Be Fearless Spotlight: Barbara Van Dahlen

Posted on March 30, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Barbara Van Dahlen for over a decade, so it came as no surprise to me when she was named to TIME’s 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her energy and enthusiasm for her work are contagious, but perhaps the thing I admire most about Barbara is how she and the organizations she leads embody the Be Fearless principles we champion here at the Case Foundation. Her work with Give an Hour and Campaign to Change Direction aims to change the culture in America around mental health—a bold and audacious goal to be sure.

I recently had the chance to sit down with Barbara and ask her a few questions about her groundbreaking work. Below, she shares how the Be Fearless principles are influencing the efforts of both Given an Hour and the Campaign to Change Direction.

Jean: How do you and the team you work with view Being Fearless?

Barbara: For us, Being Fearless means taking on whatever challenge is necessary in order to ensure that those who serve our country—and their families—have the mental health support and care they deserve. It means being bold in our decision to take on the heavy lift of changing the culture of mental health in America through our new collective impact effort, the Campaign to Change Direction, so that all Americans are free to value their emotional well-being just as they do their physical well-being.

Being fearless means looking beyond what is safe and easy to what is necessary—it means using our skills, expertise and creativity to find solutions and reduce suffering in our world.

Jean: One of the Be Fearless principles is to “Make Big Bets and Make History.” What “big bets” have you and your team made, and how have they paid off?

Barbara: Three years ago, after the Sandy Hook shootings in Connecticut, I was asked to take a look at how we might address the mental health needs in our country. After pulling together a group of trusted colleagues to study the issue, we came to the conclusion that the greatest barrier to mental health care in America is our culture. We just don’t value emotional well-being in this country—not the way we do physical well-being. As a result, people who are suffering from emotional pain, trauma or mental health conditions often feel weak or broken—they feel shame and guilt and they don’t seek care. More people die by suicide than in car accidents—we can do better.

Give an Hour has accepted the challenge, and the privilege, of leading a national collective impact effort to change the culture of mental health in America. The Campaign to Change Direction launched last March. I was thrilled to have you, Jean, join us for the launch and set the stage with an inspiring speech about the power of collective impact efforts, and to have First Lady Michelle Obama close our event with a call to action to all Americans to join this movement.

Our “big bet” that the country is ready for this type of cultural shift is paying off. Thanks to the generous support of our Founding Members, including the Case Foundation, we have already far surpassed our initial goals. We began with 50 partners and a plan to reach 30 million Americans in five years. We have already introduced the campaign to 176 million Americans and now have over 180 partners with communities stepping up to help all over the country. Culture change takes time, but we are on our way!

Jean: Can you tell us about a time when you let a sense of urgency drive your objectives?

Barbara: That is a very interesting question. I felt a sense of urgency about addressing the unmet mental health needs in our society long before I made the decision to walk away from my successful clinical practice to launch Give an Hour. I have seen the impact of mental health challenges, substance abuse and trauma on adults, on children and on families. I have also seen so many success stories—people who were struggling emotionally and found healing, health and support.

We don’t have all of the answers in the mental health arena—any more than we have the answers to cure all of the physical diseases and conditions in the world. But if we break through the cultural barriers that leave people feeling ashamed or embarrassed about their emotional functioning and mental health needs, and if we encourage everyone to pay attention to and value their emotional well-being, we will reduce suffering, save relationships and save resources. Here in America and globally, the human cost and the economic impact of unaddressed mental health care is massive.

I don’t mind feeling this sense of urgency. It keeps me focused and it fuels my passion.

Jean: You told us a bit about the bold goal that you are working toward—to change the culture of mental health in America. Can you share more about that and how developing it changed your team’s approach to changemaking, if at all?

Barbara: Our goal, to change the culture of mental health in America, is bold, and the challenge is huge. It actually took some time for some of our staff members to get comfortable with the concept. I think some were concerned that taking on such an audacious goal might take away from our focus on providing free mental health care to those who serve in the military and their families. Our staff members—many of whom have a connection to the military themselves—are incredibly dedicated to our focus on those who serve and their families. I understand why they were a bit reluctant. And some staff members were worried about our ability to staff and manage such a large undertaking, which is another understandable reaction.

Over time, however, our staff has coalesced around the power of this opportunity. They understand that culture change is absolutely necessary if we want to prevent suffering and improve well-being. They understand that we can’t ensure that those in need, military or civilian, receive the mental health care that they deserve if they are reluctant, unwilling or afraid to acknowledge or seek that help. Changing our culture—so that we all value our emotional well-being, so that we all talk comfortably about our emotional challenges—is the only way to succeed with our lofty mission.

And in terms of taking on something this massive… if not us, who? We will move forward aggressively, smartly and with as many partners as we can engage to make this heavy lift possible.

Jean: I love that you mentioned partnerships there. Are you engaging in any unlikely partnerships in an effort to reach beyond your bubble?

Barbara: There is a wise psychiatrist from India, Vikram Patel, who talks about “mental health for all by involving all.” We are building a very big tent to drive and support the culture change we seek to achieve.

We have always been an organization that grows organically. By that I mean that we tend to focus on building strong relationships first, with organizations in our own backyard, and across sectors. We develop partnerships with individuals and organizations that share our passion and our vision—even if they might not appear to be an obvious partner. Sometimes the relationship is mutually beneficial, and sometimes we partner to assist others in their efforts, even if it might appear that they have nothing to contribute immediately to our work. Partnering, collaborating, assisting, sharing: it all comes back in the end and is part of a collective effort to improve the health and well-being of all people.

Since launching the Campaign to Change Direction, we have had the honor of engaging a number of public figures and celebrities. In addition to First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, we have been fortunate to receive help from Brian Wilson, Richard Gere, John Cusak, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Dano, Ben Foster and Margarita Levieva. Each stepped in to assist in our efforts to raise awareness. Each contributed to the movement we are building.

Most recently, country music star Chris Stapleton released his first music video, Fire Away, which addresses the issue of suicide in an artistically beautiful and emotionally painful film that features The Campaign to Change Direction. We received over 125,000 visits to our site in less than four weeks following the release of this powerful video.

We are proud of the community we are building, but not surprised by the support we are receiving. Mental health is part of the human condition. It’s time we recognize how important our emotional well-being is for all of us.

The Myth of STEM; The Only Way

Posted on March 28, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

The ‘Myth of STEM; The Only Way’ is a guest blog post from Johnathan M. Holifield, Co-founder of ScaleUp Partners LLC, and is the fifth blog post in the Case Foundation’s Myth of the Entrepreneur series. This series is intended to intentionally examine, and change, the stories our culture tells about entrepreneurship. For more information on the Case Foundation’s approach to the Myth series and Inclusive Entrepreneurship, please check out our introductory piece. We encourage you to join the conversation using #Ent4All on Twitter.

I can hear my friends now, invoking an old sports adage about winning to insist that “STEM isn’t everything; it’s the only thing!” These champions of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education are made members of the whimsically branded STEM Mafia, fiercely advocating that the path to innovation and entrepreneurship is paved with engineering and computer science degrees.

It’s well-settled that improving U.S. economic competitiveness requires a lot more Americans with high levels of proficiency and expertise in STEM. In fact, STEM is already a national education and economic priority. And for sure, STEM disciplines power a disproportionately large number of job-creating, higher growth enterprises, enable enormous efficiency and productivity gains and represent many of our top employment opportunities. However, as important as STEM is to our economy, a focus on it alone is too limiting. It will be insufficient to generate enough American innovators to create the companies and fill the jobs we’re counting on to fuel U.S. economic prosperity, and particularly limiting in terms of driving inclusive growth and innovation.

