FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Megan E. Benak, 617/349-8639 mbenak@lesley.edu / Bill Doncaster, 617-349-8525 wdoncast@lesley.edu MEDIA ADVISORY Lesley University’s Leadership for Social Change Lecture Series Presents: Public Service Luminaries Alan Khazei and Vanessa Kirsch WHO: Alan Khazei and Vanessa Kirsch WHAT: Speaking on Making a Difference: Youth Service, Activism, and Social Entrepreneurship WHY: Alan Khazei, is the Co-Founder of City Year, a youth service corps that helped to inspire the development of AmeriCorps, America’s federal investment in national youth service. An “action tank” for the concept of voluntary national service, City Year envisions a world in which a year of public service will be a civic rite of passage for all young adults. He is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Reebok Human Rights Award, the Jefferson Award for Public Service, The Caring Institute Award, and the Harvard Law School Association Outstanding Alumni Award. Additionally, he was chosen by the Boston Globe Magazine as one of 11 Bostonians Changing the World. Khazei currently serves on the Board of Directors of Citizen Schools, New Profit, Inc., Share Our Strength, and on the Advisory Board of America’s Promise, the Partnership for Public Service, and the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Khazei’s wife, Vanessa Kirsch is the President and Founder of New Profit Inc., a national venture philanthropy fund that unites engaged philanthropists with visionary social entrepreneurs to grow their social innovations to scale. She has more than 17 years of experience in developing innovative solutions to social problems and is widely recognized as a leading social entrepreneur. Prior to launching New Profit, Vanessa founded and led two nonprofit organizations, Public Allies and the Women's Information Network. Additionally, she has received numerous public service awards and recognition for her work. Currently, Vanessa serves on the Tufts Board of Overseers to the University College of Citizenship and Public Service, and on the Boards of New Leaders for New Schools and College Summit. This lecture series is funded in part by a gift from the Bildner Family Foundation. WHERE: Lesley University, Marran Theater at 47 Oxford Street. WHEN: 7 p.m. on Monday, November 6th. COST: This event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow. CONTACT: For more information contact Megan Benak at 617-349-8639 or Bill Doncaster at 617-349-8525. ### Lesley University ( www.lesley.edu ), a 12,000-student, multi-site university for women and men, is one of the nation’s largest providers of graduate professional education opportunities to K-12 educators. Anchored by a strong liberal arts curriculum, Lesley offers undergraduate and graduate programs in education, the arts, human services and the environment at its Cambridge and Boston campuses, online, and in 150 locations in 24 states. Lesley's four schools include the School of Education, the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences, The Art Institute of Boston, and Lesley College, an undergraduate residential college. Lesley University prepares individuals for lives and careers that make a difference, and serves the evolving needs of students and a diverse society through innovative programs and pedagogy, high quality instruction, scholarship, advocacy, and outreach.