The Leadership Dinner Series

VPGE is pleased to sponsor a series of leadership dinners for groups of 15 graduate students interested in learning more about how to lead. Each evening will include a reception, dinner and informal discussion with a proven leader from various arenas. This is a great opportunity to talk in a casual setting with individuals who have had a major impact in a variety of settings, ranging from business to government, philanthropy and education.

All events will be at the Stanford Faculty Club from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. and will be co-hosted by Dr. Bernadine Chuck Fong, President Emerita of Foothill College.

Leadership Dinners, Fall/Winter 2009-2010

The first Leadership dinner speakers will include:

• John Lillie, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, former Chairman and CEO of several major companies; former Stanford graduate student
• Emmett Carson, Founding CEO and President of Silicon Valley Community Foundation; former President and CEO of Minneapolis Foundation
• Liz Kniss, former Mayor of Palo Alto and currently President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
• Reed Hastings, Founder of Netflix, and former President , California State Board of Education and former Stanford graduate student.

Speaker	Date	More Info
John Lillie Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lucille Packard Children's Hospital	October 20, 2009 5 - 8 p.m. at the Stanford Faculty Club	John Lillie, M.S, M.B.A, is Chair of the Board of Directors of Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. He has previously headed companies ranging from Lucky Stores to The Gap, and co-chaired the search committee for Stanford’s President - he knows how to find, as well as be, a leader! Brief biography (pdf)
Emmett Carson, Founding CEO and President of Silicon Valley Community Foundation	November 3, 2009 5 - 8 p.m. at the Stanford Faculty Club	Emmett Carson, Ph.D, is an internationally recognized philanthropic leader. He is founding President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and has built this organization into one of the largest community foundations in the United States. Brief biography (pdf)
Liz Kniss, President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors	November 17, 2009 5 - 8 p.m. at the Stanford Faculty Club	Liz Kniss is President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and a former Mayor of the City of Palo Alto. For the past 20 years, she has been one of the most influential politicians in the area leading the way on issues ranging from health and air quality to transportation and housing. Brief biography (pdf)
Reed Hastings, Founder of Netflix	February 18, 2010 5 - 8 p.m. at the Stanford Faculty Club	A graduate of Stanford's Computer Science Department, Reed Hastings began his career at Adaptive Technology, and then founded his first company, Pure Software, in 1991. In 1996, he founded Netflix, currently the world's largest online DVD rental service, and a company known for its innovative business practices. Brief Biography coming soon

How to sign up

Participants for each of these dinners will be selected on the basis of a brief online application. The leadership dinners are at capacity and the application is now closed. Successful applicants will be notified by return email.

Because of the limited number of places, those who are accepted will be asked for a $50 check to serve as a cancellation deposit. Checks will only be cashed if an invitee does not attend the dinner or cancels within 48 hours of the dinner.