Entrepreneurship is fueled by more than just science; it is also fueled by art. So let’s incorporate the “A” for art and evolve STEM to STEAM.

The Innovation Economy demands new education and entrepreneurship models and interdisciplinary solutions that combine imagination and creativity with technological skills. There is growing recognition that to be successful in technical fields, individuals also must be creative and use critical thinking skills that are nurtured through exposure to the arts. By de-emphasizing the role that art plays in entrepreneurship, we may be making it harder for certain segments of the population to see themselves as business owners, changemakers and problem solvers.

Simply put, the increasingly, if not definitively, false choice between “soft art” or “hard science” should be rejected. Recalling the Schoolhouse Rock cartoon of my childhood, Conjunction Junction, it’s clear that the best function to improve entrepreneurship and employment outcomes is to adopt the right conjunction—and. STEM and art; not STEM or art.

STEAM embraces all of the nation’s critical STEM imperatives, while complementing and enhancing them in at least four important ways. STEAM:

Addresses employers’ need to attract and retain creative, problem-solving workers;
Introduces market applications and entrepreneurship opportunities for STEM-based intellectual property (IP);
Connects deep and diverse sources of untapped talent to entrepreneurship and employment;
Turns STEM’ers into entrepreneurs.

In terms of 21^st century employment, the abilities to work collaboratively across many disciplines, to challenge current practice and develop new solutions and opportunities—clearly more art than science—are highly desired skills. In fact, an IBM global study of more than 1,500 CEOs from 60 countries and 33 industries found that the most important skill needed to successfully navigate an increasingly complex, volatile and uncertain world is creativity.

Art is also vital to higher growth enterprise and job creation. STEM may create a considerable amount of the IP produced by innovators and researchers and builds skills needed to drive Innovation Economy priorities, but by introducing creative market applications, art makes such IP and skills useful across a broader spectrum of our economy, achieving greater positive impact.

By moving STEM-based IP from the laboratories and workshops in our basements, garages, colleges, universities and corporations into markets where they can have the most impact, STEAM is the market application force for STEM. Many skills needed to translate technological innovations into thriving businesses—like design, marketing and communication, executive leadership, collaboration, technology transfer and more—are rooted in art.

Letting go of the myth that all job-creating, higher growth entrepreneurs come from STEM backgrounds and embracing STEAM enables us to connect new talent to new opportunities. Over the past decade, women’s share of undergraduate degrees has steadily increased, representing about 57 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded by U.S. institutions in 2012. However, the share of women earning STEM degrees has not increased, holding remarkably steady at about 37 percent.

The number of Blacks earning bachelor’s degrees increased by an impressive 41 percent, and the number of Hispanics earning undergraduate degrees increased by an extraordinary 85 percent in the last dozen or so years. Unfortunately, as the rates of Black and Hispanic students earning college degrees have increased, when it comes to STEM, they’re not keeping pace with their peers. By age 24, Blacks will comprise only 2.7 percent and Hispanics just 2.2 percent of the U.S. STEM graduate population.

Together, these groups represent a huge quantity of non-STEM talent—too much talent to remain on the sidelines as benchwarmers merely watching the game instead of performing in the game as dynamic economic competitors and contributors. With today’s relentless competition for jobs and opportunity around the world, sustaining our nation’s global economic leadership will require greater contributions from many more Americans—including these groups.

Without distracting from worthy efforts to improve STEM education attainment of women, Blacks and Hispanics, STEAM provides a complementary means to identify, capture and connect the growing cache of non-STEM talent and creativity to top entrepreneurship and employment opportunities. More people making more contributions as job-creating, higher growth entrepreneurs and higher value, intrapreneurial employees will surely provide our nation competitive advantages.

As for STEAM transforming STEM’ers into entrepreneurs, “lean startup” guru and successful entrepreneur, Steve Blank sums up the role of startup founders and employees by comparing them to artists and composers:

Founders fit the definition of a composer: they see something no one else does. And to help them create it from nothing, they surround themselves with world-class performers. This concept of creating something that few others see—and the reality distortion field necessary to recruit the team to build it—is at the heart of what startup founders do. It is a very different skill than science, engineering, or management.

Blank’s analogy is spot on. Developing supplementary skills that unleash their full potential, STEAM is the conduit through which STEM’ers pass to become entrepreneurs.

Shifting from STEM to STEAM bolsters our efforts to construct new narratives—inclusive narratives—around entrepreneurship, innovation, employment and economic competitiveness. Advocating that STEM is the only thing deprives our nation of the chance to fully engage a diverse array of talent who can be the innovative, job-creating entrepreneurs and top performing employees our economy sorely needs. Nothing more is at stake than our sustained economic prosperity.

Taking a cue from James Brown: All Aboard . . . the STEAM Train!

Our guest author, Johnathan M. Holifield, is Co-founder of ScaleUp Partners LLC and author of a forthcoming book about Inclusive Competitiveness and our country’s unique opportunity for shared economic prosperity. Learn more here: The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness. You can connect with him on Twitter at @TheTrimTabber.

Innovation Madness: Elite Eight

Posted on March 26, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

Thank you to everyone who has voted in our Innovation Madness! We are thrilled to be highlighting these incredible women innovators and having a little fun with this bracket at the same time. Thanks to all of your voting, we have narrowed down our original Sweet 16 innovators to the Elite Eight. You can see the bracket progress below and the new matchups. Please continue to vote on Twitter for your favorites and keep telling us why you love these fearless women!

Also, if you’re only now tuning in, we invite you to check out our original post explaining more about Innovation Madness and how we’re celebrating Women’s History Month to help recognize the remarkable women who have been influential innovators in exploration, business and the STEM fields—yet are sometimes not recognized as often as their male counterparts.

MATCHUP ONE: Mary Anderson VS. Ada Lovelace

#InnovationMadness2: Mary Anderson, inventor of windshield wipers
Chosen by Julia Power, Office Coordinator

There are about 253 million cars and trucks on U.S. roads today. Before Anderson’s 1903 invention of the windshield wiper, drivers would have to stop their car every few minutes to physically wipe the buildup from their windshield. Not only was this inefficient, but it was also extremely dangerous! Anderson’s invention has been helping drivers with their commutes ever since.
Vote for Mary Anderson by tweeting #InnovationMadness2.

Versus:

#InnovationMadness5: Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer
Chosen by Lauren Burton, Senior Director of Interactive Strategies

Your best friend’s latest post on your news feed. That movie you have been meaning to see suggested on your Netflix. A product recommended for you on Amazon. What do these have in common? They are powered by algorithms! You can thank Ada Lovelace, who is credited with developing the first algorithm in 1842 intended to be carried out by a machine. She is sometimes known as “the first computer programmer.”
Vote for Ada Lovelace by tweeting #InnovationMadness5.

MATCHUP TWO: Stephanie Kwolek VS. Lizzie J. Magie

#InnovationMadness3: Stephanie Kwolek, creator of Kevlar
Chosen by Coleen Walsh, Executive Assistant

Thanks to a determined Pennsylvania woman named Stephanie Kwolek, thousands of lives have been saved. In 1971 while working at DuPont as one of its only female chemists, Kwolek created a fiber called poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide—better known as Kevlar. Five times stronger than steel, this invaluable synthetic material has since been used in more than 200 applications, including safety helmets, aircraft parts, suspension bridge cables, parachutes and most notably bulletproof vests.
Vote for Stephanie Kwolek by tweeting #InnovationMadness3.

