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We live in a time of political, social and economic turmoil, made worse by nearly two years of pandemic. Around the world, nations, regions and communities struggle to master contention, conflict and outrage among people divided by social standing, economic status and core beliefs. Forty years of technological innovation have transformed how we live, earn a living, learn, play, entertain and engage, creating vast new opportunities and new understanding of our shared past. The same waves of change are currently leaving millions behind, economically, socially and culturally. The conflict and anger in civil society is hurting our ability to connect, collaborate and govern.

In this free, three-hour online conference, the Intelligent Community Forum and its 2021 Intelligent Community of the Year, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, begin a yearlong journey uncovering lessons and sharing best practices for managing conflicts, reconciling past wrongs and rebuilding the trust that makes communities work.

Featured Speakers Include:

Isha Khan
CEO, Canadian Museum of Human Rights
Isha Khan (she/her) is a lawyer, educator and community leader dedicated to building a culture of human rights in Canada and beyond. Her professional experience includes her tenure as Executive Director and Senior Counsel of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, where she advanced several important rights-based initiatives and public education campaigns. She is also a dedicated community volunteer who serves as Board Chair of United Way Winnipeg. In August of 2020, she began her role as CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Throughout her life, Khan has helped build communities where everyone is respected and empowered to reach their full potential. She continues that work at the Museum, engaging people around the world in a growing movement for hope and human rights.

Steven Greyeyes
National Education Program Coordinator, National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Steven Greyeyes is an Indigenous educator and a member of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Steven lives in Winnipeg and has worked in public education and corporate training for over fifteen years. Thanks to his background as a history and native studies teacher, his presentations allow room for conversations and diverse views. Steven shares stories with audiences from across Canada as the Education Coordinator at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. When not at work Steven can be found gardening, harvesting food in his treaty area, dragging his bored children though museums.

Stacia George, M.A.
Director, Conflict Resolution Program, The Carter Center

Stacia George became director of the Conflict Resolution Program in 2021.

She previously served as director for West and Central Africa and Haiti at Chemonics International Inc., a global implementer of international development assistance. George previously served as the deputy director for USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) and is an expert in conflict management and international development with specializations in conflict-affected environments, stabilization, democracy, and community-driven development programming.

Clayton Banks
Co-Founder and CEO, Silicon Harlem

Clayton Banks is the Co-Founder and CEO of Silicon Harlem. The mission of Silicon Harlem is to transform Harlem and other urban markets into Innovation and Technology Hubs. Under his leadership, Silicon Harlem has been able to partner with the Department of Education for New York City to establish an after school STEM based startup accelerator, collaborate with the NYC Mayor’s office to assess wireless broadband in upper Manhattan and coordinate a virtual startup incubator for tech based entrepreneurs. Banks has established and produces the only comprehensive technology conference in Harlem, the Silicon Harlem tech conference is focused on next generation internet and its impact on urban markets economic development.

Vinayak Bharne
Director, My Liveable City; Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Southern California, USA

Vinayak Bharne (he/his) is a practicing urban designer and city planner based in Los Angeles; Director of the India-Netherlands-based knowledge platform, My Liveable City; and faculty of urbanism at the University of Southern California. His work, ranging from new towns and downtown revitalizations to community empowerment and urban policies in the United States, India, Egypt, China and Panama, intersects urban design with issues of social and ecological justice. A member of the Board of Directors of the award-winning non-profit organization, Union Station Homeless Services in California, his books include "Affordable Housing, Inclusive Cities"; "Urbanism Beyond 2020"; and the forthcoming "Streets For All: 50 Ideas for Shaping Resilient Cities".

Rob McCann
Founder, Clearcable
Rob McCann is the founder of Clearcable and has been working with advanced broadband service deployments in mid-market and rural cable and telephone systems since 1998. He is responsible for building and maintaining technical, network, and application intelligence. Rob works closely with several carriers, cable systems, municipalities, and network service providers in Canada and the US providing them with the technology, integration, and business practices required to effectively operate voice, video, and data services in the changing broadband service provider industry.

Mayor Allan Thompson
Caledon, Ontario, Canada
Mayor Allan Thompson brings a unique brand of passion to municipal leadership and a strong commitment to citizen engagement, collaboration and service delivery innovation. His vision is a connected, sustainable and inclusive community. Mayor Thompson was first elected to public office in 2003 as a Caledon area Councillor and then elected as Regional Councillor in 2006. On December 2, 2014 he was sworn in as the seventh Mayor of the Town of Caledon and is currently serving his second term. Mayor Thompson is a lifelong resident of Caledon, a proud husband, father and multi-generational farmer.

