By Lindsay Smalling
Lindsay Smalling, Cari Hanson, Alex Kravitz
Note: All of us at SOCAP and Intentional are grateful to Lindsay Smalling for her years of service and leadership of SOCAP. Lindsay made the decision months ago to transition out of her role as SOCAP’s CEO and her tenure ended this month. As sad as we are to see her go, we are thrilled to announce that SOCAP’s leadership role has passed into the capable hands of Cari Hanson. Cari has been making contributions to SOCAP since 2013. She now serves as Vice President of SOCAP. This is Lindsay’s farewell address to the SOCAP Community. Meet Cari and hear her vision for the future of SOCAP in her welcome letter here.
What an incredible privilege and joy it has been to convene this marketplace at the intersection of money and meaning. I first followed SOCAP from afar, then joined as a volunteer, learned the industry through curating 1000+ pieces of content, stewarded this beloved brand through an ownership transition, and leaned in to my leadership over the last eight years at SOCAP. I’m leaving my position as CEO, but will always remain dedicated to this community.
The SOCAP19 Team
I inherited an inspiring vision and unique convening approach from the SOCAP founders. The opportunity to work closely with Rosa Lee Harden, Kevin Jones, Tim Freundlich, and Penelope Douglas throughout my time at SOCAP has been invaluable; their guidance has been my foundation and my north star. They are all visionaries and I’m so grateful for the trust they placed in me to curate and build SOCAP.
This community has been a constant source of inspiration. Hosting SOCAP’s “Big Tent” has provided me with a singular perspective on the creativity, collaboration, and determination of so many individuals around the world, across sectors and issue areas, unlocking the potential of markets to drive impact. I’ve depended on so many people to educate me and advise on every SOCAP conference, but especially want to thank Fran Seegull, Jed Emerson, Konda Mason, Ben Thornley, Rodney Foxworth, Andrea Armeni, Rehana Nathoo, and Andi Phillips – the SOCAP Advisory Board – for their mentorship and generosity over many years.
Lindsay Smalling and her twin daughters
The most valuable lesson I have learned in my time as a convener is to respect the wisdom of the crowd, because you never know where the next best idea is going to come from. To quote this SOCAP Principle that has best served me, “Deep experience and fresh insight are equally valuable – solutions won’t evolve by squatting on expertise.” As I leave SOCAP, I believe this platform is uniquely positioned to convene ever more diverse participants, seek out unheard voices, and build a much broader movement to unlock the potential of markets to drive impact.
I could never have foreseen, when I announced my plan to transition out after SOCAP19, that I’d be leaving SOCAP as a global pandemic is unfolding. This unprecedented time will call new leaders forward and Cari Hanson has already demonstrated the energy and imagination to carry SOCAP through the uncertain times ahead. Cari has been my right hand on content for 3+ years, has led our programming on racial equity and launch of SPECTRUM, and was already a seasoned convening professional before we started collaborating. I know she will find the opportunities to make this community stronger and more connected and I will be first in line to participate.
With gratitude and love,
Lindsay
