The Aspen Institute

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a unique moment in history. During this discussion, we will probe whether this is also a moment for a #hard-reset, in terms of our redesigning a more equitable society. What are we willing to give up in pursuit of an equitable society? How must system-leaders lead to achieve it?

Shawn Barney 
Managing Director
CLB Porter, LLC 

Shawn Barney is the managing director of CLB Porter, LLC, a real estate development and public finance advisory firm. He is also a Partner with Faubourg Properties, a real estate partnership focused on opportunities in Northwest Arkansas. He has structured or developed over $1billion in projects. Shawn co-founded the Campaign for Equity New Orleans, conversations for systems leaders and influencers about racial equity. The effort is ongoing with over 1,000 leaders having participated to date and has led to similar initiatives in other communities including Kansas City, Cleveland, and Northwest Arkansas as well as corporations such as Walmart Corporation hosting their own internal dialogues about race. Shawn serves on various civic boards including New Orleans Startup Fund and Prospect New Orleans, U.S. Triennial. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), where he was nominated to the Public Private Partnership Council. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance from Howard University and Master of Business Administration from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business. Shawn is a Fellow of the inaugural class of the Civil Society Fellowship, A Partnership of ADL and The Aspen Institute, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. 

Benson Hsu
Pediatric Critical Care Physician
Sanford Children’s Hospital 

 Dr. Benson Hsu is a pediatric critical care physician at Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He previously held the position of vice president of population health at Sanford Health, a large rural integrated healthcare system based in the upper Midwest. Before that, he served as Sanford Health’s chief medical analytics officer and vice president of enterprise data and analytics. Benson is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of South Dakota and previously served as the medical director for both the pediatric air transport service and the pediatric sedation service. He is the chair-elect of the Executive Committee, Section on Critical Care at the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the Methods and Data Council at AcademyHealth. He was recognized as a Bush Fellow in 2018. Benson received his AB in economics from Princeton University and his MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business, graduating with highest honors as a Fuqua Scholar. He earned his MD from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and completed clinical training in pediatrics and pediatric critical care medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Benson is a Fellow of the fifth class of the Health Innovators Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. 

Kerri Briggs
Principal
Ciero Group 

Dr. Kerri Briggs is a principal at Cicero Group, a management consulting firm focused on implementing data-driven strategies for a broad mix of private, public, and social sector organizations. In this role, Kerri works with mission-driven leaders to maximize their impact in society and improve the K-12 education system for all students. Kerri currently serves on the boards of National Center for Teacher Residencies, Conservative Leaders for Education, and Exodus Ministries, a nonprofit organization which helps formerly incarcerated women and their children develop stable and productive lives. Prior to joining Cicero, Kerri was ExxonMobil?s Education Program Officer. In this role, she managed the education grantmaking portfolio for the company and provided policy advice on issues related to teacher quality, STEM education, the Common Core State Standards, and federal policy. Formerly, Kerri was founding Director of Education Reform at the George W. Bush Institute. She also served as state superintendent of education for Washington, D.C. and as an Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. Earlier in her career, Kerri worked in academic and research fields where she authored articles on reading, charter schools, and school-based management. Kerri earned her MPP and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. She currently resides in Dallas, TX. She is a Fellow of the 24th class of the Pahara – Aspen Education Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. 

Moderated by: 

Nike Irvin 
Managing Director
Civil Society Fellowship  

Nike Irvin serves as managing director of the Civil Society Fellowship for next generation community and civil society leaders, a joint partnership between ADL and Aspen Institute and new offering of the Aspen Global Leaders Network (AGLN). Based in Los Angeles, Nike led California Community Foundation’s (CCF) grantmaking for six years, overseeing grants to arts, education, juvenile justice and health. Before CCF, Nike served as president of The Riordan Foundation for seven years. She is active in American truth and reconciliation efforts with Kellogg Foundation and AGLN. Prior to her nonprofit career, she was a brand manager for Nestlé and Pepsi Cola. She is a trustee for The Riordan Foundation, Southern California Grantmakers, High Resolves, Nonprofit Finance Fund, and The Broad Center. Nike received a BA in Economics & Political Science from Yale and was named one of the “100 Most Inspirational Alumni” by UCLA Anderson School, where she earned her MBA. Nike is a Marshall Memorial Fellow. In 2016, she received LABJ’s Philanthropist of the Year award and recipient of Profiles in Diversity Journal’s Women Worth Watching award. Nike is a member of the 2004 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.