Versus:

#InnovationMadness7: Lizzie J. Magie, creator of the Monopoly game
Chosen by Sheila Herrling, Vice President of Social Innovation

In 1903, Lizzy Magie was troubled by the vast income inequality she saw, and a capitalist system that could either put private capital to public good (think early impact investing), or benefit the few already well off. She used that personal passion to invent the board game—Landlord. The original game had rules that allowed players to live and learn the tension between and tactics for pursuing the two philosophies. Many believe that this game was the inspiration for Charles Darrow, who in 1932 turned it into Monopoly and sold it to Parker Brothers. Lizzy Magie fought for its rights, received $500 for the Landlord’s patent (no royalties) and her role as true founder of the Monopoly concept continues to be debated in the history books, but you can vote her into victory here!
Vote for Lizzie J. Magie by tweeting #InnovationMadness7.

MATCHUP THREE: Marie Van Brittan Brown VS. Grace Hopper

#InnovationMadness10: Marie Van Brittan Brown, creator of the home security system
Chosen by Jade Floyd, Senior Director of Communications

Today’s home security systems feature all the bells and whistles, from infrared cameras to home automation technology to electronic control of every light and lock. But did you know that the first modern-day home security closed-circuit television system (CCTV), alarm and entry buzzer to allow guests in was invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown in 1966? An uptick in crime in her neighborhood drove her to create the system so she would feel safer while at home alone. She invented the remote monitor and control-operated door that laid the groundwork for a now multi-billion dollar market.
Vote for Marie Van Brittan Brown by tweeting #InnovationMadness10.

Versus:

#InnovationMadness14: Dr. Grace Murray Hopper, inventor of the first computer compiler
Chosen by Brian Sasscer, Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations

Dr. Grace Murray Hopper (a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral) co-designed Harvard’s Mark 1 computer in 1944. She also invented the first computer compiler, which translated written language into computer code. As if that wasn’t enough, she helped lead the development of COBOL—one of the first user-friendly programming languages. FUN FACT—she is credited with making popular the terms “bug” and “debug” to describe a computer glitch—which in this case happened to be an actual moth in the computer. No wonder she is sometimes referred to as #AmazingGrace.
Vote for Dr. Grace Murray Hopper by tweeting #InnovationMadness14.

MATCHUP FOUR: Rosalind Franklin VS. Hedy Lamarr

#InnovationMadness11: Rosalind Franklin, contributor to DNA structure discovery
Chosen by Molly Porter, Senior Project Manager

Rosalind Franklin was a pioneer in molecular biology and chemistry. Her work in x-ray diffraction techniques of DNA was a catalyst in the understanding of the structure of DNA. While her contributions to the scientific community were largely unrecognized or misattributed to other scientists during her lifetime, her discoveries unleashed endless potential for greater understanding of DNA and genetics for further generations of scientists.
Vote for Rosalind Franklin by tweeting #InnovationMadness11.

Versus:

#InnovationMadness15: Hedy Lamarr, creator of spread spectrum technology
Chosen by Fatimah Shaikh, Social Innovation Intern

Hedy Lamarr was not only a 1930s movie star, she also gave us an invention that still stands at the forefront of technology even today: the spread spectrum. With the help of Georg Antheil, an experimental musician, Lamarr invented the Secret Communications System, which they tried to give to the U.S. military during WWII. However, it was not until the Cuban Missile Crisis that the value of spread spectrum was realized. Today, Lamarr’s Secret Communication System is the backbone of all technological machines with wireless operations.
Vote for Hedy Lamarr by tweeting #InnovationMadness15.

#InnovationMadness: Who is Your Favorite Unsung Fearless Innovator?

Posted on March 24, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

Earlier this month, a thought-provoking video from Microsoft caught my eye. In the video, young girls are asked to name inventors. After quickly rattling off names like Nikola Tesla, Einstein and Edison, they are then asked to name female inventors. Sadly, this question is met with almost deafening silence. Each and every one of these future innovators is left stumped.

Which made me wonder, how many female innovators could I name?

One of the girls featured in the video provides brilliant insight when she says, “In school it was always a male inventor.” That definitely struck a chord with me. Thinking back to my own textbooks, it wasn’t hard to find examples of great inventors who used their grit or genius, or a combination of both, to change the world. My own science and history lessons were filled with stories of inventors and innovators commended and applauded for their ingenuity—it’s just that they happened to mostly all be men.

We know about Marie Curie and maybe a handful of other female trailblazers, but there are so many other women in arts, sports, science, technology, business and medicine who are not yet household names—not because they don’t exist but because they simply did not have the same recognition in their day, or the same spotlight and celebration of their contributions.

While we all could name Thomas Edison for instance, we probably don’t think of Margaret Knight, nicknamed “the lady Edison” and credited with receiving 27 patents in her lifetime for inventions including an internal combustion engine and shoe-manufacturing machines. Or take Beulah Louise Henry, also referred to as “Lady Edison” (notice a trend here?), who was awarded nearly 50 patents over her lifetime and had more than 100 inventions to her name including the can opener.

Women are responsible for an endless number of inventions and innovations that improve everyday life, from the car heater (Margaret A. Wilcox) to the fire escape (Anna Connelly), to the life raft (Maria Beasely) and medical syringe (Letitia Geer). It was Tabitha Babbitt who invented the circular saw, Sarah Mather, who made the underwater telescope possible, and Dr. Maria Telkes and Eleanor Raymond who built the first home entirely heated by solar power in 1947.

In the fields of science and discovery, the contributions of women have changed the world and our understanding of it. The work of Rachel Carson, a marine biologist who brought environmental concerns to an unprecedented share of the American people in her book Silent Spring, led to the nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides. Her work inspired a grassroots environmental movement that led to the creation of the EPA. Dr. Anne Tsukamoto, an inventor named on seven issued U.S. patents related to the human hematopoietic stem cell and gene transfer methods, today is credited with advancing the field of stem cell research.

As another Women’s History Month draws to an end, we owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to start changing the conversation about innovation and ensure that we are lifting up equally innovators who in years past may have been unsung, as well as those that emerge in our contemporary times.

Today, the Case Foundation team kicks off its first ever “Innovation Madness,” a clear nod to the NCAA’s basketball tournament, but also a way to celebrate women innovators that too often go unnoticed and unmentioned. Over the next ten days, we will profile fearless women who have transformed the world as we know it by modeling audaciousness and remarkable achievement across disciplines. Check out the instructions on how to participate in #InnovationMadness and vote for your favorite innovators on Twitter. While we have a serious goal of spotlighting extraordinary women so their stories are known, we also hope to have some fun along the way. I hope you’ll join us and help spread the word about the amazing accomplishments of some of these extraordinary women.

Innovation Madness: Women’s History Month Edition

Posted on March 24, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

UPDATED 3/26: We’ve advanced to the Elite Eight in our Innovation Madness! Check out the updated bracket here.

With the first week of the NCAA Tournament now over, college basketball lovers are on the edge of their seats, having witnessed huge upsets and historic comebacks. For many of us, filling out a bracket year after year and seeing how our teams did allows us to be a part of this annual tradition. Yet, perhaps the best thing about March Madness and its iconic brackets are that that they can be applied to just about anything…

That’s right—we’re putting our own twist on March Madness and introducing… Innovation Madness! In celebration of Women’s History Month, we developed a special bracket to help recognize the remarkable women who have been influential innovators in exploration, business and the STEM fields—yet are not recognized as often as their male counterparts. The challenge starts today and we invite you to join in on the fun!

