Darien Neighbors, Global Players - Darien Community Association

DCA Annual Fundraiser: Darien Neighbors, Global Players Speaker Series 2023

Join us this spring for the 6th year of this speaker series featuring industry innovators from Darien and nearby communities. Purchase tickets for the entire series or individual events. All tickets include a pre-event wine reception.

Sarah Blank
Owner, Sarah Blank Design Studio
Pro Tips for Your Perfect Kitchen
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
6:15pm reception, 7:00pm presentation

With four decades of work in interior architecture, Sarah Blank’s expertise is sought by leading architects and designers who engage her services for some of the country’s most beautiful homes. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and Veranda, and she will share pro tips from her new book Classic Kitchens for Modern Living. Sarah lives and works in Greenwich and Washington, Connecticut, where she embraces her passion for classical architecture, and her love for animals and pet rescue.

Melissa and Doug Bernstein
Founders, Melissa & Doug Toys; Founders, Lifelines
In Conversation with SE Cupp, CNN Commentator
Our Journey From Toys to Well-Being: Helping Children and Adults Discover Creativity, Passion, and Purpose
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
6:15pm reception, 7:00pm presentation

Melissa and Doug Bernstein are Westport entrepreneurs who have spent the last 30 years helping children discover themselves through open-ended play. After Melissa’s own personal journey of self-discovery and acceptance, they founded Lifelines. Through Lifelines, they are redefining well-being and creating a science-backed collection of tools to help individuals lead more authentic lives, strengthen their resilience, and unlock their potential. The Bernsteins will share their journey from a small children’s products company to iconic toy brand to wellness innovator.

Moderator SE Cupp is a Darien resident and commentator who brings her distinct outlook to CNN programming and special political coverage, and who most recently hosted CNN’s SE Cupp Unfiltered, a weekly program. SE is also an active advocate for mental health awareness.

Ira Joe Fisher
Broadcaster, Poet, Educator;
President & CEO, I.J.F. Communicating: Speaking Fearlessly
Lessons Learned From a Life in Broadcasting and Beyond
Thursday, April 20, 2023
6:15pm reception, 7:00pm presentation

During his career, Ira Joe Fisher’s roles have included radio host, broadcaster, TV correspondent, weather reporter, actor, singer, poet, and educator. In the TV studio he served as a weather and features reporter for WABC Television, appearing on both The Morning Show with Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford and Channel 7 Eyewitness News. More recently, he has been a professor at various Connecticut colleges and his consulting business teaches public speaking strategies learned from decades of broadcasting, performing, and writing. He lives with his family in Ridgefield.

Ticket Information
In-person/virtual series tickets for all three events: $80 DCA members / $120 public: Buy Tickets
In-person/virtual individual speaker tickets: $30 DCA members / $45 public: Buy Tickets
Virtual registrants will receive a link the day of the program.
Purchase series tickets by March 7; purchase individual speaker tickets by the day before the program: dariendca.org or 203-655-9050

Platinum Sponsor
• John M. Glover Insurance Agency

John M. Glover is a full-service insurance agency which has been in business since 1916 and is owned by a Darien family. To learn more, please visit jmg.com/

Silver Sponsors
• A Little Something White Bridal Couture
• Connecticut Community Bank
• Janine Tienken with Houlihan Lawrence

Bronze Sponsors
• David Harvey Jewelers
• Hollow Tree Self Storage
• Nancy Dauk with Brown Harris Stevens and Holly and David Hawes with Compass CT
• PG Properties
• V20 Group, LLC

DAF Media brings together student volunteers to livestream sports, arts and community events. DAF Media is a joint venture between The Darien Athletic Foundation and The Darien Foundation.

Previous Darien Neighbors, Global Players Events

The DCA hosted a lively exchange with Tom Arrix, founder of Get Joy, in conversation with Charlie Hannigan – a perfect conclusion to our Darien Neighbors, Global Players Speaker Series. Special guests Brady, Theo and Eddie helped spread lots of joy!

Tom Arrix founded Get Joy after his golden retriever became ill with lymphoma. Get Joy’s mission is to unleash wellness for dogs by offering fresh and nutritional dog food products directly to consumers. Its success has benefitted from Tom’s experience as co-founder and managing partner at Adjacency Partners, a business advisory firm, and as the vice president of global marketing solutions for North America at Facebook. Tom shared his journey from Facebook executive to the founder of Get Joy.

Another Great Darien Neighbors, Global Players Speaker Series Event! Bob Sauerberg (Reddit) was in conversation with Jeff Hamill (Hearst Magazines) and they discussed the media business and its digital transition, as well as the development of Reddit, the biggest global platform for online communities.

Audience comments:
“Fantastic evening – so interesting and well put together.”
“Thanks for guiding us through a fascinating career and industry!”

Bob Sauerberg has guided Reddit for the last 12 years from a male dominated “front page of the internet” to the global platform that brings belonging and empowerment to over 100,000 communities and 500 million monthly users. Previously, he was president and CEO of Condé Nast, a premier media company.

Thank you to Amy Brooks (NBA), Renie Anderson (NFL) and Jay Alter (ESPN) for beginning our series with an entertaining, insightful and funny discussion about “Women in Professional Sports Leadership” at our Darien Neighbors, Global Players Speaker Series event.

As chief innovation officer (the NBA’s first-ever), Amy Brooks leads a global strategy and innovation group that develops and executes new ideas and initiatives, collaborates with NBA senior leadership on setting global strategic priorities and delivers data insights to enable fan and business growth. Additionally, she leads the NBA’s team business function that helps all teams grow revenue, build global fanbases and operate more effectively.

Renie Anderson oversees the NFL’s partnership divisions, including sponsorship, new business, consumer products, gaming and media sales. She manages a team that drives the NFL’s revenue through new partnerships and maintains the relationships and activation of the NFL’s current and new corporate sponsors and licensees.

DAF Media brings together student volunteers to livestream sports, arts and community events. DAF Media is a joint venture between The Darien Athletic Foundation and The Darien Foundation.