NAF, a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready, recently held their annual Benefit at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel. The evening featured a fireside chat with NAF Founder, Sandy Weill, and Honoree, Ajay Banga, President and CEO of Mastercard. Award-winning business news journalist, Susie Gharib, Anchor & Senior Special Correspondent for Fortune, served as moderator.
NAF Founder, Sandy Weill, said, “I am always so impressed by how thoughtful these young people are and how much they have accomplished. My advice is for them to not only think about the business side, but also about how to be philanthropic and give back to their communities. After all, they are the future. There is no better gift than showing how much you care, by lending of your time and talent, and remembering the place you came from. In doing so, a more positive world is possible and that is the power of what education can do.”
Students from 14 NAF academies across the country had the unique opportunity to present their team projects to business professionals from America’s top companies, such as JPMorgan Chase & Co.; KPMG; World Wide Technology (WWT); SAP North America, Inc.; Lenovo; and others, and explained how they’ve used their NAF academy experience to prepare for college and career. Demonstrating their knowledge as it relates to a project, these future trailblazers connected to their chosen academy theme and reflected on how project-based learning experiences and internships have paved the way for their future aspirations. Ample time was provided for networking.
The event honored Ajay Banga, President and CEO of Mastercard, who was the recipient of the Innovator Award for STEM Education. This special evening of mixing and mingling brought together students, alumni, educators, and business professionals from America’s top companies to celebrate NAF’s work in the education space, and raised close to $1.6 million. These funds will go towards supporting and sustaining NAF’s mission nationally, and contributions will aid in providing programming, training, and materials for NAF teachers, directors, and students throughout the country.
NAF President, JD Hoye, said, “NAF is honored to recognize Mr. Banga for his leadership, dedication, and support in advancing NAF’s mission through his work at Mastercard. We hope that this testament to the success of public-private partnership is an inspiration for our entire network and for more corporations to take a proactive role in shaping the talent pipeline, by assisting with internship or work-based learning opportunities for NAF students. These students will be the leaders in major companies tomorrow and by showing your support and investment early on, the future of our nation’s workforce will continue to shine bright and compete successfully in our global marketplace.”
NAF student speaker and a senior at Coral Gables Senior High School, Khareem Oliver, attended the benefit and addressed the audience about how his NAF experience led to a life-saving business opportunity that aids in the safe return of missing pets. Oliver launched the Find or Found website and smartphone app and continually looks for ways to grow his business and serve even more pet owners by bringing their beloved animals home.
The Honorary Chair of the event was Sanford I. Weill, Founder and Chairman of NAF. Benefit Co-Chairs included Lynne Doughtie, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of KPMG; Barbara Benioff Friedman, Trustee Emerita, Cornell University, Vice-Chair of Overseers, Weill-Cornell Medical College; Dana Lorberg, Executive Vice President, Operations & Technology, Mastercard; Jennifer Morgan, President of SAP North America; Marc C. Reed, Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer, Verizon; and James D. Robinson III, General Partner & Co-Founder of RRE Ventures.
Alumni Co-Chairs included Jacqueline Burgos, Chair, NAF Alumni Leadership Council & 2004 NAF Alumna, Director, Strategy & Business Development at Viacom; and Justin Morant, NAF Advisory Board Member and Associate Analyst at Mastercard Advisors.