As the remaining teams make their way from the Sweet 16 to the championship, so too will we! Follow along as we highlight each staff member’s favorite female pioneer. And just like the NCAA’s lead-in to the Final Four, along the way we will narrow down the field in head-to-head matchups. But instead of dunks and three-pointers, each matchup’s winner will be decided by your votes. While all female innovators are winners in our eyes, with this challenge one will ultimately rise to the top.

To participate, simply tweet the #InnovationMadness hashtag of your favorite innovator in each matchup to help them advance in the tournament and raise awareness of these fearless innovators. (You can vote for as many innovators as you’d like, as often as you’d like.) As an added bonus, we’ll randomly choose Twitter handles of people who participate in voting to receive an exclusive Be Fearless Innovation Madness pack. So be sure to vote and cheer your hero on to victory!

MATCHUP ONE: Melitta Bentz vs. Mary Anderson

#InnovationMadness1: Melitta Bentz, creator of the coffee filter
Chosen by Jessica Zetzman, Digital Marketing and Communications Manager

Melitta Bentz might not be a household name, but her innovation certainly is. If you are one of the more than 150 million Americans who enjoy grounds-free, non-bitter coffee every morning, you have Melitta Bentz and her patented 1908 innovation, the coffee filter, to thank.
Vote for Melitta Bentz by tweeting #InnovationMadness1.

Versus:

#InnovationMadness2: Mary Anderson, inventor of windshield wipers
Chosen by Julia Power, Office Coordinator

MATCHUP TWO: Stephanie Kwolek vs. Amelia Earhart

#InnovationMadness3: Stephanie Kwolek, creator of Kevlar
Chosen by Coleen Walsh, Executive Assistant

Versus:

#InnovationMadness4: Amelia Earhart, aviation pioneer
Chosen by Allyson Burns, SVP of Communications and Marketing

Amelia Earhart is oft-cited when it comes to female innovators—and for good reason. An aviation pioneer and record setter, she was truly fearless. Her willingness to break barriers for women wasn’t limited to just aviation—she was also a tireless advocate for equal rights and helped transform the way women view themselves and their opportunities in the world.
Vote for Amelia Earhart by tweeting #InnovationMadness4.

MATCHUP THREE: Ada Lovelace vs. Dr. Virginia Apgar

#InnovationMadness5: Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer
Chosen by Lauren Burton, Senior Director of Interactive Strategies

Versus:

#InnovationMadness6: Dr. Virginia Apgar, creator of the “Apgar Score”
Chosen by Louise Storm, Chief of Staff to the CEO

The phrase “Apgar Score” may only be familiar to you if you’ve been in a labor and delivery room, but chances are you’ve benefitted from it. Devised by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1953 as the first standardized method of evaluating newborns at birth, and five minutes after birth, this eponymous score has enabled doctors and nurses to know how to best take care of their newest patients for decades.
Vote for Dr. Virginia Apgar by tweeting #InnovationMadness6.

MATCHUP FOUR: Lizzie J. Magie vs. Josephine Cochrane

#InnovationMadness7: Lizzie J. Magie, creator of the Monopoly game
Chosen by Sheila Herrling, Vice President of Social Innovation

Versus:

#InnovationMadness8: Josephine Cochrane, inventor of the dishwasher
Chosen by Arlene Corbin Lewis, Vice President of Communications

It’s said that Josephine Cochrane once declared, “If nobody else is going to invent a dish washing machine, I’ll do it myself!” After washing one dinner plate too many, Cochrane took matters into her own dishpan hands and invented this kitchen essential in the late 1800’s. She went on to start a company to manufacture the dishwashers, which eventually became KitchenAid. From Cochrane’s moxie, to the soap, water, time and money the dishwasher saves, there’s a lot to love about this household appliance.
Vote for Josephine Cochrane by tweeting #InnovationMadness8.

MATCHUP FIVE: Madam C.J. Walker vs. Marie Van Brittan Brown

#InnovationMadness9: Madam C.J. Walker, hair care entrepreneur
Chosen by Jean Case, CEO

Madam C. J. Walker was an American entrepreneur, philanthropist and a political and social activist. When she began suffering from a scalp ailment that caused her to lose her own hair, she invented a line of hair care products to improve her condition. She started traveling and selling her product line to help others. Before long, her savvy business skills lead her to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs of her time. Eulogized in 1919 as the first female self-made millionaire in America, she became one of the wealthiest African American women in the country and an influential philanthropist, leaving two-thirds of her estate to charity when she passed away.
Vote for Madam C.J. Walker by tweeting #InnovationMadness9.

Versus:

#InnovationMadness10: Marie Van Brittan Brown, creator of the home security system
Chosen by Jade Floyd, Senior Director of Communications

MATCHUP SIX: Rosalind Franklin vs. Marion Donovan

#InnovationMadness11: Rosalind Franklin, contributor to DNA structure discovery
Chosen by Molly Porter, Senior Project Manager

Versus:

#InnovationMadness12: Marion Donovan, creator of the disposable diaper
Chosen by Emily Yu, Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships

Frustrated by the thankless, repetitive task of changing her youngest child’s soiled cloth diapers, bed sheets and clothing, Marion Donovan decided to craft a waterproof diaper cover to keep her baby—and the surrounding area—dry. Unlike the rubber baby pants that were already on the market, Donovan’s design did not cause diaper rash and did not pinch the child’s skin. Her next project was a fully disposable diaper, for which she had to fashion a special type of paper that was not only strong and absorbent, but also conveyed water away from the baby’s skin. Donovan’s inventions have changed the lives of babies—and parents—ever since.
Vote for Marion Donovan by tweeting #InnovationMadness12.

MATCHUP SEVEN: Madeleine Vionnet vs. Grace Hopper

#InnovationMadness13: Madeleine Vionnet, creator of the bias cut
Chosen by Sean Tennerson, Social Innovation Program Assistant

Madeleine Vionnet may not be a name you hear much outside of the history of women’s fashion, but her innovative approach to women’s clothing will have shaped many of the pieces in your own closet. Vionnet was determined to break from tradition in fashion and liberate the female body from stays and corsets. She went on to invent the bias cut, and through the inspiration of Greek art, created garments that celebrated the shape and movement of a woman’s body—clinging to and fluidly following its natural movement. She was so committed to designing dresses that represent the personality of the wearer that she was known to say, “when a woman smiles, then her dress should smile too.”
Vote for Madeleine Vionnet by tweeting #InnovationMadness13.

Versus:

#InnovationMadness14: Dr. Grace Murray Hopper, inventor of the first computer compiler
Chosen by Brian Sasscer, Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations

MATCHUP EIGHT: Hedy Lamarr vs. Susan Kare

#InnovationMadness15: Hedy Lamarr, creator of spread spectrum technology
Chosen by Fatimah Shaikh, Social Innovation Intern

Versus:

#InnovationMadness16: Susan Kare, Apple designer
Chosen by Tess Diefendorf, Communications Intern

If you are a Mac computer owner then you have seen the designs created by Susan Kare. Kare is an artist and graphic designer who was part of the original Apple Macintosh design team. During her time at Apple in the 1980s, Kare designed many typefaces, icons and original marketing materials. She created the Chicago, Monaco and Geneva typeface, which are still widely used today. Her countless designs helped create the first taste of human-computer interaction.
Vote for Susan Kare by tweeting #InnovationMadness16.

