Clinton Presidential Center Presents “What’s Working”
Join us Friday, September 13 at 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET when the Clinton Presidential Center Presents “What’s Working: The Convening Power of Clinton Global Initiative.” Just days before the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2024 annual meeting in New York City focused on “What’s Working,” this program will explore how CGI reimagined philanthropy nearly 20 years ago and continues taking action on the world’s most pressing challenges today.
Panelists will include CGI leaders and Commitment to Action makers:
Penny Abeywardena, International Affairs Expert and former Director of Girls and Women Programming for CGI
Liz Dozier, founder of Chicago Beyond and CGI Commitment to Action maker
Bob Harrison, former CEO of CGI and current Clinton Foundation board member
Lorenzo P. Lewis, chief visionary officer of The Confess Project of America and CGI Commitment to Action maker
In 2004, President Bill Clinton welcomed the world into the Clinton Presidential Center for the first time. In the 20 years since then, more than five million people have visited the Clinton Center to explore President Clinton’s legacy, participate in educational programming, and experience our diverse array of public programs. Throughout 2024, we’re celebrating 20 years of milestones and memories and highlighting the impact of Clinton Center programs and Clinton Foundation initiatives, like CGI.
In 2005, President Clinton launched CGI with the goal of harnessing the power of individuals, corporations, and governments to take action. For the first time at a conference of this kind, hundreds of leaders from various sectors came together to not only discuss pressing issues facing the world but also to develop Commitments to Action, which are new, specific, and measurable solutions. Today, CGI drives collaboration and action on climate resilience, economic inclusion, health equity, humanitarian response, and women and girls’ equality. CGI has facilitated more than 4,000 Commitments to Action, mobilizing billions of dollars in resources and making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in over 180 countries.
ASL interpretation is available during our events.
Clinton Presidential Center Presents is a partnership between the Clinton Foundation, Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas, and Clinton Presidential Library.
—
About the panelists
Penny Abeywardena has held leadership roles in philanthropy, non-profit, government, and multilateral institutions for more than 20 years. Her contributions have been recognized and celebrated by the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and the French American Foundation, among others. She was appointed to the rank of Knight in France’s National Order of Merit by President Macron for her global leadership on diplomacy, human rights, and sustainability. Penny is the Founder & CEO of Soft Power Strategies, Fellow-in-Residence at NYU McSilver Institute and leadership strategies contributor at Forbes. She is currently Senior Advisor to multiple global institutions including The Elders and GWL Voices. Her work is focused on identifying strategies of influence and persuasion when there is little or no perceived power. She writes on issues ranging from AI to food security and climate change.
Liz Dozier: From her leadership in education to transforming philanthropy and systems, she has spent her career working tirelessly to support communities by disrupting inequity. In 2016, Liz founded and launched Chicago Beyond, a national philanthropic organization committed to addressing systemic inequity by backing solutions led by those closest to the issues. With an emphasis on catalytic funding, Chicago Beyond has invested over $65 million in initiatives across justice, health, and beyond. This transformative approach has not only empowered grassroots leaders and organizations but has also influenced national efforts for systems-level reform.
Liz’s work has been featured in Paul Tough’s New York Times Best Seller, How Children Succeed, and Harvard Education Press’ Belonging and Becoming: The Power of Social Emotional Learning in High Schools. Ebony magazine named Liz one of its “Power 100” and CNN followed her work as a part of its eight-episode docuseries, Chicagoland. Liz has been invited to speak about her work at numerous public and business institutions, including the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago, Milken Institute, Aspen Ideas Festival, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, SXSW, and SXSW EDU. Liz also hosted the first-ever Obama Foundation Summit and the Kennedy Forum’s Fourth Annual Meeting on Mental Health Equity. A National Board-Certified Teacher in mathematics, Liz holds a bachelor’s degree in business as well as a master’s degree in educational leadership.
Bob Harrison is the Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Cornell University, having served as Chairman from 2012 to 2022. He served as the CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative from 2007 to 2016 and was the first executive director of the Clinton Foundation’s childhood obesity initiative from 2005 to 2007. Before joining the Clinton Foundation, he was an investment banker and attorney for 22 years. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1987, where he became a partner in the firm’s investment banking division and global co-head of its Communications, Media, and Entertainment group. From 1981 to 1987, Harrison practiced corporate law in the New York and Paris offices of Davis, Polk & Wardwell. Harrison serves as a director of the Clinton Foundation, a trustee of the Rhodes Trust, a director of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars, chairman emeritus of the Henry Street Settlement Board of Directors, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He received a B.A. in government from Cornell University; a B.A./M.A. in politics, philosophy, and economics from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar; and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Lorenzo P. Lewis is not just a speaker and social entrepreneur; he is a testament to the power of transforming personal pain into a global purpose. His life’s work is rooted in a simple yet profound philosophy: turn your pain into purpose. As the founder of The Confess Project of America, Lorenzo has pioneered an innovative approach to mental health advocacy, leveraging the cultural cornerstone of barbershops to empower men of color to open up about their struggles and forge a path to healing.
As the Chief Visionary Officer of The Confess Project of America, Lorenzo has transformed the initiative into a national grassroots movement, with over 1,300 barbers trained in more than 20 cities to date. Recognized by Fast Company as one of “The 10 most innovative health companies of 2021,” The Confess Project of America is just one facet of Lorenzo’s broader mission to foster community well-being and resilience.