FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Catherine Lane
Deutser
713-443-6854 (cell)
clane@deutser.com
Powerful Voices Around the World Unite for
Points of Light Conference
Houston, TX (October 13, 2015) – The Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and
Service, providing the singular opportunity for thousands to come together to shape the
future of volunteerism, will be held in Houston, Texas at the George R. Brown
Convention Center October 19-21. Throughout the week, the Conference will offer
sessions featuring the most recognized names in leadership, entertainment and
philanthropy leadership, all joining attendees to celebrate volunteering and service.
Celebrate Service: Opening Plenary
Monday, Oct. 19 Over the past 25 years, countless individuals, organizations, government and corporate
partners have united to build a community-based movement. During this plenary we’ll
celebrate and reflect on the unique role leadership plays in citizen-led action.
Featured Speakers: Neil Bush, Chairman of Points of Light; Andrew H. Card, former
Chief of Staff for President George W. Bush and President, Franklin Pierce University;
Congressman Joaquin Castro; Judge Ed Emmett, Tracy Hoover, CEO, Points of Light; J.
Ivy, Grammy Award Winning Poet/Author/Actor; Mack McLarty, former Chief of Staff
for President Bill Clinton and Chairman, McLarty Associates; Jon Meacham, Pulitzer
Prize-winning historian; Mayor Annise Parker; and John H. Sununu, former Chief of
Staff for President George H. W. Bush and former Governor of New Hampshire.
Sparking a Global Service Movement Plenary
Tuesday, Oct. 20
This session looks at the disruptive spark of service worldwide. We will explore
how the role of the volunteer is evolving globally to drive a more connected and
powerful movement. Sponsored by UPS.
Featured Speakers: David Abney, CEO, UPS; Ray Chambers, United Nations
Special Envoy for Financing the Health Millennium Development Goals and For
Malaria; Tracy Hoover, CEO, Points of Light; Michelle Nunn, President and
CEO, CARE USA; Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House of Representatives Democratic
Leader; and Atuki Turner, Executive Director, MIFUMI.
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Future Forward Closing Plenary
Wednesday, Oct. 21
Our closing session challenges the audience to think about their future in service and
imagine what the next 25 years will bring in terms of innovation and citizen-led change.
Featured Speakers: José Andrés, Chef/Owner ThinkFoodGroup, founder of
WorldCentralKitchen; Neil Bush, Chairman, Points of Light; Musician and Activist
Kenna; Bill Basl, Director of AmeriCorps, Corporation for National and Community
Service; Gabe Eggerling, generationOn Ambassador; Majora Carter, Urban
Revitalization Strategist and Peabody Award-winning Broadcaster; and De Andrea
Nichols, Founder and Creative Director, Civic Creatives.
The Conference
The Conference includes more than 80 workshops with nonprofit, corporate and civic
leaders; the opportunity to participate in “Read Across the Globe,” a reading event that
aims to break a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title; luncheons on corporate and
employee volunteerism; four issue-focused forums on the topics of education, military,
faith and national service; and special events such as a Welcome to Texas Celebration
that will include performances by Grammy Award-winning founder of Sugarland
Kristian Bush and Pete Scobell, Sunday Supper, and the “Prayer for Peace” service on
Sunday, Oct. 18.
For more on the 2015 Conference on Volunteering and Service, visit
www.pointsoflight.org or www.volunteeringandservice.org and follow us #serviceunites
or on Facebook.
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About Points of Light
Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service –
mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Affiliated with 250
cities and partnered with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, we are so grateful for
our top sponsors of this year’s Conference: The UPS Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Citi
Foundation, Deloitte, Target, Disney and United Airlines. Points of Light engages more
than 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year – we put people at the
center of change. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.