Nearly 300 stakeholders from across industries gathered for the Innovating Georgia’s Workforce Pipeline Conference Nov. 1-2 at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel in Athens. With more than 24 breakout sessions and approximately 70 speakers, the sold-out event was an opportunity to learn about promising practices and emerging ideas to boost the state’s workforce.
Sponsored by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the conference brought together partners in workforce development, education, business and economic development.
The conference also provided networking opportunities among attendees, which included economic developers, chamber of commerce leaders and members, K-12 and post-secondary educators, CTAE representatives, and business representatives.
Attendees explored strategies for supporting youth as they transition from education to career. They also heard from national and state innovators, including Jennifer Pocai from Ascend at the Aspen Institute, who gave the keynote presentation on “Supporting Parents through Workforce Pathways: A Key Talent Pool in Georgia.” Croom shared why parents are a key population for workforce programs, relevant two-generation (2Gen) work happening in the state, and how practitioners can better address their needs.
Additional plenary speakers included Lloyd Avram, president of the Georgia Association of Manufacturers (GAM); Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC), and Jenny Taylor, VP of Career Services and Chief Mission Officer of Goodwill of North Georgia.
Breakout session topics included “Collaborative Partnerships for Education Equity,” “Attracting Talent Through Vibrant Communities” and “Georgia’s Changing Demographics and Their Impact on Georgia’s Workforce.”
Building and Sustaining Effective Education and Business Partnerships
Speakers: Liz Campbell, Director of Chapter Development, Atlanta Electrical Contractors
Association; Ashton Watt, Director of People Operations, Eckardt Group; Valery Lowe,
Director of College & Career Development, Forsyth County Schools
Leveraging Apprenticeships for Workforce Solutions
Speakers: Shelly Meierarend, Client and Academic Initiative Skills Leader for North
America, IBM; Irvin Clark, President, Southern Crescent Technical College; Danny Mitchell,
HDCI Program Manager, Technical College System of Georgia, Office of Workforce Development
Workforce Housing, the Missing Middle, Inventory Crisis - What is this all about?
Speakers: Katherine Moore, President, Georgia Conservancy; Margaret Lacy, Economic
Policy Manager, Georgia Association of REALTORS; Chris Denson, Director of Policy
and Research, Georgia Public Policy Foundation
How to Get a Teacher Externship Program Off the Ground
Speakers: Asher Dozier, Vice President of Economic Development, Newton County Development
Authority; Tim Schmitt, CTAE Director, Newton County Schools; Joe DeCocco, Head of
Human Resources & Environmental Health and Safety, Verescence; Shamus Mulvihill, Plant
Manager, SRG Global
No presentation available
Getting Down to Basics - Accounting Demystified
Speaker: Tracy Arner, Assistant Director; Governmental Training, Education, and Development,
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Why Data Visualization Matters
Speaker: Brian Simmons, Public Service Assistant, Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
University of Georgia
No Presentation available
Innovative and Agile Strategies to Recruit and Retain Talent
Speaker: Drew Epting, Regional Manager, MAU Workforce Solutions
Economic Development for Workforce Development Professionals
Speakers: Matt Colvin, UGA; Serra Hall, Executive Director, Newton County Industrial
Development Authority; Ryan Waldrep, President, Dublin-Laurens County Development
Authority
No presentation available
Professional Leadership Development: Tips and Tricks to Advance Your Leadership Skills
Speaker: Marci Campbell, Public Service Associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
University of Georgia
The Impact of Georgia's Changing Workforce Demographics
Speaker: Taylor Hafley, Applied Demographer, Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
University of Georgia
Workforce Solutions through WIOA: Leveraging Federal Programs for Local Success
Speakers: Rebecca M. Hunt, Public Service Faculty, Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
University of Georgia; Brandon Ona, Business Services Director, Office of Workforce
Development, Technical College System of Georgia; Breezy Straton, Vice President,
Elevate Douglas Economic Partnership; Tiffany Andrews, Director of Workforce Development,
Middle Georgia Regional Commission
No presentation available
Be Pro Be Proud
