General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) to be Keynote Speaker at St. Christopher's School's Community Leadership Symposium

November Event Will Explore Essential Qualities of Real Leaders

RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Building Leaders from the Inside Out, the third in an ongoing series of community symposiums held on the campus of St. Christopher's School focusing on the essential components of leadership, will be held on November 18 and 19, 2011. As in previous symposiums, a distinguished slate of prominent national and international speakers will share their individual and inspirational stories over the two-date event that is open to the public.

"We look forward to welcoming the Richmond community to our campus to hear and learn from national and internationally respected speakers about how character, creativity and courage contribute to real leadership," said St. Christopher's Headmaster, Charles M. Stillwell. "And we will make a focused effort to connect with an array of community programs and services to ensure they have an opportunity to participate in the symposium."

Speakers include:

General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.)

A man of supreme intelligence, versatility and presence, General Powell served as the first African-American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was appointed Secretary of State by President George W. Bush. A four-star general, Powell has received numerous awards including two Presidential Medals of Freedom. His autobiography, My American Journey, is a best-seller. As someone who crafted and articulated the U. S. position on the world stage, Powell provides insight on efforts to stabilize a troubled world and the diplomatic and leadership skills needed to transform unstable regions into areas where societies and cultures flourish.

Robyn Benincasa
Robyn Benincasa has made an art form of extreme performance by competing and winning at the highest levels of sports and business. Revered as one of "California's Fittest Women," she spent her youth competing at the state and national level in gymnastics, diving, cross country, and judo. Soon after earning a Marketing degree from Arizona State University, Robyn joined a top Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company where she earned the prestigious "Rookie of the Year" award.

In her 15-year career as a professional adventure racer, Robyn Benincasa has competed in 40 expedition-length events—gnarly, multi-day, multisport killers such as Primal Quest and Eco-Challenge. She has biked through jungles in Borneo, climbed Himalayan giants in Nepal, trekked across lava fields in Fiji, rafted rapids in Chile—and racked up multiple world championship titles along the way. Robyn is a full-time firefighter in San Diego on the nation's first all-female crew.

Li Cunxin
(pronounced Lee Schwin Sing)

Born poor in Mao's communist China, Li Cunxin was selected to train in Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy at age 11. Seven years of harsh training taught Li discipline, resilience and determination.

At 18, Li received one of the first cultural scholarships to travel to America and perform as a soloist with the Houston Ballet. Li defected to the West two years later and went on to become one of the world's best dancers, winning two silver and a bronze medal at three International Ballet Competitions. During his final two years as a dancer, Li studied finance at the Australian Securities Institute and transitioned from ballet to finance in 1999. He now works as a senior manager at one of the largest stock brokerage firms in Australia.

The rich story of Li's inspirational journey is recounted in his memoir Mao's Last Dancer, winner of Australia's Book of the Year Award and the Christopher Award for Literature. A major motion picture by the same title was released in 2010 and directed by Academy Award-winner Bruce Beresford.

Doc Hendley

Doc Hendley is the founder and president of Wine to Water. In 2003, he dreamed up the concept while bartending and playing music in nightclubs around Raleigh, North Carolina. In

January 2004, he held his first fundraiser. By August 2004, Hendley was living in Darfur, Sudan installing water systems for victims of the government-supported genocide.

"When the idea came to me to start Wine to Water, the only real-world job experience I had was tending bar," Hendley explains. "I dreamed of building an organization that fought water-related death and disease using completely different methods than anyone else. So I started raising money the only way I knew how, by pouring wine and playing music."

Hendley's work aims to help the over one billion people worldwide who lack access to clean water. Nearly two-thirds of that group lives in Asia. In sub-Saharan Africa, 42 percent of the population lives without water yard taps, household connections or other improvements to sanitize water. Unclean water is the number one killer of children in the world.

Wes Moore

Wes Moore is a youth advocate, Army combat veteran, promising business leader and author. In his New York Times bestseller, Moore tells the fascinating story of "the other Wes Moore" – a man who shared his name and a similar personal history but arrived at a starkly different fate. Compelled by their similar upbringings, Moore penned The Other Wes Moore in an effort to discover how small choices make big differences.

Moore relates his personal experience to the education system at large. He presents the compelling argument that support systems – dedicated networks of family, mentors, and teachers – are what make the most profound and lasting impact on a child's life. Seeking to eliminate this gap between potential and opportunity, Moore works to empower teachers, parents, and caregivers to push students past what is probable toward what is possible.

Symposium corporate partners include: MWV – Presenting Sponsor; and Wells Fargo Advisors - Major Sponsor; and Davenport and Company - Visionary Sponsor.

St. Christopher's School, founded in 1911, is a college preparatory school for boys (junior kindergarten through 12th grade). A rigorous academic program, small classes, dedicated and nurturing teachers who are experts in how boys learn, a vibrant program in athletics and the arts, and a commitment to academic excellence and diversity are attributes of a St. Christopher's education.

Visit our website: www.stchristophers.com for registration information and symposium news.

SOURCE St. Christopher's School