Join us June 7-8 to hear three dynamic speakers

05/11/2015 - A young woman whose first crush, MacGyver, sparked her love of constrained problem-solving and tinkering and led her to found Project H Design, a nonprofit teaching youth to design and build their future with heart, hands, and hammers.

A Harvard graduate who invented the multi-day charitable event industry with the AIDS Rides and Breast Cancer 3-Days, events that altered the landscape of options for ordinary individuals seeking to make an extraordinary difference.

A college student backpacking across the globe who asked a small boy begging on the streets of India what he wanted most in the world and whose answer would lead him to found an organization that has built over 300 schools serving more than 30,000 students around the world.

What do these three remarkable individuals have in common? These innovative leaders will be the featured speakers at the third annual ieSonoma event on Sunday, June 7, at Sonoma Country Day School and on Monday, June 8, in Weill Hall at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center. Each will bring a unique story about how they made a difference in their respective industry sectors by embracing innovation and challenging the status quo.

• Emily Pilloton is an educator, architect, and humanitarian activist who believes that design and building can excite learning and citizenship. She developed and is now teaching a design-build curriculum called Studio H that engages the minds and bodies of high school students through real-world, built projects. Originally launched in rural Bertie County, North Carolina, Studio H is now based at REALM Charter School in Berkeley, California. Emily will be one of the keynote speakers for the Monday morning event.
• Dan Pallotta is an entrepreneur, author, and humanitarian activist who is changing the way the public thinks about charity and change. He is best known for creating the multi-day charitable event industry, and a new generation of philanthropists, with the AIDS Rides and Breast Cancer 3-Day events. His 2013 TED Talk, viewed by 3.5 million people, argued that “the way we think about charity is dead wrong.” Dan will provide the keynote presentation for the Sunday evening event and also serve as one of the speakers on Monday morning.
• Adam Braun is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that builds schools and increases access to education for children in the developing world. His book, The Promise of a Pencil, describes how an ordinary person can create extraordinary change. Adam will be one of three keynote speakers at the Monday morning event.

About ieSonoma
ieSonoma is a partnership of educational institutions and the larger community dedicated to exploring the research, theory, and practice of preparing young people for success in a rapidly changing world. In 2013, the Sonoma County Office of Education joined with Sonoma Country Day School and Sonoma State University to create ieSonoma and spark innovation and collaboration in the local education community.

ieSonoma 2015 promises to be an important public gathering of education and community leaders who are interested in transforming education and rethinking the way we view the institutions and organizations that play a role in preparing students for success in the 21st century. Additional details about the event can be found at www.iesonoma.org. A sell-out crowd of 750 on Sunday and 1000 people on Monday is expected for the event. Tickets are on sale now.