20 Best Quotes From SXSW Interactive

Posted on March 17, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

The Case Foundation team is back from whirlwind week at SXSW Interactive where we hosted a series of events and panels. Our time there was filled with dynamic sessions, learning from people who are truly changing the world.

From the opening day fireside chat with our founders Jean and Steve Case, who shared their roadmap for innovators and entrepreneurs in the rapidly evolving, “internet of everything” economy, to President Barack Obama’s conversation with Texas Tribune’s Editor Evan Smith on civic engagement in the 21st century, there was no shortage of inspiring and moving words spoken on SXSW stages. We heard narratives on the future of entrepreneurship that explored how we can cultivate more inclusive ecosystems, how news platforms are coping and capitalizing in the advent of social media, why the intersection between policy and technology is important and so much more.

While it’s impossible to capture everything that we heard in one blog post, we have pulled together a collection of tweets chronicling the best quotes from some of our favorite sessions at the conference.

And so, here are our top 20 quotes from SXSW, in tweet form and in chronological order.

From Jean and Steve Case: A Roadmap for Innovators:

1. “Startups are the seed corn of the future.” – Steve Case, Chairman of the Case Foundation

“#Startups are the seed corn of the future.” @SteveCase, co founder of @aol and founder of @revolution #SXSW2016 #sxsw

— Jade Floyd (@JadeFloydDC) March 11, 2016

2. “Performance is higher when teams are diverse. Bring people into the mix who have been left out.” – Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation

Performance is higher when teams are diverse. Bring people into the mix who have been left out. @JeanCase at #sxsw pic.twitter.com/Nm25eNDdii

— CNBC Make It (@CNBCMakeIt) March 11, 2016

3. “The intersection between policy and technology are increasingly important.” – Steve Case, Chairman of the Case Foundation

“The intersection between policy and #technology are increasingly important.” @SteveCase #SXSW #sxsw2016

— Jade Floyd (@JadeFloydDC) March 11, 2016

4. “Transformational breakthrough requires confronting fear of failure.” – Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation

Transformational breakthrough requires confronting fear of failure. – @jeancase #SXSW #SXSWi

— Angie Andresen (@angieandresen) March 11, 2016

5. “If you never fail, you’re doing it wrong. Missteps help your progress, and those who come after.” – Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation

.@jeancase: if you never fail, you’re doing it wrong. Missteps help your progress, and those who come after. #casesxsw #sxswi #sxtxstate

— Rebecca Larson (@beckslarson) March 11, 2016

5. “Revolutions happen in evolutionary ways.” – Steve Case, Chairman of the Case Foundation

“Revolutions happen in evolutionary ways.” @SteveCase #sxsw #sxsw2016

— Jade Floyd (@JadeFloydDC) March 11, 2016

From President Barack Obama’s discussion with Evan Smith:

7. “We are at a moment in history where technology and globalization, our economy is changing so fast and this gathering brings together people at the cutting edge of these changes. These changes offer us a lot of opportunities, but are also very unsettling.” – President Barack Obama

“We are at a moment in history where technology and globalization is changing so fast.” –@potus @TWCNewsAustin #sxsw pic.twitter.com/O4Cbz3bgI4

— Mario Leal (@MLealTX) March 11, 2016

8. “It’s not enough to focus on what’s the cool new thing…we need to focus more on solving big challenges.” – President Barack Obama

“It’s not enough to focus on what’s the cool new thing…we need to focus more on solving big challenges” @BarackObama #SXSW #RiseOfRest

— Steve Case (@SteveCase) March 11, 2016

9. “Using big data, tech, analytics to find new ways to solve old problems and build stronger citizen participation.” – President Barack Obama

“Using big data, tech, analytics to find new ways to solve old problems and build stronger citizen participation.” @POTUS at #SXSW2016

— Jean Case (@jeancase) March 11, 2016

From Inclusive Entrepreneurship Panel at SoFin @ SXSW:

10. “Inclusive entrepreneurship is an imperative for our economy to work.” – Ross Baird, Executive Director of Village Capital

“Inclusive entrepreneurship is an imperative for our economy to work.” @rossbaird of @villagecapital #SXSW2016 #sxsw #ent4all

— Case Foundation (@CaseFoundation) March 11, 2016

11. “When diversity is baked in its easier to make a core part of your brand.” – Justin Davis, Program Manager at Kapor Center

“When diversity is baked in its easier to make a core part of your brand.” Justin Davis from @kaporcapital #sxsw #sxsw2016 #ent4all

— Jade Floyd (@JadeFloydDC) March 11, 2016

12. “We are putting our money where our mouth is investing in rise of the rest communities across the US.” – Allyson Burns, SVP of Communications and Marketing at the Case Foundation

“We are putting our money where our mouth is investing in #RiseOfRest communities across the US.” @AllieB of @revolution #sxsw #sxsw2016

— Jade Floyd (@JadeFloydDC) March 11, 2016

From #Movements: When a Hashtag Breaks the News:

13. “Breaking of news is now a commodity, contextualizing is the key for differentiation.” – Jean Ellen Cowgill, President of Atlantic Media Strategies

Jean Ellen Cowgill of @TheAtlantic: Breaking news is a commodity; contextualizing it brings the value. #sxsw

— Jill Reddish (@myJillieBean) March 12, 2016

14. “Skilled organizers on the ground just as much – or more – important than a hashtag in raising awareness in Ferguson.” – Shadi Rahimi, Acting Executive Producer of Al Jazeera’s AJ+

Skilled organizers on the ground just as much – or more – important than a hashtag in raising awareness in #Ferguson @shadirahimi #news4good

— Allie Burns (@AllieB) March 12, 2016

From the Case Foundation’s SXgood sessions, SXgood Stories: Myth of the Entrepreneur and SXgood Lab: The Future of Entrepreneurship presented by the Case Foundation:

15. “At their core, an entrepreneur is a problem solver, and we need people solving more diverse problems.” – Sheila Herrling, SVP of Social Innovation at the Case Foundation

At their core, an entrepreneur is a problem solver, and we need people solving more diverse problems. @sherrling #Ent4All #SXgood

— Case Foundation (@CaseFoundation) March 14, 2016

16. “I’m optimistic about the power of leaders making better choices and prioritizing diversity.” – Casey Gerald, Co-founder and CEO of MBA’s Across America

I’m optimistic about the power of leaders making better choices and prioritizing diversity, says @CaseyGerald #Ent4All #SXSW2016

— Case Foundation (@CaseFoundation) March 14, 2016

17. “Only 11 African American women have raised more than $1M in venture funding.” – Earl Robinson, President of PowerMoves sharing data from the Project Diane study

“Only 11 African American women have raised more than a million dollars [of VC money] …” – @pmnolaearl #SXgood #diversity #startup

— Annie Rose Favreau (@A_Favreau) March 14, 2016

18. “We believe in leveling the playing field for all entrepreneurs.” – Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation

We believe in leveling the playing field for all entrepreneurs. https://t.co/BSh18KbHzZ @JeanCase #CaseSXSW #Ent4All pic.twitter.com/SQs1u22lp9

— Case Foundation (@CaseFoundation) March 14, 2016

19. “Talent is evenly distributed opportunity is not.” – Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation

“Talent is evenly distributed opportunity is not” – @jeancase @CaseFoundation We are all here to change that! #WEDC pic.twitter.com/76k7YQyyCb

— VentureCo (@Venturedotco) March 13, 2016

From USAID’s Global Innovation Challenge: Lifting 1 billion people out of poverty:

20. “People with the best ideas come from unexpected places.” – Ann Mei Chang, Chief Innovation Officer and the Executive Director of the U.S. Global Development Lab at USAID

The best ideas come from unexpected places. #sxsw global innovation challenge with @USAID. pic.twitter.com/lsXpms0J4m

— Devon Malene (@DMMalene) March 14, 2016

Words Matter: How Should We Talk About Impact Investing?

