APRIL PROGRAMS
WEDNESDAY Roundtable Luncheon
April 1 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Speaker is Michael Kearns. His topic ‒ Responsible AI in the Modern Era.
Recent technical strides in the development of artificial intelligence, both amazing and alarming, created a standalone industry experiencing rapid growth and strong controversy. The societal and ethical concerns and considerations centered on the technology are becoming more complex as it advances. Michael surveys these developments and discusses how the scientific, industry, and regulatory communities currently view them ‒ and what the future might hold.
Michael Kearns is Professor and National Center Chair in the Computer and Information Science Department at Penn. His research interests include AI and machine learning, algorithmic game theory, quantitative finance, and related topics. He has secondary appointments in Penn’s Economics Department as well as the departments of Statistics and Operations and Information and Decisions at Wharton. He is the coauthor with Aaron Roth of The Ethical Algorithm (Oxford University Press, 2019), a book for nonexperts. Since 2020, Michael’s role at Amazon is focused on responsible AI efforts, considering science and engineering as well as policy and customer impact. Previously, he worked extensively in quantitative and algorithmic trading for Wall Street firms. He is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Association for Computing Machinery, the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, and the Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory.
Monday Quarterback Luncheon
April 6 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Alan Penziner is our Quarterback.
Thursday Roundtable Luncheon
April 9 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Speaker is Innmate Jordan Strauss. His topic ‒ Six Weeks and Counting in Iran: Risks to the Homeland.
Jordan draws on his experience as a consultant and former national security official to offer his perspective on risks “at home” occasioned by the war in Iran at the six-week mark.
Currently the co-founder of a startup focused on privacy and technology issues, Jordan Strauss was an executive at Kroll, the global risk and technology firm, and a fellow of the firm’s think tank. He provided advice to clients and corporate boards on geopolitical and national security issues and worked with clients facing existential crisis events. Jordan has also served as a national security official for the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as a federal prosecutor and trial attorney. Since 2018, he has taught national security law at Drexel’s Kline School of Law. He has also been a guest lecturer on security and technology issues at Penn, UCal Berkeley, and other institutions.
Friday New Initiatives Event
April 10 from 6pm to 8pm
Spring Fling Happy Hour
Shake off the last chill of winter and step into the season at our Spring Fling Happy Hour —an evening designed to celebrate renewal, connection, and a touch of indulgence.
As the light lingers a little longer and the air turns soft with promise, join us for a festive gathering and raise a glass to brighter days ahead, where every sip and conversation feels like the start of something new. With fresh flavors, a lively ambiance, and just the right hint of celebration whether you’re toasting the season, unwinding after the day, or simply savoring the moment.
Free of Charge. With a floral-forward cocktail, wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and light fare.
Monday Quarterback Luncheon
April 13 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Alina Macneal is our Quarterback.
Friday Club Dinner
April 17 with Member mixer at 5:30pm, presentation at 6:15pm, followed by dinner
Celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month with the Eldred/Frank/Urbina Trio.
The Eldred/Frank/Urbina Trio is a collaborative of well-established contributors to the Philadelphia jazz scene ‒ three highly regarded artists on their respective instruments.
Sandy Eldred, the longtime bassist for Norman David’s Eleventet jazz ensemble, is a recording artist, producer, composer, and music educator. He performs regularly in the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, he launched Philly Jazz Scene, an online calendar for regional jazz events.
Mike Frank, a pianist well regarded for his contributions to the Philadelphia jazz scene, partners with vocalists Kevin Valentine or Greg Farnese at the club/lounge Midnight & The Wicked. On the keyboard he embraces jazz, pop, and the Great American Songbook.
Andrew Urbina, a saxophonist with Norman David’s Eleventet, performs as a musician throughout the U.S., Canada, and Colombia. His versatility extends from jazz to funk, rock, and classical contemporary. He is also a music educator.
Monday Quarterback Luncheon
April 20 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Franklyn Rodgers is our Quarterback.
Thursday Roundtable Luncheon
April 23 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Speaker is Sam Katz. His topic ‒ Public History on Film in Philadelphia.
Sam Katz formed History Making Productions in 2008, producing documentary films on the history of Philadelphia. His latest project is a ten-episode series of hour-long films on the city’s history, “In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America.” The first episode was released in February for the semiquincentennial year. The series “Philadelphia: The Great Experiment,” won Mid-Atlantic Emmy awards for best documentary in 2013 and 2014. Current Philadelphia-centered projects are a film on sports journalist Ray Didinger and a series on the city’s rich history of soul music. His non-Philadelphia projects include “Beethoven in Beijing” (2024) and “Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Bankruptcy of Detroit” (2021), which won the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film.
Sam is a lifelong Philadelphian whose previous career path wound through public finance, venture capital, civic affairs, development, and politics over nearly three decades. Notably, he founded and led Public Financial Management, a nationwide public finance advisory firm, for nearly twenty years and was a three-time candidate for mayor of Philadelphia, CEO of Greater Philadelphia First, and chair of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority. He now serves as an advisor to Comcast-Spectacor and is co-founder and executive director of the Histories Collaborative of Philadelphia.
Friday Forum
April 24 with Member mixer at 5pm followed by Readings from Drexel University’s MFA Creative Writing Residency program
The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a career-focused program for fiction writers that provides a supportive environment to help develop craft and make connections needed to succeed after earning a degree.
With appetizers, wine, and nonalcoholic drinks.
Monday Quarterback Luncheon
April 27 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Jonathan Barnett is our Quarterback.
Tuesday Movie Night
April 28 at 6pm; feature at 6:30pm
With snacks and drinks including light fare, popcorn, chips, nuts, soda, beer, and wine.
The Princess Bride
Director Rob Reiner, 1987, US, 1 hour 38 minutes, color
Hello. Its inconceivable that you don’t this film is about True love… and shrieking eels, swordfights, the Pit of Despair, rodents of unusual size, and having fun storming the castle!
Thursday Roundtable Luncheon
April 30 from 12:30pm to 2pm
Speaker is Innmate Eric Orts. His topic ‒ The Role of Nongovernmental Actors in Confronting Climate Issues.
Based on his own recent writing and research, Eric focuses on ways individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations grapple with global climate problems. He aims to spark discussion, drawing on recent work especially his new book The Ethics of ESG: Critically Assessing the Environmental, Social and Governance Movement Cambridge University Press 2026), co-edited with Valentina Gentile, Andreas Rasche, and Alan Strudler. CLICK HERE for an interview on the Knowledge at Wharton podcast.
Eric is the Guardsmark Professor at Penn’s Wharton School. He is tenured in the Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department with an additional appointment in Management. Prior to joining Wharton’s faculty, he practiced law at Paul Weiss and was a fellow in corporate social responsibility at Columbia Law School. His primary research interests are in corporate governance, environmental law and policy, business ethics and theory, and democratic theory.
His currently teaches a core course for Wharton MBAs entitled “Business, Social Responsibility, and the Environment” as well an undergraduate / graduate cross-listed course “Law of Corporate Management and Finance.”