civic saturday speakers

Morgan Lasher

Civic Saturday 11.02.24 | What If We Are the Answer: Citizen Led Democracy

As Chief Community Officer at Unify America and one of our Civic Saturday Akron Fellows, Morgan is a leader in community building, public engagement, and democracy innovations.

Her career path winds from start-ups and local media to multinational foundations and Fortune 500 brands. In her role at Unify America, Morgan leads teams that help thousands of people in America have conversations across political differences and build collaborative public decision-making opportunities in local communities.

Morgan began her career as a management consultant, specializing in brand growth and new product launches in the consumer packaged goods and biopharmaceutical sectors. She later founded an Ohio-based marketing and communications agency focused on amplifying organizations on mission from local governments to foundations and nonprofits.

She’s a former Akron Public Schools board member, and she currently serves on a local public radio board and the advisory board of the Northeast Ohio Boys & Girls Clubs.

Morgan is a fierce advocate and founding member for ATHENA Akron and a recipient of the Greater Akron Chamber’s 30 for the Future award. She is an avid fan of skeeball, local art, book clubs, and all things Akron, Ohio. She lives in Akron with her two kids and her husband, a fellow Ohio University alum.

Brant T LEe

Civic Saturday 10.05.24 | Vote Your Conscience Against the Odds

Professor Brant T. Lee is Assistant Dean for Diversity and Social Justice Initiatives at the University of Akron School of Law and a Citizen University Civic Saturday Akron Fellow.

Before joining the Akron Law faculty, Professor Brant T. Lee served as Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and served briefly as acting Deputy Staff Secretary and Special Assistant to the President in the White House. He was the founding Chair of the Akron Civil Rights Commission and founding Director of the Akron Law PLUS (Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars) Program, a diversity pipeline program funded by the Law School Admission Council.

Lee received his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and his J.D. and M.P.P. (Master of Public Policy) degrees from Harvard University. Professor Lee writes in the area of race and complex systems. He teaches courses on Property Law, Employment Discrimination, and Social Justice Lawyering, among others. In the Fall of 2020, Professor Lee created and taught a free, online course to the general public on “Racial Equality and the Law,” in which over 5,000 participants enrolled.

Alicia Robinson

Civic Saturday 05.18.24 | We Are Purpose-Driven Change Agents

Alicia Robinson is a trailblazer in women’s leadership development, dedicating her career to crafting impactful initiatives that resonate across K-12 and Higher Education spaces. She is the Founder of Limitless Ambition, a Non-Profit organization that empowers young women through teen enrichment programs, donating care packages to girls in foster care, and hosting women’s empowerment events. The organization has empowered over 6,000 women and girls in Northeast Ohio.

Alicia also serves as the Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships at Summit Education Initiative, where she orchestrates collaborative efforts for systems change in education across the cradle-to-career continuum. Alicia’s journey stands as a testament to her unwavering dedication to empowering women and effecting lasting positive change within communities, solidifying her as a true leader and advocate for a brighter, more inclusive future for the generations to come.

kate tucker

Civic Saturday 04.13.24 | Power in Community

Kate (Hope) Tucker is a performing artist, producer, and writer with eight records and multiple collaborations in film, music, podcasts, books, performance art, and immersive events. In short, she knows how to throw a good party.

Kate first saw America from the passenger side of her grandpa’s eighteen-wheeler. All grown up, she would hit the road again, touring the country with her rock band, and now she’s on a different kind of tour, a listening tour in search of hope. Hear what she’s finding on the podcast, Hope Is My Middle Name, now in its fourth season, and follow Kate’s adventures on Made In America, the award-winning documentary series, now at over 20 million views. A local artist at heart, Kate edited and compiled Comeback Evolution: Selected Works by Walter K. Delbridge, published by UA Press in 2022. And in 2024, she co-founded Civic Saturday Akron with her dear friend Kristy Clark. Subscribe to Kate’s monthly newsletter for music, travels, and more stories of hope.

Are you a community leader or civic catalyst interested in speaking at Civic Saturday? Send us a message!