Posted on March 16, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

For a number of years, the Case Foundation has been an active champion of the Impact Investing movement. In this work, which encourages institutions and individuals to align their capital more closely with their values, we have hosted more than 300 dialogues to better understand interests and concerns of audience segments as we seek to accelerate the movement. Yesterday, I had the privilege of joining more than 600 people on a webinar to discuss important new findings.

Thanks to a group of partners that included the Omidyar Network, Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation, together with the Global Impact Investing Network and the Global Social Impact Investing Steering Group, we unveiled important new research that tracked and analyzed coverage of the topic of impact investing in traditional and social media over a 12-month period. This report provides a clear picture of common messaging either being received or shared through the coverage that appeared in these months. This data, taken together, provides a unique roadmap to guide those of us championing the movement to key audiences and working hard to build out the impact investing ecosystem. As with any movement, words matter and can play a powerful role in informing, educating and activating those on the sidelines.

The good news is that impact investing has enjoyed mostly positive coverage and engagement in both traditional and social media. But equally good news is that it has been balanced by some skepticism or negative coverage that helps identify for us the work we have to do in the days ahead. An important insight provided by the research is that we must be careful to adapt our language and emphasis depending on who we are trying to reach. For instance, there was a clear difference in how impact investing is talked about in the U.K. as a “powerful government tool” versus in the U.S., where coverage and sharing is dominated by such phrases as “taking off,” “reaping returns” and “Millennials demand it.”

Another clear takeaway from the research is that we have work to do in the realm of measuring impact —reported to be the most common negatively associated narrative; on this point, I think there is broad agreement in the field. We must continue to commit ourselves to measuring the “impact” in impact investing. While this may take some time, there have been exciting developments to help close the gap in this area. For instance, the Case Foundation has partnered with B Lab to bring new tools to companies everywhere who want to measure their social impacts—”Measure What Matters” impact assessment tool has engaged more than 40,000 companies to date—an important step forward.

The research also shines a light on how different audiences, investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and high net worth individuals are engaging with each narrative, as it relates to a particular issue area. For example, two important audience segments— philanthropists and entrepreneurs—are more closely associated with the more negative “not a silver bullet” references. Indeed, within the field we recognize that it is decidedly unhelpful to paint impact investing as a silver bullet, but rather it becomes a new arrow in our quiver as we seek to champion all means in our efforts toward social impact. For those of us that speak about the movement routinely, we can use this research to remind us of the importance of making this point.

With all movements there are stages. While I believe that the impact investing movement is experiencing great traction and momentum, we are still in early days. This important research confirms we’re making strides in communicating effectively to broaden the tent and invite more participants from the private, public and nonprofit sectors to catalyze transformative social change. At the same time, it helps to guide us in our words and actions to fill gaps and address concerns.

If you didn’t have the chance to join us, the full webinar can be accessed, here. I’d like to extend my gratitude to the partners who invested in this important work and invite you to share your thoughts and insights on Twitter using hashtag #impinv.

30 SXSW Speakers to Follow on Twitter

Posted on March 11, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

As SXSW Interactive kicks off this morning, the excitement and energy is palpable. Even the President of the United States doesn’t want to miss SXSW this year, and with good reason: the innovators and visionaries here are some of the best in the world.

Earlier this month, we shared 12 sessions you can’t miss at SXSW Interactive 2016, and if you’re lucky enough to attend in person, we hope to see you there. But so much of what happens at the festival is shared and enriched by the conversations that happen online, namely via Twitter. Even if you can’t be at SXSW in person, you can still keep up with what is happening by following the related hashtags and Twitter handles. To make it easy for you, we’ve created this Twitter list of 30 SXSW speakers and panelists to keep an eye on, all of who will be participating in sessions with the Case Foundation staff.

Hashtags to follow: #CaseSXSW, #Ent4All, #News4Good, #WhatsGoodMixer, #SXSWeco, #SXSW, #SXgood

And of course, be sure to follow us @CaseFoundation for updates on what we are hearing and seeing, and @SXSW for official festival tweets.

**30 SXSW Speakers to Follow*:**

(In order of when they will be speaking at SXSW… And remember, you can access every Twitter handle on this list with one easy click through our Twitter list.)

Jean Case	@JeanCase	CEO, The Case Foundation; Chairman, National Geographic Society
Steve Case	@SteveCase	Co-founder of AOL; now Chairman of Case Foundation and Revolution (LivingSocial, Zipcar, Exclusive Resorts, Everyday Health, FedBid, Miraval, etc)
Benjamin Johnson	@TheBrockJohnson	Hosting @MarketplaceTech for @Marketplace. Droiding despite my Apple upbringing. Formerly and fondly rocked @YouTube, blogs for @Slate. Sick Jams.
Allie Burns	@AllieB	SVP Comms at @CaseFoundation & @Revolution, proud board member @sanergy, food, wine & travel lover, runner, sports fan and social citizen.
Jerry Nemorin	@JNemorin	Founder & CEO at LendStreet. Social Entrepreneur.
Maria Lajewski	@MariaLajewski	Fueling innovation and driving impact to improve your financial health @cfsinnovation
Village Capital	@villagecapital	We democratize entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs themselves build and invest in world-changing companies. A new type of VC.
Jade Floyd	@JadeFloydDC	Senior Director of Communications @CaseFoundation + @Revolution \| Food + Wine + Design Addict
Katerina Matsa	@katmatsa	Greek-Athenian. @Georgetown & LSE alumna. Tweets about media & data. Research Associate @pewresearch & PhD candidate @AU_SOC.
Shadi Rahimi	@shadirahimi	Senior Producer @AJPlus \| Building mobile journalism army #mojo
Jean Ellen Cowgill	@JECowgill	Supporter of middle names and other surprising life choices. President of @amstrategy, the digital consultancy of @atlanticmedia.
Tony Aguilar	@TonyAguilar	Co-founder/CEO @MySLGenius \| Ex-poker pro \| Runner \| Sports nut
Cedric Brown	@cedbrownsaid	People & Possibilities \| Old skool & newfangled. Author of Tar Heel Born
Matchfire Co.	@matchfireco	Enabling brands, agencies, and publishers to create omni-channel experiences that deliver more meaningful and personalized moments to consumers.
Chris Noble	@cfnoble	Piratical Nerve, Vaudevillian style. Working with startups to help brands do good in the world. CEO Cause Media/Matchfire
Shira Lazar	@shiralazar	Media Empress, Co-Founder/CEO/Host @whatstrending
What’s Trending	@WhatsTrending	Your source for all that’s trending.
Cause Media	@CauseMedia	At causemedia group we create media interruptions that raise money for charitable causes, engage millions of consumers, and drive interaction with brands
Laura Weidman Powers	@laurawp	Co-Founder, CEO of @CODE2040. I like food, startups, yoga, and doing good. I have been to 39 countries. New Yorker in California.
Kesha Cash	@KeshaCashIAFund	Partner & Director of Investments @ Impact America Fund
Ben Jealous	@BenJealous	Civil Rights Leader. Author. Social Impact Investor.
Earl Robinson	@pmnolaearl	CEO, New Orleans Startup Fund & PowerMoves.NOLA: Providing underrepresented, early-stage treps with access to capital, guidance and a national ecosystem.
Casey Gerald	@CaseyGerald	Dreamer. Doer. Texan. Co-founder and CEO of MBAs Across America.
Erica Berger	@GoodBerger	Adventures in conscious media. Founder @Catchpool, @mileagetribe, Writer. Forbes 30U30. Cheers @NPRGenListen @thousandnetwork. B4 @theeconomist @storyful @USC.
NPR GenerationListen	@NPRGenListen	Where curious minds connect.
Sheila Herrling	@Sherrling	SVP Social Innovation @CaseFoundation; ex @MCCgov @CGDev @USTreasury Passionate about family, friends, fun, well articulated views, bourbon.
The Case Foundation	@CaseFoundation	We invest in people and ideas that change the world. Founded by Steve and Jean Case in 1997. Take risks. Be Bold. Fail forward. Be Fearless.
Rajesh Anandan	@UltraRajesh	Entrepreneur, Intrapreneur, Growth Architect
Ann Mei Chang	@annmei	Chief Innovation Officer @USAID & Executive Director @GlobalDevLab – science, tech, innovation, and partnerships to #endpoverty
USAID’s Global Development Lab	@GlobalDevLab	The official Twitter for @USAID’s Global Development Lab; using science, tech, innov. & partnership to #endpoverty

