General Public and Community Members
The Ethical Leadership Forum at The Sebastian Hotel - Vail, Colorado
The Forum explores what it means to lead with integrity in today’s world. Through inspiring stories, practical tools, and conversations with modern leaders, it invites participants to consider how ethical leadership can bridge divides, strengthen communities, and shape a better future.
I. 8:00 – 9:00 AM: Business Session — Rotary in Kenya
A Rotarian Breakfast, open to all
Sponsored by: Vail Edwards Rotary Club
Featuring:
Begin the day with inspiration at our Rotarian Breakfast, featuring Dr. Karambu Ringera, Founder of International Peace Initiatives (IPI) in Meru, Kenya and partner of Shoulder-to-Shoulder. Dr. Ringera will share how Rotary has helped transform the lives of children without parents—through safe homes, education, and opportunities for a brighter future. She will also offer a look ahead at what’s next for IPI: future projects, bold dreams, and partnerships that promise to expand hope and opportunity for even more young lives.
This session sets the tone for a day of exploring how Rotarians lead with vision—across borders, generations, and divisions at home.
II. 9:30 –11:00 AM: Business Session — The Power of 4: How ‘BoomingGenxMillenialZ’ Teams Win Together
Produced in partnership with Vail Valley Works
When generations collaborate instead of colliding, innovation rises, culture thrives, and the bottom line grows.
Session led by:
Barbara Brooks
Age Positive Speaker, Consultant & Founder of SecondActWomen
Katy Anthes, PhD
Director of the FORWARD initiative at the Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC)
Age diversity isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a business superpower. In today’s workplace, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z each bring distinct perspectives and strengths to their teams. By 2030, five generations will share the workplace - the opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and succeed has never been greater. But ageism still lingers, holding organizations back - ignoring it isn’t an option.
This session explores how leaders can harness generational differences to build stronger teams, improve collaboration, and create workplaces that attract and retain talent. In this energizing keynote-meets-workshop, pro-age speaker, media contributor and SecondActWomen founder Barbara Brooks has the secret sauce to flipping the script on generational divides. Through real stories, data, Return on Experience Method, and a dose of cheeky real talk, Barbara shows leaders and teams how to turn age diversity into a business advantage.
III. 11:15 AM – 1:30 PM: Keynote Session (Includes Lunch):
MIKE JOHNSTON
MAYOR OF DENVER
Leading Ethically in an Age of Division
When values collide, truth is contested, and divides deepen, ethical leadership requires more than quiet consensus. It demands:
Moral courage to face conflict
Compassion to hear those we oppose
Integrity to hold fast to what is right — even at great cost
At the heart of this year’s theme are two guiding truths:
The highest form of leadership is bringing people together.
Unity is not the absence of disagreement but the triumph of shared purpose over division.
In an era when democracy’s strengths can also be its vulnerabilities, we’ll explore how leaders can transform ethical challenges into fuel for progress — moving beyond polarization toward a future where differences sharpen our vision rather than shatter our bonds.
Keynote Spotlight: Mayor Mike Johnston
A former educator, state senator, and now Denver’s Mayor, Mike Johnston has earned national recognition for his ethical leadership and innovative responses to complex challenges — from homelessness and housing to human migration. With roots in Vail, Colorado, Johnston returns not only as a national leader but also as someone shaped by the very community hosting this year’s Forum.
Enjoy this inspiring keynote session over lunch, and reserve your place for an unflinching exploration of leadership at its most challenging — and most necessary.