Join the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity for a timely and thought-provoking discussion on how some of the nation’s largest law firms navigated the legal and ethical challenges in the wake of the Trump Administration’s retaliatory actions against them. The program will feature Rebecca Roiphe, leading voice in criminal law and ethics; rights litigator; Christopher J. Clark, pre-eminent litigator; and Ankush Khardori, senior writer and columnist at Politico. They will explore how Big Law balanced client demands, public scrutiny, legal ethics and questions of professional responsibility during one of the most tumultuous political periods in recent history.

Mitsui Lunch-Time Forum CLXXVII: Dana Zeller is a financial services operations leader with a track record of modernizing complex organizations, building high-performing teams, and driving measurable growth. She has helped global and regional banks streamline processes, embrace automation, and deliver better client experiences while navigating highly regulated environments. Dana has held senior leadership roles at institutions like Morgan Stanley, Citizens Bank, and Bank Leumi USA. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at BHI, a full service commercial bank based in New York. Dana is passionate about mentoring and community leadership, serving on the UJA Professional Women's Board and supporting initiatives that expand access to education, opportunity, and legal services in New York City. She is a graduate of Emory University where she received a B.A. in Economics/Math, and of the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, where she received an M.S. in Statistics.

Jennifer Hadden and Sarah Bush’s book “Crowded Out: The Competitive Landscape of Contemporary International NGOs,” examines how global nonprofits are being squeezed by competition, specialization, and dispersion—even as global needs grow. This event will discuss the arguments of the book in light of recent developments in the international NGO sector, including global crackdowns on civil society and the dissolution of USAID. This is a hybrid event; livestream will be available. Hosted by the Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Management (CNSM) at the Marxe School.

What makes people give, and how can we inspire them to give more? Join us for a dynamic conversation on how to segment audiences—not by who they are on paper, but by why they care. Learn how mindset-based segmentation has helped changemakers connect with new audiences and motivate action across causes from higher education to climate to equity. This event will provide practical insights for nonprofit professionals as well as for students and faculty interested in nonprofit strategy, marketing, communications, and data analysis. Presenters: Paige Rice, Director, Research, Hattaway Communications ; Veronica Selzler, Managing Director, Strategy, Hattaway Communications

As part of Baruch College’s annual Ethics Week, the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity is proud to welcome Stephanie Cuba for an event titled “Navigating Professional Growth and Workplace Best Practices.” This event will explore the intersection of professional development and workplace hygiene. Professional development refers to the continuous process of acquiring skills, knowledge, and experience to enhance one’s career growth and effectiveness in the workplace. This includes communication skills, leadership abilities, networking, and adapting to industry trends. Workplace hygiene involves the standards and behaviors that contribute to a professional, respectful, and efficient work environment. This encompasses everything from organizational skills and professional communication to ethical decision-making and workplace etiquette. While the primary focus of this talk will be on the best practices for professional growth and workplace conduct, the discussion will also touch on the ethical implications of these practices. By the end of the event, attendees will walk away with actionable strategies for navigating the challenges that arise in the pursuit of career excellence.

Join Professor Casandra Silva Sibilin (York College) and the Baruch Center for Teaching & Learning for a conversation on the impact of AI on our pedagogies. Students are going to be living and working in an increasingly AI-infused world. Our pedagogies should evolve to address this new reality. What does such a pedagogy look like? What current pedagogical practices should we re-evaluate, and which ones should we reinscribe? How can we rethink the teacher-student relationship, as well as our and students’ relationship to knowledge? All are welcome to join us in this timely discussion.

This event explores the research and practice of grassroots organizations that combine a public charity with a social welfare organization to engage in community organizing, policy change, and political action. We will share findings from a recent research study about the opportunities and challenges of grassroots multi-entity organizations and hear lessons from leaders of Down Home North Carolina, a grassroots organization that is building power with poor and working-class people in North Carolina’s small towns and rural communities.

Social workers and nonprofit practitioners face challenges when advocating for people living in poverty. Join us for this public event to learn about advocacy strategies developed in close collaboration with communities facing discrimination, racism, and poverty that can encourage policymakers to listen and act. Featuring Peter Raeymaeckers, Professor of Social Work and Sociology, the University of Antwerp.

Corporate leaders encounter significant challenges when addressing public debates on contentious topics. They must strike a balance between the pressures to speak out or remain silent while navigating the polarized nature of today’s discourse and the powerful, diverse interests of shareholders, employees, consumers, and civil society groups. Join the Robert Zicklin Center for a talk featuring Lawrence Cunningham, Director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. Mr. Cunningham will argue that corporate leaders should adopt a pragmatic approach rather than adhering to a fixed or ideological stance on whether to take public positions. He will emphasize evaluating the specific context and circumstances of each situation. By drawing on the history and law of corporate governance, as well as practical experience, Cunningham will demonstrate that the best strategy for each board and CEO will vary based on the unique characteristics of their corporation, its leadership, its shareholder base, its workforce, the markets it serves, and how these factors interact with public debates.

