Love is Local Summit Overview
Join Lift Orlando on November 6 for an inspiring day designed to equip and connect funders of place-based philanthropy and celebrate local achievements.
Thursday, November 6
Registration + Networking: 8 – 8:30 A.M.
Love is Local Summit: 8:30 – 2:30 P.M.
A full day of engaging best-practice sharing on key topics like community engagement, educational solutions and social impact strategies.
8:45 A.M. - Session 1 | Neighborhoods of Opportunity - Building Community from the Ground Up
Featuring: Carol Naughton, CEO – Purpose Built Communities
9:30 A.m. Session 2 | Innovation in Early Learning: From One Center to a Collaborative Network
Featuring:
Nancy Molello - Executive Director - Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity, Nemours Children’s Hospital
Alfreda Clark, Center Director - AdventHealth for Children West Lakes Early Learning Center
Mark Shamley, VP of Community Impact - Lift Orlando
10:15 SESSION 3 | Building a Thriving Orlando Through Partnership and Vision
Featuring:
Eddy Moratin, President and CEO - Lift Orlando
Maria Vazquez, Superintendent - Orange County Public Schools
Tim Giuliani, CEO - Orlando Economic Partnership
11:30 A.M. | Networking Lunch
12:30 P.m. Session 4 | From Birth to Brilliance: Reimagining Education Through Place-Based Community Investment
Featuring: Geoffrey Canada, President - Harlem Children’s Zone
1:30 P.m. Session 5 | Final Reflections
Featuring: Eddy Moratin, President and CEO - Lift Orlando
2:30 P.M. | Coffee Bar in the Social Foyer Lounge Area
Partners
Wednesday, November 5
“We Lift Orlando” Partner’s Dinner: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
This exclusive dinner brings partners together to hear from a variety of leaders that make up our shared collective. Join to learn and understand the impactful work of Lift Orlando and the benefits of place-based work for better investment in our neighborhoods.
For more information about the Love is Local Summit, please contact Dee Coleman at Development@LiftOrlando.org.
For accommodations and booking instructions with The Alfond Inn, see here.
Carol Naughton — CEO, Purpose Built Communities
Carol Naughton is a national leader in place-based philanthropy and community transformation. As CEO of Purpose Built Communities, she stewards a network of more than 25 cities replicating the proven East Lake model pioneered in Atlanta. A frequent national speaker on equity, education, and civic leadership, Naughton has dedicated her career to advancing the role of the “community quarterback” — aligning schools, housing, health, and economic opportunity to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Dr. Myron Rolle — Neurosurgeon, Author, Former NFL Safety
From the football field to the operating room, Dr. Myron Rolle embodies the power of purpose. A Rhodes Scholar, former NFL safety, and now neurosurgery resident at Nemours Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Rolle has written and spoken nationally about discipline, resilience, and service. His memoir The 2% Way shares the philosophy that propelled him from athletics to medicine, inspiring audiences to live with precision, grit, and impact.
Tom Sittema — Executive Chairman, StepStone Private Wealth
With a career spanning private equity, real estate, and wealth management, Tom Sittema has earned a reputation as a visionary business leader and civic partner. Currently Executive Chairman of StepStone Private Wealth, Sittema previously served as CEO of CNL Financial Group, where he helped steward billions in capital and shaped corporate citizenship in Orlando. He serves on multiple nonprofit and educational boards, blending his expertise in finance with a deep commitment to faith and community impact.
Dr. Maria Vazquez — Superintendent, Orange County Public Schools
Dr. Maria Vazquez leads the nation’s 8th-largest school district, serving more than 200,000 students across Orange County. A lifelong educator, she has risen from classroom teacher to superintendent, bringing a relentless focus on equity, innovation, and student achievement. Under her leadership, OCPS is pioneering partnerships to strengthen neighborhood schools, expand career pathways, and ensure every child has the tools to succeed, no matter their background.
Nancy Molello — Executive Director, Ginsburg Institute for Health Equity, Nemours Children’s
Nancy Molello is at the forefront of advancing health equity for children and families. As Executive Director of the Ginsburg Institute at Nemours Children’s Health, she leads research and partnerships that address the root causes of health disparities. Her work bridges clinical care and community innovation, mobilizing philanthropy and policy to ensure every child has the opportunity for a healthy future.
Tim Giuliani — CEO, Orlando Economic Partnership
Tim Giuliani champions Orlando as one of America’s fastest-growing innovation hubs. As President & CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership, he leads efforts to advance broad-based prosperity through regional collaboration, economic development, and investment in talent pipelines. A national thought leader on the future of work and civic innovation, Giuliani has positioned Orlando as a model for inclusive growth in the 21st century.
Eddy Moratin — President, Lift Orlando
Eddy Moratin is a social innovator and thought leader recognized nationally for aligning business and community leaders to revitalize neighborhoods. As co-founder and President of Lift Orlando, he has helped catalyze more than $120 million in investment in housing, education, health, and economic opportunity around Orlando’s Camping World Stadium. Named CEO of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal and one of Florida’s most powerful philanthropic voices, Moratin is dedicated to inspiring leaders to align purpose with impact.
Geoffrey Canada — Founder, Harlem Children’s Zone
Geoffrey Canada is one of America’s most influential education reformers. As founder of Harlem Children’s Zone, he pioneered a cradle-to-career pipeline that has become a national model for breaking cycles of poverty. Featured on 60 Minutes, in the documentary Waiting for Superman, and by two U.S. Presidents, Canada has inspired a generation of leaders to believe that “all means all” when it comes to children’s success. Today he continues to advise cities and philanthropists across the country, championing the power of place-based philanthropy to secure the future of America’s children.
Steve Hogan — CEO, Florida Citrus Sports
Since 2006, Steve Hogan (UCF ’91) has led Florida Citrus Sports (FCS), the nonprofit behind major events such as the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Pop-Tarts Bowl, Florida Blue Florida Classic, and FC Series — all of which drive economic impact and support youth and education initiatives in Central Florida. As 2024 chair of the Orlando Economic Partnership, Hogan has been recognized among Orlando Business Journal’s “CEOs of the Year,” Orlando Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful,” and Florida Trend’s “500 Most Influential Business Leaders.” A past national chair of Bowl Season and local leader through Leadership Orlando and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, he is also a founding member of Lift Orlando, which has helped spur over $120 million in neighborhood redevelopment around Camping World Stadium.
Alfreda Clark — Center Director, AdventHealth for Children West Lakes Early Learning Center
Coming soon
Lynn Thompson — Director of Education, Lift Orlando
Coming soon
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