December 5, 2024
Connecting Changemakers, Sparking Cross-Sector Impact
Presented by thePepperdineUniversity
School of Public Policy and theMAin Social Entrepreneurship and Changeprogramwithin the GraduateSchool of Education and Psychology
December 5, 2024
PEPPERDINEGRADUATESCHOOL OFEDUCATIONAND PSYCHOLOGY
MAINSOCIALENTREPRENEURSHIPANDCHANGE
The Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology is the first institution in the country to offer an MA in Social Entrepreneurship and Change This top-ranked program is perfect for working professionals or full-time students and gives students the perspectives and tools to create sustainable change in the world. Focused on solving real-world problems without the requirements of a traditional business program,the MA in Social Entrepreneurship and Change is a hybrid program with bicoastal on-campus experiences in Los Angeles and Washington,DC Completed in 20 months,students experience a two-week global immersion opportunity,a two-term capstone project, and a fast-pitch competition No GREis required Apply for fall 2025 at gsep pepperdine edu/apply Use code FALL25 to waive your application fee on the last page Contact Katerina Blanchard,Enrollment Officer at 310 568 5772 or at katerinablanchard@pepperdine edu if you have any questions.
PEPPERDINESCHOOL OFPUBLICPOLICY
The Pepperdine School of Public Policy?s Master of Public Policy program is a top-ranked policy program by U.S. News&WorldReport that provides students with a cross-sector leadership degree With five specializations,graduates become leaders and policy makers equipped with tools to make effective change in government agencies,nonprofit organizations,and the private sector Students experience a public policy internship,professional development,and a policy seminar (capstone) in the two-year program The program is offered in the fall term with a robust scholarship offering? 97 percent of admitted students receive awards based on academic,merit,and professional experiences. Apply for fall 2025 at publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/apply.
AGENDA
PROGRAM
11:00 AM Mingleand Appetizers
11:17 AM
Welcomeand Introduction
BreeJensen Founder,The SocialImpact Firm
Stephen Kirnon Chair,MAinSocial EntrepreneurshipandChange Program,Pepperdine Graduate Schoolof Education andPsychology
11:20 AM TheValueof Cross Sector Collaboration
PetePeterson Dean,Pepperdine Schoolof PublicPolicy
11:30 AM
Philanthropy, Impact Investing, Scaling Social Ventures, and Social Responsibility
PANELISTS
Jeff Fouchey CEO Faid
JesseDraper FoundingPartner HalogenVentures
ErinNicoleJordan
Executive Director,Corporate Social Responsibility Paramount Pictures
FACILITATOR
RyanLynnJohnson CommunityRelationsandFoundationManager Pasadena Tournament of Roses
12:05 PM Lunch and Collaborate
12:25 PM Stories that Connect: Harnessing CauseMarketing and Cross Sector Partnerships for Lasting Social Change
PANELISTS
LaurenTriplett
SrMarketingManager TopToyCampany
RickCole Chief DeputyController Cityof LosAngeles
VeronicaEscalante FoundingExecutive Director SHARE
FACILITATOR
Robert Johnson Assistant Director Pepperdine School of PublicPolicy
1:00 PM Dessert and Debrief
1:20 PM Keynote/ FiresideChat
AjaBrown FormerMayorof Compton Leaderof Impact FORWARD
2:00 PM End Event
SPEAKERS
FEATURED SPEAKER
AjaBrown
FormerMayorof Compton| Leader of Impact | FORWARD
Aja Brown is a distinguished leader in government technology solutions, renowned for her transformative impact on both communities and governmental entities. As the current leader of government solution design,impact,and communications at FORWARD,Aja harnesses her comprehensive expertise in technical fields,strategic planning, politics,and government administration Her leadership is pivotal in creating market opportunities that enhance fairness,efficiency, accessibility,and overall societal benefit. Aja heads the Impact Team at FORWARD,focusing on enhancing the organization's brand, strategic communications,marketing initiatives,exploration of new markets,social impact efforts,and securing direct opportunities through Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
In her extensive 20-year career in government administration,Aja has established herself as a credible innovator and a driver of progress, with a leadership style that prioritizes trust, impact,and human-centric values Her service as Mayor of Compton,CA from 2013 to 2021 underscores her exceptional ability to lead transformative initiatives under challenging conditions Aja designed and led the execution of a transformative 12-point Vision for Compton Strategic Plan that catalyzed unprecedented economic growth,triggered a new wave of investment,and significantly reduced crime rates This paradigm-shifting blueprint was covered extensively by both national and international media,serving as a new standard for community transformation, offering a model for future leaders
PANELIST
Rick Cole
Chief DeputyController| Cityof Los Angeles
Rick Cole is the Chief Deputy Controller for the City of Los Angeles overseeing payroll,accounting,and auditing for a $13 2 billion budget He has spent more than three decades in public service as a deputy mayor in the City of Los Angeles and as city manager in Azusa,Ventura,and Santa Monica This March he was elected to return to the seat on the Pasadena City Council that he held for 12 years He also served as Mayor of Pasadena and Executive Director of the Congress for the New Urbanism The Los Angeles Times has called him "one of Southern California's most visionary planning thinkers" and among numerous awards he was recognized as one of Governing Magazine's Public Officials of the Year Cole has taught urban policy at Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy and Occidental College as well as religion and politics at Fuller Theological Seminary,and United States history at Pasadena City College
PANELIST
JesseDraper FoundingPartner| HalogenVentures
