Keynote Speakers

Helen Thomas

A wonderful story teller often referred to as The First Lady of the Press, Helen Thomas is a newspaper columnist who served for 57 years as a correspondent for United Press and White House bureau chief. Raised in Detroit and a graduate of Wayne State University, she covered five presidents, received numerous awards and authored three books, including her latest, Thanks for the Memories Mr. President: Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House.

Paul C. Light

Paul C. Light is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Public Service at The Brookings Institution. He is former Director of the Public Policy Program at the Pew Charitable Trusts. Mr. Light has spoken and written widely on nonprofit issues, including the books, Making Nonprofits Work, The Four Pillars of High Performance, Pathways to Nonprofit Excellence, and Sustaining Innovation: Building Government and Nonprofit Organizations That Innovate Naturally.

Emmett D. Carson, Ph.D.

Dr. Emmett D. Carson is internationally recognized as a catalyst for progressive social change. A renowned speaker, he has published over 75 works on philanthropy and social justice. Dr. Carson is President and CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation. He is Board Chair for the Council on Foundations, an organization of 2000 foundations and giving programs focused on promoting and enhancing effective philanthropy, and has been recognized by The Nonprofit Times as an influential nonprofit leader.