2023 Conference Schedule
Program Guide
Click the buttons below to quickly navigate the conference schedule and event resources.
Day 1: Monday, November 13th
Welcome Reception & University Presidents Panel
4:00pm-6:00pm | Hotel Peter & Paul
Join us on the Piazza at Hotel Peter & Paul at 4:00pm to get your conference badge, enjoy a drink, and mingle with fellow attendees. At 4:30pm, we’ll make our way into the Great Hall for our University Presidents Panel.
Speakers:
- Dr. Xavier Cole, President of Loyola University New Orleans
- Dr. Tina Tinney, President of Nunez Community College
- Dr. Rochelle Ford, President of Dillard University
- Dr. William Wainwright, President of Southeastern Louisiana University
- Lucas Grindley, Executive Director at Next City (Moderator)
Venue Details
Hotel Peter & Paul, 2317 Burgundy St., New Orleans, LA 70117
Dine Around Town
6:00pm-8:00pm
Participating restaurants to be announced!
Day 2: Tuesday, November 14th
8:00am-4:00pm
Venue Details
Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), 900 Camp St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Enter through the St. Joseph St. Warehouse door.
Breakfast & Steal This Idea Session
8:00am-8:50am | Camp St. Warehouse
Join us for a continental breakfast from 8:00am-8:40am sponsored by Campus Tulsa, followed by two Steal This Idea Sessions.
Speakers:
- Pay it Forward Educational Model: Josh Nathan, Associate Director and Staff Attorney at Social Finance
- Auggie Valadez, Tulsa Achieves Program Manager at Tulsa Community College
Keynote Session
Our Work Lives Will Never Be The Same
9am-10:15am | Camp St. Warehouse
Don’t miss this opening keynote session where experts will discuss the future of work for talent, employers, and cities.
Speakers:
- Dominique Clarke, Director of Member and Alumni Experience at Tulsa Remote
- Annie Petsche, Career & Fulfillment Coach at Annie Petsche Wellness LLC
- Chris Wink, Co-Founder and CEO at Technical.ly
Breakout Sessions
10:30am-11:20am
Reconnecting Talent to Downtown
Blackbox Theatre
Speakers:
- Cathy Lin, Director of Research at the International Downtown Association
- Andrew Grossman, Director of Destination Development at Colorado Tourism Office
- Renae Mauk, Vice President of Downtown Development at Greater Des Moines Partnership
- Nicole Muise-Kielkucki, Director of Economic Innovation at Fourth Economy (Moderator)
Financing Education for In-Demand Skilled Workers
1st Floor Gallery
Speakers:
- Betsy Hauser, Founder and CEO at Tech Talent & Strategy
- Tara Colton, Executive Vice President for Economic Security at New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)
- Julie Stone, Investment Director, Family Economic Mobility at Gary Community Ventures
- Cathy Cho Yoo, Vice President of Impact Investments at Social Finance (Moderator)
Lunch & Keynote Session
How to Win the Talent War: The Path to Purchase for Relocating Talent
11:30am-1:15pm | Camp St. Warehouse
Boxed lunch will be provided, thanks to our sponsor, DCI. Following lunch, don’t miss the keynote panel discussing the latest talent mobility trends.
Speakers:
- Patience Fairbrother, Vice President of Talent Attraction at DCI
- Allie Maniglia, Manager of Talent Attraction at DCI
- Wes Hudgens, Lead Project Manager at WonderFL
- Bree Burris, Director of Marketing and Communications at San Diego Regional EDC
Breakout Sessions
1:30pm-2:20pm
Talent and Housing Affordability
Blackbox Theatre
Speakers:
- Arben Skivjani, Deputy Chief Economist and Director of Forecasting at RealPage, Inc.
- Tim Carty, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at RoleCall (Moderator)
- Additional speakers to be announced!
Connecting Industry to Education
1st Floor Gallery
Speakers:
- Earl Buford, CEO at CAEL
- Taylor Dunne, Sr. Manager of Talent Initiatives at San Diego Economic Development Corporation
- Dr. Andreya Williams, Program Director at Tulsa Service Year
- Niki DaSilva, Senior Director, Programs and Policy at US Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Networking Break
2:20pm-2:50pm | St Joseph St. Warehouse
Join us for this networking break sponsored by Go Topeka. Light snacks and beverages will be provided!