Jesse Draper is a mother of 3 boys and founding partner of Halogen Ventures focused on early stage investing in consumer technology companies led by female and co-ed teams Draper,the first solo female GP in Los Angeles is also a 4th generation venture capitalist,the creator and host of Emmy nominated television series,The Valley Girl Show,and host of the MOMumental Podcast She is a fierce advocate for investing in women and the opportunity for using technology and innovation to solve some of the biggest issues facing women and families today. Among her 75+ portfolio companies,are the Skimm,Babylist,ThirdLove,HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company,Squad (acquired by Twitter),Eloquii (sold to Walmart) and This is L (sold to P&G)
Selected as one of the top 10 early stage female investors by Business Insider,Draper was also listed by Marie Claire magazine as
one of the ?50 Most Connected Women in America?,nominated by the NRFas a DealMakeHers,Variety?s Holly?s New Leaders, and Refinery29 30 Rising Stars?Draper has been a contributor to Marie Claire,Forbes,and is a regular investor and tech personality showcased on Cheddar,CNBC,CNN
Following Jesse?s viral Medium piece,Investing in Women Isn? t a Fucking Charity,she?s become a leading voice of women in technology. Draper is also a Kauffman Fellow
She proudly sits on the board of directors of Trust & Will,Preemadonna (creator of the Nailbot) and the non-profit board Bizworld and Project Glimmer. Draper supports the Parkinson?s Institute and is very involved with growing UCLA?s female entrepreneurship community. She and her team also created the ?Halogen Fellowship in Venture Capital?to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry
PANELIST
VeronicaEscalante
FoundingExecutive Director| SHARE
Veronica Escalante is a dedicated social impact leader and founder of the SHAREFoundation, established in 2013 in post-conflict Ambon, Indonesia,to inspire communities worldwide to embrace diversity and bridge societal divides Through SHARE?s innovative *Horizontal Approaches* model,grounded in her doctoral research on ethnicity and race,Veronica has developed tools and training programs that empower communities to reduce biases,foster empathy,and build lasting mutual understanding
Over the past decade,she has collaborated with 89 partner organizations with a presence in over 90 countries,designing and overseeing the implementation of educational policies to foster inclusion in Mexico,directly impacting over 300,000 people
With an extensive background in anthropology and applied philosophy,Veronica brings both academic rigor and practical experience to her work. She holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM),an M A in Applied Anthropology from
Macquarie University,and a B A in Philosophy from Universidad Iberoamericana Her academic contributions include collaboration on interdisciplinary projects such as UNAM?s PAPIIT initiative on education and racism,and she is an active member of Red INTEGRA,a network dedicated to researching racism and ethnic discrimination
In addition to her research and foundation work,Veronica has served as a social leadership professor and as a board member for Ashoka?s Diversity,Equity,and Inclusion
Council and the Belafonte Tacolcy Center, strengthening her commitment to driving equitable change Known for her collaborative approach and dedication to building cross-sector partnerships,Veronica?s insights make her a powerful voice for creating inclusive,resilient communities worldwide.
As part of her ongoing mission,Veronica facilitates transformative dialogue and trains local leaders to sustain impactful conversations on social justice,helping communities thrive by embracing their unique diversity
PANELIST
Jeff Fouchey CEO| Faid
Jeff Fouchey,the founder and CEOof Faid,a college readiness platform dedicated to fostering transparency in college access and affordability for students and their families.
With over 15 years of invaluable experience in the education sector,Jeff brings a profound passion for enhancing student accessibility to vital resources Jeff's commitment to educational equity extends beyond his role at Faid He serves as a dedicated mentor to graduate students in Pepperdine University's prestigious Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Change (SEC) program His insights and leadership also contribute significantly as a member of the SECAdvisory Board at Pepperdine University
Driven by a mission to empower students through knowledge and transparency,Jeff Fouchey continues to innovate within the education landscape,ensuring that every student has the tools and information needed to pursue their educational dreams
PANELIST
Erin NicoleJordan
ExecutiveDirector,Corporate Social Responsibility| Paramount Pictures
Erin Nicole Jordan is currently an Executive Director in the Corporate Social Responsibility division at Paramount Pictures where she is responsible for the development and implementation of the studio's philanthropic efforts including pro-social employee engagement,volunteerism, sustainable production and charitable giving This includes community investments, workplace activations,due-diligence for both financial and in-kind support
Before joining the Paramount team,and while completing the Master of Public Administration graduate degree program at CUNY,Bernard M Baruch College,Jordan served with the DCPromise Neighborhood Initiative. Her role was as the Special Assistant to the Executive Director and Senior Management Teams in Education Programs, Fund Development,and Community Engagement where she supported strategic planning and budget alignment processes, program development,grant writing and reporting
Prior to pursuing her graduate studies,Jordan served as Volunteer Programs Manager for the Merrill Lynch Global Philanthropy Division Responsibilities in this role focused on the recruitment,planning and management of team volunteer events In addition,she was a liaison for nonprofit partners requesting volunteer support from the organization and managed the online recruitment and information website.
