US Embassy Speech

 

Revive a Smile founder Dr. Assil Russell was invited to participate as a guest speaker at the US Ambassador to New Zealand's Coonecting Young Leaders conference. The conference, brings together student advisers from around New Zealand for three days of policy discussions, leadership training, and networking. It was held on the campus of the University of Otago in Dunedin. 80 students from all eight New Zealand universities plus two dozen speakers and discussion leaders from senior New Zealand business, NGO, government, and political circles. Dr. Russell lead a break out session along side an esteemed group of speakers including:  Chamanthie Sinhalage (of the Hamilton City Council), Vanisa Dhiru (CEO of Volunteering New Zealand), Mikael Gartner (engineer with New Zealand Urban Search and Rescue), Lara Hearn (Chair of the New Zealand History Teacher’s Association), Murray Kirkness (Editor of the Otago Daily Times), Dr. Paul Tapsell (Professor of Maori Studies at Otago), Dr. Chris Gallavin (Dean of Law at the University of Canterbury).