Roberts hosts and curates Jeffersonian Dinners.

So what exactly is a Jeffersonian Dinner?

President John Adams (to who Thomas Jefferson was VP) said "A dinner party is worth a thousand meetings"

The increasingly popular concept of the Jeffersonian Dinner gets its name from the third U.S. President and Founding Father, who among his many accolades, is known to have been quite the host. Starting in the late 18th century, Thomas Jefferson invited colleagues and thought leaders from across the region to gather in his home for dinner and discussion of important topics of the day. He said "you can solve any problem when you break bread, drink wine and have a one table discussion with a group of diverse bright folk"

Imagine a large wooden table set for a lavish meal, likely prepared fresh from the gardens at Monticello. Guests were seated and a lively conversation would ensue. Uniquely, dinner guests would partake in the conversation as a single group, rather than conversing only with the those who were seated nearest. This created a setting which highlighted the knowledge and perspectives of every individual at the table over a single expert or speaker. Thoughts were shared and stories were told. These evenings of conversation became known as a valuable source of knowledge for attendees as well as the President himself.

Following dinner, guests returned to their homes, energized to share what they had learned with their own communities.

During the pandemic these events have gone on line:

A snapshot is here of the most recent gathering of leaders: