Webinar: What’s in Your Piggy Bank?

Join us for a webinar on new paths to economic security for children and their parents through child savings accounts.

Featured speakers: Reggie Bicha, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services, and Andrea Levere, President of CFED, in conversation with Anne Mosle, Vice President, the Aspen Institute.

Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET

To register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/25251740126401282

Ascend Fellows Reggie Bicha and Andrea Levere have developed an innovative two-generation pilot project on building assets for families served by CDHS. They are using Children’s Savings Accounts (CSAs) – long-term, incentivized savings accounts for children that are generally used for higher education – as a vehicle to engage low-income parents and their children across Colorado to foster household financial security. Ascend at the Aspen Institute has been a proud supporter of this pilot project.

In the webinar, you will learn:

·         how CSAs can be a bridge to creating opportunities for two generations; and

·         the lessons this project offers for your work. 

Read more about CSAs and the Colorado Pilot:
Investing in Hope: A Two-Generation Approach to Asset Building

Speaker Bios

Reggie Bicha

Reggie Bicha is a social worker, administrator, educator and national leader.  In January 2011, Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Bicha executive director of the Colorado Department of Human Services.  He has extensive experience working on child welfare, education, employment and health issues at the county, state and national levels.

Mr. Bicha has undertaken a bold initiative to redesign and refocus early childhood services in Colorado.  Through a proposed new Office of Early Childhood, Colorado will integrate early childhood programs currently in four state agencies, improve access for young children and their families, and help more children be prepared for Kindergarten. A committed leader to effective government, Mr. Bicha initiated a full review of all department rules.  This action resulted in repeal or revision of 66% of promulgated rules.  Executive Director Bicha was recently awarded the Local/State Partnership Award by Colorado Counties, Inc. for his leadership on reducing administrative burdens and unnecessary mandates to counties and other partners.

Prior to coming to Colorado, Mr. Bicha served as the Inaugural Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.  Under his leadership, Wisconsin increased the safety of child care programs, dramatically reduced fraud in the child care subsidy program and established a quality rating and improvement system to help child care professionals improve.  He also initiated prevention and permanency objectives that reduced the number of children living in foster care by more than 22% in Milwaukee. Executive Director Bicha obtained a Masters’ degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He and his wife, Becky, have three children, and have served as foster parents.

Andrea Levere

Andrea Levere has led the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) as its President since 2004. CFED designs and operates major national initiatives that expand matched savings for children and adults, integrate self‐employed entrepreneurs into the financial mainstream and turn manufactured housing into an appreciating asset. CFED operates a comprehensive research and public policy program to build and protect assets at the local, state and federal levels, and produces the nationally recognized Assets & Opportunity Scorecard.

CFED recently launched two efforts to close the college completion gap.  The 1:1 Fund is an online marketplace that matches donor dollars with students saving for college. The Partnership for College Completion is collaboration among CFED, UNCF and KIPP that combines incentivized savings accounts, financial and college-readiness education, and scholarship assistance to prepare KIPP students for college success.

Prior to joining CFED in 1992, Ms. Levere was a director with the National Development Council, where she was a lead trainer, designed a financial management program for entrepreneurs and structured financing for small businesses, affordable housing and urban development projects.

Ms. Levere served as chair of the board of the Ms. Foundation for Women from 2002‐2005. Currently, she serves as the Chair of ROC USA, a social venture that converts manufactured home parks into resident owned cooperatives. In 2009 she was appointed to the Bank of America’s National Consumer Advisory Council and also serves on the Morgan Stanley Community Development Advisory Committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and an MBA from Yale University. She received the Alumni Recognition Award from the Yale School of Management and was named to the inaugural class of its Donaldson Fellows Program, which recognizes alumni who help educate business and society leaders.

Anne Mosle

Anne Mosle is a vice president at the Aspen Institute and executive director of Ascend at the Aspen Institute. She is a leading thinker, advocate, and voice in building pathways to opportunity for low-income families and women. With more than 20 years’ experience in policy and philanthropy, Anne has been recognized as Washingtonian of the Year, Ms. Magazine Woman to Watch, and as Visionary Philanthropist. She is also an author of The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Pushes Back from the Brink.

In her current role at the Aspen Institute, she directs Ascend, the national hub for breakthrough ideas and collaborations that move vulnerable children and their parents towards educational success and economic security. Ascend has been a national leader in catalyzing a two-generation approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. Under Anne’s leadership, Ascend has launched a national values-based fellowship program and is investing $1.5 million in promising programs and policy solutions. In all its work, Ascend engages the voices of families and diverse leaders. In 2014, Ascend plans to launch a new two-generation learning network.

Prior to the Aspen Institute, Anne served as a vice president and officer of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), where she was on the executive team and oversaw $140 million in investments. In addition, Anne led the creation of WKKF’s Family Economic Security portfolio, and managed their civic engagement portfolio and the launch of their mission-driven investing program. Before joining WKKF, she served as the president of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, spearheading seven years of unprecedented growth. She was also the lead architect of their nationally recognized Stepping Stones initiative to build the financial independence of women and families. Earlier in her career, Anne served as senior vice president at the Center for Policy Alternatives, developing leadership and policy programs for state elected and community leaders. She has organized major summits at The White House and 10 Downing Street as well as numerous state and community forums.

Anne serves on the Advisory Committee of the Oxford University Said School of Business and on the National Trustees Council of America's Promise. She lives with her family in Washington, DC.