Van Jones
Keynote Speaker Day 1
Van Jones is the Founder of Dream Corps, a social entrepreneur, CNN political commentator, and host of Redemption Project and The Van Jones Show on CNN. Famous for his heart-felt election night coverage, Jones showed up as “the voice of reason” for people in red states and blue throughout the volatile 2016 political season. In 2019, Van and his team at #cut50 succeeded in passing the FIRST STEP Act (a bipartisan Federal bill that the New Your Times calls the most substantial breakthrough in criminal justice in a generation).
Jones has founded and led numerous social enterprises engaged in social and environmental justice. One of them being The Dream Corps, an organization that brings people together to solve America’s toughest problems. The Dream Corps’ major initiatives are: #YesWeCode, aimed to help 100,000 young women and men from underrepresented backgrounds find success in the tech sector; #cut50, an initiative focused on making communities safer while reducing the number of people in our prison and jails. And Green For All, which advances environmental solutions that prioritize families and workers living on the frontlines of some of the worst pollution in America. In response to much civil unrest and energy post-election, Jones launched the #LoveArmy — a values-based movement that is working for an America where everyone counts.
Dr. Robert Ross
Keynote Speaker Day 2
Robert K. Ross, M.D., is president and chief executive officer for The California Endowment (TCE). Dr. Ross has an extensive background in health philanthropy, as a public health administrator, and as a clinician.
During his tenure at TCE, the foundation has focused on the health needs of underserved Californians by championing the cause of health coverage for all children, reducing childhood obesity, strengthening the capacity of community health centers, improving health services for farm workers and ex-offender populations, and strengthening the pipeline for bringing racial and ethnic diversity to the health professions.
Recently, he has helped bring greater philanthropic attention to the health and well-being of young men of color across California and the nation. TCE believes in healthy communities where youth and adults thrive and all community members develop their full potential, thus achieving greater health equity for all Californians.
