Foundation in Focus: New Albany Lecture Series speakers have impact on many

Irv Dennis
·2 min read
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The New Albany Community Foundation recently announced its speakers for the 2022-23 New Albany Lecture Series, our 10th-anniversary season.

The lineup:

  • Oct. 18 – Dr. Deepak Chopra, M.D., pioneer in integrative medicine and bestselling author (already sold out)

  • Jan. 23 – Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize winner

  • Feb. 16 – Bret Baier, Fox News chief political anchor and author

  • March 8 – Arthur Laffer, economist, Medal of Freedom recipient and adviser to President Ronald Reagan, will debate Robert Reich, former U.S. secretary of labor, economist and bestselling author,moderated by Rana Foroohar, global economic analyst and Financial Times columnist.

  • June 6 -- retired Gen. John F. Kelly, U.S. Marine Corps, Secretary of Homeland Security and White House adviser, and retired Adm. James Stavridis, U.S. Navy, 16 Supreme Allied Commander, NATO, Bestselling Author and NBC News analyst, moderated by Jim Sciutto, CNN’s chief national security correspondent and co-anchor of CNN Newsroom

The foundation’s lecture series is regarded widely as one of the premier lecture series in the country, routinely hosting Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Prize winners, high-ranking military leaders, diplomats, presidential advisers, cabinet members, health experts, economists, historians and others.

What is not perhaps so widely known is how the foundation makes these speakers available to different New Albany and central Ohio audiences.

In most cases, the speakers conduct an afternoon discussion with students from New Albany-Plain Local Schools and 50 other area schools. The students either attend in person or access the discussion virtually.

To date, more than 26,000 students have participated.

Foundation in Focus:It’s been a summer of impact, performances, gatherings in New Albany

The foundation provides books to the school libraries authored by the speakers in advance of the lectures so the students are prepared for a high-level discussion.

In the case of Chopra, he also will meet with health and mental-health leaders from such groups as Healthy New Albany and the Wellbeing Connection.

Foroohar will meet with a group of female executives who lead central Ohio banks and financial institutions.

Kelly and Stavridis will meet with area veterans and currently serving members of the military.

These are rare opportunities for members of our community to interact with some of the most influential thought leaders who help shape policy, advise presidents and provide insight into world events.

In addition, the series offers a platform for community dialogue on important issues and provides audiences with different perspectives.

Since its inception, the foundation has made the promotion of lifelong learning a priority.

We’re fortunate to live in the community in which generous donors and sponsors make these amazing opportunities possible.

Irv Dennis is a New Albany Community Foundation board member, and he and his wife, Karen, established an endowment fund to support the lecture series.

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Foundation in Focus: New Albany Lecture Series speakers have impact on many