More than 400 attendees are expected in San Francisco to hear from Wired Magazine’s Steven Levy; poverty researcher Daryl Collins; Ambassador Tony Hall and other internationally-known experts on innovation and poverty.

San Francisco, Calif., Sept. 28, 2011 – Opportunity International announced today that it is hosting its annual conference, “Innovating to End Poverty,” in San Francisco from October 14-15 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. The engaging and educational event will explore how a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship led to breakthroughs in Silicon Valley, and how the same culture is changing the way the world community is fighting poverty.

What: Opportunity International Conference: Innovating to End Poverty
When: Friday, October 14; 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 15; 8:30 a.m. – Noon
More details are outlined in conference agenda.
Where: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, Calif.
Who: Opportunity’s annual conference is expected to draw more than 400 attendees. During the two-day event, a cadre of dynamic speakers will share their unique insights on how innovations in technology are being used to fight poverty and hunger.
To date, the confirmed roster of speakers includes:

• Ben Chelf, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Coverity
• Daryl Collins, Author, “Portfolios of the Poor”
• Kevin Compton, Co-founder, Radar Partners
• Craig DeRoy, Founder and CEO, Medeem LLC
• Bill Draper, Managing Director of Draper Richards L.P. and Draper International
• Tony Hall, U.S. Ambassador and former U.S. Congressman
• Promod Haque, Managing Partner, Norwest Venture Partners
• Laura Pincus Hartman, Director of External Partnerships, Zynga.org
• Julie Howard, U.S. Government’s Deputy Coordinator for Development, Feed the Future
• Steven Levy, Senior Writer, Wired Magazine
• Ronnie Lott, NFL Hall of Fame Inductee
• Karen Lott, Co-founder, All Stars Helping Kids
• John Ortberg, Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church
• Reeta Roy, President and CEO, The Mastercard Foundation

Attendees will also hear from Opportunity International representatives including Bill Morgenstern, CEO; Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, Member, Opportunity International Board of Directors; B.J. Hess, Chair, Opportunity International Board of Directors; Debby Farrington, Member, Opportunity International Board of Directors; Mary Lynn Staley, Chair, Opportunity International Board of Governors; Betsy Perdue, Member, Opportunity International Board of Governors; John Magnay, Senior Agricultural Advisor, Opportunity International; Richard Leftley, President and CEO, MicroEnsure; Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, CEO, Opportunity Malawi; Geoffrey Thige, COO, Opportunity International Kenya; and, Nadine Pembele, Head of Training, Opportunity International Democratic Republic of Congo.

Registration: The cost of the conference is $175 per person. To register online, visit
http://www.opportunity.org/opportunity-international-conference/. Interested media contacts, please contact Suzanne Collier at (714) 572-1498 or via e-mail at [email protected] for registration information.

About Opportunity International

Opportunity International provides access to savings, small business loans, insurance and training to over five million people working their way out of poverty in the developing world. Clients in over 20 countries use these financial services to start or expand a business, provide for their families, create jobs for their neighbors and build a safety net for the future. For more information, visit http://www.opportunity.org or join the conversation at http://facebook.com/opportunityintl and http://twitter.com/opportunityintl.

Jennifer Anaya
iD8 Marketing/Opportunity International
714-335-5344
[email protected]

Christina Koliopoulos
VP of Communications 
+1312-242-4164
[email protected]