Jordan also worked in their charitable giving division handling due diligence for corporate contributions Jordan is highly engaged in the community both internally and externally She aims to leverage her role in various groups to stay informed on changes in the industry,local government and community. Jordan has served as Chair of the Black Employee Resource Group (BEAT+) for Paramount Global West Coast for six years,Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation in California and she continues to cultivate relationships within the Los Angeles African American Women in Public Policy Institute which she completed in 2016
Jordan also holds a Bachelor?s Degree in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University with a concentration in Public Relations
PANELIST
Lauren Triplett Sr MarketingManager| TopToy Company
Lauren Triplett has been working in sales &marketing for over 15 years Her early interest in behavioral economics led her to pursue a career in marketing where she could combine her love of economics and sales She founded her company BiteSized Consulting,LLCin 2017 with the goal of helping BIPOC-and women-owned businesses create unique connections with their audience through affordable and relevant digital marketing services Lauren received her Bachelors of Science in Applied Economics from Florida State University and her MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Pepperdine University Lauren is an avid Florida State fan, and enjoys spending her weekends with her husband &friends tasting interesting wine varietals,eating delicious food around LA, planning her next travel venture,or reading the latest novels with her tuxedo cat,Beaux Charles
FACILITATOR
Ryan Lynn Johnson CommunityRelationsandFoundation Manager| Pasadena Tournament of Roses
Ryan Lynn Johnson is a committed advocate for community-driven change,channeling her diverse expertise to build impactful partnerships and foster social good. As the Community Relations and Foundation Manager for The Pasadena Tournament of Roses,Ryan creates innovative programs and strategic collaborations that enrich the lives of residents and strengthen organizational impact
With a B A in Sociology/Public Relations from Loyola Marymount University and an M A in Social Entrepreneurship &Change from Pepperdine University,Ryan brings a unique blend of academic insight and hands-on experience. She has led outreach initiatives that amplify engagement and expand the reach of each organization she serves Her work has spanned the nonprofit,education,fundraising,
and public relations sectors,including roles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Fashion Institute of Design &Merchandising, and Murphy O?Brien PR,where she designed and executed community-centered strategies for meaningful social impact
In addition to her professional accomplishments,Ryan is deeply passionate about philanthropic focus areas such as mentorship,education,youth empowerment, mental health and wellness,and college & career exposure She has volunteered with organizations such as Freedom & Fashion,the Boys & Girls Club,and Threads of Peru, championing causes focused on ethical fashion,women empowerment,and access to arts education.
She has further immersed herself in community work as a graduate of Leadership Pasadena,a six-month program which provides leadership development training and a "deep dive" into all aspects of Pasadena life She also currently serves as a Board Member of local nonprofit,Girls on the Run LA County
FACILITATOR
Robert Jordan Assistant Director| Pepperdine Schoolof PublicPolicy
As the Assistant Director,Robert works on fostering relationships with strategic partners,delivering conference presentations and assisting in the certificate programs He brings with him years of experience in the local government and community building space He is a graduate from the Pepperdine School of Public Policy where he was a graduate assistant with the Davenport Institute. When not at work you can find him on the pool deck coaching or trying different restaurants in his neighborhood.
THANKYOU
PepperdineGraduateSchool of Education and Psychology
MAin Social Entrepreneurship and Change
gsep pepperdine edu/sec @peppgsep
PepperdineSchool of Public Policy
publicpolicypepperdine edu @pepperdinespp
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Your Social Responsibility Partner
At The Social Impact Firm,we?re passionate about turning meaningful ideas into transformative actions Our mission is to collaborate with businesses,entrepreneurs,and nonprofits to bring their socially impactful visions to life. Through sustainable strategies,innovative project design, and seamless execution,we ensure your initiatives create lasting and authentic change
What sets us apart is our holistic approach to social responsibility Alongside our work with organizations,our nonprofit arm? the Social Impact Students Initiative? empowers public school students to become changemakers By guiding them to design and implement projects that make a difference in their communities,we?re investing in the next generation of leaders
Partner with us to amplify your social impact and inspire change that matters Together,we can build a better future
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