Our Institute’s motto is “Unleashing the Power of Participation.” Engaging people in the civic enterprise is not just about making voting easier. While better voting procedures certainly help, it is also about inspiration, about demonstrating and celebrating the times when community attention and public leadership join to make change. It is inspiration – making the impossible into a practical reality – that will bring young people on board.
2017 Annual Dinner Honorees
Public Service Award
Dr. Drew Altman, President and CEO
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Drew Altman is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. He is an innovator in the world of foundations and a leading expert on national health policy who publishes and speaks widely on health issues.
Dr. Altman founded the current-day Kaiser Family Foundation in the early 1990’s, directing a complete overhaul of the Foundation’s mission, staff, and operating style. Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Altman was Commissioner of the Department of Human Services for the state of New Jersey under Governor Tom Kean. As Commissioner, he developed nationally recognized initiatives in welfare reform, school-based youth services, programs for the homeless, and Medicaid managed care. Dr. Altman was Director of the Health and Human Services at the Pew Charitable Trusts; Vice President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, where he led the development of the Foundation’s programs in HIV/AIDS, health services for the homeless, and health care financing; and he served in the Health Care Financing Administration in the Carter administration.
Dr. Altman received his BA from Brandeis University and his Masters in political science from Brown University. He earned his PhD in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, did his post-doctoral work at the Harvard School of Public Health, and taught public policy at MIT before moving on to public service. He holds an honorary doctorate from the Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Altman is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Institute of Medicine.
Kaiser Family Foundation’s leading work in Healthcare Policy
Public Servant of The Year
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon
California State Assembly
Speaker Anthony Rendon is the 70th Speaker of the California State Assembly, and represents the 63rd Assembly District encompassing the cities of Bell, Cudahy, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Lynwood, Maywood, Paramount and South Gate. Prior to serving in the Assembly in 2012, Rendon was an educator, non-profit executive director, and environmental activist. He led Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, Inc. as Executive Director, and served as Interim Executive Director of the California League of Conservation Voters from 2008-2009. Rendon attended Cerritos Community College before earning his Bachelors and Masters of Arts Degrees from California State University, Fullerton. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside and completed post-doctoral work at Boston University. Rendon served as adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at California State University, Fullerton from 2001 – 2008.