Mission:
The mission of the Independent Heritage Festival promotes creativity, service and leadership in community engagement.
Description:
Student Veteran leaders of Northern Nevada challenge us to illustrate ideas of how we serve the community for the overall benefit of the public. Join our three influential speakers as they carry conversation on this topic by drawing on their experience and endeavors. Vote for one of our nominated local non-profits servicing our community as they compete for the 1st Annual Independent Heritage Festival Award. College student groups will share with us creative ideas for community engagement at this FREE event.
Guest Speakers:
The mission of the Independent Heritage Festival promotes creativity, service and leadership in community engagement.
Description:
Student Veteran leaders of Northern Nevada challenge us to illustrate ideas of how we serve the community for the overall benefit of the public. Join our three influential speakers as they carry conversation on this topic by drawing on their experience and endeavors. Vote for one of our nominated local non-profits servicing our community as they compete for the 1st Annual Independent Heritage Festival Award. College student groups will share with us creative ideas for community engagement at this FREE event.
Guest Speakers:
Pinckney Benedict: "No Ideas but in Things: The Echo of Objects in Ideas”
Pinckney grew up in the mountains of southern West Virginia. He has published four volumes of fiction; his work has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including 2009's Home of the Brave: Stories in Uniform. He is currently at work on a thriller, the protagonist of which is a veteran of combat in Iraq who suffers from traumatic brain injury.
Pinckney grew up in the mountains of southern West Virginia. He has published four volumes of fiction; his work has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including 2009's Home of the Brave: Stories in Uniform. He is currently at work on a thriller, the protagonist of which is a veteran of combat in Iraq who suffers from traumatic brain injury.
Caleb S. Cage “The Service of Others: Aligning Narratives with Reality”
Caleb graduated from the United States Military Academy with a degree American History. Upon graduation in 2002 he was commissioned as a Field Artillery officer and was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in Bamberg, where he served as a company executive officer and later as a motorized rifle platoon leader in the city of Baqubah, Iraq. He also served a second yearlong tour in Iraq in 2006 as a Corps Information Operations battle captain in Baghdad. Upon separating from the Army in 2007, Cage continued on in public service, specifically with respect to developing a better understanding of serving Nevada's veterans. He began his civilian career as a Senior Policy Adviser to the Nevada Lieutenant Governor before being appointed as the Executive Director of the Nevada Office of Veterans Services. He is currently the Director of Military and Veterans Policy in the Office of Governor Brian Sandoval.
Caleb graduated from the United States Military Academy with a degree American History. Upon graduation in 2002 he was commissioned as a Field Artillery officer and was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in Bamberg, where he served as a company executive officer and later as a motorized rifle platoon leader in the city of Baqubah, Iraq. He also served a second yearlong tour in Iraq in 2006 as a Corps Information Operations battle captain in Baghdad. Upon separating from the Army in 2007, Cage continued on in public service, specifically with respect to developing a better understanding of serving Nevada's veterans. He began his civilian career as a Senior Policy Adviser to the Nevada Lieutenant Governor before being appointed as the Executive Director of the Nevada Office of Veterans Services. He is currently the Director of Military and Veterans Policy in the Office of Governor Brian Sandoval.
Cyndy Ortiz Gustafson: “Ideas on the Ground: Creating Change through Leadership, Service, and Strategy”
Cyndy is the founder and CEO of Strategic Progress and a native Nevadan who has worked in public service, public policy and community development since 1998. She founded Strategic Progress in January of 2002, and has been leading the company since then, managing large-scale policy and systems change projects across the state with a team of highly qualified strategists, researchers, facilitators and analysts. As principal of Strategic Progress, Ms. Ortiz Gustafson provides strategic organizational, fund development, public finance consulting as well as public policy, public affairs, and regional planning consulting to a variety of non-profit and governmental agencies and programs. Ms. Ortiz Gustafson's work is focused on coordinating and advancing regional public policy. She specializes in large-scale project management and the strategic positioning of systems change initiatives. She is also a trained facilitator, and provides legislative positioning services for her clients as well.
Cyndy is the founder and CEO of Strategic Progress and a native Nevadan who has worked in public service, public policy and community development since 1998. She founded Strategic Progress in January of 2002, and has been leading the company since then, managing large-scale policy and systems change projects across the state with a team of highly qualified strategists, researchers, facilitators and analysts. As principal of Strategic Progress, Ms. Ortiz Gustafson provides strategic organizational, fund development, public finance consulting as well as public policy, public affairs, and regional planning consulting to a variety of non-profit and governmental agencies and programs. Ms. Ortiz Gustafson's work is focused on coordinating and advancing regional public policy. She specializes in large-scale project management and the strategic positioning of systems change initiatives. She is also a trained facilitator, and provides legislative positioning services for her clients as well.