*This list is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Inclusion on this list does not include endorsement by the Foundation.

One Fearless Question That Paved the Way for Women in Government

Posted on March 8, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

Today is International Women’s Day, and as part of the celebration of Women’s History Month, I know today will be filled with blogs, tweets and stories here in the U.S. and around the world, recounting great moments in women’s history and great leaders who helped advance the rights and opportunities for women. I will have the honor of leading a discussion later today with a remarkable woman, Barbara Hackman Franklin, who was in the Class of 1964 at Harvard Business School—the first graduating class that included women. In researching Barbara’s own history of contributions to our nation, I came across a story I had never heard, despite my lifelong passion for history, and I thought it was one that needed to be shared, especially in midst of this election year. In many ways this story reminds us not just of the important role our nation’s leaders play, but also the role and the power of a single, unexpected voice.

When we think of great champions for women throughout history, chances are most people would not even think to include Richard Nixon in the list. And so it may be surprising to some to learn that in August of 1972, Newsweek heralded that “the person in Washington who has done the most for the women’s movement may be Richard Nixon.” I was quite surprised to come across this statement, and my guess is, you may be, too. Unfortunately, the Watergate scandal and resulting resignation means that President Nixon is rarely given credit for the important role he played in advancing the role of women in government. Nor is appropriate credit given to two women who had a crucial part in his efforts—Vera Glaser and Barbara Hackman Franklin.

But before I get to their stories, it is important to note the rich history of efforts in the 20th Century to empower women in America—particularly within and through government—that helped pave the path for Nixon’s actions.

It was thirteen years after the passage of the 19^th Amendment when President Franklin Roosevelt named the first female cabinet member, Frances Perkins, as Secretary of Labor. In 1961, President Kennedy established the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt. Incremental and steady progress for women’s rights continued, with the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 further advancing women’s rights in the workforce.

But when President Richard Nixon was sworn into office in January 1969, an important step forward for women was set into motion. He had only been in office for a month when, at a press conference, a hand shot up from the third row by a female reporter, Vera Glaser. Her question would reverberate far beyond the room: “Mr. President, you have so far made about 200 high-level Cabinet and other policy position appointments, and of these, only three have gone to women. Can you tell us, sir, whether we can expect a more equitable recognition of women’s ability or are we going to remain a lost sex?” At first there was some laughter but the President, composing himself, grew serious and stated, “I had not known that only three had gone to women, and I shall see that we correct that imbalance very promptly.”

Thus began an effort by President Nixon that changed women’s access to high-level appointments in the federal government in a significant way. A White House Task Force on Women’s Rights and Responsibilities was formed the following year and Vera Glaser was among its members. In June 1970, the task force released their report appropriately titled “A Matter of Simple Justice,” which advocated for an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Constitution, the promotion of civil rights and equal opportunity for women, and as an example for society, the advancement of more women to executive positions in the federal government.

A key player in this effort? Barbara Hackman Franklin, who at the time was on the corporate planning staff of the First National City Bank (later Citibank) when she was tapped to come to the White House to lead the ambitious, behind-the-scenes task of implementing Nixon’s directive to the heads of all executive departments and agencies: to develop and implement plans to attract more qualified women to top and mid-level appointments.

Thanks in no small part to Franklin’s tireless efforts, representation of women in federal government was quickly transformed—the number of women in top-level positions tripled after just one year of the White House Women Recruiting Program, which she oversaw. In all, more than 1,000 women were hired or promoted at a time when budget and personnel cuts shrank the federal government by five percent. Many of these women went on to hold additional significant positions in public service—women like Elizabeth Hanford Dole, who served a seven year term to the Federal Trade Commission and was later elected U.S. Senator from North Carolina in 2003, or Carla Hills, Assistant Attorney General, who later became Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to President Ford and U.S. Trade Representative to President George H.W. Bush.

As we look at the world in 2016, we can acknowledge that while there has been much progress related to women and access to high level jobs in the government, we still have a lot of work to do to achieve the aspirations that President Nixon pushed for nearly 50 years ago, when he recognized that “The Nation’s many highly qualified women represent an important reservoir of ability and talent that we must draw on to a greater degree.”

Of course, there have been many significant efforts by our nation’s leaders that followed President Nixon—both Democrats and Republicans. While these combined efforts have brought more opportunity for women across sectors, in the public sector—at all levels of government—we continue to strive for more representation.

There are only six current U.S. Governors that are women, and while the number of women serving in state legislatures has more than quintupled since 1975, the total number is still less than 25 percent of all of those holding office. For every five members of the House of Representatives, there is one woman. Similar stats hold in the Senate. And while only 48 women have ever held Cabinet-level positions, there is a silver lining: seven women currently serve in President Obama’s Cabinet. If Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic nominee, we will have the first female nominee for President by a major political party—that’s progress!

The story of Vera Glaser’s honest question before a sitting President, combined with the tireless work that Barbara Franklin led in the Nixon Administration, reminds us that progress often comes when diverse voices are heard. In this case, it was one fearless question and a President’s willingness to entertain it that led to dramatic changes. Imagine if the press conference itself hadn’t allowed women, or if the President had simply chosen to overlook them when he called for questions from the journalists who were assembled. How might history have been rewritten?

On this International Women’s Day, in a Presidential election year, we celebrate the often unsung role of President Nixon, Vera Glaser, Barbara Franklin and so many others in advancing the significant role of women in government, and as a result, advancing the representation of women’s voices everywhere.

Photo courtesy of https://bhfranklin.com/.

5 Tips for Attracting (and Keeping) Millennial Employees

Posted on March 3, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

Millennials (those born between 1980-2000) are now the largest generation in the U.S. workforce and represent more than one in three workers according to Pew Research Center. And while this generation is growing in size, influence and power within the workplace, many employers, managers and HR departments still find it difficult to recruit and retain next gen talent.

