John Mackey: A Whole-istic Approach to Capitalism

John Mackey, CEO, Co-founder, Whole Foods Market; Co-author, Conscious Capitalism

Jonathan Weber, West Coast Bureau Chief, Reuters News - Moderator

Iconic CEO and co-founder Mackey is known for his all-natural approach to a mega chain of grocery stores, Whole Foods. The success of his stores is, in part, credited with a boom in the healthy food movement whereby terms like organic, local, wild and hormone freeare  becoming rote for more than just the Birkenstock crowd. He’s also taken the formula for conscious capitalism and corporate social responsibility to a whole new level, and other businesses are following suit. In his new book, Conscious Capitalism, co-authored with Professor Raj Sisodia, Mackey discusses the transformative business movement wherein value rests on something more than just finances. For Mackey, it’s about the emotional, ecological and even spiritual purposes of business. The market for competitive advantage is changing, and the world’s best companies are catching on to the holistic equation. Find out more about the Whole Foods story from the man himself.

Location:  Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
Time: 6:30 p.m. check-in, 7 p.m. program, 8 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students. Premium (priority seating and copy of Mackey’s book) $40 standard, $40 members.
Also know: In association with the Oshman Family JCC

Jared Diamond

Professor of Geography, UCLA; Author, Guns, Germs, and Steel and The World Until Yesterday

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Diamond examines how Amazonian Indians, Inuit and other traditional societies have adapted and evolved for nearly 6 million years. He explains what we can still learn from these traditional societies regarding universal human problems like elder care, child rearing, physical fitness and conflict resolution.

Location:  Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing
Cost: Regular: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students. Premium (priority seating and copy of new book) $45 standard, $45 members.

2013 Silicon Valley Reads: One Book. One Community. Kick-Off Event

Brian Castner, Author, The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows
Sue Diaz, Author, Minefields of the Heart: A Mother’s Stories of a Son at War
In conversation with Mike Cassidy, Columnist, San Jose Mercury News

This year’s selections include two memoirs that deal with the invisible wounds of war. The two authors – a soldier and a soldier’s mother – come together to share their personal stories and discuss what happens when soldiers return home from war and must deal with the challenges of readjusting back to civilian life. Castner served three tours of duty in the Middle East and was commander of an explosive ordinance disposal unit in Iraq. Diaz has documented the emotional rollercoaster she experienced during her son’s deployment.

Location: Campbell Heritage Theatre, 1 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell
Time: 7 p.m. doors open, 7:30 p.m. program, 8:30 p.m. book signing
Cost:  FREE
Also know: In assocation with the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Santa Clara County Library and San Jose Public Library Foundation

The Art of Pairing Chocolate

Chocolate has always been a perfect match for wine, but did you know the bold, intense flavors often pair wonderfully with other beverages like tequila and beer? Chocolate curator Sunita de Tourreil will introduce us to unique flavor pairings that will surprise and delight your taste buds. Pairings include decadent chocolate blends of the world’s finest cacao beans, created by the best “bean to bar” artisan makers in the U.S. exclusively for The Chocolate Garage.
 
Location: The Chocolate Garage, 654 Gilman Street, Palo Alto
Time: 6:15 p.m. check-in, 6:30-8 p.m. program/chocolate pairing
Cost: $45 standard, $40 members
Also know: Advance reservations are required as space is limited. Attendees must be 21+.

Al Gore

Former U.S. Vice President; Author, The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change

Dr. Gloria C. Duffy, President and CEO, The Commonwealth Club - Moderator
 
Former Vice President Gore provides an in-depth assessment of the six critical drivers of global change. Bringing together his extensive global policy and environmental knowledge, Gore identifies these emerging forces that are reshaping our world. From digital communications to advancements in energy systems, agriculture and transportation, hear more about these revolutionary changes. Gore is the chairman and co-founder of Generation Investment Management and Current TV. He current sits on the board of directors of Apple Inc. and is a senior partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield, & Byers. He is also the co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
 
