Monday, January 13, 2020
9:30 – 10:30 WOMEN’S VOICES
Minneapolis Madams
Speaker: Penny Petersen, Author and Local Historian
This presentation based on the book, Minneapolis Madams:
The Lost History of Prostitution on the Riverfront, will
introduce the seamier side of Minneapolis in the late 19th
century. Petersen will give an account of the city’s red
light district and the powerful madams who ran it. She
investigates the civic corruption, sexual double standards,
and gender-driven economics that went along with the
houses of ill repute.

10:45 – 11:45 THE ARTS 
Connecting Students to their Purpose for 25 Years
Speaker: Adrienne Diercks, Founder and Executive
Director of Project Success
It all started with one workshop in 1994 with 200 students
at Minneapolis North Community High School.
In partnership with the Guthrie Theater, Diercks used
themes and issues raised in a Guthrie production of
Macbeth to inspire students to reflect on motivation,
dreams, and choices related to their lives and future
development. With this workshop, Project Success was
born. The goal was to use theater as a springboard for
discussion. The mission was to motivate and inspire young
people to dream about the future, help them take steps to
get there, and give them the tools they need to achieve their
goals. Today, Project Success works with more than
15,000 students and their families across 23 Minneapolis
public high schools and middle schools. It has an alumni
network of more than 100,000 individuals. Diercks will
share reflections from 25 years of serving students and
families, what has changed over the years, what hasn’t, and
her dreams for the future of supporting students in our
community.

11:45 – 12:15 BUSINESS MEETING
12:15 – 1:15 LUNCHEON

Program Committee Association Room
Technology Committee Minneapolis Room
1:15 – 2:15 HEALTH

Neuroscience and Addiction: Constant Craving
Speaker: Dr. Mark Thomas, Scientific Director,
University of Minnesota’s Medical Discovery
Team on Addiction
One in seven Americans face a substance abuse disorder at
some time in their lives. It is a problem that touches many
families and communities. Thomas will explain how
addictive drugs alter the brain, leading to changes that can
result in compulsive drug use. His research program,
funded by the state legislature, is working on ways to
disrupt addiction relapse, discovering new successful
treatment options that will benefit all of us.