman Foundation
The Tauck Foundation
The Tecovas Foundation
The TK Foundation
The Tow Foundation
The Trio Foundation of St. Louis
The Vermont Community Foundation
The Volgenau Foundation
The Wealth Conservancy
The Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation
The William Penn Foundation
The Woodtiger Fund
Theodore L. Cross Family Charitable Foundation
Tracy Family Foundation
Triad Foundation
trio foundation of st. louis
United Nations Foundation
United Service Foundation
United States Artists
V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation
Veris Wealth Partners
W.C. GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND
Weaver Foundation
William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund
William Penn Foundation
wise - philanthropy advisors
Women Thrive Worldwide
Woodard Family Foundation
Woodbury Fund
Wyncote Foundation
Xavier University
Zarrow Families Foundation
Ziff Family Foundations