The Big Ideas of PEAK2026 St. Louis

In these three graphic recordings, we’ve captured the key ideas shared by our PEAK2026 St. Louis keynote speakers so that you can continue these conversations within your own organization. Our deepest thanks to Submittable for sponsoring our graphic recording.

Day 1

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the legendary six-time Olympic medalist named the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century, kicked off PEAK2026 St. Louis with her opening remarks. She helped us gain insight into building resilience, maintaining a champion’s mindset, setting audacious goals, and leading through purpose, embodying her belief that “there is gold in all of us.” Members can watch the opening remarks here.

Our first keynote, Investing in a More Just and Equitable Future for Missouri, featured local leaders, Deena Lauver Scotti (Vice President of Program Administration at the Missouri Foundation for Health), Reverend Bethany Johnson-Javois (President and CEO of the Deaconess Foundation), Kayla Reed (Co-founder and Executive Director of Action St. Louis), and Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace (President and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation). The panel explored the regional challenges in the Midwest and unique openings for innovation in the sector, emphasizing the need for deeper collaboration and trust-building between funded partners and philanthropic organizations. Together, these leaders demonstrated how courageous practices and long-term commitments are not just goals, but the essential tools for building a more just and equitable future for all residents. Members can watch the first keynote here.

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Day 2

Our second keynote, Meeting the Moment, featured Dr. Carmen Rojas, president and CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation (MCF). She highlighted openings that can help us to meet the moment by evolving our practices to achieve a deeper, more equitable impact. Dr. Rojas also shared how MCF is doubling down on equity and embedding core values like power-shifting and mission-aligned investing into its work. Members can watch the second keynote here.

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Day 3

In our final keynote, Fireside Chat on Charting a More Impactful Future for Philanthropy, Dr. Richard Besser (President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), Kevin Bolduc (Vice President, Assessment and Advisory Services of CEP), and Rachel Rossi (President of Alliance for Justice) explored how philanthropy can lead in this moment by filling important gaps, strengthening the sector, and supporting grants professionals as they navigate today’s complex challenges and improve grantmaking practices. Members can watch the final keynote here.

To close out PEAK2026 St. Louis, the Gentlemen of Vision performed! Members can watch their performance here.

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A big thank-you to our graphic recording artist, Cori Nakamura Lin!