Innovation in Action in the Developing World

Warren Buffett said “Don’t just go for safe projects, take on the really tough problems.” From the global water crisis to female empowerment in Africa to re-defining international development we hope to explore how these important issues are leveraging innovative approaches to maximize outcome. We will hear from leaders in these fields on raising awareness and getting the job done. Each topic will have a chance to discuss the issue at hand, lesson learned, and the best-practices going forward. What binds these issues together is their innovative methods to complex issues in developing countries. Visit www.innovatorsplussocialgood.org

What are the biggest issues facing water today and tomorrow? What are the most innovative solutions?
How has storytelling changed women's lives in Africa?
International aid is often criticized as being detached from its beneficiaries, what are some new practices disrupting the old ways’ of development?

Presenters

Chevenee Reavis

Dir of Strategic Initiatives

Water.org

Chevenee Reavis came to Water.org in 2010 to accelerate the impact of the organization and solutions in the water and sanitation sector through new types of collaboration and innovation.

In her role she leads Water.org’s global advocacy efforts and New Venture Initiative, an internal incubator designed to foster a supportive culture of innovation within the organization and realize new opportunities that enable Water.org to achieve its vision of universal access to safe water and basic sanitation. The fund enables Water.org to invest in innovation capacity; surface and pilot new models to the point where they would be ready for greater scaling; expand existing initiatives into new geographies and through new channels; and convene new partnerships.

In directing Water.org’s global advocacy efforts, Water.org’s public affairs team focuses on connecting the organization’s direct impact with its mission to catalyze new forms of participation in solving the global water and sanitation crisis.

She has more than a decade of experience advancing the impact of leading foundations, government agencies, Fortune 500 corporations, and nonprofit organizations by creating momentum around important challenges, raising funds for complex causes, and driving organizational innovation. Her public and private sector experience have included work with ACCION International’s Center for Financial Inclusion, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Global Health Council, Management Sciences for Health, Pfizer, Inc., Starbucks Coffee Company, State Street Bank, and Unitus (including the 501(c)3), Unitus Capital, and the former Unitus Equity Fund, now Elevar, LLC). Chevenee provides pro bono strategy consulting to nonprofit organizations and has been tapped to publish a variety of papers and resources for organizations including the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Management at Harvard University and the International SEEP Network for Microenterprise Development.

An Emerson College alum, she currently resides in the Bay Area with her family.

David Rothschild

Principal

Skoll Foundation

As a Principal at the Skoll Foundation, David develops and structures funding opportunities to drive large scale change in the focus areas of the foundation, with an emphasis on water and sanitation, as well as addressing deforestation. He also manages a variety of key relationships with funded social entrepreneurs, domain experts, policy makers, corporate partners and co-funders.

Prior to the Skoll Foundation, David worked with the Goldman Environmental Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Field Museum of Chicago, and the Amazon Alliance for Indigenous and Traditional Peoples.