What I loved about this conversation with Kim is hearing her personal stories and experiences that brought her to dedicate her life to belonging and social connectedness.

Kim Samuel is an activist, educator and movement builder. She is the Founder and Chief Belonging Officer of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, named in honour of her late father. She is president of the Samuel Family Foundation; visiting scholar at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative; and the first-ever Fulbright ambassador for diversity and social connectedness. Kim has lectured at institutions including Oxford, Harvard, and Vancouver Island University. Her first book, On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation was released recently by Abrams Press. 

What I loved about this conversation with Kim is hearing her personal stories and experiences that brought her to dedicate her life to belonging and social connectedness.
Kim Samuel is an activist, educator and movement builder. She is the Founder and Chief Belonging Officer of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, named in honour of her late father. She is president of the Samuel Family Foundation; visiting scholar at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative; and the first-ever Fulbright ambassador for diversity and social connectedness. Kim has lectured at institutions including Oxford, Harvard, and Vancouver Island University. Her first book, On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation was released recently by Abrams Press.

Cultivate The Soul explores the intersection of philanthropy, contemplative practices, self-reflection and spirituality. Hosts Gretchen Ki Steidle and Melissa Durda are joined by leaders in philanthropy who discuss how they are bringing inner work to outer action and the impact this creates for charities, foundations, and other nonprofits. Presented by Synergos, a global organization helping solve complex issues around the world by advancing bridging leadership, which builds trust and collective action.

Cultivate The Soul explores the intersection of philanthropy, contemplative practices, self-reflection and spirituality. Hosts Gretchen Ki Steidle and Melissa Durda are joined by leaders in philanthropy who discuss how they are bringing inner work to outer action and the impact this creates for charities, foundations, and other nonprofits. Presented by Synergos, a global organization helping solve complex issues around the world by advancing bridging leadership, which builds trust and collective action.

Synergos Cultivate the Soul: ﻿Stories of Purpose-Driven Philanthropy

Synergos Cultivate the Soul: Stories of Purpose-Driven Philanthropy

Building Social Connectedness with Kim Samuel, Founder and Chief Belonging Officer, Samuel Centre and for Social Connectedness

Listen to hear Rodney speak about the role that he plays to support Love, with a capital “L” in today’s world. How, at Fetzer, they are creating space and communities to explore how one can demonstrate love in one’s philanthropy.

Meet Rodney

I come from a people where community is essential and life saving. Community has saved me from loneliness, from being afraid that I wasn’t loved by God and supported me in seeing the possibility of being at a special place like Fetzer.

Creating transformative communities has always been a pivotal part of my work. In earlier parts of my career, I co-founded the Expansion Church and acted as spiritual director, where I focused on building a deep sense of community with all who attended in their personal and collective journey of intersection of radical spirituality. As the ED of Resource Generation,an organization of 18-35 year olds with access to wealth, I worked to support young people who often felt disconnected from their peers and their families in building up a community of people they could trust and feel deep alignment with.

In my role as VP of Ally Development, I get deep joy from the ways we are creating and building community inside and outside of Fetzer. Within Fetzer, the Ally Development team is in deep community doing deep learning together, laughing a whole lot and being daring enough to take a bold stance that philanthropy at its best is centered in Love, Spirit, and the Sacred Mystery. Beyond Fetzer, we develop transformative relationships with leaders in the philanthropic community. In Ally Development, we know that transformative relationships and community are what leads to the openness, vulnerability, and genuine care that is required to have the real conversations about what we want for our future.

I hold a Master of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary and I bring 20 years' experience as a leader in philanthropy and movement spaces and as a community organizer focused on political campaigns and issues of democracy and social justice. I am from Dallas, TX, and currently live in New York, NY.

Listen to hear Rodney speak about the role that he plays to support Love, with a capital “L” in today’s world. How, at Fetzer, they are creating space and communities to explore how one can demonstrate love in one’s philanthropy.
Meet Rodney
I come from a people where community is essential and life saving. Community has saved me from loneliness, from being afraid that I wasn’t loved by God and supported me in seeing the possibility of being at a special place like Fetzer.
Creating transformative communities has always been a pivotal part of my work. In earlier parts of my career, I co-founded the Expansion Church and acted as spiritual director, where I focused on building a deep sense of community with all who attended in their personal and collective journey of intersection of radical spirituality. As the ED of Resource Generation,an organization of 18-35 year olds with access to wealth, I worked to support young people who often felt disconnected from their peers and their families in building up a community of people they could trust and feel deep alignment with.
In my role as VP of Ally Development, I get deep joy from the ways we are creating and building community inside and outside of Fetzer. Within Fetzer, the Ally Development team is in deep community doing deep learning together, laughing a whole lot and being daring enough to take a bold stance that philanthropy at its best is centered in Love, Spirit, and the Sacred Mystery. Beyond Fetzer, we develop transformative relationships with leaders in the philanthropic community. In Ally Development, we know that transformative relationships and community are what leads to the openness, vulnerability, and genuine care that is required to have the real conversations about what we want for our future.
I hold a Master of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary and I bring 20 years' experience as a leader in philanthropy and movement spaces and as a community organizer focused on political campaigns and issues of democracy and social justice. I am from Dallas, TX, and currently live in New York, NY.

