Today’s News: Who’s Up, Who’s Down, and What’s Really Going On

Eugene Robinson
Columnist
The Washington Post

Drawing on experience from the front lines of today’s news coverage, Gene Robinson will provide a refreshing perspective of the current political and economic climate and how that impacts all segments of society, including the human services field. Robinson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Washington Post and a prominent television commentator, will bring his innate ability to cut through the clutter and provide clarity on today’s events, often taking a step back not only to look at the big picture, but to focus on deeds—not just words.

Focusing on intent, objectives, and accomplishments of the administration and Congress in his column and commentary, Gene Robinson has the ear of inside-the-beltway political insiders. With more than 25 years of reporting experience, Robinson is widely recognized for his uncanny ability to speak truth to power.

In his various roles at The Washington Post and while reporting abroad, Robinson has witnessed firsthand the revolution taking place online and in the 24/7 news cycle and has seen how the news media is influencing American culture, all the way down to children and families. As one of the most prominent African-American intellectuals on the culture scene and author of Coal to Cream: A Black Man’s Journey Beyond Color to an Affirmation of Race, Robinson also shares with audiences his understanding of race relations in the United States and explains why many popular conceptions are now obsolete.

The Meat and Potatoes of Government Revenue Acquisition Strategies

David U. Gogol
President
B&D Consulting

Patrick Lester
Senior Vice President of Public Policy
Alliance/UNCA Public Policy Office

With the significant funding and federal appropriations available to our field in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, government funding and accessing public funding continues to be very crucial. These national and state experts will engage us in what government is prioritizing, strategies to acquire new revenue, and how we can have influence in this new era of larger government investment in human services.

David Gogol is the founder of B&D Consulting’s federal lobbying practice. He has more than 30 years of experience in the United States Senate and as a lobbyist. His practice has been focused on public and private nonprofit organizations with federal funding and regulatory issues. During his tenure on Capitol Hill, Gogol worked for Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), where he played a key role in preparing such legislation as the New York City Recovery Act and the Chrysler Loan Guarantee Act. He has also worked for the Senate Subcommittee on Housing and Urban Development, where he assisted with the Community Development Block Grant program and the nations’ surface transportation programs.

Patrick Lester is senior vice president for public policy for the Alliance and United Neighborhood Centers of America. Lester most recently served as United Way of America’s director of public policy, where he was that organization’s lead liaison to Congress, the executive branch, and the media on national charity law and charitable tax incentives, the federal budget, and children’s health. Lester has also worked for the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, the Coalition on Human Needs, and was a budget analyst with OMB Watch. From 1993 to 1994, Lester served on the staff of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House.

PDF of Slide Presentation

The Spirit-Driven Organization

Bob Danzig
Former CEO
Hearst Newspapers

This keynote speech will enhance the morale and spirit of your organization’s colleagues—and strengthen commitments to your noble purpose. Vested in Bob’s own experience in dramatically changing the destiny of the Hearst Newspaper’s profit performance, professional reputation, and talent retention, this keynote will encourage your colleagues to renew their commitment to sustain the special spirit of your own organization.

As CEO of Hearst Newspapers for 20 years, Bob Danzig touched the lives of millions of readers. Today, Danzig is a philanthropist and a leading author and speaker whose great passion is for lifting the spirits of others by sharing his experiences, accomplishments, and life lessons.

Danzig will speak about his difficult childhood as a foster child and his impressive rise in the newspaper industry. Danzig got his first job as an office boy at the local newspaper at age 16. That job turned into a career when 17 years later he became publisher of the Albany Times Union and Knickerbocker News. Only a few years following that he became CEO of Hearst Newspapers. Under his leadership, Hearst Newspapers experienced a renaissance of talent, technology, and reputation, and annual sales soared to exceed $2 billion.

Danzig was awarded one of 12 professional journalism fellowships at Stanford University, the only business executive ever to be accepted in this program. He is the author of seven books, including The Leader Within You, Every Child Deserves a Champion—Including You, and Conversations with Bobby—From Foster Child to Corporate Executive. Danzig donates all of his speaking fees and book royalties to charity in order to help foster care kids in college and to boost young musicians.