Social Impact Week: Earning Your Power

Join us for an insightful discussion on developing a personal and family philanthropic strategy. Delve into the effectiveness, ethical frameworks, and the delicate balance between personal interests and societal impact with Paige MacLean '98.

Paige is a strategic and philanthropic advisor with a passion for creating connections between high net-worth individuals and families and powerful, impact-driven initiatives and leaders. Paige has deep expertise in the social sector, with over 25 years as a non-profit founder, leader and management consultant (first at BCG and then with a group of BCG partners who formed Wellspring Consulting to focus exclusively on non-profit strategy). She also serves as a fellow at the Program on Social Enterprise at the Yale School of Management, from which she received her MBA, and offers a course that examines high-impact approaches to philanthropy and systems change.
Paige thrives on addressing diverse challenges and welcomes clients with a wide variety of interests as well as those who do not yet have an area of focus. She collaborates closely with her clients to develop a philanthropic vision and strategy that reflects their individual interests and goals. This can take various forms including traditional philanthropy, impact investing, and other innovative approaches for creating social change. Leveraging her network in both the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors, Paige also supports clients in building their knowledge of the social sector, and facilitates meaningful connections between her clients and the change-makers who are tackling our world's most pressing challenges.

Politics is a force multiplier, but getting involved can be intimidating and confusing. Together with Business & Politics, Net Impact is bringing in a panel of young professionals who have worked in campaigns and government to demystify the sector and provide actionable advice for putting your foot into the arena.

Veronica Ingham most recently led the historic abortion referendum in Ohio as campaign manager, where Ohioans voted overwhelmingly to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution. Passionate about electing women and Democrats to office, she has also managed Congressional and state wide campaigns and worked at both EMILY’s List and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Samantha Yi recently started working at the multinational law firm Gibson Dunn, where she plans to practice in the government and regulatory field. Earlier this year, she finished her tenure as Associate Staff Secretary at the White House. She served under Staff Secretaries Neera Tanden and Stef Feldman, reviewing presidential papers and staffing the President at events both domestic and abroad. Yi has worked in philanthropy, education, impact technology, government, and politics. In 2016, she worked as a field organizer in Virginia for the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Joe was the deputy political director for Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo's reelection campaign in 2018. Joe then served as the director of public engagement and a member of senior staff in Governor Raimondo's official office. While in this role, Joe set up and ran campaigns to successfully change Rhode Island's official state name, pass over $700M worth of bond measures, and keep RI's 2nd Congressional District via a Census awareness effort. During the pandemic, Joe served on the Governor's Executive COVID Response Team and the Governor's COVID-19 Equity Council. Since his time in government, Joe has consulted with Governor's across the country on how to best use federal COVID relief funds. Now, Joe is a 2nd year MBA here at Yale SOM.

Join Social Impact Lab for a conversation with Mariah Minigan (she/they, MBA '19) about leveraging your power and influence to advocate for your values in any workplace. Lunch will be served at 11:30.

Mariah Minigan '19 (she/they) is a diversity and inclusion practitioner who views organizational equity as a mission-critical asset. She is adept at facilitating conversations that bridge identities and build commitment to anti-oppressive practice within a workplace. Today, Mariah leverages her experience in civic engagement, tech, and digital media in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to design sustainable DEI strategies that meet organizations where they're at. For the past five years, she has served as the Director of Inclusion and Engagement at Democracy Works, where she uses art, storytelling, and guided conversation to engage staff in her robust internal DEI curriculum.

Join us for a Social Impact Week volunteer event at Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen in New Haven. This is their dinner prep shift. Please only sign up if you are able to stay for the whole shift! More details will be sent via Slack to those who register. Learn more about DESK: https://deskct.org/

Room 2200, Evan's Hall

Dishaun Harris or Farmer D is an urban farmer in New Haven, CT with more than 13 years of experience growing food and educating community members on growing food for themselves. He was born and raised in New Haven, where his business, Root Life LLC, serves. He strongly believes that all people should have sovereignty over their food systems because that leads to greater sovereignty over their lives. In 2018, he decided to start his own culturally relevant agriculture business that specifically targeted Black and Brown communities in the city. He founded Root Life LLC which focuses on community upliftment and empowerment through urban farming, urban farm training, food justice education, agritourism, food aid efforts, and community-focused health events.

Join Net Impact, Nonprofit Board Fellows, and General Management club for a Board Service Workshop with Jackie Downing. We will discuss how to engage in the social sector through board service and reflect on how this work relates to a larger organizational ecosystem.

