Only TWO Speakers Left - Don't Miss!!!!!!

4/11 - Dr. Pete Gathje of Emmanuel House and Memphis Theological Seminary where he is Associate Professor of Christian Ethics. His degrees are a B.A., St. John’s University; M.T.S., Candler School of Theology at Emory University; and a Ph.D., Emory University. He is the co-editor of Doing Right and Being Good: Catholic and Protestant Readings in Christian Ethics; and editor of A Work of Hospitality: An Open Door Reader, 1982-2001; and the author of Christ Comes in a Stranger's Guise: A History of the Open Door Community and Sharing the Bread of Life: Hospitality and Resistance at the Open Door Community. Dr. Gathje will speak about the causes of and solutions for homelessness and the homeless in Memphis and some creative ways that some are serving this population.

4/18 - Tom Jones of Smart City Consulting will speak with us about City/County Consolidation. Mr. Jones' knowledge of Memphis gives special depth to his analysis of public policy and public affairs work. Formerly employed as a newspaper reporter and as a senior adviser in local government, he understands the dynamics and complexity of the city in a way that distinguishes Smart City Consulting's work. He recently handled projects for City of Memphis and Shelby County Governments and also leads the firm's work with Hyde Family Foundations, Partners In Public Education, Memphis Tourism Foundation, Memphis Tomorrow, and various elected officials. He has performed a broad range of public policy development, particularly in the creation of breakthrough strategies that converge at the intersection of public policy, public relations, and public engagement. Tom also writes a monthly column, City Journal, for Memphis Magazine and the influential blog, Smart City Memphis, recognized by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change as one of the "most engaging blogs" of 2007.