Wednesday, Sept 21
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

What does a charitable planner meeting a donor or client have in common with FBI agents, medical students and State Department officials? For all of them, astute observation is critical to professional success. And all of them have sharpened their powers of observation and communication by studying great works of art with the guidance of Amy Herman through her innovative program, The Art of Perception. As a former director of education for The Frick Collection in New York and an attorney, Amy brings her background in art history, law and educational programming together to teach philanthropy professionals to enhance visual acuity, objectivity and use (and misuse) of assumptions and perceptions -- all of which contribute to success when engaging with donors and clients.

Amy Herman

Amy E. Herman designed, developed and conducts all sessions of The Art of Perception using the analysis of works of art to improve perception and communication skills. Originally designed in 2000 to help medical students improve their observation and communication skills with patients, the program was subsequently adapted for law enforcement professionals and leaders in education, philanthropy, the intelligence community, and finance. She currently conducts the program nationally for a wide range of law enforcement agencies including the New York City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Defense, the State Department, and the Department of Justice as well as for hospitals, medical schools, and first responders. The program has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The CBS Evening News, and Smithsonian Magazine, among others.  Ms. Herman holds an AB in International Affairs, a Juris Doctor, and an MA in Art History. Her book, Visual Intelligence, will be published in May 2016.

Thursday, Sept 22
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Dr. Withers will recount the origins and rationale of his work with the street dwelling homeless in Pittsburgh that led to the creation of Operation Safety Net.  He will describe the advantages of this “street medicine” model as it relates to the moral, financial and effectiveness of care.  The relevance to medical education as an innovative learning environment will be elaborated as well as the emergence of street medicine as a global movement.

Dr. Jim Withers

In 1992, Dr. Jim Withers dressed as a homeless person and joined a formerly homeless man to visit the street dwellers of Pittsburgh making "house calls" at night.  His program, Operation Safety Net (OSN), brings medical care directly to the unsheltered homeless.  In 2005, Dr. Withers established the annual International Street Medicine Symposium (with current partners in North America, South and Central America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia) to foster collaboration in the care of those sleeping on the streets.   In 2009, Dr. Withers created the Street Medicine Institute to promote the field of street medicine.

Thursday, Sept 22
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

In this keynote, David Woods will provide a unique perspective of how successful employees can Lead UP to those above them as well as those around them. He will share commonly misunderstood tools of executive leadership, how to master your trade as an organizational leader, and tangible steps in becoming an artisan of inspiration for your organization. Leaders will learn how to grow a team around them that knows how to increase their capacity so that management can stay more strategic and lead with less stress.  Employees will learn the nuances and specialized Leading UP skills to become a trusted and highly valued right-hand employee that leaders want to promote. This is not leadership cheerleading, attendees will gain real world knowledge that can be applied immediately.

David Woods

As CEO of GiANT Partners, David is passionate about building organizations that thrive. David is an expert in strategic facilitation, executive development and coaching, with over 30 years of building high-growth organizations. 

Early in life David was voted “shyest boy” in high school. However, his years of national and international experience has provided him opportunities to learn the art and skills of building long term executive relationships. Inspired by these interactions, David authored the book “The Art of Networking… Beyond the Handshake” and is a sought after speaker on this topic. David is currently co-authoring a book, “The Master Executive,” in which he brings to light the critical tools and skills of being an executive others want to follow.

Notably, David is the former CEO of Ditch Witch® Construction Equipment. With more than 1600 employees and 140 dealers in 40 countries, the company is the world’s largest manufacturer of underground construction equipment.

David is also a frequent keynote speaker at business conferences and universities on the topics of building businesses that thrive and Master Executive insights.