Explore how Artificial Intelligence is being used locally in the workforce. Understand how it supports skills-based hiring, streamlines recruitment, expands opportunity, and dispels the myth of replacing jobs.

Diana Alt (Moderator) – Career & Executive Coach, Diana Alt Coaching & Consulting
John Duker – Services Client Director, Service Now
Kristen Guillaume – Chief Information and Digital Officer, NKC Health
Kevin Kelley – Director, AI/ML Enablement, American Century Investments
Anthony Tackett – Global Director, Creative, Hill’s Pet Nutrition

When it comes to learning to read and understanding math, educators are returning to the basics of phonics and mandated teacher training. Learning from the “Mississippi Miracle”, other states are adapting those practices with the hope of achieving the same results.

Rita M. Cortés (Moderator) – Executive Director, Menorah Heritage Foundation
Dr. Jennifer Collier – Superintendent, Kansas City Public Schools
Dr. Laurie Curtis – Kansas State Department of Education
Dr. Angelique Nedved – President & CEO, SchoolSmartKC

This session explores how policy shifts, funding cuts, and systemic inequities are reshaping regional health disparities. We’ll examine reduced public, mental, and behavioral health services, their impact on systemically marginalized communities, and how personal and community storytelling reveals lived experiences behind the data and the erosion of access over time.

Brandi Finocchario, MPP (Moderator) – Swope Health
Dr. Danielle Binion – Community Health Commission of Missouri, Chief Strategy Officer
McClain Bryant Macklin – Health Forward Foundation – Chief Policy & Impact Officer
Josette Mitchell, MBS, LCSW – Swope Health
Tyler K. Smith, MD, MPH, FAAP – Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence, Office of the Learning Environment and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; General Academic Pediatrician and Fellowship Program Director for Academic General Pediatrics, Children’s Mercy Kansas City

This session spotlights local leadership and innovative strategies addressing KC’s housing challenges—from workforce and missing‑middle gaps to limited inventory and neighborhood fit. Participants will explore systemic barriers and engage in solutions that strengthen the region’s full housing spectrum.

Hannah Mitchell (Moderator) – Regional Housing Program Manager, Mid-America Regional Council
Dr. Trinity Davis – President and Founder, Teachers Like Me
Christina Fenwick – Director of Real Estate Development, Driven Development
C. Francene Sutton – Developer Builder, Fran Sutton Homes
Carlie Turner – Program Officer for Housing and Capacity Building, LISC Greater Kansas City

How will people move through Kansas City in the next 25 years? This session examines the region’s changing transportation landscape — from expansion of the KC Streetcar and the growth of toll-managed highway lanes to the future of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. We explore how long-range planning and funding decisions shape mobility, access, and affordability, and how transportation investments can drive economic growth while avoiding unintended gaps in opportunity.

Ron Achelpohl, PE – Director, Transportation & Environment, Mid-America Regional Council
Chuck Ferguson – Interim President and CEO, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA);
Tom Gerend – KC Streetcar Authority, Executive Director
Julie Lorenz – Principal Consultant, 1898 & Co.
Jon Stephens – President & CEO, Port KC

SNAP is a foundational benefit that goes beyond food assistance. It’s a gateway to healthcare, energy assistance, and support at schools. When SNAP is lost, families and public institutions both feel the impact. Find out how community organizations are coming together to address the needs.

Dan Cranshaw, JD (Moderator) – Executive Director, KC Health Collaborative
Angela DeWilde – CEO, Jewish Family Services
Elizabeth Keever – Chief Resource Officer, Harvesters
Thomas Smith – Chief Business Officer, Kansas City Food Hub

From murals to music venues and free concerts to high-caliber museums and festivals, Kansas City has been on the cutting edge of culture for decades. Looking beyond 2026, panelists will discuss where we are headed next and what the future may bring for the City of Fountains.

Sidonie Garrett (Moderator) – Heart of America Shakespeare Festival
Julie Denesha – KCUR 89.3
John Rensenhouse – President, KC Actors Theatre
Paula Saunders – Musician/Vocalist
Anna Marie Tutera – Director and CEO, Museum of Kansas City

Find out how tech-driven tactics are transforming Public Safety. This session will explore how local law enforcement agencies are deploying AI-powered drones to enhance emergency response, reduce officer workload, and improve outcomes. Learn how these tools are being integrated and the focus on transparency and community engagement.

John Hamilton (Moderator) – Associate Professor Emeritus, Park University
Jonas Baughman – Captain, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department
Gary Jones, Jr. – Innovation Team Director, City of Kansas City, MO
Marquita Taylor, MBA – President, Santa Fe Area Council Neighborhood Association
Captain Curtis Weber – Lenexa Police Department

In today’s polarized world, the ability to have constructive, candid, and collaborative conversations is a superpower. This interactive session will provide practical tools to navigate complex issues…and show that difficult conversations can be had.

Ryan Bernsten – Brand & Partnership, American Public Square
Claire Bishop – Executive Director and CEO, American Public Square
Tricia Maxfield – Director of Programs, American Public Square

Explore how schools and agencies across the Kansas City region are preparing students for successful careers through hands-on learning and strong community partnerships, with the result being students with durable skills and credentials leading to good-paying jobs.

Christina Chandler (Moderator) – Community Impact Education Manager, JE Dunn Construction
Crystal Everett – Real World Learning Officer – Educator Programming and Development, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Dr. Candace Villanueva Greer – College & Career Manager, PREP-KC
Andy Mayfield – Director, Blue Springs Career Innovation Center
Elisa Waldman – Vice President of Workforce Development & Continuing Education, Johnson County Community College

Kansas City is preparing for its biggest global moment in decades: hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This session will take you behind the scenes of what it means for our city to be a World Cup stadium and basecamp host, how local organizations are getting ready to welcome fans from powerhouse soccer nations like Argentina and the Netherlands, and why this event represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Kansas City youth.

Erik Bergrud (Moderator) – Senior Vice President, Public Policy; Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Melissa Miller – Director, World Trade Center-Kansas City
Pam Kramer – Chief Executive Officer, KC2026
Daniel Sperry – Journalist/Writer, Kansas City Star
Josh Gloer – Sports Documentarian & Founder, G10 Creative