International Day of Hope

Why a Sunflower?

Speakers

In 2023, leaders, activists, influencers, scientists got together to showcase ‘why’ we need an International Day of Hope. Check out what they had to say in the recap and visit their individual talks below.

Kathryn Goetzke, MBA

Founder, iFred
Chief Hope Officer, The Shine Hope Company

Zoya Awan

Director, Public Affairs at Walmart

Dr. Myron Belfer, MD, MPA

Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Senior Associate in Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital

Dr. Crystal I. Bryce, PhD

Associate Dean of Student Affairs, University of Texas at Tyler - School of Medicine

Kristy L. Stark, M.A., Ed.M., BCBA

Behavioral Scientist + Social Entrepreneur

Marisa Hamamoto

Founder, CEO, Artistic Director Infinite Flow Dance

Chef Grace Ramirez

Chef partner at the UN, Cookbook Author, La Latina, the cookbook

Steve Shell, MBA

Vice President of Behavioral Health, Renown Health

Emily Ladau

Disability Rights Activist and Author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally

Alex Garfin

Actor, Warner Bros. Entertainment

Zanade Mann

Founder, Black Women’s Business Collective, Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Women of Impact

MaCherie Dunbar

Air Force Veteran, Advocate and Entrepreneur

Dr. Edward Barksdale, MD

Division Chief, Pediatric Surgery, UH Cleveland Medical Center Vice Chairman, Department of Pediatric Surgery, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital Division Chief, Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital Surgeon-in-Chief, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital

Maryn Ryan Soref

Founder & Envisioneer, L I G H T S P A C E and Caravana.Earth (ie The Peace Train)

Tom Dean

Co-Founder and President of Murdock Capital Partners, President of the Board for iFred

Kelly Dennis, Esq

Partnership Strategist with Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP)