TABLEAU 2022: Tableau is Akron Roundtable's annual fundraising dinner which sets the stage for an evening of great discussion with a celebrated speaker. Our special guest, Connie Schultz, will step away from the podium to share personal insights and life experiences in an intimate conversation with Justin Hilton, Executive Director, Leadership Akron. Your generosity by attending this fundraiser will help Akron Roundtable bring exceptional speakers to Northeast Ohio. Speaker: Connie Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for USA Today and author of the New York Times bestselling novel, The Daughters of Erietown. She is also a Professional in Residence at Kent State University’s School of Media & Journalism, where she teaches opinion writing, feature writing and ethics. Schultz has been featured for her work in numerous publications and interviews, including The New Yorker, NPR, Politico, Kirkus Reviews Magazine, Glamour, Columbia Journalism Review, The Washington Post, and Ohio Magazine. Her book reviews appear regularly in The Washington Post, and she has also written for The New York Times, Politico, Parade, The Atlantic, Time, The Nation, Glamour, Democracy Journal and ESPN Magazine, among others. For more event details and full speaker bio please visit: https://bit.ly/3eRT9Jt

Presentation: The role of public education is to ensure every child in America is provided an opportunity to reach their full potential in ways that prepare them for success in a global society. The pandemic, however, exposed glaring inequities in America's education system, and school districts were forced to rethink the way they've operated over the last century. Hear Christine Fowler Mack, Superintendent of Akron Public Schools, talk about these issues and more. Speaker: Born and raised in Akron and educated in Akron Public Schools (APS), Superintendent Christine Fowler Mack is an experienced school district leader whose first classroom experience was in the APS system as a teacher at Robinson Elementary School from 1989 – 1995. Following that, Fowler Mack was a student dean and teacher leader for two years in APS. For more event details and full speaker bio please visit https://bit.ly/3DhJvJm

Speaker: Mike Crawford is the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer for Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company and its subsidiaries, including Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, which he joined in December of 2018. Mr. Crawford spent almost 25 years at the Walt Disney Company. He rose to Senior Vice President and General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort and President of Shanghai’s Walt Disney Holdings Company.   For full speaker bio and event details visit: https://bit.ly/3S5J7SY

Presentation: Why do Black American women suffer a 300% maternal mortality rate as compared to white women? Why do Native American babies suffer the highest infant mortality rate in the developed world? Why are BIPOC Americans charged and incarcerated at a rate of 6-9 times that of white Americans despite comparable crime rates. And how do we R.I.S.E. up to these challenges in a meaningful way? Speaker: Qasim Rashid is a human rights attorney based in Chicago. Mr. Rashid’s practice focuses on matters dealing with civil rights, immigration, non-profits, consulting, media, and political consulting. Mr. Rashid began his legal career working for a major financial institution to build out consumer finance protection policies and help manage corporate litigation for a $1.2B portfolio. He then pivoted his practice to include non-profit and civil rights matters, where he has worked with several national non-profit organizations focused on women’s rights, racial justice, and religious freedom. For full speaker bio and event details visit: https://bit.ly/3Dk7dVZ

Presentation: This presentation, given on August 18th, 2016, was part of the Akron Roundtable's 40th Anniversary series, in which several key speakers from over the decades were invited to return to the Roundtable podium. Speaker: Dr. Austen, born and raised in Akron, Ohio, received his BS degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his MD degree from Harvard Medical School. He was appointed Chief of the Surgical Services at the MGH in 1969 at the age of 39 and he held that position for almost 29 years. Dr. Austen was active in numerous roles throughout his life including serving as a Founding Trustee of Partners HealthCare System, the Founding President and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO), a member of the National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Life Member Emeritus of the MIT Corporation (Board of Trustees) and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Dr. W. Gerald Austen passed away in September of 2022. For full speaker bio and event details visit: https://bit.ly/3ewDKh5

Presentation: The last two and a half years has been a time of significant disruption. Carey will share theories on societal and business disruption and how GOJO continues to leverage its values to support the world’s increased need for PURELL® products despite this disruption. Speaker: Carey Jaros has led GOJO Industries as President and Chief Executive Officer since January 2020 and has been with the company since 2014. She brings passion for GOJO’s Purpose — Saving Lives and Making Life Better Through Well-Being Solutions — to her daily work. Her focus is on continuously extending GOJO leadership as a market-making, growth-oriented company that cares about the health and wel-being of people both out in the world and within its own walls. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/3MdvwH0

Presentation: Many would acknowledge that we are entering a third wave of access to public higher education in America. We will review the first two waves of access, the markers of this third wave, and discuss changes in who pays for the cost of earning a college education, with Kent State University offered as an example of these trends. Speaker: Todd Diacon became Kent State University's 13th president in July 2019. A tireless advocate for student success, President Diacon has more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/3tkcExE

Presentation Ohio is an aging state. Explore Ohio’s plan to take on ageism, eliminate disparities and inequities among older Ohioans, and create a state where Ohioans live longer, healthier lives with dignity and autonomy. Speaker Jennifer Carlson is the Ohio Department of Aging’s Assistant Director. In the role, she drives the development of innovative policy and programs to improve the health, wellness, and safety of older Ohioans. Carlson also serves as chief advisor to the department’s director, Ursel J. McElroy. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/3x440Ft

Presentation Widely recognized as one of the defining features of our community, Summit Metro Parks celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2021. With the support of Summit County residents, the park district protects 15,000 acres of green space and hosts nearly six million visits each year. Informed by the stories of its past and its vision for the future, the park district enters its second century with a renewed approach to protecting natural resources and connecting people to nature. Speaker Appointed in September 2015, King is the seventh director of Summit Metro Parks, which was established in 1921 and is the first woman to lead the park in its history. In this role she serves as the chief executive and chief financial officer, leading and directing the organization to ensure achievement of its mission, financial viability, short and long-term growth, and stability. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/39MXqv0

Bob Spitz was born, lived, went to high school and college on the same street, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Once he strayed off the block, however, his life veered into diverse and fascinating realms. A longtime musician, he retired from the music business in 1980 to pursue his love of writing. His biography, Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child, was published on the centenary of her birth, in August 2012. For full speaker bio and event details please visit: https://bit.ly/3Kq5AWI