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Partner Summit 2026 | DonorsChoose
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Partner
Summit 2026

Join DonorsChoose for two days of learning and discovery. Get inspired, strategize, and connect with fellow leaders across CSR, education, and philanthropy, and learn how your support is empowering today's students to become tomorrow's leaders.

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Photos of guests and speakers

Los Angeles

Wednesday, April 22 +
Thursday, April 23

Speakers

Photo of Greg Behrman

Greg Behrman

Founder & CEO, NationSwell

Greg Behrman is the Founder and CEO of NationSwell, a leading social impact community and platform that helps senior impact leaders accelerate their impact and lead at their best.

NationSwell actively works with more than 150 organizations — Fortune 100 companies, financial institutions and firms, private foundations and not-for-profits through its executive membership community and award-winning strategy, creative and events production capabilities. NationSwell was named a Fast Company World Changing Idea (2023) and has won several Anthem and W3 Awards for how it is supporting leaders and advancing their impact. Forbes recently wrote, “In the world of purpose-driven business, few organizations exemplify leadership and impact as clearly as NationSwell.” Formerly, he served as an Officer in the United States Navy, including a one-year deployment to Afghanistan. He also served on The Policy Planning Staff of the United States Department of State. Behrman is also the author of two books, the second of which was about The Marshall Plan and was named a Washington Post Top 100 Non-Fiction Book of The Year. He lives with his wife (Caitlin) and two children (Claire and Tyler) in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Photo of Joy-Stacey Claessens

Stacey Claessens

3M Community Impact Global Manager, 3M

Stacey Claessens joined 3M over 27 years ago and has held a variety of positions with increasing responsibilities across the company. For 10 years, she served as the executive assistant and office supervisor to two of 3M's Chairman, President and CEO's, also leading a team of executive assistants who supported the company's top leadership. In 2018, she joined 3M Community Impact — the philanthropic arm of 3M — a position she feels has enabled her to find her purpose.

Stacey's current 3M responsibilities include community and volunteer engagement activities with 3M's global sites - including both skills-based and general volunteerism, skilled trades investments, grants management, and disaster and humanitarian relief. Describing herself as passionate and quite serious about connecting people to social impact — while at the same time finding ways to advocate for people who are under-resourced — Stacey is a Social Entrepreneur, having recently completed certification through the University of Texas at Austin.

Stacey is a member of the Austin Texas-area Yaya's, a group from the Austin tech industry that shares a common goal of corporate social responsibility, and a member of the Austin Texas Corporate Engagement Council, a group formed by Austin's Mayor to bring civic leaders together with corporate funders to do good.

Stacey and her husband, Pete, live in Austin, Texas — and have two grown children, as well as two Bichon's, who affectionately run their home and their lives. Outside of 3M, Stacey serves as a committee member of the Duke Employees' Assistance Fund, and in her spare time she never misses an opportunity to sing, swim, volunteer, or spend time with family, and she loves to do things that will evoke lots of laughter.

Photo of Stuart Brown

Stuart Brown

Executive Director, Inspire Brands Foundation

Stuart Brown serves as the Executive Director for the Inspire Brands Foundation, the charitable arm of Inspire Brands. The foundation works on behalf of Inspire and its brands to ignite and nourish change for good in the communities we serve. Before joining the Foundation in 2014, Stuart developed a passion for leveraging innovation to promote community impact while working for Fortune 500 companies, industry-leading non-profits and a West African start-up.

He is an alumnus of Auburn University where he earned a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering as well as the Kellogg School of Management where he earned his MBA with a focus on Finance and Economics.

Prior to trading in his wanderlust for a mortgage and his hiking books for a fuel-efficient commuter car, Stuart could frequently be found traveling the world in search of the next great backcountry adventure, playing epic games of Ultimate Frisbee, mentoring teenagers, or chasing sunsets in his beloved Jeep Wrangler. These days, Stuart can most consistently be found living his favorite adventure: doing life with Noelle and their two sons, Eli and Sam.

Photo of Kendra Kendra S. Horn

Kendra S. Horn

President & CEO, Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation

Former Congresswoman Kendra S. Horn is a visionary leader and advocate for public education and community-driven solutions. As President and CEO of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, Kendra leads efforts to strengthen schools, support OKCPS students, teachers, and families through community investment, strategic partnerships, and innovative programs.

A fifth-generation Oklahoman and proud product of Oklahoma public schools, Kendra brings a deep understanding of the connection between education, strong communities, and workforce development.

Kendra previously represented Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District in the 116th Congress where she earned recognition for her bipartisan approach and working tirelessly for her constituents. In two years, she held 54 town halls, secured over $1.6 billion for Oklahoma businesses, returned $3.5 million in benefits to constituents, and completed more than 2,700 constituent cases. Twenty-five of the bills she introduced or co-sponsored were signed into law.