For many leaders at organizations around the country, the challenge is in more effectively engaging Millennial employees and in understanding that their passions, interests and ideas are part of their identity—not just at home or with friends, but also at the office. Through the Millennial Impact Project, we have learned that one key way employers can tap into those interests is by integrating them into the organization’s cause- and service-related issues and projects, which resonate well with this generation. The 2014 Millennial Impact Report, which focused primarily on Millennials’ preferences in the workplace, identified the linkage between a company’s cause-related efforts and the interest of and desire by their Millennial employees to engage in those efforts as part of their employment.

In the newly released report by Achieve titled, “Cause, Influence & the Next Generation Workforce – Six-Month Research Update,” researchers built upon their 2014 and 2015 surveys of Millennials and engagement in the workplace and looked specifically at data on company size and cause work programs as a means to foster workplace engagement. Researchers wanted to know in this six-month update: how participation in company cause work programs are influenced by the existing and structuring of such programs; why companies should consider incorporating cause work initiatives earlier in an employee’s tenure; and the importance of companies preventing participation fatigue. (Note: Reports referenced above are sponsored by the Case Foundation.)

My big takeaway for organizations interested in deeper engagement is that offering service opportunities alone is not enough. Organizations that take their engagement a step further and tailor those opportunities with and for next gen employees are more successful at engaging Millennial employees over the long term.

Based on the findings of this research, here are five practical tips that any team manager or leader who wants to better engage their next gen employees can put into practice—today:

Tip #1: Companies should look to establish service initiatives and volunteer opportunities for Millennial employees—not only to be a socially responsible company, but also to foster a service oriented culture that can align with the employees’ passions and will ultimately help to retain Millennial employees and managers.

Tip #2: Executives and managers should make sure to promote the service-related opportunities and foster awareness about those programs available. This will help to ensure that Millennial employees have the opportunity to be fully engaged.

Tip #3: Consider offering incentives to those who participate in the service-related programs. Make sure that they are incentives that would be appreciated by the employees and managers alike, and are aligned with the service opportunity (e.g., time allowances for staff to volunteer with an organization of their choice).

Tip #4: Consult team members at all professional levels to ensure that the organization’s engagement strategies and offerings resonate with the next gen employees. Suggesting employees donate to an organization selected by the company—without input from the staff—could likely result in disinterested participation and lackluster support from next gen team members.

Tip #5: Engage with employees and involve them early on during their careers with your organization (e.g., orientation or within the first few months). When leaders did not engage employees early on, it often took one to two years for employees to become involved with cause related activities led by the employer.

And finally, as noted in the report: “To truly engage—and retain—their Millennial employees and managers in cause work initiatives for years to come, employers must take the time to learn about what causes employees value, how they want to make an impact, what influences them and what challenges them to continue participating.”

Do you have a tip for how to attract and retain Millennial talent through service related activities? Share it with us on Twitter using @CaseFoundation and #Millennials.

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MATCHUP ONE: Mary Anderson VS. Ada Lovelace

MATCHUP TWO: Stephanie Kwolek VS. Lizzie J. Magie

MATCHUP THREE: Marie Van Brittan Brown VS. Grace Hopper

MATCHUP FOUR: Rosalind Franklin VS. Hedy Lamarr

MATCHUP ONE: Melitta Bentz vs. Mary Anderson

MATCHUP TWO: Stephanie Kwolek vs. Amelia Earhart

MATCHUP THREE: Ada Lovelace vs. Dr. Virginia Apgar

MATCHUP FOUR: Lizzie J. Magie vs. Josephine Cochrane

MATCHUP FIVE: Madam C.J. Walker vs. Marie Van Brittan Brown

MATCHUP SIX: Rosalind Franklin vs. Marion Donovan

MATCHUP SEVEN: Madeleine Vionnet vs. Grace Hopper

MATCHUP EIGHT: Hedy Lamarr vs. Susan Kare

30 SXSW Speakers to Follow*:

Jean Case

CEO, The Case Foundation; Chairman, National Geographic Society

Steve Case

Co-founder of AOL; now Chairman of Case Foundation and Revolution (LivingSocial, Zipcar, Exclusive Resorts, Everyday Health, FedBid, Miraval, etc)

Benjamin Johnson

Hosting @MarketplaceTech for @Marketplace. Droiding despite my Apple upbringing. Formerly and fondly rocked @YouTube, blogs for @Slate. Sick Jams.

Allie Burns

SVP Comms at @CaseFoundation & @Revolution, proud board member @sanergy, food, wine & travel lover, runner, sports fan and social citizen.

Jerry Nemorin

Founder & CEO at LendStreet. Social Entrepreneur.

Maria Lajewski

Fueling innovation and driving impact to improve your financial health @cfsinnovation

Village Capital

We democratize entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs themselves build and invest in world-changing companies. A new type of VC.

Jade Floyd

Senior Director of Communications @CaseFoundation + @Revolution | Food + Wine + Design Addict

Katerina Matsa

Greek-Athenian. @Georgetown & LSE alumna. Tweets about media & data. Research Associate @pewresearch & PhD candidate @AU_SOC.

Shadi Rahimi

Senior Producer @AJPlus | Building mobile journalism army #mojo

Jean Ellen Cowgill

Supporter of middle names and other surprising life choices. President of @amstrategy, the digital consultancy of @atlanticmedia.

Tony Aguilar

Co-founder/CEO @MySLGenius | Ex-poker pro | Runner | Sports nut

Cedric Brown

People & Possibilities | Old skool & newfangled. Author of Tar Heel Born

Matchfire Co.

Enabling brands, agencies, and publishers to create omni-channel experiences that deliver more meaningful and personalized moments to consumers.

Chris Noble

Piratical Nerve, Vaudevillian style. Working with startups to help brands do good in the world. CEO Cause Media/Matchfire

Shira Lazar

Media Empress, Co-Founder/CEO/Host @whatstrending

What’s Trending

Your source for all that’s trending.

Cause Media

At causemedia group we create media interruptions that raise money for charitable causes, engage millions of consumers, and drive interaction with brands

Laura Weidman Powers

Co-Founder, CEO of @CODE2040. I like food, startups, yoga, and doing good. I have been to 39 countries. New Yorker in California.

Kesha Cash

Partner & Director of Investments @ Impact America Fund

Ben Jealous

Civil Rights Leader. Author. Social Impact Investor.

Earl Robinson

CEO, New Orleans Startup Fund & PowerMoves.NOLA: Providing underrepresented, early-stage treps with access to capital, guidance and a national ecosystem.

Casey Gerald

Dreamer. Doer. Texan. Co-founder and CEO of MBAs Across America.

Erica Berger

Adventures in conscious media. Founder @Catchpool, @mileagetribe, Writer. Forbes 30U30. Cheers @NPRGenListen @thousandnetwork. B4 @theeconomist @storyful @USC.

NPR GenerationListen

Where curious minds connect.

Sheila Herrling

SVP Social Innovation @CaseFoundation; ex @MCCgov @CGDev @USTreasury Passionate about family, friends, fun, well articulated views, bourbon.

The Case Foundation

We invest in people and ideas that change the world. Founded by Steve and Jean Case in 1997. Take risks. Be Bold. Fail forward. Be Fearless.

Rajesh Anandan

Entrepreneur, Intrapreneur, Growth Architect

Ann Mei Chang

Chief Innovation Officer @USAID & Executive Director @GlobalDevLab – science, tech, innovation, and partnerships to #endpoverty

USAID’s Global Development Lab

The official Twitter for @USAID’s Global Development Lab; using science, tech, innov. & partnership to #endpoverty

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