Ohio State stands at the doorway of great opportunity, firmly and uniquely positioned to be a leading national flagship public research university. Leading the way is Walter "Ted" Carter Jr., who was appointed as the 17th president of The Ohio State University by the Board of Trustees on August 22, 2023. He began his tenure at Ohio State on January 1, 2024.\r\n\r\nAs president, Carter leads the state's flagship, public research university with six campuses in Ohio and a student body of more than 65,000. Ohio State's largest campus is in Columbus, the state capital and one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Additionally, the university has campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark and Wooster, as well as the nationally recognized Wexner Medical Center, a global research enterprise and leading athletics program.

Dr. Ala Stanford knew she wanted to be a doctor by the time she was eight years old. But role models were few and far between in her working-class North Philly neighborhood. Her teachers were dismissive, and the realities of racism, sexism, and poverty threatened to derail her at every turn. Nevertheless, thanks to her faith, family, and the sheer strength of her will, today she is one of the vanishingly small number of Black women surgeons in America-and an unrelenting force in the fight for health justice.\r\n\r\nIn Take Care of Them Like My Own, Dr. Stanford shares an unflinching account of her story, explaining how her experiences on both sides of the scalpel have informed her understanding of America's racial health gap, an insidious and lethal form of inequality that exacts a devastating toll on Black communities across the country, affluent and underserved alike.\r\n\r\nDr. Ala Stanford is founder of the Black Doctors Consortium, a national leader in health equity, a health care policy advisor, and former regional director of the US Department of Health and Human Services of the mid-Atlantic appointed by President Biden.

From social media advocacy to boots-on-the-ground campaign work, today's youth are more than just future voters-they're shaping the present and future of American democracy. With a record-high 53% of voters under 30 expected to turn out in the 2024 election, Millennials and Gen Z are not only making their voices heard at the ballot box but also influencing the policy platforms of political candidates.\r\n\r\nIn the City Club\'s Youth Forum Council first student-led forum of the 2024-2025 school year, panelists explore the growing influence of young people in politics and the importance of becoming informed, active participants in our democracy. This forum is designed to equip youth with the tools and knowledge to find reliable information on local and national issues, critically analyze it, and take meaningful action-whether through advocacy, community organizing, or direct participation in campaigns.

In July 2024, Cindy Hohl was inaugurated as the next President of the American Library Association (ALA). As a member of the Santee Sioux Nation in Nebraska, she is the second Native American woman to serve as ALA President. During her term, she plans to focus on four main pillars of librarianship: intellectual freedom, literacy, learning, and leadership. "There has never been a better time to serve our communities within the roles of librarianship and we stand united in our mission to ensure equal access to information for all," said Hohl.\r\n\r\nHohl also plans to lead the creation of an informational toolkit to address Missing, Murdered, Indigenous Women and People in the United States when communities need information to conduct searches for their missing loved ones, or to share information outside of the community.\r\n\r\nIn partnership with Cleveland Public Library, and in honor of Indigenous Peoples\' Day, the City Club\'s Cynthia Connolly will sit down with Cindy Hohl to discuss the crucial role of libraries in fostering a sense of civic responsibility through diverse representation and community engagement.

FutureLAND is an annual multi-day conference celebrating the diversity in tech, arts, and culture in Northeast Ohio. The City Club is proud to partner with FutureLAND again this year for a special LIVE broadcast from the Allen Theatre in Playhouse Square!\r\n\r\nThis year, we will hear from Everette Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter, the world's premier\r\ncrowdfunding platform for creative projects. Under Everette's leadership, Kickstarter was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential Companies for trailblazing the future of work and for the company's global impact in the creator economy.\r\n\r\nPrior to joining Kickstarter, Everette most recently served as the CMO of Artsy, the largest online marketplace for buying and selling fine art. During his time at Artsy he was recognized by Forbes as one of the World\'s Most Influential CMOs due to the business seeing all-time record revenue growth and brand awareness.\r\n\r\nAs an entrepreneur, Everette founded or co-founded several multi-million-dollar companies before the age of 30 (PopSocial, GrowthHackers, MilliSense) and sold his first company (EZ Events) at the age of 19.

Stories have the power to transform cultures, organizations, and even entire nations. Ever since the advent of language, stories have inspired both emerging and established leaders--connecting us all to our humanity. Today, our world is facing increasing political polarization and an overreliance on digital technology. Add the arrival of artificial intelligence, many have questioned the future of the humanities and its role in shaping our communities and civic realm.\r\n\r\nThe Mandel Foundation endowed the Honors College at Cleveland State in 2014, with an emphasis on the humanities and a mission to develop future leaders "with the value, ability, and passion to change the world.\" As we mark its 10th Anniversary, join the City Club as we hear from leaders that represent three humanities sectors--film, theater, and literature--on how their work harnesses the power of stories to transform the world.

Kate Anderson Foley is a transformational leader with significant experience leading public school districts and states toward equitable and integrated services for all learners. Her work is grounded in social justice and breaking down the barriers for children who have historically been marginalized. Her latest book Radically Excellent School Improvement: Keeping the Students at the Center of it All, presents a model for ambitious improvement and tireless focus that ensures every student grows, thrives, and achieves to their fullest potential.\r\n\r\nKate is the founder and CEO of The Education Policy & Practice Group and teaches a graduate-level Special Education Law course to aspiring principals and superintendents through the lens of equity and the higher standard.

Every year, roughly a thousand young people in the foster-care system in Ohio "age out" and are thrust into a reality where they are more likely to face homelessness, unemployment, and food scarcity. Child welfare agencies are working to fill the gaps, but opportunities remain.\r\n\r\nJoin the City Club as we hear from local leadership on how we can all strategically partner with agencies and institutions to improve outcomes for youth and families.

According to a recent report by Harvard University, the first two decades of the 21st century were laser focused on \"increasing voter turnout among the \'low propensity\' voters in their communities, especially people of color and young people.\" These were groups largely "invisible" to the mainstream election industry. So, at the time, grassroots organizations welcomed the approach. But was it the right move? Today, Ohio is experiencing a higher level of disengagement and cynicism than in comparable states. Add to this, Ohio\'s notoriety as a \"swing state\" has lost steam--and national Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts have set their eyes on neighboring states like Wisconsin and Michigan. What can be done to repair the trust and relationship-building at the foundation of community organizing? And how can we better enfranchise those in our own communities? Join the City Club as Signal Cleveland\'s Frank Lewis takes on the \"forgotten voter\" and Ohio\'s GOTV efforts.

The City Club presents the annual State of the Schools address featuring CEO Dr. Warren G. Morgan, where he will speak about his priorities and progress after his first year leading the schools.\r\n\r\nDr. Morgan became CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Ohio's third-largest school district, in July 2023. As CEO, he is responsible for implementing the strategic vision for the district, which serves more than 36,000 students. He also oversees more than 6,500 employees and collaborates with educators, students and families, and the community to create a school district that provides high-quality, equitable education to all students.