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Simone Friedman

Showing 1–5 of 5 transcripts.

  1. Milken Institute33 min

    Opportunity Zones 2.0 and Next Generation Public-Private Partnerships | Finance Forum 2025

    Rachel Reilly, Simone Joy Friedman, Michael Novogradac, Toby Rittner, Ja'ron Smith, Simone Friedman, Mike Novogratik

    Facing an impending 2025 expiration, policymakers and community leaders are rallying to reform Opportunity Zones through a "2.0" framework that prioritizes permanent status, mandatory impact reporting, and a shift from real estate speculation to operating businesses. Success stories in locations like Harrisonville, South Carolina, demonstrate that layering federal tax incentives with state conformity, workforce training, and technical assistance can generate substantial local employment and economic stability. As the program's future takes shape, experts advocate for an integrated toolbox approach that combines Opportunity Zone equity with tools like New Markets Tax Credits and CDFI lending to maximize capital deployment in underserved communities.

  2. Milken Institute1h 1m

    Emerging Zoonotic Diseases and Planetary Health: Stopping the Next Pandemic Before It Starts

    Melissa Stevens, Simone Friedman, Eric Goode, Mark Smolinski, Gunhild A. Stordalen

    Leading experts, policymakers, and investors are mobilizing through the bipartisan "Stop Future Pandemics" bill and a $23 trillion capital initiative to restructure global food systems and halt wildlife trafficking that drives zoonotic disease emergence. This coordinated effort integrates the One Health approach to simultaneously address ecosystem degradation, industrial farming risks, and socioeconomic drivers of spillover by repurposing $700 billion in agricultural subsidies and establishing new ESG disclosure standards. With support from the World Bank, EAT, and over 377 organizations, stakeholders aim to prevent future pandemics by transforming supply chains, funding surveillance technology in resource-limited regions, and ensuring equity for indigenous communities before the next crisis emerges.

  3. Milken Institute1h 2m

    How the Next Generation Is Redefining Social Impact

    Maura Donlan, Simone Friedman, John Kluge, Jr., Suzanne Sinegal McGill, John R. Seydel

    The panel "How the Next Generation is Redefining Social Impact" convened leaders from Rwanda, the financial sector, philanthropy, and Atlanta's municipal government to outline strategies for addressing 2050 demographic shifts and climate crises. Presenters detailed proven models including Rwanda's girls' STEM school that drives economic stability, The Light Fund's high-repayment refugee microloans, and Atlanta's urban resilience plan tackling poverty traps through clean energy and food security. Ultimately, the discussion urged emerging investors and consumers to deploy capital as an instrument of justice and adopt conscience-based habits to prevent mass displacement and systemic instability.

  4. Milken Institute1h 1m

    Innovators Improving Access: Creating Healthier Links in the Food Chain

    Kevin Boylan, Matt Barnard, Lee Anne Grant, Dariush Mozaffarian, Sam Polk, Josh Stevens, Simone Friedman, Jeffrey Davis, Ambassador Compson

    Leading entrepreneurs from Everytable, Plenty, Day2, and Brandless, alongside Tufts University Dean Dr. Dari Mozaffarian, convened to debate scalable solutions for a U.S. food system that drives 70% of annual deaths through diet-related chronic disease. The panelists presented contrasting strategies ranging from Everytable's dual-tier pricing and Plenty's water-efficient vertical farming to Day2's machine learning-driven personalized nutrition, while challenging the federal government's $46-to-one research funding disparity between nutrition and pharmaceuticals. Ultimately, the discussion highlighted a critical pivot toward integrating healthy food into healthcare infrastructure and expanding global operations to address the 1,400 daily cardiovascular and diabetes deaths attributed to dietary factors.

  5. Milken Institute1h 1m

    Mission Driven: How NextGen Leaders Use Business Tools to Create Social Change

    Sonal Shah, Simone Friedman, Alexis Ohanian, Arif Rachmat, Cindy Whitehead, Eva Yazari, Aubrey Ruby, Sandra Kwok, Diane Murphy, Nadia Bachter, Jay Lipman

    The "Mission Driven Next-Gen Leaders" panel convened philanthropist Simone Friedman, investor Alexis Ohanian, Indonesian entrepreneur Arif Rahmat, and venture capitalist Cindy Whitehead to advocate for merging social impact directly into core business models rather than treating philanthropy as a separate activity. Panelists detailed specific strategies for systemic change, including Friedman's impact investments in sustainable food systems, Ohanian's platform governance reforms at Reddit, Rahmat's agricultural stewardship in Indonesia, and Whitehead's focus on closing the gender funding gap in health tech. The discussion concluded by highlighting that while traditional grants remain limited, integrating impact into profit generation and addressing regulatory barriers are essential for scaling solutions across emerging markets and diverse sectors.