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Social Impact Leadership Conference

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Social Impact Leadership Conference

June 10, 2022 - June 11, 2022

Each year, the Social Impact Leadership Conference brings together community leaders from around the world to share stories and good practices in the social impact community. The theme for the 2022 conference is:

Connecting Personal Growth to Community Change

Join us virtually and make connections, share insights, and be inspired by a vibrant international community of social impact leaders!

Click Here to Learn More & Register!


2022 Conference Keynote_Stephen Murphy-ShigematsuKeynote Speaker: Dr. Stephen Murphy-Shigematsu

Living with Heartfulness: Transforming Self & Society with Asian Wisdom & Compassion

Dr. Stephen Murphy-Shigematu’s keynote is framed around the metaphor of the storytelling teahouse. The teahouse has some basic virtues, such as tranquility, and we add other virtues such as vulnerability and humility. We also engage in storytelling, sharing our stories in ways that are mutually healing and empowering. The teahouse offers hospitality and refuge for the weary traveler and becomes a place of learning and healing in community.

About the Speaker

Dr. Shigematsu is a Stanford psychologist and author whose career spans half a century. He received a doctorate in clinical and community psychology from Harvard University. For nearly a decade he engaged in study, research, training, counseling, and teaching at Harvard, followed by more than a decade as professor at Tokyo University, with a third decade spent at numerous other schools and hospitals in Japan and the US. For the past 20 years Stanford University has been the base of his teaching and research practices as faculty in Education; Human Biology; Psychology; Anthropology; Arts, Humanities, and Medicine; Comparative Studies of Race and Ethnicity; Asian American Studies; Health and Human Performance; and in the Center for Asian Health Research and Education.

Learn more about Dr. Murphy-Shigematsu at: www.murphyshigematsu.com


Alumni Reflections

During the Alumni Reflections session, VIA alumni will share about their journeys from personal growth and development to making a social impact and creating change.

Alan Teo, MD, MS

Psychiatrist and Health Services Researcher at Oregon Health & Science University; Exploring Health Care (EHC) alumnus (1998, 2000), volunteer posted at Ehime University School of Medicine (2001-2002), and former VIA Board member.

Libo Ma

Consultant and Life Coach, Co-founder of Pi Pi Shi Kids’ Psychology Program; Exploring Social Innovation (ESI) alumna and frequent ESI coordinator / fellow since 2018; initiated China-based ESI workshop in collaboration with other VIA alumni in China.

Kimi Takamatsu

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Data Analyst at Bloomberg LP; Serving American Community (SAC) alumnus (2008).

Eri Shimomukai

Founder and Director of rokuyo, inc, which is dedicated to updating Japanese educational systems and curriculum; Exploring Social Innovation (ESI) alumna (2010) and coordinator (2012).


Changemakers in Action: Concurrent Sessions

Members of the VIA Community share the different ways they are making an impact in their own and others’ lives. There will be two concurrent session blocks, where you can choose from four different presentations in breakout rooms. Read below to learn more about each of the sessions!

Concurrent Session Block 1 – June 11 @ 6:45-7:30 US Pacific Time

“Channeling Personal Transformation into Collective Transformation” – Hear from Betina Yin and Vicky Li of Mindful Valley. Mindful Valley promotes social transformation and collective healing in Qingdao, China, through weekly meeting circles focused on building self-esteem, recollecting self-compassion, and healing the inner child.

“Peaceful Coexistence in Diversity” – Hear from Aung Khant Thu of BEAM Education Foundation’s BEEs Club. The BEAM BEEs Club’s annual conference creates a space for marginalized Burmese and Thai youth to explore, engage, and empower each other to create sustainable solutions for a more peaceful and diverse society.

“Education Beyond Crisis” – Hear from Me Zin Anawar and Style Su Han Moh Aung of LANN. LANN is a peer resource center where people can inspire each other and access quality and critical education for everyone in Myanmar, because education plays a key role in shaping a better future.

“Education: The Game Changer of the Community” – Hear from Su Yee Yamin Ko and Chan Pyae Kyaw of Sone See Yar Academy. Sone See Yar Academy is an educational platform that allows Myanmar’s students to access low-cost continuing education, as well as provides technical support for teachers who want to start hosting their own online classes. Sone See Yar is working to shift how education is delivered in Myanmar.

Concurrent Session Block 2 – June 11 @ 7:45-8:30 US Pacific Time

“Ending Discrimination Among Myanmar’s Diverse Ethnicities” – Hear from Htoo Nandar and Thuta Zin of We Are One. We Are One is dedicated to fighting discrimination and encouraging people to adopt the mindset that we are all humans living in the same country, through the use of comics, podcasts, discussions and civic training.

“Starting a Special Education System in Myanmar” – Hear from Hay Mar of Thit Eain Education. Thit Eain Education aims to foster an inclusive education system in Myanmar and raise awareness among educators and the public about new and creative ways to support learners with special needs.

“Re-Create: Creative Campaigns for Social Good” – Hear from Rizky (Kiki) Aljaza and Alit Mranani of VIA Indonesia. VIA Indonesia’s Re-Create project invites media professionals to take a closer look at their surroundings and interact with their communities by using media and art to promote action on social issues.

“Demi Masa: For the Sake of Others” – Hear from Elvi Rahmi Zasri of the Demi Masa Insititute. Demi Masa Institute, based in Indonesia, is a community engaged in public speaking, media literacy, and data journalism training. They believe that public speaking skills also helps individuals develop emotional intelligence, oral communication, and leadership skills.

Click to download Concurrent Sessions PDF


This event will be hosted on the Zoom Events platform, which is different from regular Zoom meetings and webinars. Here are some useful tips and resources for using Zoom Events: