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  (Will be continually updated)

• Keynote Speaker

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Midwest Service Leaders Conference
Keynote Speaker

Neil Willenson is the Founder and CEO of Camp Heartland, a national non-profit organization that makes a year-round and life-long difference for children who experience HIV/AIDS, poverty, grief and other painful life challenges.

Willenson is also the co-creator and leader of the Journey of Hope AIDS Awareness Program. In addition, Willenson has served as a keynote speaker providing insight on youth leadership, activism and inspiration.

Willenson is the author of "A Journey of Hope – Inspiring Stories of Courage and Unconditional Love" which includes the photographs, stories and writings by and about the children of Camp Heartland. The book has won three national awards including being named Writer’s Digest 2006 Most Inspirational Book for Youth.

In order to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, Willenson and the Camp Heartland program have been featured by "Extreme Makeover Home Edition," "Dateline NBC," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Progressive Magazine, USA Today, and hundreds of other publications. Willenson and Camp Heartland were profiled in the CBS Movie of the Week, "Angelie's Secret," in the Disney Channel film "Friends for Life," on "Good Morning America," "CBS Morning News" and countless television talk shows, and in the film, "Born with HIV: Little Warriors."

Under his leadership, Camp Heartland has raised over $30 million to support children with HIV/AIDS, has grown to become the largest organization of its kind, and now serves as a model for dozens of other camps throughout the world.