Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

A Healthy Society Series: 10,000 a Day Turn 65 in America. The Rise of Family Caregivers of the Elderly Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

The U.S. population is aging. The number of Americans aged 65 and older will more than double over the next 40 years, reaching 80 million in 2040. The group most often needing help with basic personal care, adults ages 85 and older, will nearly quadruple between 2000 and 2040.

Aging in place will be an option for many people, which means staying in the comfort of your own home, rather than moving into a retirement or long-term care facility. Most of the care provided to older adults in this country comes from families, friends and neighbors. In fact, by 2030, it is projected that half of the families in the United States will be involved in caring for an older adult.

While home-based care is less expensive than institutional care, few of the 45 million family caregivers in the United States are trained or paid to provide this complex care. In California, the economic value of family care was put at $63 trillion in 2017. This vast labor force could be tapped for future success, including better health outcomes, less demand on the health-care system, and reduced costs. But optimizing the home-based caregiver system requires a systematic approach, which will be discussed by our panel of experts.

MLF ORGANIZER

Robert Lee Kilpatrick

NOTES

MLF: Health & Medicine

SPEAKERS

Theresa (Terri) Harvath

Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FGSA, Professor and Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives, Family Caregiving Institute, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California, Davis

Susan C. Reinhard

Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Director, AARP Public Policy Institute; Chief Strategist, Center to Champion Nursing in America and Family Caregiving Initiatives

Jonathan Davis

Founder and CEO, Trualta

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on March 25th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Silenced No More: Can a New Law Change How NDAs Silence the Abused? Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

When Ifeoma Ozoma and a colleague resigned from the policy team at Pinterest last year and went public with their claims of discrimination, racism and retaliation at the social media giant, they helped fuel an ongoing examination of the corporate cultures in Silicon Valley and elsewhere that often reveal racial disparities that belie companies' public statements of gender and racial equity. Ozoma found herself being "doxed" — her personal information shared online by her opponents — and unsupported by the company's executives. Now she is working on an initiative that could help employees reporting discrimination get around often-stifling NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) they have signed.

Join us for a conversation with Ozoma about her initiative and the experience of herself and many others in the corporate world.

Ozoma is the founder and principal of Earthseed, a consulting firm advising individuals, organizations and companies on the issues of tech accountability, public policy, health misinformation and related communications. She is a tech policy expert with experience leading global public policy partnerships, public policy related content safety development, and U.S. federal, state and international policymaker engagement at Pinterest, Facebook, and Google.

Ozoma's health misinformation initiatives have been lauded by the World Health Organization, The Washington Post’s editorial board, and The New York Times. Ozoma is on the First Draft, Inc., board of directors. She is also a member of the Brookings Institution’s Transatlantic Working Group on Disinformation and The Washington Post's Technology 202 Network.

Projects Ozoma has taken on include: leading legislation with California State Senator Connie Leyva to allow every individual in California to share information about discrimination they have faced on the job, even after signing an NDA; leading research and an initiative funded by Omidyar Network that will provide tech whistleblowers with needed resources; serving as a juror on the Google News Initiative COVID-19 Vaccine Counter-Misinformation Open Fund; advising a UN agency on coronavirus vaccine messaging and vaccine misinformation management; serving on the Selection Committee of the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public’s Award for Excellence; and advising large nonprofit organizations on addressing misinformation and engagement with large tech platforms.

NOTES

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See more upcoming and past Michelle Meow Shows at The Commonwealth Club.

SPEAKERS

Ifeoma Ozoma

Founder and Principal, Earthseed

Michelle Meow

Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW/KPIX and Podcast; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors; Twitter @msmichellemeow—Co-Host

John Zipperer

Producer and Host, Week to Week Political Roundtable; Vice President of Media & Editorial, The Commonwealth Club—Co-Host

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on March 18th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Commonwealth Club Week in Review for March 26, 2021 Mar 28, 2021

Show notes

This is your Commonwealth Club week in review. Hear what you missed this week, and what we’ve got lined up for you next week.

We’re always adding new programs - check out commonwealthclub.org/online for all of our upcoming events.

