Last Tuesday, Social Entrepreneurship @UVA (SE@UVA), an initiative of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, welcomed Lisa Hamilton of the Annie E. Casey Foundation to kick off the annual SE@UVA Speaker Series. The event was attended by members of the Presidential Precinct and 21 participants in the Global Leadership Forum, comprised of emerging leaders from 16 different countries.

Hamilton, who graduated from the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce, joined the foundation in 2011 as the vice president of external affairs. She was recently appointed CEO of the foundation, which will commence in January 2019. Hamilton discussed her journey from the UVA to her forays in corporate America and how she eventually made the transition to the world of philanthropy.

For Hamilton, philanthropy operates much like a business and therefore, requires the same set of business savvy skills she acquired at UVA and leveraged in previous positions. She is particularly drawn to social entrepreneurship and views it as a viable solution to closing the income gap in America while creating more capital and opportunities for disadvantaged American youth.

“Forty-one percent of American youth grow up poor, which means that a lot of them won’t reach their full potential,” said Hamilton.

Identifying the obstacles that prevent young Americans from gaining access to equal opportunity is only one piece of the puzzle according to Hamilton. For her, it’s crucial for both policymakers and foundations to understand the role community and family structure play in young people’s lives. How can children advance if they don't have the proper support in the home? How can they get to school and thrive if there is both discord at home and in their neighborhood? And worse, how can they afford to compete with the other 59 percent who do not grow up in poverty?

By combining her love of data and passion for public policy, Hamilton, in just seven years, was able to transform the foundation into a data powerhouse with first-rate policy advocacy, communications, and leadership development. In 2014, she spearheaded Casey's first Race for Results report, which measured how children from different racial and ethnic backgrounds were faring on key milestones from birth to adulthood and served as a springboard for efforts to promote equity and inclusion for children, families, and communities of color.

At a time when Charlottesville is struggling with significant disparities in educational outcomes based on race—as highlighted in a recent New York Times article—future leaders with SE@UVA, from the Batten School, and visiting from around the world were eager to learn from her expertise. Hamilton also took time during her visit to meet with local community leaders here in Charlottesville on how to move forward.

On her work with the foundation, Hamilton said “For nearly eight years, I’ve been able to help change the odds for young people all over the country. Along with our partners and grantees, we have made great progress in some areas, but we have so much more to accomplish to ensure systems, policies, and institutions are designed to connect children and their families with opportunity, particularly those who have been denied the opportunity for generations. I look forward to building on our efforts to score victories for children when I step into this new role.”

Her appointment comes as the Annie E. Casey Foundation celebrates its 70th year. The University and social entrepreneurship communities look forward to seeing this UVA graduate lead the way in ensuring all children realize their potential.