On November 19, 2016, I joined the 7th Annual Circle of Change Leadership Conference as a panel speaker for Leadership Meets Social Impact, a discussion designed to connect emerging leaders with professionals advancing community engagement, corporate responsibility, philanthropy, and public service.

The panel brought together leaders from diverse sectors, including Dr. Corneil Montgomery, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Impact at Bank of the West; Nason Buchanan from the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity; Sally Chan, Vice President of Community Engagement at Warner Bros.; and Patricia Neri, Program Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility at The Walt Disney Company.

Conversations explored leadership, social responsibility, community impact, and the evolving role organizations can play in addressing inequities through partnerships, philanthropy, employee engagement, and advocacy.

Circle of Change was created to provide students and emerging leaders opportunities to gain insight directly from professionals across industries, strengthening pathways to leadership through mentorship, exposure, and connection.

The experience reinforced something I continue to observe: Leadership expands when people share knowledge, invest in others, and help create pathways for future leaders to see possibilities beyond their current circumstances.