Location: Santa Clara Marriott, 2700 Mission College Blvd.
Time:  11:15 a.m. check-in, noon program
Cost: $50 standard, $35 members, $10 students (with valid ID). Premium (priority seating in front) $70 standard, $60 members. All tickets (except for students) include a copy of Gore's book

Patricia Schultz

Travel Journalist; Author, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die

Before planning your next trip, hear travel expert Schultz’s practical guide and wish list of unique destinations from around the world. Discover and learn about countries such as Ghana, Qatar, Mozambique and Lithuania, highlighted in her updated best-selling travel book. Schultz offers her budget-conscious suggestions on where to stay, restaurants to visit, festivals to check out, and can’t-miss travel experiences for adventurous globetrotters.

Location:  Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
Time: 6:30 p.m. check-in, 7 p.m. program, 8:15 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: In association with the Oshman Family JCC

Madeleine K. Albright

Former U.S. Secretary of State; Author, Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948

When Albright was U.S. secretary of state in the 1990s, she brought to her job as America's top diplomat a deeply felt understanding of the lessons and wounds of history. Come hear Albright share her remarkable personal story of growing up in Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation. From the historical accounts of World War II to the onset of the Cold War, she reflects on the complex events, experiences, and moral choices faced by that generation. Albright served as secretary of state under President Bill Clinton and was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. In 2012, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Location: Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
Time: 6:15 p.m. check-in, 7 p.m. program, 8 p.m. book signing
Cost: $25 standard, $15 members, $10 students (with valid ID). Premium (seating in first few rows and copy of book) $65 standard, $45 members. 
Also know: Part of the Good Lit Series, underwritten by The Bernard Osher Foundation. Albright will be speaking at the San Francisco Club office on 2/22 at noon.

Deborah Strobin and Ilie Wacs: An Uncommon Journey

Deborah Strobin, Philanthropist; Co-author, An Uncommon Journey
Ilie Wacs, Fashion Designer; Artist; Co-author, An Uncommon Journey

Strobin and her brother Wacs fled from Nazi Austria to the Shanghai Jewish ghetto. Hear their story of escape from Vienna to Shanghai to the U.S. during World War II and the ultimately uplifting tale of survival as seen through the eyes of two children with their different memories of the period that shaped their lives. Today, Strobin is a well-known San Francisco philanthropist, and Wacs is a highly successful fashion designer and prominent artist. Join these two as they tell their remarkable story and put a spotlight on a piece of Holocaust history that's not widely known.

Location: Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. book signing
Cost: $15 standard, $10 members, $5 students (With valid ID) 
Also know: Part ofthe Good Lit Series, underwritten by The Bernard Osher Foundation. In association with the Oshman Family JCC.

The Mysteries of Sleep

Matt Walker, Principal Investigator, UC Berkeley Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory

One of the great remaining scientific mysteries is the question, why do we sleep? Walker will discuss the importance of sleep and describe how a night of sleep remodels our brains, enhances memory, inspires creative insights and rebalances our next-day emotional reactivity.

Location: Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
Time: 6:30 p.m. check in, 7 p.m. program
Cost: $15 standard, $10 members, $5 students (with valid ID)

Empowering Women Leaders Through Personal Sponsorships

Mark Edmunds, Vice Chairman and Regional Managing Partner, Northern Pacific Region, Deloitte LLP
Randy Pond, Executive Vice-President of Operations, Processes and Systems, Cisco Systems
Janice Roberts, Managing Director, Mayfield Fund
Shelley J. Correll, Barbara D. Finberg Director, Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University – Moderator

Sponsorship is recognized as an important tool in advancing the careers of men and women. Yet a variety of research shows woman are far less likely to have sponsors, which may inhibit their ability to achieve the same level of success as their male counterparts.  Our panel of senior leaders will focus on how to build, cultivate and foster successful sponsor relationships as well as how to become an effective sponsor yourself.

Location: Quadrus Conference Cente, 2400 Sandhill Rd., Menlo Park
Time: 6:30 p.m. check-in and networking reception, 7 p.m. program
Cost: $25 standard, $15 members
Also know: In association with Deloitte