impactmania

impactmania (lower case i, italicized) is both a social enterprise and non-governmental organization (NGO) in the form of an internship program created in partnership with the Art, Design & Architecture Museum,[1] University of California, Santa Barbara. The firm’s goal is to promote social entrepreneurship by "featuring and connecting people and projects worldwide that accelerate cultural, social, and economic growth."[2]

impactmania
Founded24 February 2016
FounderPaksy Plackis-Cheng
TypeSocial enterprise, Non-governmental organization
FocusSocial impact
Location
Origins United States
Area served
Worldwide
MethodFeaturing and Connecting People and Impact Projects
OwnerDelta Advisory Group LLC
Key people
Paksy Plackis-Cheng
Websiteimpactmania

History

impactmania evolved out of a 2015 book project by Dutch-American academic, social entrepreneur, and UCSB Senior Fellow of Research and Media Paksy Plackis-Cheng,[3] entitled “Impact X: How to Transform Your Wisdom, Work, and Wealth into Meaningful Community Impact.”[4] The book, with a foreword by Czech economist Tomáš Sedláček, profiled 30 diverse “impact makers” including oceanographer Sylvia Earle, pianist and animal conservationist Hélène Grimaud, virtuoso American trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, robotocist Maja Mataric and many more.

impactmania was originally launched as an online magazine at UC Santa Barbara in February, 2016 that “features thinkers and doers who make a social, cultural, or economic impact worldwide,” covering people in different cities involved in arts, culture, technology, science and human interest.[5] Within three years, Plackis-Cheng via impactmania had interviewed more than 300+ impact makers in 30+ countries and connected hundreds of people and programs. Interviewees are invited to work together across sectors to address highly complex social issues and encourage purposeful community involvement. Initial impactmania supporters include UCSB Trustee, Professor Emeritus, Duncan Mellichamp and UCSB Trustee Eva Haller.

In 2018, Elyse A. Gonzales[6] and E. Bruce Robertson[7] at the Art, Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) partnered with impactmania to develop an interdisciplinary internship program at the University. Previously, Paksy Plackis-Cheng collaborated with Ram Seshadri[8] Co-Director of the Materials Research Lab at UCSB and his students, toward making scientific research more accessible to the public at-large.

Non-Profit Projects

Women of Impact

The impactmania internship program at UCSB offers entrepreneurial learning for students co-creating across disciplines. This includes researching and connecting with change-makers. The first program under the internship culminated in a book entitled “Women of Impact”[9] with a foreword by Pat Mitchell, a Museum exhibition, and a public event at the Art, Design and Architecture Museum. Hundreds of people traveled from 5 continents to attend the July 19, 2018 event. Interviewees from the book, such as the Emmy award-winning senior producer of ABC TV News, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, a Women Hall of Fame inductee, the Senior Vice President of Intel Corp., a Beijing Design Week curator, social entrepreneurs, award-winning scientists, a Broadway producer, a baroness, the former mayor of Santa Barbara, a Marine Corp Veteran, philanthropists, and many others spoke at the event.[10]

The program featured women’s contributions to society by highlighting 130 women in 30 countries. The complete program was a collaboration with UCSB’s AD&A Museum as part of an ongoing initiative to develop “a unique and ongoing collaborative series of exhibitions, events, and student internships related to some of the most pressing issues of our times.”[11] Women featured in the project included activist, media educator and Women Hall of Fame inductee 2015 Jean Kilbourne,[12][13] with a foreword by media executive and philanthropist Pat Mitchell.

The program was invited by the U.S. Consulate to travel to New Zealand, where impactmania interviewed and connected women impact-makers.[14] in New Zealand with the global Women of Impact network. The program will continue to travel with women from the global network to a different country annually.

Human Mind and Migration

The second program, Human Mind and Migration initiated by impactmania for UCSB is a co-creation with the Neuroscience Research Institute, the Department of Religious Studies, and The Art, Design & Architecture Museum. Students from across disciplines (art, biology, economy, philosophy, psychology, global studies, etc.) delve into various migration paths and uncover the cultural, social, and economic value and challenges of migration. At a later stage, a series of in-depth interviews with scientists and artists will be conducted to better understand people movement and the possible effect on the brain. An anonymous online survey captures the worldviews and migration path of the public-at-large. The public‘s participation will be featured at a future exhibit, event, or presentation.

Interviews

The interviews featured by impactmania represent a broad range of industries, including architecture, art, education, environment, finance, media, music, philanthropy,[15] photography, politics, design, business, science & technology, society & culture, as well as sports. Plackis-Cheng’s interviews have focused on highlighting the achievements of women, including Miho Walsh,[16] head of the Asian Cultural Council, Phiona Mutesi, the first titled female Ugandan chess player and her coach Robert Katende[17] (whose story inspired the 2016 Disney film Queen of Katwe starring Lupita Nyong’o), political scientist Maleeha Lodhi, the first woman to hold the position of Pakistan’s representative to the United Nations,[18] among others.

Many impactmania interviewees went on to receive presidential or major media recognition following their interview:

  • Kuldeep Dantewadia, founder of Reap Benefit, was interviewed by impactmania in November 2016.[22] In December 2017, Reap Benefit was recognized by former President Barack Obama at an Obama Foundation Town Hall, India event in Dec. 2017[23]
  • Following his 2016 impactmania interview, Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde went on to be interviewed by Wired[25] and Departure Magazine.[26]
  • impactmania covered Dishcraft in 2016,[28] featured by Techcrunch in 2019.[29]

Interviewees of Note
  • John E. Bowers[32] is an American physicist, engineer, researcher and educator. He is the Fred Kavli Chair in Nanotechnology, the director of the Institute for Energy Efficiency and a distinguished professor in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials at University of California, Santa Barbara.
  • Charita Castro[33] Chief of Research and Policy; Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking; Bureau of International Labor Affairs; U.S. Department of Labor, leads a team that produced more than 1,000 pages of research that form the foundation of the app Sweat & Toil, launched by and for the U.S. Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking.
  • Miyoung Chun,[34] a molecular biologist with the Kavli Foundation, organized The Brain Activity Map Project, a precursor to the White House's BRAIN Initiative, announced by President Barack Obama in 2013 at the State of the Union. Miyoung Chun was one of the participants who traveled with Paksy Plackis-Cheng for the Women of Impact program to New Zealand.
  • Sandy DeCrescent[35] celebrates 50 years as an orchestra contractor. At one point she worked with 43 of the most talented TV and film composers in Hollywood. Today, she is still selecting the musicians and managing the orchestras for composer John Williams.[36]
  • Isabelle Dumont,[37] French Ambassador to the Ukraine from 2015 to 2019.[38][39]
  • Elizabeth “Buffy” Easton,[40] Director of New York's Center for Curatorial Leadership (CCL), a not-for-profit organization she co-founded to train museum curators in the fundamentals of management and leadership.
  • Kathy Eldon[41] is the mother of Dan Eldon, a British journalist killed at the age of 22 while on assignment in Somalia. Kathy Eldon used the power of the media to bring attention to the ivory trade in Kenya and went on to create an extensive portfolio of books and films.
  • Jeffrey "Jeff" O. Henley[43] is an American businessman and the vice chairman of Oracle Corporation, having previously served as chairman. Henley spoke about his gift to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) of 50 million dollars to build a new building that will house 16 laboratories for the Institute for Energy Efficiency. It is the first building at UCSB funded by private money.[44]
  • Rachel House,[45] Actress and Director, New Zealand Order of Merit and Arts Laureate, Rachel appeared in the award-winning feature film "Whale Rider", director Taika Waititi’s "Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt For The Wilderpeople", "Boy", as well as numerous television productions including the BBC co-production of "Maddigan’s Quest", "The New Legends of Monkey" and "Hope and Wire". She is also a voice-over artist, most notably for the Disney feature film "Moana".
  • Areta Koopu[46] is part of and spoke at impactmania’s Women of Impact gathering in New Zealand, 2019.[47] In June, 2019, New Zealand named Areta Koopu Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Dame Areta Koopu was previously a member of the New Zealand Māori Council, National President of the Māori Women’s Welfare League, and a Human Rights Commissioner.[48]
  • Tresa Pollock[50] is a world-renowned expert in the science and technology of advanced structural alloys with applications in aerospace, energy and automotive industries.[51] Pollock is one of 6 women trailblazers featured in the book Aerospace Trailblazers by Jill Tietjen, as part of the Women in Engineering and Science book series (WES), Springer 2020.
  • Daan Roosegaarde[52] is a Dutch artist and founder of Studio Roosegaarde, which develops projects that merge technology and art in urban environments.[53]
  • Demet Sabancı Çetindoğan[54] is the first Turkish woman inducted in the International Women’s Forum Hall of Fame, and is a third generation member of the Sabancı Family.
  • Jody Turner[55][56] is a future trend insight strategist, an innovation educator, and is named among the world's "Top 50 Leading Female Futurists" by Forbes magazine.[57] Turner has been interviewed multiple times by impactmania, has interviewed/introduced a number of global interviewees, and is listed as an impactmania team member since 2016.[58]
  • Marcel Wanders[59] is a Dutch designer and art director in the Marcel Wanders studio in Amsterdam, who designs architectural, interior and industrial projects. Wanders is known for successful international collaborations with companies such as Alessi, B&B Italia, and Louis Vuitton. Businessweek named Wanders as one of Europe’s 25 Leaders of Change.[60]

