2022 Forum Agenda
June 9, 2022 | 10am – 4pm PT
How can we as leaders in tech align our values in every sphere of our lives, so we can effectively deploy all of our resources — money, time, skills, influence — for impact?
PROGRAM
| 9am | Breakfast & Meet and Greet Rooftop Join us early for breakfast and coffee to get a head start on meeting your peers in the First Principles community. |
| 10:00am | Roy Bahat, Bloomberg Beta and First Principles co-chair Sawako Sonoyama Clarin, Stanford PACS and First Principles curator State of Giving in 20221 Priya Shanker, Stanford PACS Provocation: Why Philanthropy Is Failing Democracy Rob Reich, Faculty Co-director of Stanford PACS and Professor of Political Science Debate: What Philosophy Should Guide Your Giving? Zachary Robinson, Open Philanthropy Roxana Shirkhoda, Zoom and ex-Stanford PACS Moderated by Rob Reich First Principles Member Share: Our Principles Erika Reinhardt, Primordium Foundation, Spark Climate Solutions, ex-Stripe, First Principles Host Committee member |
| 11:15am | Break |
| 11:30am | Small Group Conversations |
| 12:30pm | Lunch |
| 1:30pm | Mainstage – First Principles Member Shares: Our Principles Kathleen Hegyesi, Flexport.org Chad Dyer, ex-Sequoia Capital and First Principles Host Committee member, featuring Nwamaka Agbo, Kataly Foundation and Restorative Economies Fund |
| 2:00pm | Break |
| 2:35pm | Small Group Conversations |
| 3:15pm | Break |
| 3:30pm | Mainstage – Closing Conversations Reflections by First Principles members Closing Roy Bahat + Sawako Sonoyama Clarin |
| 4:00pm | Happy Hour |
Small Group Conversations
Session Types
- Roundtables — Led by peers to facilitate sharing, brainstorming, and open discussion among members about topics selected by the community.
- Seminars — Led by experts in the field to teach about a timely issue or approach, with abundant time for Q&A.
- Workshops — Led by facilitators to teach a certain skill or framework through hands-on exercises and personalized guidance.
ROUND 1
[Seminar] Economic Justice: Building a New Economy that Works for All
Brian Kettenring, Hewlett Foundation
Rachel Korberg, The Families and Workers Fund (launched by Ford Foundation)
Hosted by Priya Shanker, Stanford PACS
The current economy has been built on historic and systemic inequality, but the pandemic, economic crisis, and racial reckoning have presented an opportunity for change. Learn how initiatives from two of the largest foundations in the U.S. are striving to re-imagine the economy so it is centered around equity and justice, and provides opportunities for all – and consider giving alongside them.
[Seminar] Gun Safety: Where We Are and Where We Need to Be
John Feinblatt, Everytown for Gun Safety
Hosted by Malia Simonds, Bloomberg Philanthropies
Every day more than 110 Americans are killed with guns, and recent mass shootings painfully emphasize the need for urgent action and change. What steps can we take to actually make our country and our kids safe from guns?
[Seminar] Transgender Movement Building: Resourcing for the Long Haul
Aldita Gallardo, Fund For Trans Generations at Borealis Philanthropy
Hosted by Veronica Juarez, Arturo Advisory, ex-Lyft, First Principles Host Committee member
While we are witnessing an unprecedented increase in anti-trans legislation, the fight for transgender rights has been going on for decades, and it is intersectional. Learn about the movement’s history and current context, examples of the work happening on the ground in rural states in peril, and how we can build joy and power for the trans community in the long haul.
[Roundtable] Climate Giving: What’s New, Missing, and Impactful?
Erika Reinhardt, Primordium Foundation, Spark Climate Solutions, ex-Stripe, First Principles Host Committee member
Despite some narratives to the contrary, we don’t yet have all of the solutions we need to fully mitigate the climate crisis, and important components of our evolving climate response remain critically neglected. Learn about emerging climate areas that need more support, and share areas you’ve discovered to be high-impact but underinvested.
[Roundtable] Let’s Get Uncomfortable: Spicy Questions about Anti-Racism
Chad Dyer, ex-Sequoia Capital, First Principles Host Committee member
Informed by Yang Hong, Shoshin Insights, First Principles Host Committee member
How do race and racism shape the ways power and privilege are distributed in society, and in our own lives? How do you experience and examine your privilege based on your race and intersectional identities like gender, orientation, and others? How does this affect the way you want to give your money away, or contribute to positive social change? There are no easy answers. We want to provide a welcoming space to discuss.
[Roundtable] Career Pivots to Align Your Values and Skills
Rick Klau, left Google Ventures to work in California state government, First Principles Host Committee member
Have you ever thought about shifting from tech to the public sector? Hear from Rick Klau about how he pivoted after two decades in tech to serve as California’s Chief Technology Innovation Officer. You’ll learn what skills are transferable, what aspects are completely different or surprising, and how a tech perspective can uniquely contribute to public service.
