Susan Sawyers, 12/27/11

Reporter, former foundation director, curator, mother of two, wife of one

Today's favorable income tax rates make it attractive for the mega-rich to give their dollars away. But how much of this private funding for social good wields influence over public policy?

Jay Tavare, 12/28/11

Actor, Writer & Activist

Twenty-five people from different backgrounds, cultures and nations, made a commitment to come together for a single purpose -- to help the Navajo Elders and to learn from each other

Traver Rains, 12/28/11

Fashion designer, T. Rains

Tom Gerdy, 12/28/11

Building contractor

Small businesses have always been the backbone of the economy in America. The current leaders seem to have forgotten this piece of our economic puzzle.

Jo Brothers, 12/28/11

Social Media Architect for Positive Change and Innovation

As we count down to the last days of 2011, residents of Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island are looking forward to a more settled 2012.

Deborah Bassett, 12/28/11

Environmental Journalist and Nonprofit Consultant

De Rothschild's most recent endeavor led him into the heart of the Brazilian Amazon to investigate social and environmental impact of the controversial Belo Monte Dam.

Rev. Dr. Susan K. Hedahl, 12/28/11

Herman G. Stuempfle Chair of Proclamation of the Word, Lutheran Theological Seminary

Within this text of love and support for a child, we unmistakably hear the note of justice sounded clearly. Indeed the rising and falling of many has and will occur in terms of their treatment of children.

Larry Bock, 12/28/11

Founder and organizer, USA Science & Engineering Festival

Make a New Year's resolution for you and your family to join us in a satellite Festival event near you, or in D.C. at the Washington Convention Center for the Expo!

Gloria Bonilla Santiago, 12/28/11

Board Chair of the LEAP Academy University Charter School

Violence and crime are happening in schools in cities like Camden and other poor urban centers throughout the country. Our families have come together to object the violence in our city.

Tom Murphy, 12/28/11

Founding Editor, 'A View From The Cave' and 'DAWNS Digest'

Programming in the HoA seeks to give people living in the region the ability to adjust to the cyclical droughts that return every few years. Feed the Future is one USAID program that hopes to build the capacity to withstand weather challenges.

Christine Schanes, 12/27/11

Consultant, public educator

I found refuge in meditation. I had a room built in the back of my home to be a meditation place and my meditation group met there. One day my meditation group discussed doing something to help homeless people in San Diego.

Joe Waters, 12/28/11

Blogger, Selfishgiving.com

Here are my picks for the best local cause marketing programs of 2011. In short, these programs inspired me and made me proud to be a cause marketer.

Shannon Galpin, 12/28/11

Founder and President of Mountain2Mountain

Working with ANAD, we secured a from the Afghan government to serve as a permanent location for Afghanistan's deaf to build a thriving community.

Stuart Muszynski, 12/27/11

Founder and CEO, PurpleAmerica.us

During the holidays, there's no dearth of goodness in America. But after the New Year's ball drops, we go back to same old same old, where ordinary, everyday niceness is undervalued in our culture.

Bill George, 12/27/11

Professor of Management Practice, Harvard Business School

No doubt the road ahead will be filled with challenges and pitfalls, but, with help, we believe these emerging leaders will replace cynicism with hope, callousness with compassion, and destructive self-interest with creation of societal gains.

Diane Dimond, 12/27/11

Television journalist, author, syndicated columnist

Across the country a small army of Americans have been quietly helping the less fortunate feel the true meaning of Christmas. These soldiers arrive without being asked and give even though no one makes a request.

Ann Brenoff, 12/27/11

Senior Writer, The Huffington Post

By 2030, one in five Americans will be a senior citizen and estimates are that those needing long-term care insurance will skyrocket to more than 23 million Americans. And each one of them is looking at a projected long-term care costs of about $300,000 a year.