You may recognize these two amazing storytellers from the 2022 NLC Convention! Both Sandy and Hari joined us for both moving and entertaining keynotes.
In her main stage keynote, Sandy Clark shared the power of storytelling in leadership, facilitating meaningful human connection, and shaping our nation’s social landscape to bring us closer together. Sharing stories from everyday people not only allows storytellers to share parts of our past and present, but paints a picture of what the future can hold. And for the storytellers themselves, being heard can be transformative. That’s why StoryCorps set up its first recording booth in Grand Central Terminal in New York City in 2003. And it’s why StoryCorps has been traveling across the country and collecting, recording and sharing stories ever since. Before joining StoryCorps in February of 2022, Sandy served as the Vice President for News and Civic Dialogue at WHYY, Philadelphia’s largest public media station, where she diversified staff and news coverage and developed a nationally recognized news and information collaborative with grassroots partners. Sandy also served as Managing Editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, leading the organization to a Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2014.
As the headliner of our Alumni Awards Dinner and Celebration, Hari Kondabolu shared his experience as a Indian-American and son of immigrants in the U.S. His stories not only made us laugh, but also made us think about the progress that is possible in our nation. Hari’s latest project is co-hosting, Snack Vs. Chef on Netflix, a competition where chefs recreate beloved snack foods and invent new snacks of their own. In his Netflix Special, Warn Your Relatives, Kondabolu breaks down identity politics, celebrity encounters, his mango obsession, and more. But Hari isn’t just funny - he has a background in advocacy and organzing too. He is a former immigrant rights organizer in Seattle who worked under the leadership of now-Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. Hari also earned a Masters in Human Rights from the London School of Economics and was the Artist In Residence at NYU’s Asian Pacific American Institute.
We are delighted to have Sandy and Hari on our Advisory Council! You can learn about our other Advisory Council and National Board of Directors members on our website.
With much gratitude,
Clare Bresnahan English
President and CEO
New Leaders Council
