Guest Contributors

As Chief Executive Officer of Service Year Alliance, Kristen Bennett is responsible for formulating and ensuring the execution of Service Year Alliance’s strategy to make a service year a common expectation and opportunity. A leader at Service Year Alliance since its founding — most recently as Chief Strategy Officer and interim co-CEO — Kristen brings nearly 15 years of national service experience and an in-depth understanding of the sector to the role as national service launches into a new era.

Eunice Lin Nichols and Marc Freedman are the Co-CEOs of CoGenerate.

Marc Freedman and Eunice Lin Nichols are the Co-CEOs of CoGenerate.

Melanie Kahl is a transdisciplinary design leader who uses community-driven design to shape services, places, and organizations where people thrive.

Jillian Racoosin Kornmeier, MPH is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Social Connection. In her role, Jillian is responsible for leading the direction of the Foundation’s operations and programs, including advancing social connection research and innovation.

Mohan Sivaloganathan is the CEO of Our Turn, a coalition of students and activists. We are not raising our hands for permission, we’re raising our hands to demand change.

India Alarcon is an independent consultant who serves as the Project Manager of the Pediatrics Supporting Parents initiative. In this role she supports the strategic direction and implementation of the initiative’s multi-pronged approach, as well as funder engagement, partner collaboration, and initiative grantmaking.

Uma Viswanathan is the Executive Director of the New Pluralists Collaborative, where she works with funders and field leaders to foster a culture of pluralism in America.

Meera Mani is director of the Children, Families, and Communities (CFC) Program at The David and Lucile Packard Foundation where she provides strategic direction to the Foundation’s work in children’s health insurance, early learning, and summer enrichment.

Casper ter Kuile is the co-founder of Sacred Design Lab, the author of The Power of Ritual, and the lead author of A Call to Connection.

As the leader of public policy and social impact at Eventbrite, and a mom of three children, Linsey Morrison is professionally and personally passionate about the power of connection to relieve mental health ailments, address systemic social isolation, and bridge societal divides.

Karen Murphy, PhD, is the CEO of the Human Responsibility Accelerator, a new organization that is being launched by the High Resolves Group. She is also High Resolves’ Chief Learning Officer. Karen wrote this post as she was leaving Facing History and Ourselves after leading the organization’s global work for more than 20 years.

Mary Ellen Giess is Vice President of strategic initiatives at IFYC, where she oversees emerging and innovative program strategies.

Lucie is an organizational learning and improvement strategist, a trusted peer in the human connection space, and previously served as Einhorn Collaborative’s Learning Lead.