Twin Cities Leaders Unite for the 2019 Points of Light Conference

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA (Dec. 12, 2018) – Points of Light announced today that a dynamic group of 38 influential Twin Cities leaders will serve as Host Committee members for the annual Points of Light Conference, to be held June 18-20, 2019, in St. Paul.

The 2019 Points of Light Conference, co-hosted this year with HandsOn Twin Cities, is the world’s largest service-related convening, bringing together nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders to gain and share the knowledge, resources and connections needed to galvanize the power of people to create change globally. This year’s event will challenge attendees to not only ask “how do we get more people to volunteer to make change,” but also “how can we create a society where it is easy for every individual to take action to accelerate change within their community and around the world?”

To meet this challenge, the conference team, along with our content partner the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration, who is well-known for providing cutting-edge research and content in volunteer engagement capacity building, is seeking workshop proposals from organizations and subject-matter experts in these specific content areas: Business with Purpose, Disaster Response and Preparedness, Faith, Civic Engagement Innovations from Around the World, Higher Education, Military and Veterans, National Service, Nonprofit Capacity Building, Nonprofit Volunteer Engagement/Service Enterprise, and Social Innovation.

This global event provides the singular opportunity for thousands to come together to collaborate and ensure the social sector continues to grow and innovate in this rapidly changing world. The convening will offer attendees a three-day experience full of carefully curated content and networking opportunities. The opening plenary will take place in the heart of downtown St. Paul and will feature a series of inspirational talks and performances. Sessions, workshops and forums will take place at the St. Paul RiverCentre, an award-winning space with soaring ceilings and natural light, situated on a bluff providing stunning views of the Mississippi River.

“This coming year, Points of Light affiliate HandsOn Twin Cities will celebrate its 100^thanniversary as America’s first volunteer center – making St. Paul the perfect place to host the 2019 Points of Light Conference,” said Natalye Paquin, president and CEO, Points of Light. “In collaboration with our hometown hosts and partners, we are excited to share the history and culture of the region with our conference attendees.”

Business and community leaders from across the region will spearhead the conference Host Committee, assisting in developing service opportunities for attendees based on the greatest needs in the surrounding community; and in identifying and cultivating high-quality speakers and engaging attendee experiences. The conversations and content are unique and profoundly relevant because the experience is shaped by local experts, leaders and influencers.

The following individuals will serve as members:

• Kelly Acker, Assistant Vice President, Community Relations, U.S. Bank
• Kate Barr, President and CEO, Propel Nonprofits
• Anna Bosak, Community Affairs Specialist, HB Fuller
• Jake Blumberg, Executive Director, GiveMN
• Karmit Bulman, Executive Director, Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration
• Erika Carter, Communications Director, Bush Foundation
• Diana Dalsin, Community Relations Manager, Bridging
• Andy Goldman-Gray, Principal, AGG Marketing and Consulting
• DeeDee Gorman, Community Relations Specialist, Senior, ECMC Group
• Matt Halley, Executive Director, Cookie Cart
• Rebecca Morris Hoeft, Chief Brand Officer, Sunrise Banks
• Sam Holsen, Community Affairs, Xcel Energy
• Stephanie Johnson, Manager, Community Relations, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club; Corporate Volunteer Council – Twin Cities Board President
• Kris Kewitsch, Executive Director, Charities Review Council
• Katie Knutson, Community Affairs Manager, Thrivent Financial
• Heidi Kraemer, Senior Manager, Corporate Citizenship, IBM
• Deb Krause, Vice President, Minnesota Health Action Group
• Shannon Loecher, Director, Social Responsibility, UnitedHealthcare
• Jamie Makepeace, Community Engagement Liaison, Office of Mayor Jacob Frey, Mayor of Minneapolis
• Judson McNeil, President, Toro Foundation
• Amy Meuers, Chief Executive Officer, National Youth Leadership Council
• Jennifer Moe, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Target
• Tracy Nielsen, Executive Director, HandsOn Twin Cities
• Tiffany Orth, Manager, Make It. MSP., GreaterMSP
• Jonathan Palmer, Executive Director, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center
• Patty Pannkuk, Senior Vice President, Community Affairs Manager, Wells Fargo
• Natalye Paquin, President and CEO, Points of Light
• Kate Ritzer, Executive Assistant, Chief Executive Officer, Second Harvest Heartland
• Eric Satre, National Account Executive, Visit Saint Paul – Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Susan Schuster, Principal Community Relations Consultant, Communications and Social Responsibility, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
• Anne Seaquist, Manager, U.S. Community Initiatives and Global Volunteer Programs, 3M
• Rebecca Thomley, President and CEO, Orion Associates
• Shannon Toren, Director, Ecolab
• Karen Trouba, Senior Vice President, Bank of America
• Kasey Tunnell, Guest Services Staff and Volunteer Coordinator, Ordway Theater
• Janeen Vogelaar, Director of Marketing & Creative Services, KARE 11
• Dominick Washington, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Minneapolis Foundation
• Minn Wang, Senior Manager, General Mills
• Jamie Yanisch, Global Community Engagement Officer, Boston Scientific

For more on the 2019 Points of Light Conference, visit www.volunteeringandservice.org.

ABOUT POINTS OF LIGHT

Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 5 million volunteers in 20 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.