Awards & Recognition
  • PSFK names impactmania founder Paksy Plackis-Cheng one of 29 leaders in 2020[61]
  • In 2019 impactmania’s Women of Impact program awarded the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy Grant.[62]
  • impactmania film featured by the United Nations (UN)[63] and The My Hero Project "a U.S.-based nonprofit organization established in 1995 by philanthropist Karen Pritzker, Jeanne Meyers and Rita Stern Milch that identifies positive role models from around the world for the online digital storytelling project."[64]
  • impactmania interview with Sylvia Earle referenced in book "Wild Blue Media: Thinking through Seawater" by Melody Jue, published by Duke University Press[69]
  • impactmania founder, Paksy Plackis-Cheng, speaks at SheVentures

References
  1. About impactmania and AD&A partnership
  2. impactmania official website
  3. Women Economic Forum: Paksy Plackis-Cheng
  4. The Santa Barbara Independent, May 13, 2015 "Impact X Inspires Goodwill Work: Paksy Plackis-Cheng Publishes Book, Hosts Inspirational Panel of Thinkers and Doers"
  5. page 35 and 36 launch of impactmania online magazine launch at USC with Mayor of Santa Barbara Helene Schneider in attendance.
  6. About Elyse Gonzales
  7. About E. Bruce Robertson
  8. About Ram Seshadri
  9. UC Santa Barbara The Current: “‘Women of Impact’ The Art, Design & Architecture Museum and impactmania present their inaugural collaboration
  10. Women of Impact launch event
  11. impactmania "Women of Impact"
  12. impactmania interview with Jean Kilbourne
  13. Jean Kilbourne
  14. impactmania in New Zealand
  15. impactmania interview with Eva Haller
  16. impactmania interview with Miho Walsh, head of the Asian Cultural Council
  17. impactmania interview with Phiona Mutesi and Robert Katende
  18. Business Recorder, November 2017 "Maleeha urges world to recognize Pakistan’s contribution & sacrifices in war against terrorism"
  19. impactmania interview with Amir Abo-Shaeer
  20. Impact X Launch invitation
  21. Santa Barbara Noozehawk, September 16, 2016 "Dos Pueblos Teacher, Alum Bring ‘High School of the Future’ Perspectives to White House Summit"
  22. impactmania interview with Kuldeep Dantewadia
  23. Reap Benefit featured at Obama.org Town Hall India event
  24. New York Times, International Business, October 18, 2016 "Guiding Refugees in Europe on a Rocky Path to Assimilation"
  25. Wired, April 30, 2017 "Smog-free towers. Bioluminescent roads. Daan Roosegaarde is designing healthier cities"
  26. Departures Magazine, January 26, 2018 "Daan Roosegaarde Wants to Make Cities More Livable—and Playful"
  27. impactmania interview with Marcel Wanders "Master Designer, Marcel Wanders, Designs To Connect Cultures" by Paksy Plackis-Cheng
  28. impactmania interview with Lisa Pouliot, co-founder of Dishcraft "Building Robots, Believing in People"
  29. Tech Crunch article, June 18, 2019 "Dishcraft launches with a massive robotics-powered dishwashing system"
  30. Laurie Ashton impactmania interview, "The Women Taking on Nine Countries"