Speakers: Misti Martin, President/CEO, Cherokee Office of Economic Development/Be
Pro Be Proud; Heath Tippens, Vice President, Cherokee Office of Economic Development/Be
Pro Be Proud; Shawna Mercer, Workforce/Communications Manager, Cherokee Office of
Economic Development; Justina Brown, Project Manager , Be Pro Be Proud GA; Reggie
LaGrone, Tour Manager, Be Pro Be Proud; Matthew "Hutch" Hutcheson, Tour Driver, Be
Pro Be Proud
No Presentation available
Employing Returning Citizens
Speakers: Brenda Smeeton, Legal Director, Georgia Justice Project; Phil Sutton, Vice
President, KUBOTA MANUFACTURING OF AMERICA CORP; Shane Sims, People Living in Recovery
(501 (c) 3 nonprofit); Lloyd Martin, Senior VP of Operations, CKS Packaging; Holly
Lynde, Public Service Faculty, Carl Vinson Institute of Government
No presentation available
Collaborative Partnerships for Education Equity: Building the Workforce of the Future
Speakers: Teresa Cobb; Deirdra Cox, Founder/President, Community Sustainability Enterprise;
Angie Lewis, Interim Executive Director of the Office of College and Career Readiness,
Savannah-Chatham Public School System; Simone Byron, Executive Director, Georgia ProStart;
Dana Render, Director of Human Resources, Trees Atlanta; Rhonda Anderson, Director
of Curriculum and Program Planning, Community Sustainability Enterprise
No presentation available
Demystifying How to Hire Young Adults Under Age 18
Speakers: Jenny Houlroyd, Certified Industrial Hygienist , Georgia Institute of Technology;
Barbara Wall, Director of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education, Georgia Department
of Education; Charles Bowles, Director of Safety and Human Resources, Two State Construction/Thomson
Roofing Company; Brian Cooksey, Director - Workforce Development, Shaw Industries
Attracting Talent Through Vibrant Communities
Speakers: Danny Bivins, Senior Public Service Associate, Carl Vinson Institute of
Government, University of Georgia; Kaitlin Messich, Public Service Associate, Carl
Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Creating Inclusive and Supportive Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities
Speakers: Monique Bell; Gloria Puentes, Director of Global Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion, Sodexo; Alexis Szelwach, Transition Coordinator, Destination Dawgs, University
of Georgia
Free Georgia Data Resources
Speakers: Rebecca M. Hunt, Public Service Faculty, Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
University of Georgia; Marion Phillips, Research Supervisor, Community & Economic
Development, Georgia Power; Jackie Lundberg, Chief Operating and Data Officer, Governor's
Office of Student Achievement; David Evans, Database Architect, Governor's Office
of Student Achievement
Supercharge Your Community Through Leadership Development
Speakers: Matt Bishop, Director, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development;
Valencia Williamson, President/CEO, Clayton County Chamber of Commerce; Debbie Jones,
Executive Director, Thomson-McDuffie County Chamber of Commerce; Andrea Belton, Alumni
and Past Chair, Leadership Glynn
No presentation available
Proactive Employers: How to Recruit and Retain Today's Talent
Speakers: Steph Strickland, Director of Talent Acquisition, Landmark Properties; Jamal
Jessie, Workforce Development Manager, Georgia Power Company; Tracy Suber, Vice President,
Education, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
Economic, Workforce, and Social Impact at the Speed of Trust
Speakers: Jenny Taylor, Vice President Career Services and Chief Mission Officer,
Goodwill of North Georgia; Brett Lacy, Workforce Division Manager, Select Fulton;
Joy Wilkins, Facilitator, Metro Atlanta eXchange for Workforce Solutions (MAX); Pooja
Tripathi, Director of Workforce Initiatives, The Manufacturing Institute
Introduction to Program Evaluation
Speakers: Danielle Augustine, Research Associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
University of Georgia; Karen DeMeester, Public Service Associate, Carl Vinson Institute
of Government, University of Georgia
Community-Led Workforce Planning, Georgia Workforce Planning Guide Overview
Speakers: Joseph Lillyblad, Education and Workforce Development Manager, Georgia Power;
Michele Johnson, President/Executive Director, Greater Vidalia Chamber of Commerce/Toombs
County Development Authority; Barry Dotson, Vice President for Student Affairs, Southeastern
Technical College
Sponsors include MAU Workforce Solutions, Amazon, Atlanta Gas Light, Georgia Power, Georgia Realtors, and Shaw Industries. Additional support is provided by the Atlanta Electrical Contractors Association, Electric Cities of Georgia, Georgia Association of Manufacturers, Goodwill of North Georgia, Jackson EMC and Textron.
