KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
As an International Speaker, Lou Radja’s mission is to uplift, educate and inspire his audience to live up to their greatness. Lou has motivated and challenged audiences worldwide to shake off disempowering beliefs and live up to their full human potential. Lou has engaged global citizens from all over the world on topics such as: Leadership, Humanitarianism, Following Your Dream, Diversity, Personal Accountability, and Education. Living by the global metaphor that “life’s a gift”, Lou’s powerful message is built on gratitude.
Lou is Co-Founder and Executive Director of EduCongo, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing funding and support for the schooling of underprivileged children of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before establishing EduCongo, Lou developed culturally specific curriculum and worked to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities for African Americans in Oregon as a member of the African American Health Coalition, Inc.
Lou has a strong passion for cross-cultural learning and intercultural communication. He graduated from Portland State University with a degree in International Affairs, focusing on issues related to African development. Before moving to America, he lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now he is invested on both sides of the Atlantic. Lou is an active Rotarian with the Portland Pearl Rotary Club, a member of the World Affairs Council of Oregon. In addition to English, he's fluent in French and Swahili.
Lou is Co-Founder and Executive Director of EduCongo, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing funding and support for the schooling of underprivileged children of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before establishing EduCongo, Lou developed culturally specific curriculum and worked to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities for African Americans in Oregon as a member of the African American Health Coalition, Inc.
Lou has a strong passion for cross-cultural learning and intercultural communication. He graduated from Portland State University with a degree in International Affairs, focusing on issues related to African development. Before moving to America, he lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now he is invested on both sides of the Atlantic. Lou is an active Rotarian with the Portland Pearl Rotary Club, a member of the World Affairs Council of Oregon. In addition to English, he's fluent in French and Swahili.
Dr. Pascal Losambe is the Co-Founder, Chief Content Officer and primary consultant for Synergy Consulting Company. Dr. Losambe has a Bachelor's in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Middlebury College and a Master's of Science in Biology with a focus on Neurobiology from Boston College where he received the Donald J. White award for teaching excellence, a distinguished honor given annually to graduate instructors. Dr. Losambe has earned his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Purdue University with a focus on cultural competence. He is the keynote presenter and curriculum developer for the United Front Initiative, a city and regional program with the goal of bringing unity and reconciliation to the region. Additionally, Dr. Losambe consults and presents to companies and other organizations on various topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion, educational leadership, and organizational culture. He has led strategic vision initiatives for various institutions and has conducted multiple workshops on cultural competence at national and international conferences. Dr. Losambe’s achievements include the Mosaic Award in 2018 and being invited onto the Purdue University Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Advisory Board, the Purdue University Fort Wayne College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, the Young Scholars Academy Board, and the Heart of Character Leadership Committee. He previously served on the Independent School Association of the Central States Equity and Justice Committee Board.
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Grace B. Hou has served under Governor JB Pritzker as the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) since March 2019. The mission of IDHS is strengthening Illinois by building up lives and communities which is achieved through an integrated network of mental health, substance use prevention and recovery, rehabilitation, developmental disabilities and family and community services. IDHS operates seven psychiatric hospitals, seven developmental centers, one treatment and detention facility for sexually violent persons 76 local offices and four schools.
Grace also previously served as the Assistant Secretary at IDHS from 2003 to 2012, and during that time she was an architect of Illinois’ Immigrant Integration New American’s Gubernatorial Executive Order which was nationally recognized.
Grace has dedicated her career to advancing social justice by working in the non-profit and public sectors systems for change improvement through public policy development and implementation, social services provision, community organizing and engagement, and philanthropy. Grace most recently served as the President of Woods Fund Chicago from February 2012 to March 2019. Woods Fund Chicago is a bold grantmaking foundation that finds —and funds —projects that draw on the power of communities to fight the brutality of poverty and structural racism.
Early in her career, she was the Executive Director of the Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) and has been a vocal advocate for immigrants’ rights. Grace is a child of immigrants from Taiwan and has lived and worked in Illinois since she was eight years old. She studied at the University of Illinois and has two teenage sons. She is the board chair of the Healthy Communities Foundation, a 2001 Leadership Greater Chicago fellow, a member of The Chicago Network and The Commercial Club, and a German Marshall fellow.
Grace also previously served as the Assistant Secretary at IDHS from 2003 to 2012, and during that time she was an architect of Illinois’ Immigrant Integration New American’s Gubernatorial Executive Order which was nationally recognized.
Grace has dedicated her career to advancing social justice by working in the non-profit and public sectors systems for change improvement through public policy development and implementation, social services provision, community organizing and engagement, and philanthropy. Grace most recently served as the President of Woods Fund Chicago from February 2012 to March 2019. Woods Fund Chicago is a bold grantmaking foundation that finds —and funds —projects that draw on the power of communities to fight the brutality of poverty and structural racism.
Early in her career, she was the Executive Director of the Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) and has been a vocal advocate for immigrants’ rights. Grace is a child of immigrants from Taiwan and has lived and worked in Illinois since she was eight years old. She studied at the University of Illinois and has two teenage sons. She is the board chair of the Healthy Communities Foundation, a 2001 Leadership Greater Chicago fellow, a member of The Chicago Network and The Commercial Club, and a German Marshall fellow.