Doug McCollough
CIO, City of Dublin, Ohio, USA
As CIO of the City of Dublin, Ohio, Doug McCollough has worked to connect people to opportunities, and promote change in initiatives ranging from Smart and Connected Cities, IT Workforce Development, expanding broadband access, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, and Blockchain in Government. He speaks and advises as a Subject Matter Expert and advocate on technical subjects, diversity, equity, inclusion, and using technology for economic development. Doug has held positions within the State of Ohio Departments of Public Safety, Commerce, Industrial Commission, and Medicaid.

Lisa Wolf
MSW, LCSW
Lisa Wolf MSW, LCSW is a practicing psychotherapist with offices in Bridgehampton, NY & Manhattan, she also sees patients via Zoom. Lisa holds a Master of Science from Columbia University and BA from U.C. Berkeley. She has worked extensively with anxiety and depressive disorders, couples’ issues, addiction and recovery. Her experience includes work on hospital inpatient psychiatry units as well as inpatient and outpatient addiction rehab centers. Lisa is the author of a monthly column Thoughts From a Therapist that appears in The Southampton Press, East Hampton Press, Sag Harbor Express and online at 27east.com. Her website is lisawolftherapy.com

Felicia Wiltshire
Director of Customer Service & Communications, City of Winnipeg, Ontario, Canada
Felicia Wiltshire currently serves as Director of Customer Service & Communications for the City of Winnipeg, and was responsible for the creation of the City’s first Office of Public Engagement. Through the Office of Public Engagement, the City has launched public dialogue on countless issues, including Welcoming Winnipeg: Reconciling our History which sought public input on how to best provide a more balanced representation of Winnipeg’s history through the examination of existing monuments, signage, and street names. The engagement work on this initiative received national recognition and was awarded the Indigenous Engagement Core Values Award from the International Association for Public Participation.

Conference Agenda:

12:00pm EST / 11:00am CST: Welcome

• Robert Bell, Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum

12:15pm EST / 11:15am CST: Lessons from Historic Conflicts that Help Build a Better Future
Leaders of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg and the Carter Center in Atlanta share lessons about how parties locked in conflicts can find a path to reconciliation and a new future.

• Stacia George, M.A., Director, Conflict Resolution Program, The Carter Center
• Isha Khan, CEO, Canadian Museum of Human Rights
• Lou Zacharilla, Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum (Moderator) 

1:00pm EST / 12:00pm CST: How Broadband Access Unites and Divides Us
The pandemic revealed the essential role of broadband today. It also exposed as never before the dire consequences of the digital divide and the explosive impact of social media in spreading misinformation, fear and outrage. Panelists discuss what the pandemic has taught them about making broadband access more equitable and managing its downsides.

• Clayton Banks, Co-Founder and CEO, Silicon Harlem
• Vinayak Bharne, Director, My Liveable City; Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Southern California, USA
• Rob McCann, Founder, Clearcable
• John Jung, Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum (Moderator)

1:30pm EST / 12:30pm CST: Reconciliation and the Power of Community Diversity
Winnipeg is on a journey of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples across its community after centuries of prejudice, mistreatment and marginalization. Municipal and Indigenous leaders discuss the challenging process of building a civic understanding amidst historic abuses.

• Steven Greyeyes, National Education Program Coordinator, National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
• Felicia Wiltshire, Director of Customer Service & Communications, City of Winnipeg
• Eleanor Coopsammy, Corporate Creative Communications Manager, Economic Development Winnipeg (Moderator)

2:15pm EST / 1:15pm CST: Engaging with Rage: Finding a Path Out of Conflict
In the past two years, municipal leaders have faced an outpouring of anger, harassment, threats and even physical danger from constituents pushed to the edge by the pandemic and the broader social divisions of our time. We hear their stories and discuss with psychologists how rage can be engaged with and channeled to more productive use that builds community rather than tearing it down.

• Doug McCollough, CIO, City of Dublin, Ohio, USA
• Mayor Allan Thompson, Town of Caledon, ON, Canada
• Lisa Wolf, MSW, LCSW, East Hampton, NY & Manhattan (Lisawolftherapy.com) 
• Robert Bell, Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum (Moderator)

3:00pm EST / 2:00pm CST: Conference Closing and Smart21 Communities of 2022 Announcement
Each year, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) names the world’s most Intelligent Community. This process starts with the announcement of the Smart21 Communities of the Year and semi-finalists for the awards. Our conference will wrap with a presentation from the ICF co-founders, a message from Winnipeg, and the announcement of the Smart21 Communities of 2022.

• Lou Zacharilla, Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum (Host)

Who will attend this event?

The event will bring together the founders of ICF, representatives from Winnipeg, thought leaders from organizations such as the Canadian Museum of Human Rights and the Carter Center in Atlanta, international delegates from ICF-designated communities as well as numerous business and organization delegates Communities from Canada, the USA and the world.

Whether you are a civic leader, industry stakeholder, investor, community advocate, or business colleague, there is a value-proposition for you to attend this inclusive, forward-thinking, educational virtual conference.

Click here to register.