Guests share their stories, insights, and innovations for the greater good. 

2009 Hollyhock Play BIG

Abigail Disney 

An heir to the Disney family fortune, Abby has become increasingly public in her encouragement of fellow wealth-holders to put their money to work in service of their values.

Founder and the President of the Daphne Foundation, Abby is also a filmmaker whose documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell tells the story of the bold and successful peacemaking women of Liberia. She is vice-chair of the board of Shamrock Holdings, Inc. that manages more than 1.5 billion dollars in assets.

Past Speakers

• Kris Tompkins, Founder of Patagonia, and Director of Conservacion Patagonica, works to protect habitat by conserving whole ecosystems (2.2 million acres) in South America. 
• Bill Young, Founder of Social Capital Partners, in Toronto, funds businesses employing the disadvantaged. 
• Helen LaKelly Hunt, Founder of the Sister Fund, a private women’s fund dedicated to the social, political, economic and spiritual empowerment of women and girls 
• Andy Rappaport, Founder and Principle of Skyline Public Works, blends venture capital with political philanthropy by investing in emerging political entrepreneurs who are re-inventing the progressive movement in the United States. 
• Doris Buffett, Founder and Funder of The Sunshine Lady Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty for women and children, and foster the growth of philanthropy, through education.
• David Berge, the President and Founder of Underdog Ventures, LLC, a company that creates and manages customized community venture capital funds, integrating development stage investing to drive substantial and philanthropic commitments.

Faculty

Carol Newell, Founder, Renewal, and Co-Founder, Play BIG

Carol has established a life’s work as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist. Over fifteen years, she has placed $67 million in organizations, individuals and businesses working toward sustainable economic development and social and environmental justice in British Columbia and Canada. After a decade of anonymity, Carol, the founder of Renewal, co-created Play BIG, an initiative to encourage others with wealth to activate their resources for social change. She now co-hosts Play BIG gatherings with Marian Moore and speaks publicly across North America to promote innovative and immediate reallocation of capital to leverage systemic change. Carol is an active member of The Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF), Hollyhock, and the Threshold Foundation, Investors’ Circle, Social Venture Network, and the Wealth & Giving Forum. She received the inaugural 2006 BC Women Award from The Minerva Foundation and in 2007 was deeply honoured to be appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, In 2008 she was awarded a doctorate in Humane Letters from St. Lawrence University.

Marian Moore, Co-Founder and Facilitator, Play BIG

Marian designs and facilitates conferences, and is currently focused on Play BIG and the philanthropic and social investment community.  She is a coach and consultant to people with large capital reserves, seeking to more fully align who they are with how they invest and donate their money.  Prior to Play BIG, Marian acted as conference design facilitator for Threshold Foundation, of which she has been a member for twenty years  and for Momentum, an event for donors and activists hosted by Tides Foundation, Threshold Foundation, Women Donors Network, and Resource Generation. In the nineties, as co-founder of the national non-profit, Concerts for the Environment, Marian co-produced multi-act stadium and arena concert events featuring such artists as Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Queen Latifah, and REM. The concerts were designed to bring public attention to environmental issues through multi-media, cross-marketed education campaigns. Marian is a songwriter and singer and lives with her children in Minneapolis.

Joel Solomon, President and CEO, Renewal, and Chairman, Renewal2

Joel was instrumental in the development of Renewal Partners and the Endswell Foundation in 1994 and has led them both since inception. Renewal has invested in over seventy-five companies that share its commitment to socially responsible growth.  He is also Chairman of Renewal2 Investment Fund,  which provides an opportunity for investors to participate in the development of business at the forefront of social and environmental innovation. Joel is a founding member of Social Venture Network (SVN), Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), Renewal Land Company, and Tides Canada. He is Board Chair of Tides Foundation, and Hollyhock Foundation and sits on numerous other Renewal investees’ boards throughout North America.

