The Party:  PURPLE is the theme! Stand up and be counted by showing your philanthropic side and getting decked out in the color purple while enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with other who share the same philanthropic commitment.

The Purpose: Put the Fun into FUNdraising by learning best practices in charitable fundraising from national experts and local mentors.

What best practices can you learn in just one evening?

About the Speakers:

Joanna Rees, Founder VSP Capital

Joanna Rees is a candidate for Mayor of San Francisco in 2011. Currently Joanna is the founder of VSP Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm which has supported over 60 Bay Area businesses. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University where she teaches Leadership. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Posit Science, Sabrix, Branders, AccountNow, and FON. Non profit board roles include: Endeavor, a non-profit that assists high-impact entrepreneurs in developing nations; the Bay Area Board of Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, bringing business-building skills to students in low-income communities; the New Schools Venture Fund, a venture philanthropy firm seeking to transform public education; and the National Venture Capital Association. Joanna was selected by the World Economic Forum as a "Global Leader for Tomorrow," and by the Aspen Institute as a "Henry Crown Fellow". She is winner of the "Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award" by the San Francisco Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and was named among the "Most Influential Business Women in the Bay Area" by the San Francisco Business Times. She has an MBA from Columbia and a BS from Duke.

Cameron Phleger – Founding Chair of Exploratorium Lab’s Young Professional Group

Cameron Phleger is a teacher, community leader, and fifth generation San Franciscan who has made philanthropy an integral part of her life. She first got her feet wet on the committee for the TNDC (Tenderloin Neighborhood Development) Pool Toss. In 2005, she jumped in as the dunking debutante and after raising over $250k in just four years she joined the Symphonix board, San Francisco Symphony's Young Professional League. In her first year she was secretary, and over the years has been a trilogy chair and member at large. In 2009 she chaired the after party for the opening of the San Francisco Symphony for 1500 attendees. She has now taken on the exciting venture of starting a board at the Exploratorium for younger supporters and donors, called "Exploratorium Lab."

Tamara Mendelsohn - Director of Marketing at Eventbrite

Tamara is passionate about spreading the good word of Eventbrite and bringing people together through events. Prior to Eventbrite, she was a senior analyst with Forrester Research, an independent technology research and consulting firm. Tamara has worked with retailers and technology venders to help shape their strategies through her research reports. She has also sat on the board of several industry advisory boards and has regularly spoken at industry events.

Giles Marsden – Group Director, Tiffany & Co.

Giles Marsden, Group Director of Tiffany & Co. San Francisco oversees the sales, operations and marketing of the San Francisco Tiffany & Co. store. Beginning his career with Tiffany in Beverly Hills, Marsden was tapped to develop the market in the Silicon Valley as Director of the Palo Alto store, where through his efforts Tiffany established its reputation and success as the leading jeweler of that region. His work in San Francisco includes partnering with dozens of not-for-profit and community-based organizations, helping them create public awareness and reach their financial goals though support from Tiffany & Co. Originally from England, Marsden is a founding board member of the Friends of UCSF's Children's Hospital.

Carol Tran – Founder of Chic Meets Geek

Carol Tran works in biotech patent law and is also involved in social entrepreneur projects. Carol began ChicMeetsGeek to create a fun, social environment with her two groups of friends, the cultural influencers in the chic world and the intellectual techies in the geek community. The mission of ChicMeetsGeek is to bridge the social gap between the two different groups to inspire, share and connect through a panel of guest speakers while benefiting a nonprofit, which is highlighted during the event. Carol has served on the board for Women in Science, WeekendApps, OpenSocial, American Cancer Society and March of Dimes. She currently devotes her time as a Board of Director of the San Francisco Opera Bravo.

VISIT US AT VIVANISTA.COM

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @VIVANISTA

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Automattic Lounge
Pier 38
San Francisco, CA 94111

Tuesday, November 16, 2010 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (PST)