Batstone to Explore Why ‘Charity is Dead’
Westmont alumnus David Batstone ’80, a former Silicon Valley venture capitalist whose current work engages human rights activism around the globe, will give a lecture about “Charity is Dead: Reinventing Compassion and World Change” on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7p.m. in Hieronymus Lounge at Westmont’s Kerrwood Hall. The Westmont in San Francisco and Global Studies Lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Cynthia Toms, Westmont kinesiology and global studies professor, at (805) 565-6025.
Batstone, who teaches in the department of entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of San Francisco’s School of Management, was a private equity banker in the technology industry. He is published widely in both academia and the popular press, and has written five books that feature entrepreneurship at the crossroads of business and society.
Batstone, a sought-after speaker and consultant to businesses and nonprofits alike, works with entrepreneurs and investors to support forward-thinking companies that foster opportunities for everyone. This year, he won the annual Peace Award from the United Nations Women for Peace Association and the Harari Conscious Leadership and Social Innovation prize (USF School of Management award).
Batstone founded and is managing director of Just Business, a social impact investment firm. His portfolio of successful ventures includes REBBL, maker of organic super-herb powered coconut-milk elixirs and proteins; Z Shoes from the Peruvian Amazon, and Square Organics nutrition bars.
He founded and is president of Not For Sale, connecting business leaders, celebrities, politicians and students to design strategic solutions for the 30 million human slaves in the world today.
He was a member of the founding team of Business 2.0 magazine and served six years as executive editor of Sojourners magazine, during which time he founded the SojoMail e-zine. Batstone has contributed articles to the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, Wired, and SPIN.