Jackie Downing is the Senior Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Support for The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. She divides her time between competitive grantmaking and strengthening nonprofits through capacity building programs, workshops, technical assistance, giveGreater.org® and The Great Give. A graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, Jackie started her professional career at the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. She went on to be the Development and Program Director at the Dixwell Community "Q" House, and Development Director at her alma mater Sacred Heart Academy. Jackie spent four years as the Deputy then Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Hamden in the Amento administration, and five years in Fund Development at the Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund (now Capital for Change). Jackie has served on the Advisory Board of Sisters' Journey, ConnCAT's Youth Advisory Board, the Boards of Directors of the Hamden Land Conservation Trust and the Hamden Education Foundation, the Hamden Arts Commission and co-chaired Hamden's School Readiness Council. Her volunteer service includes stage management, various behind-the-scenes duties and appearances with the Whitney Players (Hamden's community theatre) and in the New Haven Ballet's Nutcracker. She is also a 17-gallon blood donor.

Join us for the Keynote address for Social Impact Week! James Robertson (MBA '99) will be joining to speak about moral leadership in the face of adversity and the role of individuals with backgrounds like us in social change.

James Robertson (he/him) served as CEO of India HIV/AIDS Alliance in New Delhi from 2010-16 and currently provide insights on management and strategy to clients in the United States and around the world working to advance health equity and service access for vulnerable, underserved communities. He has also been a leader for diversity and equality in the workplace, co-founding Reaching Out (ROMBA), an annual national conference for LGBTQ+ MBA students and alumni. In 2019, he was appointed a Donaldson Fellow. In addition to an MBA from SOM, James has an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth and an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health.

Retail Club, Students for Sustainability and Waste Reduction at YSPH (SWAY), and SOM's Sustainability Committee are bringing the long-loved Social Impact Week clothing swap back this year!
Come drop off some gently used clothes and refresh your wardrobe with something new! This is a time honored way to increase the sustainability of your closet and share something with your classmates.

Stop by and hang your items on the racks or place folded items on the tables any time that works for you within the time that the clothing swap is running.

What to bring: Clean clothing in good condition, without stains or (unintentional) tears. Some suggestions are:
Everyday clothing: jeans, sweaters, shirts
Winter accessories: hats, gloves, scarves, etc.
Outerwear
Formal wear: dresses, blazers, ties, dress shirts
Footwear: boots, heels, sneakers, flats
Accessories: bags, belts, sunglasses

FYI: You don't have to bring clothes in order to take items! The clothing swap is all about reducing consumption, so feel free to take items even if you do not bring items. The clothing swap operates more like a 'free store' than a 1-to-1 item swap.

After the swap, any clothing items that meet the requirements will be donated through the ongoing clothing drive. Other items will be donated to local organizations based on their need and ability to accept.

Clothing Swap FAQs

Q: When is the clothing swap?
A: December 4 through December 8

Q: How do I contribute clothing to the swap?
A: Stop by and hang your items on the racks or place folded items on the tables any time that works for you within the time that the clothing swap is running.

Q: What can I bring to the swap?
A: Clean clothing in good condition, without stains or (unintentional) tears. Some suggestions are:
Everyday clothing: jeans, sweaters, shirts
Winter accessories: hats, gloves, scarves, etc.
Outerwear
Formal wear: dresses, blazers, ties, dress shirts
Footwear: boots, heels, sneakers, flats
Accessories: bags, belts, sunglasses

Q: Do I have to bring clothing to take items?
A: No! The clothing swap is all about reducing consumption, so feel free to take items even if you do not bring items.The clothing swap operates more like a 'free store' than a 1-to-1 item swap.

Q: Do I have to be an SOM student to take an item?
A: No! All are welcome to take or give items.

Q: I want to try the clothes on before I take them. What are my options?
A: You are welcome to take the clothes to any of the restrooms or the locker room in the basement of Evans to try them on. You are also welcome to take clothing items home to try them on and bring them back on a later day of the clothing swap if they do not work for you. Just remember to return them by Dec 8th!

Q: What will happen to leftover items?
A: Items will be donated to local organizations based on their need and ability to accept.

Q: Why clothing swap?
A: The goal is to reduce the consumption of new clothes. Clothing production has a large environmental impact. Reusing, recycling, upcycling, or swapping clothing are ways to reduce that impact. A clothing swap represents a great way to reuse and recycle gently used clothes without requiring students to travel to a donation center or thrift store.

Q: What are some tips for donating/consuming responsibly?
A: See educational info sheet (printed)

Q: How can I learn more?
A: See additional events/resources document (QR code)