Agenda
United 2026: Building Hope and Prosperity Together
Agenda
Each year, 200 leaders, partners, and community members come together to imagine what is possible for our region. United 2026: Building Hope and Prosperity Together celebrates the power of connection to spark meaningful change. In the morning, you’ll hear from individuals charting their own paths toward financial freedom and learn about SparkPoint’s role in their journey. In the afternoon, local non-profit leaders will share insights that inspire tangible ways to cultivate hope and prosperity within your own organization.
Join us in affirming our commitment to a more resilient Bay Area.
Doors will open at 9:30, and the program will run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on March 11 in the Farallon Room at Skyline College in San Bruno.
TIME
SESSION
ROOM
10:00 AM
Welcome
–Elizabeth Maggio, Senior Director SparkPoint, UWBA
Opening
–Dr. Nathan Carter, President Skyline College
FARALLON ROOM
10:30 AM
The Power of Choice: Financial Freedom Through Emotional Literacy
–Curtis “Wall Street” Carroll, Founder, Financial Empowerment Emotional Literacy, FEEL
Blending humor, vulnerability, and hard truths, Curtis “Wall Street” Carroll shares his journey to financial literacy, embodying the belief that money knowledge can break cycles of poverty and instability. His work highlights how self-awareness and financial understanding together build lasting stability and genuine liberation.
Spotlight Address Keisha Browder, Chief Executive Officer United Way Bay Area
FARALLON ROOM
11:15 AM
Voices of Possibility: Shaping Your Own Financial Future
–Shekinah Samaya-Thomas, Alameda County Ambassador, United Way Bay Area
–Akeisha Flood, Alameda County Ambassador, United Way Bay Area
–Ryland Tom, San Francisco County Ambassador, United Way Bay Area
–Apollonia Williams, Contra Costa County Ambassador, United Way Bay Area
Drawing on the wisdom that comes from lived experience as current or former SparkPoint clients, four UWBA Ambassadors lead a dynamic fishbowl conversation exploring what financial freedom can look like in people’s lives. Join others in reflecting on how these perspectives broaden understanding, spark new thinking, and guide work that honors what people value most.
FARALLON ROOM
12:30 PM
Lunch
1:15 PM
United for Impact: Cultivating Organizational Hope and Prosperity
Moderator:
–Adolfo Leiva, Director, SparkPoint Center, Cañada College
Panelists:
–Erica Kisch, CEO, Compass Family Services
–Marlin Jeffreys, Director Opportunity Build, Rising Sun Center for Opportunity
–Air Gallegos, Director of Economic Mobility, Canal Alliance
–Dalenna Hughes, Associate Director, Sacred Heart Community Service
Rooted in courageous decisions, practical experience, and a deep commitment to dignity, this panel looks at what it takes to build foundations for client trust, stability, and opportunity. Leaders reflect on navigating volatility, workforce strain, and system breakdowns, and the internal shifts that spark resilience. Join others in imagining how purposeful organizational change can strengthen our ability to better support both clients and staff.
FARALLON ROOM
2:45 PM
Closing
Remarks from Kelly Batson, Chief Community Impact Officer
FARALLON ROOM