Mitsui Lunch-Time Forum No. CLXXI

Mitsui Lunch-Time Forum No. CLXIX

How can mission-driven organizations improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices? A non-profit C-suite executive and board leader will review a range of DEI-related problems, solutions, and ongoing challenges, followed by Q&A.

Ray Spitzley is a Vice Chairman in Morgan Stanley's Investment Banking Divi- sion and Co-Heads the Firm's Energy Transition banking efforts. Based in New York, Mr. Spitzley has 40 years of experience working with leading power, utility and energy companies with corporate and asset based financings and mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. From 1993-2001 Mr. Spitzley was based in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney and also worked on a number of privatizations for governments in Australia, China, Hong Kong. Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since moving back to New York in 2001, Mr. Spitzley has focused the majority of his work serving clients in North America, with a particular focus on conventional and renewable generation as well as utility M&A. More recently, with the passage of the IRA and its numerous incentives for decarbonization, he is spending his time helping developers raise capital for a range of energy transition projects including carbon capture and underground storage (CCUS), green ammonia and hydrogen, low/zero carbon methanol, gasoline. and jet fuel, and renewable natural gas. He also works with a number of companies involved in the manufacture and/or implementation of fuel cells, battery electric storage systems and other "clean tech" applications. Mr. Spitzley is a graduate of Denison University and holds a Masters in Public and Private Management from Yale University.

Join Baruch College’s Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity for an in-depth exploration of the benefits and drawbacks of the forthcoming implementation of congestion pricing in New York City. This program aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of congestion pricing’s potential impact on mobility, sustainability, pollution, social equity, and the urban economy.

Baruch has long educated generations of talented and hungry strivers, students who understand hard work, and are forged from humble beginnings. George Roach is no exception. After earning a business degree from the Zicklin School of Business in 1971, George was poised to accept a marketing ang and sales position in Ohio, but after meeting someone special (his wife, Maria), he was determined to remain in New York. Through a friend, he quickly landed a competing offer for a higher salary that allowed him to stay in New York City, where he learned the sales and manufacturing business. That serendipitous turn of events led him to create his own firm, GER Industries, in 1973. Specializing in fine architectural millwork, ornamental metal. as well as furniture, fixtures and equipment for construction. GER Industries has maintained manufacturing facilities internationally, first in Canada and currently in Vietnam, along with its offices and woodworking site in New Rochelle. From over 50 years of business cycles, including the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, George will share his observations on what it takes to start and thrive in the ever-changing global environment.

Viktor Bunin leads the Protocol Specialist team at Coinbase Cloud, the largest staking infrastructure provider. He is the industry's first Protocol Specialist, a role he created as an early employee of Bison Trails (acquired by Coinbase) that has now become an industry staple at organizations like al6z and Blockdaemon. Viktor is also the co-founder of Credibly Neutral, a venture fund invest- ing in protocols, infrastructure, and crypto SaaS. He graduated Baruch College with double majors of Economics and Psychology from the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Lisa, son Sasha, and dog Korra.

How do you make the transition to a leadership role at a nonprofit? What skills are most needed to be an executive director, and what challenges should you expect working with boards and managing a staff? Join this insightful panel discussion, featuring three Baruch alumni and moderated by Barbara Paxton, director of BoardStrong, to tackle these topics and more.

Lee Dittmar has been a highly sought-after advisor to executives and directors from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups for four decades. He is known for his ability to parse through complex problems, systems, and processes, and develop practical solutions. He is a well-known expert in governance, risk management and compliance, analytics, business transformation, advanced technology, and strategy development. He served some of Deloitte’s largest clients and managed many large technology-enabled transformation projects. He established the Enterprise Governance consulting practice and helped to launch the Deloitte Center for Corporate Governance. After retiring from Deloitte in 2015, Lee relaunched his own firm, Business Solutions, Inc., and continued to advise clients around the world. Lee earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Drexel, 1975) and a Master of Business Administration (Wharton, 1986). Lee has been a guest lecturer at several universities, including Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, and University of Richmond.

"Join us on Thursday, November 16, for an engaging panel discussion at Baruch College that delves into the intriguing and multifaceted topic of “College Athletes as Employees.” This event promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of the college athlete rights movement, addressing both the monetary opportunities for young athletes and its implications for social justice. Our panel of esteemed experts and advocates will examine the evolving landscape of college athletics. The discussion will cover the following key areas: Monetary Opportunities: Explore the changing dynamics of college sports and the growing debate surrounding the compensation and financial benefits available to student-athletes. Social Justice: Delve into the broader implications of the college athlete rights movement and how it relates to issues of social justice, equity, and the intersection of sports and society."