THE CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL PHILANTHROPY

Sarah Howard is the Managing Director of Global Philanthropy Forum. She has developed and spearheaded the organization's recent 2.0 strategic vision, the first post-founder strategic transition. A social innovator, entrepreneur, and storyteller, Sarah’s passion for understanding systems has led her across the globe to witness and document complex human and systems stories. She uses narrative development, strategic thinking, and community-building tools to map new structures for society and stories for how to get there. Sarah is particularly passionate about applying her skills to address pressing global issues such as climate change, digital futures, and global democracy. Along the way, she has built several initiatives and organizations from these experiences.

Her latest documentary Climate Blueprint is currently on a global tour, and her social cohesion project, Listening Lab, is growing alongside her podcast, Track Two, which explores the question ‘What is a good society?’. Sarah grew up in Berkeley and now lives on Ohlone land in Oakland, CA.

Jessie Krafft currently serves as CAF America’s President and CEO. Prior to this appointment, she held leadership roles at CAF America throughout her 13-year tenure, progressing from roles in Grants and Donor Services through to Senior Vice President of External Affairs. As a leader, Jessie brings a collaborative and inclusive approach to the table, fostering an organizational culture that values diverse perspectives, innovative problem solving, and a commitment to transparency and accountability.

In her previous role as SVP of External Affairs, Jessie designed and implemented grantmaking strategies that addressed pressing issues in cross-border giving, and also led the development of major partnerships that enabled the expansion of donors’ global grantmaking footprint. Jessie also played a fundamental role in the founding of CAF Canada by developing its operational model and internal compliance protocols for working with donors to support CAF Canada's projects around the world. Jessie has managed CAF Canada’s programs since their inception.

Jessie’s career in the philanthropic sector began at the nonprofit Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, an organization focused on providing care for orphaned children in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. As the program coordinator and child caretaker, she coordinated the surgical services brigade and volunteers for the orphanage, while caring for children in the evenings and weekends. This experience deeply impacted her and served as inspiration to pursue international philanthropy and global charitable causes.

Jessie has completed her Masters in International Development at American University, and holds a B.A. in Spanish and a B.S. in Anthropology, graduating summa cum laude from the honors college at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has a certificate in Nonprofit Executive Management from Georgetown University. She is also certified in Anti-Money Laundering (AML/CFT) by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).