If you haven’t already - please consider becoming a member of the Club. Enjoy exclusive discounts and access to special programs all while knowing your contributions directly support our many public programs and civic initiatives.

Visit commonwealthclub.org/special, for special rates on memberships.

Thanks for your support and as always - thanks for listening!

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Kim Scott: Just Work Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

Too often, people are told to be professional and maintain traditional order in workplace settings, but this often leaves employees abandoning their humanity as soon as they step into the company building. As workplaces diversify, leaders are challenged to create a safe, justice-oriented working environment that simultaneously promotes creative individuality and traditional business models.

Enter Kim Scott, author of the new book Just Work, looking to transform the modern workplace. She seeks to encourage leaders to create more just workplaces and establish new norms of collaboration and respect. With experience advising at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter and other tech companies, Scott shares her knowledge and power for confronting modern workplace challenges, and offers a new solution.

Join us as Kim Scott reimagines workplace settings to create more just and humane company environments

Note: This program contains EXPLICIT language.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on March 23rd, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Don Lemon with Valerie Jarrett Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

For too long, Americans have treated racism as a disease of the past. Now, it’s more than obvious that symptoms of intolerance and discrimination still linger today. Many are fatigued fighting for racial equality and attempting to solve a centuries-old problem, begging the urgent question: How can we end American racism in our lifetimes?

CNN anchor Don Lemon seeks an answer. In his new book This Is the Fire, Lemon examines America’s systemic flaws that prevent equality for all. As America’s only Black prime-time anchor, Lemon has achieved mass popularity from his thoughtful and nuanced takes on modern racism. In his book, he shares his vulnerable experiences growing up in the shadows of segregation and his adult confrontations with scholars and politicians alike. In doing so, Lemon offers a searing and poetic plea to America: we must resist racism every day, and we must resist it with love.

Join us as Don Lemon and Valerie Jarrett, President Barack Obama’s most trusted friend and advisor, imagine a better, more equal future for all Americans.

SPEAKERS

Don Lemon

Anchor, "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon"; Author, This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism; Twitter @donlemon

In Conversation with Valerie Jarrett

Former Senior Adviser to President Barack Obama; Twitter@ValerieJarrett

n response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on March 19th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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CLIMATE ONE: Weird Winters Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

Warmer, shorter winters may sound like an impact of climate change that would inspire more joy than despair. But rising temperatures and decreasing snowpack won’t just transform water supplies and species ranges. It will also disrupt a multi-billion dollar winter sport industry, including the jobs and local economies associated with them.

“If we're not able to ski or snowboard anymore,” says Mario Molina, CEO of Protect Our Winters, “the least of our concerns will be the activities that we participate in.” So how are winter sports enthusiasts and others preparing to weather the storm?

Speakers:

Elizabeth Burakowski, Assistant Professor, Earth Systems Research Center, University of New Hampshire

Kit DesLauriers, National Geographic Explorer; Skimountaineer

Geraldine Link, Director of Public Policy, National Ski Areas Association

Mario Molina, CEO, Protect our Winters

Related Links:

Protect Our Winters

Higher Love: Climbing and Skiing the Seven Summits

National Ski Areas Association

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Walter Isaacson: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of Humans Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

Jennifer Doudna has changed the life-science field. In 1987, she and her collaborators created CRISPR, an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA, and opened a brave new world of medical miracles. Conversely, the invention of CRISPR raised many moral questions. With the device, scientists can now detect and destroy DNA, hypothetically making humans less susceptible to viruses, preventing depression, enhancing individual height or muscles or IQ.

In his new book The Code Breaker, famed biographer Walter Isaacson follows Doudna from when she first learned what “the double helix” is all the way to her winning the 2020 Nobel Prize. Driven by a passion to understand how nature works and to turn discoveries into inventions, Doudna has become a leader in the scientific field, often wrestling with the moral issues that arise from her discovery.

Join us as Walter Isaacson traces a thrilling detective tale that involves the most profound wonders of nature, from the origins of life to the future of our species.

NOTES

Want to attend this program for free? Join today at the Monthly Sustaining Membership level and receive a special discount code to use at check out. If you are already a member, please log in to receive your $5 general admission ticket. Discounts will automatically be applied during check out.

