This event took place on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025. Watch the recording now!

The report, “Philanthropy’s New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language,” from the Council on Foundations and the Center for Public Interest Communications, found that foundations have a profound storytelling problem.

These findings lead the MemoryFox team to wonder…

• How can foundations better support ethical storytelling for nonprofits?

• What actionable steps can grantmakers take toward ethical storytelling, both internally and for their grantee community? 

• How can grantmakers use ethical storytelling to build trust with the greater population?

Let’s discuss it with some of the top voices in the grantmaking community! If you are:

• A grantmaking professional interested in adopting ethical storytelling
• A foundation that wants to support ethical storytelling for grantees
• A nonprofit association ready to empower your members to tell stories ethically

You have come to the right place! This MemoryFox “Ask Me Anything” style event that will take place on Wednesday, April 23rd, led by MemoryFox’s Carly Euler, discussing strategies to overcome tough questions like these from two of the creators of the report:

• Aaron Zeiler, Director of Strategic Communications for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Intercultural Initiative at Stony Brook University
• Ann Searight Christiano, Director of Public Interest Communications at Center for Public Interest Communications at University of Florida

They are ready to discuss the report and share their strategies and insights with you!

Your questions will lead the way! The ONLY questions we will ask during the session are directly from YOU. Please submit your questions regarding how ethical storytelling best fits within the realm of grantmaking and philanthropy. We’ll ask our expert panelists live, and get the answers you are craving.

About Our Guests:

Aaron Zeiler (he/him) is a public interest communicator and strategist. His expertise centers on building the communication capacity of organizations and foundations on issues ranging from public interest technology, criminal legal reform and public health. He built social media and media relations strategies, facilitated trainings and coachings on storytelling and strategic communication, led the communication efforts of a national non-profit and researched the effectiveness of adopting a public interest-focused approach to communication.

Ann Searight Christiano is the founder and Director of the Center for Public Interest Communications and a clinical professor in the Department of Public Relations at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

Public Interest Communications uses science-driven strategic communications and storytelling to advance positive social change. Searight developed the first-ever curriculum in public interest communications, connecting practitioners and scholars who are already working in the field, and nurturing and sharing research that can advance this newly emerging academic discipline. She completed a 10-year term as the inaugural Frank Karel Chair in Public Interest Communications in May 2020.

Before coming to the University of Florida in 2010, Searight was a senior communications officer for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, directing efforts for programs that address social actors like housing, education and mental health that drive health and wellbeing.

As a faculty member, she was named University of Florida Teacher of the Year in 2019 and Junior Faculty International Educator of the Year in 2019.

Her writing has appeared in publications such as Barron’s, the Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Conversation. Her work through the Center includes partnerships with the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, the U.S. Department of State, and several agencies who work in this domain. She has worked with several federal and state agencies, the Gates Foundation, the International Labor Organization, and nonprofits and foundations throughout the world.