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Clinton Global Initiative America

Clinton Stairs

President Clinton Exiting the Stage at the Clinton Global Initiative America Meeting

RDLN was privileged to participate in the first Clinton Global Initiative America meeting, which took place in Chicago in June 2011.

The goal of the meeting was "to address economic recovery by bringing together businesses, foundations, NGO's, and government leaders" to focus on jobs, education and innovation. RDLN was part of the Rural Economy Working Group and we joined the roundtable on Entrepreneurship.

We were invited to serve as a "Women and Girls" champion during the meeting.

RDLN has made a CGI "Commitment to Action" for a Rural Entrepreneurship Leadership Project to provide web-based training in Entrepreneurship to one hundred people in poor rural communities and to help nurture emerging businesses in these settings. Participants will include a majority of people of color and women. The Commitment is described on the CGI website.

WH Ballard

Veneman Shane Starry

Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture Doug O'Brien and Clinton Global Initiative Rural Economy Working Group Manager Joe Ballard
Three Women and Girls "Champions": Former USDA Secretary Ann Veneman, President and CEO of Onshore Technology Shane Mayes and Rural Development Leadership Network President Starry Krueger