Many Voices, Shared Purpose: Working Together to Improve Lives
October 22-24 in Minneapolis/St. Paul

Seven hundred nonprofit CEOs, trustees, senior-level professionals and scholars convened in Minneapolis/St. Paul at the 2006 Independent Sector Annual Conference to address ways to work together in building and sustaining vibrant communities with strong and effective institutions.

A unique forum for the open exchange of ideas and solutions, the conference each year allows leaders to discover common ground, shape the future of our sector, and engage in a collaborative effort to improve the quality of life around the globe.

Highlights from the 2006 Annual Conference include:

Luncheon Plenary: Making a Difference Together
In her keynote address, IS President and CEO Diana Aviv called on the nonprofit community to move collaboration to the center of our work, and to do so by drawing on our successes over the past two years in strengthening the sector's ethics and accountability.

“By coming together, by pooling our resources, we create the potential to steer the full force of our collective energy towards a discernible, palpable progress in the world.”

Diana then interviewed Patty Stonesifer, chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, about the effect of Warren Buffett's unprecedented gift – on society and on the foundation.

Opening Plenary: State of Our Nation
SEIU President Andy Stern shared his views at the opening plenary on how the nonprofit, labor, and business communities can collaborate to help our nation's people achieve the “American dream”. A panel discussion examining the state of the nation, including challenges presented by globalization followed, with Stephen B. Heintz of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Anita Pampusch of the Bush Foundation, and Wendy Puriefoy of Public Education Network. Ruth Wooden of Public Agenda was the moderator.

Town Hall Meeting: Politics and the Moral Imperative
Four faith-based leaders came together for an uplifting dialogue on the role of religion and morality in political decisions. Morton Kondracke of Roll Call asked Rev. Robert Edgar of the National Council of Churches USA, Rev. Bob Franklin of Emory University, Dr. Richard Land, of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners/Call to Renewal to reflect on the current political and religious climate and on how the nonprofit community can play a greater role in bridging divisive viewpoints in order to catalyze social change.

Breakfast Plenary: Transformational Leadership
Led by moderator J.D. Hokoyama of Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Stephen Bennett of United Cerebral Palsy, John Graham of ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership, and Marguerite Kondracke of America's Promise used their successes and their failures -- both personal and professional -- to examine how leaders can create organizations that more effectively serve their communities.

Closing Plenary: When Corporations and Communities Connect
Following a presentation by Securian Financial Group's Bob Senkler, moderator Rip Rapson of The Kresge Foundation questioned Mr. Senkler, Carleen Rhodes of The Saint Paul Foundation, and Andrew Plepler of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation about the benefits and challenges that await nonprofits when they collaborate with corporate America.

A Conversation with Judith Rodin
Judith Rodin, the new president of the Rockefeller Foundation, responded to questions from the audience and from moderator Jim Canales of the James Irvine Foundation about the evolving priorities and methods of one of America's largest foundations as it approaches its 100th anniversary.

John W. Gardner Leadership Award Dinner
This year's Gardner Award dinner featured a moving keynote address by award recipient Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, president of Bennett College for Women, who was honored for her lifelong commitment to advancing social justice.

The video tribute to Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Windows Media | Quicktime

CEO Summit
David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, led this year's CEO Summit, focusing on the social impact of federal fiscal policies in areas such as health care and the standard of living. Mr. Walker's presentation was part of the CEO Track session, which provided in-depth, peer-to-peer exchanges on special leadership issues.

Public Policy Action Institute
Nearly 75 of the charitable community's senior public policy advocates attended the third annual Public Policy Action Institute. This pre-conference session featured eight interactive discussions, including with Dean Zerbe, tax council for the United States Senate Committee on Finance, and Ron Shultz, incoming senior technical advisor to the commissioner, IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division.

Read about the 2005 Annual Conference.