Shared Data - Shared Knowledge Conversation at February 26 Illuminate Event, at Evermay Estate

S&R Foundation hosts Waldo Jaquith, Jeanne Holm and Yuvi Kochar in Dynamic Discussion of the Value of Open and Transparent Data

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Illuminate, an S&R Foundation program devoted to convening courageous, innovative, engaging individuals through an enlightening series of lectures and presentations, announced today its first event of the new year.  Shared Data – Shared Knowledge, promising a lively discussion of the value of open data, will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 7 pm at the Evermay Estate (1623 28^th Street, NW).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120702/DC33628LOGO-b)

The event will feature three thought leaders– Waldo Jacquith of the U.S. Open Data Institute, Jeanne Holm of Data.gov, and Yuvi Kochar of the Graham Holdings Company – who will discuss the value of open data in their respective fields. Collectively, they will examine how open data:

• Can be used to increase transparency;
• Can spur innovation; and
• Can eliminate fraud, waste and abuse.

Travis Korte of the Center for Data Innovation will facilitate the discussion, with an introduction by Ana Rold, editor-in-chief of the Diplomatic Courier.

"Our vision for Illuminate is a 21^st Century salon, creating an environment where passionate, forward-thinking individuals can present, discuss, and debate current topics and future trends," said Dr. Sachiko Kuno, president and CEO of the S&R Foundation. "Open data is certainly such a topic, and we are pleased to have such a thought-provoking group of presenters for this discussion."

Jaquith is an open government technologist and the Director of the U.S. Open Data Institute. In 2011, in acknowledgment of his transparency work, Jaquith was named a "Champion of Change" by the White House and, in 2012, an "OpenGov Champion" by the Sunlight Foundation. After working on open data for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, he's now a member of the White House Open Data Working Group.

Holm, the Evangelist for Data.Gov (an open government GSA-managed flagship project for the White House), leads collaboration and builds communities with the public, educators, developers, and international and state governments in using open government data. She is also the Chief Knowledge Architect at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, driving innovation through social media, virtual worlds, gaming, ontologies, and collaborative systems, including the award-winning NASA public portal (www.nasa.gov).

Kochar, corporate CTO, collaborates with the major divisions of Graham Holdings Company in the areas of technology strategy, architecture and Shared Information Technology Services. Under his leadership, Shared IT Services has rapidly expanded to support key compliance, identity management, security and privacy, HR, benefits, payroll and procurement processes across all divisions. The team also supports the corporate Intranet and is innovating in the areas Enterprise 2.0, collaboration and flexible architectures, enabling rapid deployment of new solutions to respond to the fast-evolving requirements of the Company's business units. 

Shared Data – Shared Knowledge will be at the Evermay estate on Wednesday, February 26 at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm), and will be available online following the event. Tickets for the event are $50 per person and available to the public. There will also be a $25 ticket for students. Please visit www.IlluminateSeries.org for additional information and to purchase tickets.

About the S&R Foundation
The S&R Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created in 2000 to support talented individuals with great potential and high aspirations in the sciences and arts, especially those who are furthering international cultural collaboration. Our goals are simple, yet bold: to create, support and facilitate initiatives that encourage scientific and artistic innovation, and promote cultural and personal growth. For more information, visit www.SandRFoundation.org.

About Illuminate
Illuminate serves as a 21st-century salon, where the audience can discuss and politely debate current topics and future trends. All of Illuminate's presenters are engaging, innovative and brave, leading enlightening lectures and discussions that will leave attendees with a spark of a new idea and hope for the future. All events are archived online so everyone can access, learn and share. For more information, visit http://illuminateseries.org/.

SOURCE S&R Foundation