Rick Roberts

A former White House Point of Light award winner and 'Chicagoan of the Year' Rick Roberts, Rick Roberts has developed and created numerous video and film projects, including The Corner Pub and The Long Way Home, both Emmy-nominated documentaries written and produced for PBS in Chicago. Among his most celebrated projects are the nationally acclaimed and Gracie Award-winning The Hunger Heroes, a look at the insidious problem of hunger in America during once august economic times, and Service Above Self, a one-hour documentary on the history and programs of Rotary International. Throughout dual careers as a social services agency director/board member (including 9 years on the board of the Greater Chicago Food Depository) and as a filmmaker, Roberts has been instrumental in bringing national attention to complex socio-economic issues. Rick has served on a White House/HUD Sub-Committee on homelessness and social entrepreneurism, been a marketing communications consultant for America's Second Harvest and the city of Chicago Department of Human Services, and continues to be a highly sought font of knowledge for non-profit professionals. His Art of Pain project was featured on CBS's Sunday Morning and subsequently nominated for a national Emmy Award, and in his role as a social commentator, he has been frequently featured on CNN, the ABC Evening News and the CBS Evening News. His expertise led to a nationally televised debate on current social policy which was moderated by Paula Zahn for The CBS Morning News, and he has also appeared as a resource guest on Oprah. Roberts' play, The BenchMark, was produced in Chicago in 2005 and was selected to be part of the city's 2007 Looptopia event. He recently wrapped production on entertainment projects Last Comic Trying and What's On Tap, and is developing The Hunger Heroes II and a slate of other new productions for 2008.