AIDS Responsibility Project Invites You to Join Us for a Panel Discussion During the RNC Convention

    MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

                          Monday, September 1, 2008
                      Marquette Hotel, 710 Marquette Ave
               Lunch will be served, Program Begins at 12:30PM

Few policy leaders would defend the welfare state as a solution to meet our nation's social needs. Likewise, after a natural disaster like Katrina disrupts the social fabric, even at its best, government alone is unable to meet the complex social needs required for people to rebuild their lives. In the areas of education reform, access to healthcare, post-disaster community reconstruction, HIV/AIDS and environmental reform, new solutions are emerging. Led by what New York Times op-ed writer David Brook described as "Thoroughly Modern Do-Gooders" social entrepreneurs are changing the way America solves social problems both at home and around the world.

This panel brings together America's leading social entrepreneurs and responsible companies to educate the audience on just how they do it and to hear their policy suggestions for what a new Presidential Administration can do to bring social justice to those who lack a voice in American politics.

Panelist Include

Moderator: Robert Traynham

Robert L. Traynham is Washington DC Bureau Chief for the cable channel "The Comcast Network (CN8). In this role Robert provides commentary and analysis for CN8's original programming and election year campaign coverage. Robert also serves as Host and Moderator for "Roll Call with Robert Traynham" a weekly Sunday political talk show. Robert also serves as a Political Analyst for National Public Radio, and as a weekly columnist for the Philadelphia Tribune.

Adolfo Franco: Vice President for Global Regulatory Affairs, Direct Selling Association (DSA)

A Foreign Policy Advisor to the McCain for President Campaign, Franco is currently Vice President for Global Regulatory Affairs, Direct Selling Association (DSA). He will discuss both the new role companies are playing, and strategies to develop and engage public private partnerships around the world. Franco will discuss how America's Direct Sellers are developing their own strategies to address social needs in their local communities, including Mary Kay, Amway, Nuskin, andAvon. As the former Assistant Administrator of USAID forLatin America and theCaribbean (2001-2007) Franco will also speak about America's international aid efforts and the success of public private global partnerships.

Rich Tafel: Public Policy Strategist, College Summit

As the recipient of the United States Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2008 World Economic Forum, College Summit is one of the leading examples of a social entrepreneurial organization making a profound difference in young people's lives. College Summit employs a social entrepreneurial strategy to insure low income students can navigate the college going process.

Rebecca Onie: Co-Founder and CEO, Project HEALTH

Founded by Onie in 1996 when she was an undergraduate at Harvard, Project HEALTH is a social entrepreneurship organization tackling the link between poverty and poor health inthe United States. By tapping the "renewable resource" of undergraduate volunteers' time, energy, and idealism, Project HEALTH connects over 4,000 low-income patients and their families each year with the resources they need to be healthy.

Abner Mason: Executive Director, AIDS Responsibility Project.

Mason led the a social entrepreneur effort to combat HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination in the workplace in both inMexico andJamaica by creating business councils and NGO teams working in conjunction with local governments. Before assuming this position, Mason served as Chief Policy Advisor to MA Governors Paul Cellucci and Jane Swift. He will discuss the importance of public private partnerships as a new model of international development and human rights.

Kelly Ward: Director, America Forward

The America Forward coalition is organized by New Profit Inc. and includes more than 65 results-oriented, entrepreneurial nonprofit organizations with programs operating in all 50 states and theDistrict of Columbia. New Profits represents the largest coalition of social entrepreneurs in America. Coalition members have innovative solutions to some of the toughest domestic challenges facing our nation in education, public health, poverty and economic mobility, workforce development, and crime prevention. Ward will discuss the unique approach of social entrepreneurs and the new ways government can partner with these organizations to solve social problems more effectively. She will offer concrete policy steps that our government can take to encourage social entrepreneurs.

The panel will also include a discussion of CSR case studies including:

Deloitte, Capital One, Darden, TRowe Price, Pequote, Wachovia, Goldman Sachs, and Semantec. 3M, Abbott Labs, American Express, Bausch and Lomb, BD, BMS, Colgate-Palmolive, GSK, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Ely Lilly, Merck, Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble, Schering Plough, Unilever, Wyeth, Xerox,Avon, Amway, Mary Kay, and Nuskin.

SOURCE AIDS Responsibility Project

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