Having performed on the world’s classical music stages for more than two decades, tubist Richard White has become a musician known for his clear sound and stylistic flexibility. The author of the memoir I’m Possible: A Story of Survival, a Tuba, and the Small Miracle of a Big Dream, he began playing the tuba at age 12 at the Baltimore School for the Performing Arts. He went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree at the Peabody Conservatory of Music to study under the tutelage of David Fedderly. Richard then studied at Indiana University with the legendary Professor Daniel Perantoni, earning both his Master’s and Doctoral degrees. He is the first African American in the world to receive a DM in Tuba Performance.

Dr. White will present to all Menlo students on Friday, February 3, allowing families to have deep conversations together after the conference.

Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. Using tools from psychology and neuroscience, he and his colleagues examine how empathy works and how people can learn to empathize more effectively. His writing on these topics has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, and the Atlantic. He is the author of the book The War for Kindness. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and their two daughters.

Sara Konrath is a social psychologist who directs the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Her scientific research focuses on topics related to social and emotional intelligence. For example, her studies explore changes over time in these traits among American young people. Other research examines the implications of these traits for individuals themselves and for other people. She has published extensively in top scientific journals and is regularly featured in national and international media.