James A. Morrisey , Senior Partner of Ernst & Young

Jim a leading expert in cross-border and charitable tax matters. He currently heads the national tax services for the Canadian tax practice of Ernst & Young, including the areas of Tax Solutions, Tax eBusiness, communications and quality control.  He is a financial advisor to Renewal, Treasurer for Tides Canada and Chair of Tides Canada Initiatives. Jim has authored publications in the field of taxation, lectures extensively across North America, consults internationally on the topics of taxation and finance, and serves on the boards of several prominent charities in Canada. Jim has advised Carol for 25 years, dramatically increasing the capital she has had available for mission.

Maria Antonakos, President, OPUS Philanthropic Strategies Incorporated

Maria Antonakos is the founder and principal consultant for OPUS Philanthropic Strategies. She has over 15 years experience in the charitable sector and has raised more than $24 million for organizations working in the arts, environment and social justice.
 
Before establishing OPUS, Maria was the Senior Director of Philanthropic Services for The Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF) where during her years there she led the foundation’s major gifts programmes and co-founded an international think-tank for women philanthropists.
 
Prior to her work at CWF, she was the Capital Campaign Manager for The Corporation of Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall’s $20 million campaign to renovate Roy Thomson Hall.  In her early career, Maria worked with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Orchestras Canada and The Boris Brott Festival. She has led workshops for City of Toronto cultural organizations in fundraising, strategic planning, board governance and marketing.  She teaches fundraising at Humber College.

Pamela Chaloult, COO, Renewal, and Vice President, Renewal2

Pamela joined Renewal in 2006 from Social Venture Network (SVN) where she served as the Co-Executive Director for 5 years.  She is now Chief Operating Officer for Renewal, Vice President Marketing and Communications for Renewal2 Investment Fund, and also acts as a senior advisor to Hollyhock and Tides Canada. Pamela brings a wide network and over 20 years of marketing and communications experience to Renewal2.  She currently sits on a variety of social purpose boards across North America.

David Berge, President and Founder of Underdog Ventures, LLC

Underdog Ventures creates and manages customized community venture capital funds, integrating socially responsible investment, community investing and philanthropic components. Underdog Ventures was recognized as one of ten U.S. financial institutions providing especially strong benefits to the environment.

Through his previous consulting firm, he advised high net worth individuals and social venture institutions, while providing one third of his work on a pro bono basis for community development organizations. Previously, David was the Director of Vermont National Bank’s Socially Responsible Banking Fund, which he grew from $38 million to $208 million U.S. in targeted deposits, and was the Senior Loan Officer at the Institute for Community Economics.

He is the chair of the Underdog Foundation, as well as an advisory board member of Altrushare Securities, LLC, a board member of Mission Research, and a member of the Financial Innovations Roundtable, Social Venture Network and Social Investment Forum.

David speaks frequently around the United States and Canada on issues of social venture investing, unique deal structures, and community investment.

Martha A. Burton, Senior Vice President of Renewal

Martha joined Renewal Partners at its inception in 1994 and currently serves as Senior Vice President. She is a senior advisor to Tides Canada Foundation.  Building upon her success over the past 18 years, Martha will plan an integral role in investor relations for Renewal2.  She is a founding member of the Nashville Commercial Real Estate Women, a member of Association of Women in Finance and the Nonprofit Centers Network.

Elizabeth Crook, President of Orchard Advisors 

Since 1992, Elizabeth has worked with entrepreneurs and management teams in both the U.S. and Canada, assisting them in re-thinking and re-formulating their work to create opportunities for growth.  Orchard Advisors helps companies plan and execute strategically while integrating their social/environmental goals.  Clients include business and professional services, manufacturing, technology, wholesale, education, and foundations.  Since 1999, Elizabeth has served on the faculty of SVI in the areas of strategic planning and growth and managing change.  She also works with Renewal, Tides Canada, Hollyhock, and other Canadian entrepreneurs.