If you haven’t checked out the session and speaker lineup at this year’s 2024 Cooperative IMPACT Conference, now is a great time to catch up! We’ve been busy putting the final touches on two days of fantastic programming that you don’t want to miss. From leveraging AI to strengthen co-op democracy to the role local elections play in advancing co-op development, this year’s sessions are an invitation to shape the future of cooperation.
We’ll kick off this year’s conference with a fireside chat on the future of cooperatives in the Americas featuring Carla Decker, President and CEO of SkyPoint Federal Credit Union and Board Member of the International Cooperative Alliance and NCBA CLUSA; and Graciela Fernandez, President of Cooperatives of the Americas. We are thrilled to welcome Cooperatives of the Americas’ Board of Directors to this year’s IMPACT Conference.
Our Wednesday morning keynote speakers are Mileydi Guilarte, Deputy Assistant Administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean; and Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance.
Moving into our first general session, we’ll explore the cooperative superpower to shape the future—Principle 6. A fireside chat with Danilo Salerno, Executive Director of Cooperatives of the Americas; and Paula Narváez Ojeda, Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations will frame this session. A panel discussion moderated by Rebecca Savoie, Senior Researcher at the International Cooperative Research Group, will follow, featuring Trebor Scholz, Director of the Platform Cooperativism Consortium; Claudio Soumoulou, President of Argentina’s Nodos Foundation; and Alicia Maneiro, President of the Confederation of Cooperatives in Uruguay.
New at IMPACT this year are our Lightning Talks, featuring game-changing ideas and innovative strategies to propel the cooperative movement into the future. Inspired by the TEDx Talk format, Lightning Talks are designed to ignite discussion, inspire action and help shape the future of the cooperative movement. Our topics include AI, DEI, Gen Z and Millennial Empowerment, Principle 6, Volunteer Leadership and Measuring Co-op Impact. Here are a few snapshots:
- Rappahannock Electric Cooperative‘s Peter Muhoro will envision how electric co-ops can lead the energy revolution
- From the Detroit People’s Food Cooperative’s Angeline Lawrence, we’ll hear about data-driven democracy
- From Organic Vally’s Silvia Abel-Caines, we’ll learn how volunteerism can supercharge cooperative leadership
- CooperationWorks!’s Alex Stone will make the case for a cooperative solidarity fund to drive future growth and impact
Check out the rest of Wednesday’s programming
We’ll begin Thursday by learning how AI can enhance participation, transparency and decision-making within cooperatives, ensuring that progress and democratic values go hand-in-hand. Evan Hadfield, Project Lead for the Collective Intelligence Project; Sara McGarraugh, Director of Consulting at The Improve Group; and Mark Huth, President and CEO of Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, will lead this session.
Next, we’ll turn to the upcoming election and share strategies on how to influence pivotal local elections, where policies that shape the future of cooperatives are decided. This session features Edward Burroughs III, a Member of Prince George’s County Council; David Byrd, National Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency; John Holdsclaw IV, President and CEO of Rochdale Capital and Aaliyah Nedd, NCBA CLUSA’s Director of Government Relations.
Check out the rest of Thursday’s programming
Our full agenda below offers a closer look at this year’s programming, including close to 20 sessions and more than 50 speakers. Bookmark the event website and check back often to see what’s new!
*Event schedule, speakers and session/title descriptions subject to change
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Thank you to our 2024 IMPACT Conference Co-Host and Strategic Partners
