Conversations on Early Childhood - Pay for Success: A Financial Model to Explore

Please join us for Conversations on Early Childhood to discuss Pay for Success Bonds: A Financial Model to Explore. Conversations on Early Childhood is an exciting series providing new and interesting perspectives on early childhood policy issues facing Georgia and the nation. Through this series, GEEARS hopes to foster deep and deliberative discussions on the issues among academics, policy makers, advocates, civic leaders, providers and the business community. Our goal is to discuss the development of policies and practices that could potentially enhance the development and well-being of Georgia's children.

"Pay for Success:
A Financial Model to Explore"

Read more about Pay for Success here.
We are sharing the links below to provide some background on existing early childhood projects within the Pay for Success space:
 Chicago's Social Impact Bond Program
 Utah's Pay for Success Program

Panelists:

Jeff Schoenberg - Advisor, J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation
Jeff Schoenberg is an advisor to The J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, a Chicago-based philanthropy. The Foundation is a private family foundation deeply committed to the pursuit of social justice and to shaping innovative and effective strategies for solving society’s most challenging problems. Mr. Schoenberg principally advises members of the Pritzker family on grant making for The Children’s Initiative, a project of the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, which seeks to enhance the early learning capabilities of infants and toddlers, with a special focus on at-risk children. As part of his philanthropic portfolio for the Pritzker family, Mr. Schoenberg conceived The Cambodia Tribunal Monitor web site, considered the primary source for information on the historic international genocide trial of senior Khmer Rouge leaders. Previously, Jeff Schoenberg was a Democratic member of the Illinois State Senate, representing the 9th district from 2003 to 2013. He earlier served for six terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, first elected to that position in 1990.

Chris Bishop - State Director (South Carolina), Nurse-Family Partnership
Chris Bishop is the State Director of Business Development in the Carolinas with the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office. He has been with the NFP national office since 2011, and most recently has been the main staff person on operational aspects of the South Carolina Pay for Success project, which will launch in 2016. Chris’ background in the non-profit sector spans over 20 years, and he has focused his professional work in the areas of community development, grassroots advocacy and community organizing, and case management. He holds a BS in Psychology from Guilford College, and is current pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree from Villanova University. He lives in Charlotte with his wife and their three children.


Chris Ellis - Partnership Director, Early Learning Outcomes, United Way of Salt Lake
 Chris Ellis is the Partnership Director, Early Learning Outcomes for United Way of Salt Lake. In this role, Chris builds collective impact partnerships with systemic partners to foster alignment and increase the number of children who demonstrate age-appropriate development and enter kindergarten ready to learn. Chris also works as the Program Manager for the world’s first Pay for Success transaction focused on early childhood education. In the first three years of this project, approximately 2,100 low-income three and four year olds have been able to access high-quality preschool services. Through this high-quality preschool program, these children will have increased rates of kindergarten readiness and additional positive academic and social outcomes. As Program Manager, Chris works closely with the providers, evaluator, State of Utah, and investors to develop contracts, enroll children, report results, and refine the processes. 

Jen Lewis - Health Action Program Manager, Sonoma County Dept. of Health Services
Jen Lewis is the Health Action Manager with the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, Health Policy, Planning and Evaluation Division. She coordinates strategic efforts of Health Action, Sonoma County’s collective impact initiative with the goal of eliminating health disparities and achieving the vision of being the healthiest county in California.  She oversees a team that facilitates collaborative, cross-sector efforts focused on achieving long-term improvements in education, health systems, and economic wellness. She currently leads strategic planning for the Sonoma County Prevention and Wellness Fund Catalyst Team, which aims to develop a balanced portfolio approach to financing local prevention efforts.

Prior to this role, Jen worked as the Assistant Director for the New York University Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She served as an Agroforestry and Environmental Education Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador and worked as the Environmental Education Coordinator for the Bolivian NGO Friends of Nature Foundation. Jen is the Chair of the Healdsburg Transportation Commission and is a Fellow of the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy. Jen holds a Master’s in Environmental Management (MEM) from the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, a Master’s in International Relations (MA) from the Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and a BA in Biology from Bryn Mawr College.

Moderated by Joe Waters - Executive Vice President, Institute for Child Success
Joe Waters is the Executive Vice President of the Institute for Child Success, a research and policy organization focused on improving outcomes for all young children. Joe leads the Institute’s policy and research programs, including the exploration of using Pay for Success financing for early childhood programs. Joe has a Bachelor of Arts from Furman University and a Master of Divinity from Duke University.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016
4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Light refreshments will be served following the program

Freight Depot (Blue Room): 65 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Parking options:
Freight Depot Lot: 33 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SW 
Underground Atlanta Garage: 75 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SW

GEEARS: The Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization operating to inspire and provide leadership for a statewide movement on quality early learning and healthy development for all children ages birth through five. GEEARS’ vision is, by 2020, all students will enter kindergarten prepared to succeed and on a path to read to learn by third grade. The Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students was established in 2010 to help business, civic and government leaders maximize the economic return on the state’s investments in early care and learning.

Event Location

Freight Depot: Blue Room
65 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Atlanta, GA 30303