  31. Newsweek 8/1/14 "Marshall Islands Nuclear Lawsuit Reopens Old Wounds"
  32. John E. Bowers impactmania interview, "Unite to Light: From Kerosine to Solar Lights"
  33. Charita Castro impactmania interview "Sweat & Toil — an App that Matters"
  34. Miyoung Chun impactmania interview
  35. Sandy DeCrescent impactmania interview "Sandy DeCrescent’s Impact on the Motion Pictures Industry"
  36. Sandy DeCrescent IMDB
  37. Isabelle Dumont impactmania interview
  38. Embassy of France, Kiev
  39. Brief, July 11, 2019 "Isabelle Dumont to succeed René Troccaz
  40. Elizabeth "Buffy" Easton impactmania interview
  41. Kathy Eldon impactmania interview
  42. Beatrice Faumuina impactmania interview
  43. Jeff Henley impactmania interview
  44. UCSB Economics "Jeff Henley Endowed Chair in Economics"
  45. Rachel House impactmania interview
  46. Dame Areta Koopu impactmania interview
  47. Dame Areta Koopu for impactmania, Women of Impact, New Zealand, 2019 (Video min 31:20)
  48. Teao Maori News "It's never been about me, it's always about we - Dame Areta Koopu"
  49. Suzanne Lacy impactmania interview
  50. Tresa Pollock impactmania interview
  51. Materials Research Laboratory at UCSB: Professor Tresa Pollock
  52. (2016) Daan Roosegaarde impactmania interview
  53. Wired UK (2017) "Daan Roosegaarde Smog-Free Project"
  54. Demet Sabancı Çetindoğan impactmania interview
  55. Jody Turner impactmania interview "The Future of Work"
  56. Jody Turner impactmania interview "A Glimpse Into Your Future"
  57. Forbes 50 Leading Female Futurists
  58. About impactmania, team members
  59. Marcel Wanders impactmania interview
  60. Departures Magazine on Marcel Wanders
  61. PSFK 2020 PSFK 2020 "International Women's Day 2020: These Are Our New Heroes"
  62. AD&A Museum: impactmania's Women of Impact Program is Awarded the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy Grant
  63. United Nations Foundation features video by impactmania
  64. The My Hero Project impactmania film "The Future of Business is Responsible"
  65. US Embbassy New Zealand features Women of Impact program by Paksy Plackis-Cheng
  66. Robert Zimmermann "The Berliner Philharmoniker Digital Concert Hall" interview by impactmania
  67. impactmania’a interview with Robert Zimmermann cited by Harvard Business School “The Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital Forte”
  68. Researchgate 2018 "The Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall: New Strategies of Music Knowledge and Conception"
  69. Sylvia Earl impactmania interview referenced in book by Duke University Press "Wild Blue Media: Thinking through Seawater" by Melody Jue
  70. Barbara Caveng interview with impactmania "Body Power"
  71. Barbara Caveng interview with impactmania "A First-Class Migrant"
  72. impactmania "Celine Shimizu on Reclaiming Life After Loss" by Paksy Plackis-Cheng
  73. impactmania founder Paksy Plackis-Cheng speaks at PNCA
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