Kendra earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Tulsa and a Juris Doctor from SMU Dedman School of Law. She is a proven leader with 20+ years of experience in public service, nonprofit management, government relations, leadership development, law, communications, and policy across both public and private sectors. Kendra is passionate about creating opportunities that build stronger communities and empowering future leaders.

Photo of Aileen Gendrano Adao

Aileen Gendrano Adao

English Teacher and Restorative Justice Coordinator, Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School

Dr. Aileen Gendrano Adao is a National Board Certified educator and leader with over 18 years of experience in English and theatre education, specializing in Restorative Practices to promote positive school cultures and social-emotional learning. She earned her Doctorate in Education from Cal Poly Pomona, focusing on the wellness and sustainability of teachers of Color. Recognized as LAUSD Teacher of the Year in 2018, Aileen currently serves as an adjunct professor at Cal State LA and a Restorative Justice Coordinator at Eagle Rock Junior and Senior High School. Her work continues to inspire educational equity and community empowerment.

  • “Getting the opportunity to visit the school to see the incredible work of DonorsChoose being put into action is something I will never forget.”

    — Jim Myers, Director of Community Impact,
    Power Home Remodeling

  • “Partner Summit is incredible ‘brain food’. The sessions are always on point, timely, and just the right length.”

    — Kevin Carnes, President,
    Educational Division, Lakeshore Learning Materials

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Agenda

Day One: Creating Connections

DonorsChoose School Visit 8:45 AM – 10:45 AM

Venice High School
13000 Venice Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066

Visit local teachers and students and see how your partnership with DonorsChoose directly shapes the learning.

Small Team Dinners | 6:00 PM

Various restaurants

Grow your network of social good peers and get to know your DonorsChoose team while dining at a local restaurant.

Day Two: Inspiring Impact

Partner Summit Conference | 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

Riot Games HQ
12121 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Learn alongside industry peers, dive deep into education insights, and leave with actionable takeaways. Light breakfast and lunch will be served.

Sessions

What Students Need from Us Right Now

Public education is changing in real time—and for CSR leaders, this pace of change demands agility and a close connection to the experiences of students and educators on the ground. Our opening session will highlight how DonorsChoose responds to student needs and delivers timely, targeted support in the year ahead.

Fireside Chat with Greg Behrman

Greg Behrman, CEO of social impact accelerator NationSwell, will share key trends from across the impact sector and offer a perspective on how to stay cutting-edge in today's evolving and complex CSR landscape.

Place-Based Philanthropy: Strengthening Communities Through Education

Stacey Claessens, 3M; Kendra S. Horn, OKCPS Foundation; Stuart Brown, SONIC Drive-In
Three DonorsChoose partners will highlight the power of tailoring initiatives to the unique needs, strengths, and contexts of the communities they serve, and how they drove meaningful change by partnering with DonorsChoose on the local level.

On the Frontlines, a Teacher Panel

Learning goes beyond textbooks. Students' whole lives and experiences shape how they grow and succeed. In this panel, three dedicated educators share how they are creating safe, supportive classrooms that nurture students' academic, social, and emotional needs.

Threads of Impact: Driving Change Together

In this interactive session, attendees will form small groups to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping their work in education today. Through facilitated discussion and broader group sharing, we'll surface shared pressures, emerging strategies, and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration that can drive meaningful impact in today's education landscape.

Looking Forward: Pathways to Supporting Every Student

After highlighting ways partners can collaborate with us in 2026 to drive meaningful educational impact, attendees will have the opportunity to write to students through Classroom Connections, DonorsChoose's new micro-volunteering letter writing program.

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Frequently
Asked Questions

Does Partner Summit have a dress code?

Most Partner Summit attendees prefer to dress in business casual or business professional attire. On Day One, we’ll be touring a school supported by DonorsChoose, so please keep comfort in mind.

I can’t attend all three events. Can I attend just a portion of Partner Summit?

You can RSVP individually for our school visit, small team dinners, and conference. We recommend that all guests joining the conference on Day Two attend all sessions to experience the full breadth of the DonorsChoose mission.

Does DonorsChoose have a hotel block or preferred hotel?

DonorsChoose does not have a hotel block or preferred hotel. Our team recommends these spots if you’re looking for a place to stay:

The Ambrose Hotel Santa Monica
1255 20th St
Santa Monica, CA 90404
9 minute drive (1.7 miles)

Holiday Inn Express West Los Angeles‑Santa Monica by IHG
11250 Santa Monica Blvd
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
10 minute drive (1.8 miles)

Olivia Hotel West Los Angeles
10740 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
13 minute drive (2.4 miles)

Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills
10740 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
17 minute drive (3.1 miles)

Fairmont Century Plaza Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
20 minute drive (3.4 miles)

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Past Partner
Attendees

Questions?
Email partnersummit@donorschoose.org for more information.