Copies of The Code Breaker are available for purchase. Purchased books will be sent to the address provided at checkout (domestic U.S. addresses only).

Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.

This program is done in association with Wonderfest.

SPEAKERS

Walter Isaacson

Professor of History, Tulane University, Former CEO, Aspen Institute, Author, The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race

In Conversation with Kishore Hari

Strategic Partnerships, Science Communications and Engagement, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on March 17th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California.

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Celebrating Women's History Month: Women Leaders and the Future of Politics Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

Join us for a discussion of women in politics, paths to success, making a difference, and how female leaders are shaping the future.

Meet the Speakers

Malia M. Cohen serves as a member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), California’s elected tax commission. She was elected to the BOE in November 2018, served as Chair in 2019, and is the first African-American woman to serve on the Board. As the BOE Board Member for District 2, she represents 10 million constituents living in all or parts of 23 counties extending from Del Norte County in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south. In January 2019, her BOE Board Member colleagues unanimously selected her to serve as Chair of the Board. A strong advocate for social justice and inclusion, Board Member Cohen pledges to ensure that the views of all who come before the Board of Equalization are considered carefully, with respect, civility, and courtesy.

Fiona Ma, CPA, is California’s 34th state treasurer. She was elected on November 6, 2018 with more votes (7,825,587) than any other candidate for treasurer in the state's history. She is the first woman of color and the first female Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. Ma was a member of the State Assembly from 2006–2012, serving as speaker pro tempore from 2010–2012. Prior to serving as speaker pro tempore, she was Assembly majority whip and built coalitions during a state budget crisis to pass groundbreaking legislation that protected public education and the environment while also expanding access to health care.

Stefanie G. Roumeliotes, a native to the San Francisco Bay Area, has parlayed her passions for supporting political candidates and causes, and enhancing the welfare of others, into a highly productive career as a seasoned strategist and fundraiser in the political and non-profit arenas. Recognized nationally as a leader in her field, Stefanie has established an admirable reputation for handling each enterprise she manages with expertise and success. In 2004, Stefanie founded SGR Consulting, of which she is CEO.

SPEAKERS

Malia M. Cohen

Member, California State Board of Equalization; Former Member, San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Fiona Ma

CPA, Treasurer, State of California; Former Member, San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Stefanie G. Roumeliotes

Founder and CEO, SGR Consulting; Northwestern Finance Director, Hillary Clinton 2008 Presidential Campaign

Michelle Meow

Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW/KPIX TV and Podcast; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors—Co-Host

John Zipperer

Producer and Host, Week to Week Political Roundtable; Vice President of Media & Editorial, The Commonwealth Club—Co-Host

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Silicon Valley Reads: Connecting with Nature in a Pandemic Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

What has the impact of the pandemic been on the environment? What happens when there is a confluence of climate change, racial tensions and a pandemic?

Yarnold and Mackenzie will discuss the ways we can be more connected to the environment during this time with special guest Tiwari.

In Partnership with Santa Clara County Office of Education, Santa Clara County Library District, and San Jose Public Library.

SPEAKERS

David Yarnold

President, National Audubon Society

Andrea Mackenzie

General Manager, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

Vayun Tiwari

Youth Winner of the 2020 National Audubon Society’s National Photography Award

Sal Pizarro

Columnist, Mercury News—Moderator

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Looking Ahead: The Future of the Bay Area's Innovation Economy Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of shelter-in-place orders in the Bay Area, life for millions has changed drastically throughout the region. Among the most significant changes to date has been in the innovation and tech economy, which has super-charged the region's employment and housing markets. Over the past year, many of the region's top companies have announced new work-from-home policies that will outlast the pandemic. Meanwhile, many start up companies have folded and many tech employees have left the city itself, if not the region.

The Bay Area tech and innovation economy has gone through challenges before, but is this time different? And what will these changes mean for the region's economy. Please join us for the first of several conversations on the future of the economy of San Francisco after the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPEAKERS

Jennifer Stojkovic

Executive Director, sf.citi

Ahmad Thomas

CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Sean Randolph

Senior Director, Bay Area Economic Institute—Moderator

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