[Seminar] Crypto Donations: Risks, Rewards and More
Rafael Cosman, ex-StreetCode Academy and TrustToken
Hosted by Carrie Baptist, Founders Pledge and First Principles Host Committee member
Giving in cryptocurrency is a growing trend among funders. What are the benefits and risks—both for the donors and nonprofits? Learn and discuss the ins and outs of crypto donations and the most important factors for donors to consider when giving in crypto.
[Workshop] Exploring Your Personal Values and Principles
Micah McElroy and Heather Lord, Stanford PACS
Join us for this workshop to identify and share your core values, and explore how you might turn them into action in multiple dimensions of your life. You’ll leave the session with a practical framework that connects your values to your social impact goals, ideas for next steps with the First Principles and Stanford PACS community, and a DIY values “self-portrait” to inform your giving journey.
ROUND 2
[Seminar] Think Tanks: Investing in Ideas and Research
Reihan Salam, Manhattan Institute
Hosted by Anh Le, Stanford PACS
Ideas originating from think tanks have shaped U.S. intellectual life in profound ways, influencing policy agendas of the left and right and enriching the broader cultural conversation. Yet intellectual philanthropy can be challenging. Measuring outcomes in this domain is notoriously difficult and there are longstanding concerns about donors possibly setting—and potentially distorting—institutional priorities. Learn about the important role tech leaders can play, both as financial supporters and as active partners, in building effective organizations. Organizations like the Manhattan Institute and Stanford PACS illustrate approaches to research and advocacy.
[Seminar] Public Interest Technology
Katy Knight, Siegel Family Endowment
Hosted by Priya Shanker, Stanford PACS
Creating responsible tech means engineers, data scientists, founders and investors need to work with community organizers and activists to explicitly center the experiences of historically marginalized groups who have been both targeted and neglected by technology. Let’s discuss how technology can be designed, deployed, and regulated in a responsible and equitable way.
[Seminar] Roe v. Wade: Protecting and Fighting for Abortion Rights
Gretchen Sisson, PhD, Donor, Advocate, Sociologist and Researcher
Hosted by Kim Meredith, San Francisco General Hospital Foundation and Stanford PACS Advisory Board member
Women’s health and right to choose are under attack. Donors have an important role to play in responding to this crisis and advocating in both vulnerable states and at the federal level. Learn about how you can protect and support abortion rights through your dollars, time, and influence.
[Seminar] Community Wealth Building: Transferring Assets to Create Shared Prosperity
Nwamaka Agbo, Kataly Foundation and Restorative Economies Fund
Hosted by Chad Dyer, ex-Sequoia Capital, First Principles Host Committee member
While traditional grants are crucial to solving immediate problems, “asset transfer” is the gift that keeps giving, multiplying, and circulating in service of a community’s creativity, wellness, and well-being. The more shared assets a community has, the more capital they can access at the lowest cost to scale community-led solutions. Learn strategies on community wealth building and how transferring assets can be a powerful form of philanthropic giving.
[Seminar] Local Giving: New Approaches in the Bay Area
Lindsay Beck, NPX Advisors
Misha Chellam, Effective Government California, Council on Technology & Society
Hosted by Roy Bahat, Bloomberg Beta and First Principles co-chair
How can we give where we live? While the tech sector has driven massive wealth creation in the Bay Area, local communities have struggled with persistent challenges around housing, homelessness, education, environment, safety, criminal justice, and government capacity. Learn about exciting new initiatives in policy advocacy and results-based financing that hold promise for breaking through barriers to create real and lasting change.
[Roundtable] Donor Advised Funds: Are They for Me?
Stonly Baptiste Blue, Third Sphere
Adam Nash, Daffy, ex-LinkedIn, ex-Wealthfront
Hosted by Rob Reich
DAFs (donor-advised funds) are one of the most popular vehicles for charitable giving, yet they come with controversy. Beyond giving to traditional nonprofits, DAFs are adding new and creative ways to invest and pay out. From lowering costs and minimums, to automating your giving, to giving in new ways like crypto, and even investing in climate funds, DAFs are evolving to be more accessible—and potentially more impactful. Learn about the best (and worst) practices involved in giving through DAFs.
[Roundtable] Money and Kids: Talking about Personal Giving
Rachel Sheinbein, Angel Investor and First Principles Host Committee member
Talking about wealth can be uncomfortable and tricky, especially with our children. How can we balance our protective instincts for our children and our desire to contribute to the greater good? Join this conversation to share ideas and approaches for talking to your kids about wealth while aligning your values with what to leave to them.