Creating Transformative Communities with Rodney McKenzie, Jr., Vice President of Ally Development, Fetzer Institute

Marker 01

Scott Kriens, chairman and former CEO of Juniper Networks, has been in the
technology industry for more than 35 years. In 1996, he co-founded Juniper
Networks, growing the company to $4 billion in global sales and more than 10,000
employees in 100+ countries.

In 2010, Scott and his wife Joanie launched 1440 Foundation, a grant making
organization committed to the cultivation of truly real and connected
relationships, with self and others, as a basis for living well. The work of the
Foundation led Scott and Joanie to launch 1440 Multiversity, a 21st century
learning destination in the California redwoods of Santa Cruz County.
At his core, Scott is a learner and a builder, committed to finding new ways to tie
the world around us to that which is real and powerful within us – whether for
the purpose of building teams as a leader in the tech industry or simply as an
advocate for the path to living lives of true resonance. Moving beyond having
more or suffering less, 1440 helps people and groups interested in finding their
own unique connection to meaning.

“I think the growing call in the world today for connection, meaning, and making a
difference, all indicate that there is an unmet need in many of us. The true mark
of 1440’s success will be that we can offer a welcoming and inspiring place to
serve the loud need for quiet time, and invite each person to find their own
answers to the questions that matter most.”

Scott Kriens, chairman and former CEO of Juniper Networks, has been in the technology industry for more than 35 years. In 1996, he co-founded Juniper Networks, growing the company to $4 billion in global sales and more than 10,000 employees in 100+ countries.
In 2010, Scott and his wife Joanie launched 1440 Foundation, a grant making organization committed to the cultivation of truly real and connected relationships, with self and others, as a basis for living well. The work of the Foundation led Scott and Joanie to launch 1440 Multiversity, a 21st century learning destination in the California redwoods of Santa Cruz County. At his core, Scott is a learner and a builder, committed to finding new ways to tie the world around us to that which is real and powerful within us – whether for the purpose of building teams as a leader in the tech industry or simply as an advocate for the path to living lives of true resonance. Moving beyond having more or suffering less, 1440 helps people and groups interested in finding their own unique connection to meaning.
“I think the growing call in the world today for connection, meaning, and making a difference, all indicate that there is an unmet need in many of us. The true mark of 1440’s success will be that we can offer a welcoming and inspiring place to serve the loud need for quiet time, and invite each person to find their own answers to the questions that matter most.”

Fostering Relationships for Living Well with Scott Kriens, Co-creator, 1440 Multiversity

Sudnya is an Indian American artist who has made San Francisco Bay Area her home since 1996. She has pursued her passion for storytelling through visual art, public installations, a novel publication, and now FREMONT, her first feature film.

As a champion of the world’s displaced sisterhood, Sudnya has made it her life’s mission to tell stories - arrestingly beautiful and awe inspiring stories - that have the power to move and change our subconscious narratives of fear around those who don’t look and sound like us. Towards that end, she has built a community that trusts her and has joined forces in this endeavor of storytelling to effect a powerful and much needed social awakening.

Sudnya is an Indian American artist who has made San Francisco Bay Area her home since 1996. She has pursued her passion for storytelling through visual art, public installations, a novel publication, and now FREMONT, her first feature film.
As a champion of the world’s displaced sisterhood, Sudnya has made it her life’s mission to tell stories - arrestingly beautiful and awe inspiring stories - that have the power to move and change our subconscious narratives of fear around those who don’t look and sound like us. Towards that end, she has built a community that trusts her and has joined forces in this endeavor of storytelling to effect a powerful and much needed social awakening.

Building Social Connectedness with Kim Samuel, Founder and Chief Belonging Officer, Samuel Centre and for Social Connectedness

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Synergos Cultivate the Soul: Stories of Purpose-Driven Philanthropy

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