By SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Jan 30, 2014) - INFORUM at The Commonwealth Club announced today that Ben Rattray, CEO of Change.org, will receive INFORUM's 21st Century Visionary Award on February 26th at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco.
The 21st Century Visionary Award is bestowed in recognition of special achievement, innovation and distinguished public service. Past honorees include YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steven Chen, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Van Jones and Cecile Richards. Ben's revolutionary work empowering citizens with his microactivist platform Change.org certainly makes him a worthy candidate to join this impressive list.
Change.org, a website with 45 million users, allows individuals and organizations to create and spread online petitions for issues like economic and criminal justice, human rights, education, the environment, animals, health and sustainable food. Notable successful petitions include the South African parliament launching a national task team to end "corrective" rape, and the overturn of the Boy Scouts of America's refusal to acknowledge high schooler Ryan Andresen as an Eagle Scout after he came out as gay in 2011.
Ben Rattray studied at Stanford University during the technology boom of the early 2000s, and later attended the London School of Economics. Originally drawn to the glamour of Wall Street, he changed his career paths to focus on the "pursuit of collective action," founding Change.org in 2007. He was named to the 2012 Time 100 List of the World's Most Influential People, and listed as one of Fortune's 40 Under 40 Rising young business leaders of 2012. Ben is on a mission to leverage technology to change the world.
"Change.org is becoming the go-to marketplace for social change and rallying global communities around a specific cause. We are so lucky that the Bay Area is headquarters to Change.org and we are thrilled to award Ben Rattray with INFORUM's 21st Century Visionary Award," said Caroline Moriarity Sacks, INFORUM director.
The program consists of a one-hour conversation on-stage with Rattray and the moderator, including 15 minutes of live audience questions and a brief award ceremony. Premium ticket purchasers will enjoy a private reception with Rattray before the program including spirits and light hors d'oeuvres.
The program takes place at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on Wednesday, February 26th 2014 at 6:30 p.m. PT. For more information and to register for tickets, call (415)-597-6705 or register online at bit.ly/changeorg-eb
About INFORUM
Stay smart and current. The INFORUM division of The Commonwealth Club produces Bay Area events where you can meet celebrities in entertainment, tech, food, design, pop culture and politics. Our audience comprises the most interesting, inquisitive and connected young professionals. Your VIP access goes beyond the Q&As and book signings to include exclusive receptions, dinners, demonstrations, games and prizes for many events.
Get off work and engage your brain for an hour before going out or home. INFORUM is the young professional Commonwealth Club experience.
