Lecturers at the Jefferson Educational Society

President and CEO of BakerRipley. Angela Blanchard is a globally recognized expert practitioner in community development, disaster recovery, and effective long-term integration for immigrants and refugees. Blanchard’s breakthrough strategies have successfully revitalized neighborhoods in Houston, while providing a powerful model for cities across the globe facing the complex challenges of community transformation. 

Blanchard’s genuine reverence for people and her unique ability to bring them together in unprecedented ways have played a pivotal role in the growth and impact of BakerRipley. The agency serves more than half a million people in almost 50 counties in Texas. Her innovative, strength-based framework—Appreciative Community Building—has set the new standard for integrating diverse populations into thriving communities. 

Frequently sought out by international nonprofit organizations and government leaders, Blanchard’s breakthrough achievements in community revitalization have received numerous accolades: elite awards from top institutions, three invitations to the White House, and extensive press coverage.  She has been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and on CNN and NPR. Fast Company magazine named Blanchard one of the most creative people in the nation. She is a Nonresident Senior Fellow in the Centennial Scholar Initiative at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. and serves on the Board of the Business Innovation Factory and the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. For more information on her work, or to learn how you can schedule a talk or workshop in your community, visit AngelaBlanchard.com.