Opening Dinner and Celebration

A Message from Dean Ramona Denby-Brinson

I am pleased to welcome you to the 2024 GSDI Global Research Symposium, a conference that will bring together world-renowned researchers and practitioners to exchange knowledge on youth social, economic, and health issues. Your presence is integral to the success of this event, and it will be my pleasure to welcome many scholars and practitioners from around the world. to Chapel Hill and the School of Social Work in particular. As such, I will host the opening dinner on October 7th to extend our hospitality to our esteemed visitors.

At the UNC School of Social Work, we pride ourselves on advancing equity, transforming systems, and improving lives. This conference provides an exciting opportunity to engage new perspectives, form meaningful connections, and drive forward the impact of global social work at UNC and beyond. We are eager to see the new collaborations and friendships that will emerge from this gathering.

Thank you for considering joining us. Your expertise and insights will undoubtedly enrich our discussions and contribute to the success of this symposium. We look forward to an impactful event and to the opportunity to learn from each other.

October 7th, 2024 Events

The 2024 GSDI Global Research Symposium will kick off with an opening dinner and celebration hosted by the Dean of UNC’s School of Social Work, Dr. Ramona Denby-Brinson. This evening includes a welcoming reception with a wine and beer bar, followed by a catered dinner, a keynote address from world-renowned speaker Dr. Don Operario, a special presentation from GSDI partner Nelson Amo, and dance performances from UNC student organizations.

6:00 – 6:25pm	Welcome Reception
6:30 – 6:55pm	Welcome Remarks: Ramona Denby-Brinson, Dean of UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
6:55 – 7:00pm	UNC Global: Barbara Stephenson, Vice Provost for Global Affairs and Chief Global Officer at UNC Chapel Hill
7:00 – 7:05pm	Dance Performance by UNC Que Rico
7:05 – 7:35pm	Keynote Address: Don Operario, Chair of Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
7:35pm	Dinner served
8:00 – 8:15pm	Lightening Plenary: Nelson Amo, Director of Innohub
8:15 – 8:25pm	Dance Performance by UNC Chalkaa
8:25 – 8:30pm	Closing Remarks: Gina Chowa, Director of GSDI

Opening Dinner Speakers

Don Operario, Ph.D., will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2024 GSDI Global Research Symposium. Dr. Operario serves as the Chair of the Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. His research focuses on stigma and social disadvantage among members of minoritized groups and developing and evaluating interventions to address the synergistic epidemics (“syndemics”) of HIV, mental health, interpersonal violence, and structural vulnerability. He has published over 300 research papers/chapters and served as Principal Investigator or co-Investigator on over 35 scientific research grants. He conducts research in collaboration with community and academic partners in the United States, China, Kenya, Philippines, South Africa, and South Korea.

Nelson Amo, a business development expert with experience across several African countries, will deliver a “lightning talk” at the opening dinner. Nelson is the Founder and Executive Director of Innohub, a business accelerator and impact investment platform that supports Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) to scale. Innohub supports business that demonstrate clear impact along the triple bottom-line: PEOPLE, PLANET AND SHARED PROSPERITY. Nelson is an alumnus of the Oxford University Said Business School, and holds a Certificate in “Development Programme in Entrepreneurship” from the Leeds University Business School. He also has an MSc. in Development Studies from LSE, with a special interest in Business Model Innovation at the bottom of the Pyramid. Nelson is driven by the passion to promote social innovation and enterprising solutions to poverty and underdevelopment.