Keynote Session
How an Influencer Brought Hundreds to Peoria
3:00pm-4:15pm | Camp St. Warehouse
You may have seen her featured in the New York Times and BuzzFeed, or found her page while scrolling on TikTok. In this keynote presentation, nationally acclaimed, inclusion-oriented influencer, Angie Ostaszewski, will take the stage and share how she leveraged social media to inspire hundreds of people to make Peoria home.
Happy Hour
4:30pm-6:00pm | Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar
Don’t miss the conference’s most anticipated networking event! Join us for a drink at happy hour, sponsored by Lightcast.
Venue Details
Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar, 1114 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Dine Around Town
6:00pm-8:00pm
Participating restaurants to be announced!
Day 3: Wednesday, November 15th
8:00am-4:00pm
Venue Details
Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), 900 Camp St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Enter through the St. Joseph St. Warehouse door.
Breakfast & Steal This Idea Session
8:00am-8:50am | Camp St. Warehouse
Join us for a light continental breakfast from 8:00am-8:40am, followed by a Steal This Idea Session on best practices for young professional organizations.
Speaker:
- Naomi Herr, Director of Community Engagement at the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA)
Breakout Sessions
9:00am-9:50am
Social Capital: A Career Catalyst for Talent of Color
Blackbox Theatre
Speakers:
- Sulaiman Rahman, Founder and CEO at DiverseForce and Community Development Lead at OneTen
- Cory Dulaney, Assistant Director of the Center for Male Engagement at the Community College of Philadelphia
- Ieesha McKinzie Collins, Managing Director at ConnextMSP (Moderator)
Emerging Employer Trends to Attract, Retain and Grow Talent
1st Floor Gallery
Speakers:
- Susan Lotz, North America Sourcing Lead for Accenture Apprenticeships
- Dr. Monique Perry-Graves, Executive Director at Teach For America, North Carolina
- Sarah Steltz, VP of Economic Competitiveness at Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia
- Jaime Nunez, CEO and President of Education at Work (Moderator)
Breakout Sessions
10:00am-10:50am
Tourism and Talent Marketing Collaborations
Blackbox Theatre
Speakers:
- Walt Leger, President & CEO at New Orleans & Co.
- Angela Val, President and CEO of Visit Philly
- Emily Tapp, Engagement Manager at Greater MSP (Moderator)
Changing Face of Community Colleges
1st Floor Gallery
Speakers:
- Dr. Falecia Williams, President at Prince George’s Community College
- Stephanie Norris, Senior Research Analyst for Regional and Community Analysis at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
- Lisa Larson, Head of the Community College Growth Engine Fund at Education Design Lab (Moderator)
Networking Break
10:50am-11:30am | St Joseph St. Warehouse
Join us for this networking break, sponsored by RoleCall. Light snacks and beverages will be provided!
Lunch & Keynote Session
AI’s Impact on the Future of Talent
11:30am-1:15pm | Camp St. Warehouse at the CAC
Boxed lunch will be provided. Following lunch, our keynote panel will dive into AI’s impact on the future of talent.
Speakers:
- Barbara Pender, Deputy Delivery Lead for Global Generative AI Solutions at Accenture
- Rob Lalka, Albert R. Lepage Professor in Business at Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business and Executive Director of the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Mike Gadsby, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at O3 World (Moderator)
Breakout Sessions
1:30pm-2:20pm
College Student Retention Programs
Blackbox Theatre
Speakers:
- Bramley Crisco, Director of Talent Development at Campus Greensboro
- Julia Pagano, Talent Strategy & Program Manager at Campus ROC
- Jaedda Hall, Director of Emerging Workforce at Hampton Roads Workforce Council (Campus 757)
- Dr. Jennifer Kebea, President at Campus Philly (Moderator)
Using Data to Align Talent Supply and Demand
1st Floor Gallery
Speakers:
- Josie Gatti Schafer, Director of the Center for Public Affairs Research at University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Kerry McKittrick, Associate Director of the Project on Workforce at Harvard Kennedy School
- Deborah Diamond, Director, Anchor Economy at Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (Moderator)
Closing Session
Taking It Home: Ideas to Put in Your Suitcase
2:30pm-3:45pm | Camp St. Warehouse
Join us for this collaborative session where we will dive into key takeaways from the conference. Engage in a moderated discussion on topics most relevant to your work to turn big ideas into actionable plans.