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Participant List (as of 3/11/2010)
Indiana Randal Charlton
Scott Hutcheson (Team Leader) Executive Director
Associate Program Leader for Economic and TechTown
Community Development
Purdue University Center for Regional Development
MidMichigan
Carol D'Amico Dave Hollister (Team Leader)
Senior Advisor President and CEO
Conexus Indiana Prima Civitas Foundation
Mark D'Anastasio Tom Crampton
Board Member Ex. Dean ‐ Regional Technology Initiatives
EnerDel Mott Community College
Ed Morrison Denise Peek
Economic Policy Advisor Executive Director
North Central Indiana WIRED Entrepreneur Institute of Mid‐Michigan
Joseph Pekny Joel Rash
Professor & Director of E‐Enterprise Center Manager, LAUNCH
Purdue University University Outreach, University of Michigan‐Flint
SE Michigan NE Ohio
David Egner (Team Leader) Mark Barbash
Executive Director Chief Economic Development Officer, Department of
New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan Development
State of Ohio
Tonya Allen
Vice President, Program Larry Benders
The Skillman Foundation Executive Director
Workforce Investment Board of the City of
George Jackson Cleveland/Cuyahoga County
President and CEO
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation Dan Berry
President & CEO
Greg Main MAGNET
President & CEO
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
John Gajewski Marvin Hayes
Executive Director, Advanced Manufacturing, Director of Urban Policy for Governor Ted Strickland
Engineering and Bioscience State of Ohio
Cuyahoga Community College
Erin Kauth
David Megenhardt Business Services Manager‐Northwest Lower
Executive Director Michigan
United Labor Agency – Ohio Michigan Human Resources Development, Inc.
Brad Whitehead Lawrence Molnar
President Director
Fund for Our Economic Future Economic Development Administration University
Center, Unversity of Michigan
Other John Paradore
Byron Auguste Manufacturing Analyst
McKinsey & Company Ohio AFL‐CIO (OH)
Matt Bailey Frank Samuel
City of Shreveport, LA
Fran Sibley
Michael Brown CEO
Director Michigan Human Resources Development, Inc.
Flint Area Reinvestment Office
Darchelle Strickland Love
Mike Coast Office of the Mayor
President City of Detroit
Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center
Matthew Wagner
Beth Colbert Executive Director
Program Manager Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation
Ohio Department of Development
Matt Ward
Sharon Cornu Policy Director
Alameda County Labor Council AFL‐CIO (CA) Mayors & Municipalities Auto Coalition
Eva Garza Dewaelsche
President Philanthropy
SER‐Metro Detroit (MI) Don Chen
Program Officer
Kristin Dziczek Ford Foundation
Group Director and Associate Research Director,
Labor and Industry Group Robin Hacke
Center for Automotive Research Director of Capital Formation
Living Cities, Inc.
Randall Eberts
President Bob Jaquay
W.E. UpJohn Institute for Employment Research Associate Director
George Gund Foundation
Linda Fowler
President
Regionerate
Neil Kleiman
Director, Policy Sean Cartwright
Living Cities, Inc. Economic Development Administration
Chuancy Lennon Aimee Dobrzeniecki
Program Officer, Quality Employment Deputy Director, Manufacturing Extension
The Ford Foundation Partnership
National Institute of Standards and Techonology
Sam Singh
Senior Consultant Charles Imohiosen
New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan Special Assistant to the Senior Policy Counsel, Office
of the Administrator
Kris Smith U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Program Director
Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Eric Johnson
Communities Office of the Secretary of Labor
Department of Labor
Whitney Smith
Program Manager Teddy Johnston
The Joyce Foundation Chief of Staff
International Trade Administration
Jasmine Thomas
Program Officer, Strong Local Economies Ana Ma
Surdna Foundation Chief of Staff
Small Business Administration
Laura Trudeau
Senior Program Director Brian McGowan
The Kresge Foundation Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer,
Economic Development Administration
Federal Agency Department of Commerce
Hilda Solis
Secretary James McMullen
Department of Labor Office of the Secretary of Labor
Department of Labor
John Atwood
Lead Public Affairs Specialist, Economic Ed Montgomery
Development Administration Executive Director
U.S. Department of Commerce White House Council on Auto Communities
John Bienko Jane Oates
Deputy Director, Office of Entrepreneurship Assistant Secretary
Education Employment and Training Administration
U.S. Small Business Administration
Mark Troppe
Bryan Borlik National Institute of Standards and Techonology
Director, TAAF
Economic Development Administration
Brookings
Michael A. Brown Bruce Katz
Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff Vice President and Director
U.S. Small Business Administration Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
Amy Liu
Deputy Director
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
Howard Wial
Fellow
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
John Austin
Nonresident Senior Fellow
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
Biographies
Indiana
Scott Hutcheson (Team Leader)
Associate Program Leader for Economic and Community Development
Purdue University Center for Regional Development
Scott Hutcheson is the Interim Co‐Director of the Purdue University Center for Regional Development and the
Interim Program Leader of Economic and Community Development for Purdue Extension. He has specific
expertise in innovation‐based economic development strategies, community support systems for
entrepreneurship, new approaches to workforce development, and the role of the university in regional economic
and workforce development. From 2006‐2009 Scott provided leadership to a four‐year, DOLETA‐supported
regional transformation initiative in North Central Indiana. Prior to joining Purdue, Scott held leadership positions
with American Airlines and United Way. Scott holds an undergraduate degree from Tennessee Temple University,
a masters from the University of Tennessee, and has done post‐graduate work at Purdue University.
Carol D'Amico
Senior Advisor
Conexus Indiana
Dr. D’Amico is Senior Advisor for Education and Workforce Development for Conexus Indiana, an organization
focused on growing and promoting the advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors in Indiana and preparing
Hoosiers to take advantage of new opportunities in these industries. Previously, Dr. D’Amico served as Conexus
Indiana’s President & CEO in 2007 and 2008. Dr. D’Amico also serves as a Consultant to the Indiana Department of
Education, spearheading its efforts on technical and adult education, career readiness programs, and integration
between the state’s K‐12 and higher education systems. She is also helping to revitalize the approach taken in
career and technical education and in fulfilling the department’s goal to develop the best high school‐to‐college
workforce program in the country.
Ed Morrison
Economic Policy Advisor
North Central Indiana WIRED
Ed is economic policy advisor to the Purdue Center for Regional Development. He focuses on the integration of
education, workforce development and economic development. He has been an economic development
consultant for over 20 years. Prior to that, he worked as a corporate strategy consultant, a staff attorney at the
Federal Trade Commission, and staff in both the U.S. Senate and House. He has J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from the
University of Virginia and a B.A. degree from Yale University.
Joseph Pekny
Professor & Director of E‐Enterprise Center
Purdue University
Dr. Pekny is a Professor of Chemical Engineering with research interests in supply chain management, planning and
scheduling systems, pharmaceutical pipeline management, model‐based and data driven management, and real‐
time decision systems. He has received the Purdue University Shreve Teaching Award and Kimberly Clark Student
Mentoring Award. In 1999 he was appointed a Purdue University Faculty Scholar. From September 2001 to August
2009, Dr. Pekny served as the Founding Director of the e‐Enterprise Center at Purdue University’s Discovery Park.
The e‐Enterprise Center led development of Discovery Park processes and interdisciplinary research in the use of
computers in the design, management, interaction, and operation of organizations; the goal oriented use of
computational science and engineering; and research promoting rapid concept convergence and implementation.
Dr. Pekny led the creation and growth of the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering and served as the
Founding Director from its inception in 2004 through 2005. In July 2008, Dr. Pekny was named the Interim Head of
the School of Industrial Engineering at Purdue. Dr. Pekny is a co‐founder of Advanced Process Combinatorics, Inc.,
a company that was spun‐off from research at Purdue University.
SE Michigan
Tonya Allen
Vice President, Program
The Skillman Foundation
Tonya Allen , vice president of program at The Skillman Foundation, is the architect of the Foundation’s 10‐year
$100‐million Good Neighborhoods program, and oversees all three of the Foundation’s main programs. A native
Detroiter, Allen attended Cass Tech High School, and has a bachelor’s degree in sociology, and master’s degrees in
social work and public health, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Crain’s Detroit Business named Allen a
2007 40 Under 40 winner, an annual award that recognizes Detroit’s emerging leaders. In 2008, Allen won the
Michigan Neighborhood Champions award, which is given annually by the committee of the Michigan
Neighborhood Partnership. Allen was also recognized for her dedication to changing the lives of children and
families by St. John Health's Open Arms program . Allen, who joined The Skillman Foundation in 2004 as a program
director, has also worked for the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Plymouth‐based Thompson‐McCully
Foundation. She was also the executive director of Detroit Parent Network.
George Jackson
President and CEO
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
George Jackson is a native Detroiter, who attended Detroit Cooley High School, Oakland University (B.S. Human
Resource Development) and Central Michigan University (M.A. Management – Business Management). Mr.
Jackson became interim President & CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation in February, 2002, and was
elected to the position on a permanent basis in April, 2002. DEGC is a private, nonprofit corporation devoted
exclusively to supporting Detroit’s economic development projects and initiatives by providing technical, financial
and development assistance to the City and the business community. The DEGC also serves as the professional
and administrative staff for the Downtown Development Authority and the Economic Development Corporation of
the City of Detroit. Prior to his current position, Mr. Jackson was Director of Customer Marketing for DTE Energy,
where he worked for 27 years. Mr. Jackson has worked in the field of Economic Development since 1984, and has
played an influential role in the City of Detroit, Southeastern Michigan and State of Michigan economic
development programs, initiatives and organizations. Mr. Jackson has also served as an advisor to corporate,
political, government, community, civic and educational executives and leaders on economic development issues.
Greg Main
President & CEO
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Greg Main is President and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the State of Michigan’s lead
economic development agency, and is responsible for executing Governor Granholm’s economic development
strategy. From 2003 through June 2008, Mr. Main served as President and CEO of i2E, Inc. of Oklahoma City, a
leading technology commercialization program, with responsibility for directing efforts to assist start‐up
companies in attracting risk capital and securing private equity funding. From 1998 to 2002, he was a general
partner with Chisholm Private Capital Partners, a $66 million venture capital firm in Oklahoma City and beginning
in 1994, a partner in Intersouth Partners of Research Triangle, N.C.
Appointed as Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce in 1991 after a national search to lead the state’s recovery from
the oil bust, Mr. Main served as the state’s chief economic development officer, administering a $90 million
budget encompassing 180 employees. He designed and implemented initiatives including the award‐winning
Oklahoma Quality Jobs program and Quality Jobs Investment Act. In addition, he was instrumental in establishing
the Alliance for Manufacturing and the launch of the Oklahoma Capital Investment Board Venture Investing
program.
Randal Charlton
Executive Director
TechTown
RANDAL CHARLTON has had a varied career with a common theme: starting businesses dedicated to
commercializing research in animal, plant and human technology. Charlton co‐founded Asterand, a supplier of
human tissues for drug discovery and development, in early 2000, which became the first anchor tenant of the
Wayne State University Research and Technology Park (TechTown). In seven years, with an investment of less
than $11.6 million, Asterand has established a global repository containing many thousands of samples from
cooperating hospitals on four continents. Asterand revenues grew from $100,000 in 2001 to $18 million in 2007.
Asterand became fully public company in 2007 and Randal Charlton stepped down from the company to become
the executive director of TechTown. Since joining TechTown, he has since secured a $1.5 million grant from the
Kresge Foundation for build‐out of the main TechTown incubator facility, TechOne, along with other grants and
federal earmarks to support construction and business development programs.
MidMichigan
Dave Hollister (Team Leader)
President and CEO
Prima Civitas Foundation
David Hollister is President & CEO of Prima Civitas Foundation (PCF), a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization based in
Lansing, Michigan. He came to PCF in 2006. Previously he served Governor Granholm as head of Michigan’s
Department of Labor and Economic Growth. Before coming to state government he served ten years as Lansing’s
Mayor. Before his election as mayor he spent nearly twenty years in Michigan’s House of Representatives.
Tom Crampton
Ex. Dean ‐ Regional Technology Initiatives
Mott Community College
Tom Crampton has been with Mott Community College for 22 years ‐‐ first as a professor in Design Engineering
Technology and now as Executive Dean – Regional Technology Initiatives. Tom’s current position includes
responsibility for operations at Mott’s Regional Technology Center, work with regional education and industry
partners, leadership in workforce and economic development efforts, and emerging technology initiatives related
to advanced manufacturing and technology integration. Tom manages several federal projects that integrate the
use of digital technology in support of rapid product development and helps position the college to deliver next
generation programs and services. He works on several boards and community projects including the Mid‐
Michigan Innovation Team WIRED board. Tom also manages a program focused on helping companies explore
technology tools and strategies that improve competitiveness and promote growth. Before coming to Mott, Tom
spent 10 years as a design engineer in the automotive industry. Tom has a BS from Central Michigan University in
Industrial Education and Technology and an MS from Eastern Michigan University in Industrial Technology with a
concentration in Manufacturing.
Denise Peek
Executive Director
Entrepreneur Institute of Mid‐Michigan
Ms. Peek has lived in Lansing since 1972 and graduated from Lansing Everett High School. She holds two
Associates Degrees, one from Davenport University in Fashion Merchandising & Management, one from LCC in
General Studies, and a BA from Northwood University in Marketing with a Minor in Business Management. This
past May she received her Masters of Science in Degree in Community Economic Development at Southern New
Hampshire Uni‐versity in Manchester, New Hampshire. She has been the Executive Director of the Entre‐preneur
Institute for the past ten years. Her experience in sales & marketing includes, experience in the retail industry,
advertising sales in electronic media (cable television & radio) and newspaper. She has been the Ex‐ecutive
Director of the Entrepreneur Institute of Mid‐Michigan Lansing for the past nine and half years. Over the past nine
years she has facilitated the financial literacy training pro‐gram and the business plan development training
program, and has had the opportunity to facilitate a business training internationally, and with the Business &
Community Institute of Lansing Community College. She has been able to increase the exposure of the Institute in
the community and increase the services offered by the organization.
Joel Rash
Manager, LAUNCH
University Outreach, University of Michigan‐Flint
Joel Rash has been a small business owner for 25 years, a commercial property owner for 15, and has worked for
the last 10 years in developing, funding and managing programs specifically designed to assist established and
aspiring business owners. Joel’s strength is tying together local businesses, governmental agencies, educational
institutions, community organizations and economic development programs to help build an entrepreneurial
landscape. His current professional appointment is at the University of Michigan‐Flint where he manages a student
business hatchery and microenterprise program.
NE Ohio
Mark Barbash
Chief Economic Development Officer, Department of Development
State of Ohio
As Chief Economic Development Officer for the State of Ohio, Mark Barbash is responsible for both strategic
direction and major economic development projects for the Strickland Administration. He serves as the
automotive industry director for the Ohio. Included in this responsibility is serving as liaiaon with the major OEM’s
and supply companies, working with communities on their transition plans, and coordinating with the Governor’s
Auto Industry Support Council, a separate council made of industry, education and community representatives.
Mark Barbash joined the Strickland Administration in March, 2007. Previously, he served for seven years as
Director of Development for Columbus, Ohio, leading the City’s the city’s programs for economic and
neighborhood development, housing, social services, building and zoning codes, planning, downtown
development. Mark’s experience has also included Executive Director of Columbus Countywide Development
Corporation, a non profit small business lender; Vice President of Miller & Schroeder Investment Banking; Vice
President of the National Development Council, a non profit economic development community consulting firm,
and serving on the staffs of a number of Wisconsin elected officials. Mark serves on the Board of Directors of the
International Economic Development Council, the national association for development professionals. In 2007, he
received the “Fellow Membership Designation” from IEDC, for achieving unusual stature in the field of economic
development. He is also a nationally recognized trainer in business and real estate financing and has taught for a
wide range of national economic development organizations.
Larry Benders
Executive Director
Workforce Investment Board of the City of Cleveland/Cuyahoga County
Larry Benders is the Executive Director of the City of Cleveland, Ohio/Cuyahoga County Workforce Investment
Board. He oversees a public workforce system that served 40,000 job seekers in 2009 at 10 offices with a staff of
180 people. He was appointed to his position in May, 2008 marking the conclusion of a nationwide search. Prior
to assuming his current role, Larry was the Vice President of Marketing and Sales at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Before his time at the Rock Hall, he held senior management positions at companies including Johnson & Johnson
(Director of Marketing and Sales), Nabisco (Managing Director, Hot Cereals), Coors Brewing Company (VP of New
Products) and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream (Chief Marketing Officer). As a marketing executive he has been responsible
for such household brand names as Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Reach Toothbrush, Cream of Wheat Cereal, Grey
Poupon Mustard, A1 Steak Sauce, and Splenda Low Calorie Sweetener. Larry has travelled extensively in his career
and has managed new product development teams in Brazil, Germany, England, Japan and Australia. Larry has a
BA from Yale University and an MBA from the JL Kellogg School Graduate School of Management at Northwestern
University.
Dan Berry
President & CEO
MAGNET
Daniel E. Berry is president and chief executive officer of MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth
Network, located in Cleveland Ohio. MAGNET is one of seven Edison Technology Centers supported by the State of
Ohio and also a contractor with the state as a Manufacturing Extension Program. Its responsibilities include
assisting companies in the motor vehicle and parts sector across the state and helping all types of manufacturers in
the northern part of Ohio. Berry is on loan from the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) to assist MAGNET with
shaping its strategic directions. At GCP, he is executive vice president for strategy, membership and marketing.
Previously, he was senior vice president, strategic integration, for the Greater Cleveland Growth Association where
he helped manage and conclude the merger negotiations with Cleveland Tomorrow and the Greater Cleveland
Roundtable that created the GCP in 2004. Berry joined the Growth Association in 1995 as vice president, workforce
preparation. Prior to that, he spent 13 years with The George Gund Foundation, serving as associate director
when he departed. Before that, he also worked with The Charles F. Kettering Foundation in Dayton, Ohio as an
urban affairs program associate. Berry holds a doctorate in management from the Weatherhead School of
Management at Case Western Reserve University and earned both a B.A. and M.A. from Kent State University. He
has served on the boards of numerous civic and public sector organizations and is presently a trustee of Vocational
Guidance Services and the Cleveland Center for Arts and Technology.
John Gajewski
Executive Director, Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Bioscience
Cuyahoga Community College
John joined Cuyahoga Community College’s; Workforce and Economic Development Division in 2006 after a
number of positions in Executive Management, General Management, Manufacturing Management and Corporate
Staff with General Electric, Emerson Electric and Berkshire Hathaway. John has taught manufacturing and business
related courses at numerous locations including GE’s Crotonville Training Facility. His educational background
includes; BSEE from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, Graduation from GE’s Crotonville Institute, Malcolm
Baldridge Training, Kepner Trego, Crosby Quality Institute, Lean Manufacturing, SPC (6‐Sigma) and various GE
professional development courses. John has been (or is involved) with Center for Process and Analytical
Chemistry – University of Washington, International Forum on Process Chemistry, NASA Morgan Garrett Program,
Automotive Manufacturing Technology Education Collaboration (AMTEC – a National Science Foundation project)
and Jobs Partnership for Cleveland.
David Megenhardt
Executive Director
United Labor Agency – Ohio
David Megenhardt is the Executive Director of the United Labor Agency, a non‐profit created by the labor
movement with offices throughout Ohio. The ULA specializes in workforce development, rapid response and
union member training. David holds a Master’s Degree in English from Case Western Reserve University and a
Bachelor’s Degree from Kent State University. He has been the Executive Director of the ULA for ten years. David
is a founding member of Policy Matters Ohio a non‐profit policy research organization founded in January 2000 to
broaden the debate about economic policy in Ohio. He is a board member of the Workforce Investment Board,
Area 3.
Brad Whitehead
President
Fund for Our Economic Future
Brad Whitehead is President of the Fund for Our Economic Future, a collaboration of philanthropy in Northeast
Ohio working to transform the region’s economy. Whitehead oversees the Fund’s grantmaking, research and civic
engagement. Since its inception in 2004, the Fund has raised and deployed over $60 million in grants. With more
than 100 members, the Fund partners with leaders of the public, private, academic, and civic sectors in the areas
of business growth & attraction, talent development, racial & economic inclusion, and government collaboration.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Whitehead was a senior partner at the international management consulting firm
of McKinsey and Company, where he worked for 20 years. His client work included corporate strategy, operations,
and organizational issues, with a primary focus on growth and new business building. Whitehead has also worked
for the National Westminster Bank, the National Science Foundation, the Alliance to Save Energy, and the Harvard
Institute for International Development. In addition to Northeast Ohio, Whitehead has worked in Boston, Spain,
Zaire, and Brazil. Whitehead has a Masters of Public Administration and an A.B. in Economics from the Harvard.
Other
Byron Auguste
McKinsey & Company
Byron Auguste is the global leader of McKinsey’s Social Sector Office, which houses worldwide practices in
Economic Development, and Opportunity Creation, Education, Public Health, and Philanthropy, working with
leading intergovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, NGOs, and businesses to develop and
implement solutions to pressing societal challenges. He joined McKinsey in 1993, was elected Principal in 1999 and
Director in 2005, co‐founded and led its High Tech Services Sector for five years, served on its global committees to
elect and evaluate new partners, and co‐leads the firm’s diversity initiative. Byron is an active speaker and writer
on economic development, opportunity creation, education, globalization, and social innovation at industry
roundtables, public policy forums such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, Wall Street Journal CEO Council, National
Governors Association, and New Schools Venture Fund Conference, and in leading business, news, and opinion
publications such as the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, The Economist, the McKinsey Quarterly, and New
Perspectives Quarterly. He serves on the boards of directors of Hope Street Group, the William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation, and the Pacific Council on International Policy, and on advisory boards of the World Economic Forum,
Center for American Progress, Yale University, the International Center for Research on Women, and the African
Center for Economic Transformation. He is a Senior Fellow of the UCLA School of Public Affairs, and participated in
the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth.
Matt Bailey
City of Shreveport, LA
Matt Bailey works as the Economic Development Coordinator in the Office of Mayor Cedric B. Glover of
Shreveport, Louisiana. Previously, he served as Legislative Assistant and Military Liaison for U.S. Senator Mary
Landrieu working in both the DC and a regional office. A native of Louisiana, Matt earned his law degree from the
George Washington University Law School and attended college at Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
Michael Brown
Director
Flint Area Reinvestment Office
Presently, Director of the Flint Area Reinvestment Office at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Served as
Interim Mayor for the City of Flint in 2009. Over the past 25 years, Brown has served in several leadership
positions including: Chair of the County Board of Commissioners, Director of Red Cross and the United Way, as well
as Executive Vice President of the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce. As Mayor, his team developed and
presented a plan to Dr. Ed Montgomery focusing on Brownfield redevelopment in the City of Flint. As Director of
the Reinvestment Office, Brown continues to work with current Mayor Walling in securing ARRA resources for the
city; developing a comprehensive Master Plan; and, partnering with Flint and Genesee County officials on
development and implementation of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Mike Coast
President
Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center
Mike Coast is the President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC). The MMTC is a
National Institute of Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center. He has been with
MMTC for 14 years, the last 9 years in the capacity of President and Chief Executive Officer, responsible for
directing the operations, programs and working relationships with Michigan’s industrial, business, and
governmental stakeholders. Additionally, he is responsible for maintaining and building on the successful
partnership between the MMTC and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the commerce
department for the state of Michigan. The MMTC has been selected to play a lead role in coordinating and
streamlining technology‐related services to Michigan’s established industries and to assist Michigan’s business to
diversify into new and underserved markets. Prior to joining the MMTC, he had more than 5 years of technology
development experience and more than 16 years of manufacturing experience, including the position of Plant
Manager at two western Pennsylvania manufacturing plants.
Beth Colbert
Program Manager
Ohio Department of Development
Elizabeth (Beth) Colbert is the Center Director for the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership which is a
collaboration between the Ohio Department of Development and NIST MEP. The Ohio MEP administers its
products and services to manufacturers in Ohio through its 7 Thomas Edison Technology Centers. Beth has been
with the Ohio Department of Development for 3 years. Prior to State Government, Beth worked as the Product
Development Manager in private industries for Lafarge North America, Owens Corning Fiberglas, and The Dow
Chemical Company. Beth has 12 active or pending patents in product and process development, is PMP certified
and holds and MBA.
Sharon Cornu
Alameda County Labor Council AFL‐CIO (CA)
Cornu is the chief elected officer of the 100,000 member AFL‐CIO Labor Council in Oakland, CA. She has led a
resurgent labor movement in building political power, developing strong community alliances, and impacting local
policy decisions to improve the quality of life for working families. Cornu has been honored by the State Assembly,
East Bay Housing Organizations and other partners for developing innovative strategies and getting results. A
former officer in the Graphic Communications International Union, she serves on boards of the East Bay Economic
Development Alliance and United Labor Bank, and co‐chairs the AFL‐CIO Advisory Committee on State, Local and
Community Strategies.
Eva Garza Dewaelsche
President
SER‐Metro Detroit (MI)
Mrs. Eva Garza Dewaelsche is president and CEO of SER Metro‐Detroit, a multi‐service, multi‐state organization
providing education and workforce development programs and services in Detroit, with operations in Illinois,
Arkansas and Texas. She has worked at SER for over 26 years and is actively involved on numerous boards
including The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation; Detroit Public Television; Detroit Medical Center (RIM); New
Detroit, Inc.; Development Corporation of Wayne County; Southwest Detroit Business Assn.; and Latin Americans
for Social and Economic Development (LA SED). She is a graduate of Wayne State University where she earned a
degree in Sociology and a Masters in Adult Education. She is a life‐long resident of Detroit where she lives with
her husband, Robert, who works for Habitat of Humanity International. They have two daughters, Lisa who is in
New Orleans and Christina in New York City.
Kristin Dziczek
Group Director and Associate Research Director, Labor and Industry Group
Center for Automotive Research
Kristin Dziczek is the Director of Labor and Industry Group and Assistant Director of Research at the Center for
Automotive Research. She is responsible for managing and conducting research projects on economic trends in the
automobile industry, including employment, productivity, wages, benefits, education and training, occupations,
labor agreements, plant locations, and capacity utilization, as well as forecasting and modeling employment and
market demand. Her current research involves the “greening” of automotive jobs and skills. She directs the
Program for Automotive Labor and Education (PALE), a partnership of industry, labor, education, training,
workforce development and government officials dedicated to meeting future automotive workforce needs. She
also works closely with CAR’s Automotive Communities Program (ACP), a partnership that brings together
community leaders, industry leaders and other stakeholders with the goal of sustaining and growing the region’s
automotive endowment. She is the primary author of CAR’s “Beyond the Big Leave,” study, which examines future
human resource needs of automakers and suppliers. Ms. Dziczek has over 20 years experience as a researcher and
policy analyst. Prior to joining CAR, Ms. Dziczek served as the Associate Director of the Michigan Manufacturing
Technology Center (Michigan’s MEP center), and has worked for the U.S. Congress, International Union UAW, and
General Motors Corporation. Ms. Dziczek earned her B.A. in Economics, M.P.P. in Public Policy Analysis, and M.S. in
Industrial and Operations Engineering, all from the University of Michigan.
Randall Eberts
President
W.E. UpJohn Institute for Employment Research
Dr. Eberts is President of the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, an independent nonprofit research
organization that conducts and supports research on policy‐relevant employment and regional economic issues.
Before joining the Institute in September 1993, Dr. Eberts was assistant vice president and economist at the
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. During 1991‐92, Dr. Eberts served as senior staff economist on the President's
Council of Economic Advisers. He was also associate professor of Economics at the University of Oregon and
visiting assistant professor at Texas A&M University. Dr. Eberts received his Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern
University. Dr. Eberts’ current research examines the effect of economic conditions and customer characteristics
on the performance outcomes of federal workforce programs. He also explores the role of local partnerships in
workforce and economic development and has worked with state agencies and international organizations, such as
OECD, on this topic. He has also prepared reports for the European Commission on the U.S. experience with early
identification of worker needs and the potential of service jobs to stimulate economic growth in Europe. He also
works closely with the federal and state governments to help develop management tools using statistical analysis
to help improve the performance of workforce programs. He has published extensively in academic journals,
including Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Labor Economics, Industrial and Labor Relations Review,
and Journal of Human Resources. He has also authored and edited several books, the latest two being Labor
Exchange Policy in the United States and Targeting Employment Services.
Linda Fowler
President
Regionerate
Linda Fowler is Founder and President of Regionerate, a nationwide consulting service dedicated to regional
collaboration and innovation, civic networking, technology acceleration and economic development. She is
currently consulting with many regions across the country on establishing networks to address workforce
development, economic development, education transformation, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Until
recently, she was a Senior Advisor with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing
Extension Partnership, a Department of Commerce program focused on strengthening the competitiveness of
small and mid‐sized manufacturers in the United States. From 2005 to 2007, Linda was on a detail with the U.S.
Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) where she directed activities for the
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative, including Strategic Partnerships and
Sector‐Focused Communities of Practice. As a management consultant for Restructuring Associates, Inc, Linda
advised Fortune 100 companies on the design and implementation of organizational and technological change,
human resource development, and labor‐management cooperation. She began her career in the auto industry
working for General Motors Corporation in Flint, Michigan.
Marvin Hayes
Director of Urban Policy for Governor Ted Strickland
State of Ohio
Upon taking office in January 2007 Ohio Governor Ted Strickland established the new position of Director of Urban
Development and Infrastructure as part of the Governor’s Policy Team. Marvin Hayes was appointed as the first
person to hold this position in April 2007. This position was established as a commitment by Governor Strickland to
establish a better working relationship between municipal government and state government in Ohio. With a
primary focus on public policies related to infrastructure and development, Mr. Hayes has been establishing an
agenda for change and redevelopment of Ohio’s older industrial cities and the metropolitan regions around them.
Prior to his state service, Mr. Hayes established his policy background in urban policy issues in executive positions
at both the municipal and county level. His service included work in economic and community development,
infrastructure development policy, intergovernmental relations, workforce development, public safety and
education policy. Mr. Hayes also has experience in the private sector working with the Parsons Corporation in
Chicago and Washington, DC as a political consultant working in advocacy and campaign management.
Erin Kauth
Business Services Manager‐Northwest Lower Michigan
Michigan Human Resources Development, Inc.
Erin Kauth joined M‐HRDI in the fall of 2008 as a Business liaison responsible for developing and maintaining
productive relationships with constituencies with the intent of preserving business and economic opportunities in
the state. Through a business focused demand driven approach, Erin assists Michigan businesses retain current
workers, create jobs, and operate competitively in the global market. By fostering and participating in collaborative
partnerships between workforce development, economic development, education, community groups, and labor
organizations Erin is able to develop and install new programs to meet the challenges faced by employers and
communities. Prior to coming to M‐HRDI, Erin worked for nine years with a local workforce development agency to
administer state and federal employment and training programs. Erin has a Masters Degree from the United States
Sports Academy and a Bachelor Degree from Michigan State University.
John Paradore
Manufacturing Analyst
Ohio AFL‐CIO (OH)
John Paradore is a passionate person who believes and works to support the values and mission of keeping good
jobs in Ohio, and communities it serves. He is currently serving his second term as President of the UAW Lima‐
Troy Community Action Program (CAP) and represents the AFL‐CIO as their Manufacturing Analyst in a grant from
the State of Ohio. He has also been recognized for his leadership in workforce development and training initiatives
for more than 25 years. In his position as Analyst, he works directly with union‐represented businesses and
industries throughout Ohio in an effort to find solutions to the problems they face in this unprecedented
challenging economy. Ultimately, his mission is to help retain Ohio based businesses and their workers, ensuring a
future for everyone involved. His many accomplishments represent his belief that all workers, regardless of union
affiliation or not, deserve a living wage, benefits, and a secure future for themselves and their family members. To
those ends, he works tirelessly to assist workers in training and retraining initiatives, finding funding solutions for
industries willing to support workers and remain in Ohio, and perhaps, most importantly, building effective
supportive networks to bring about desired results.
Frank Samuel
Frank Samuel’s most recent professional position was Science and Technology Advisor to the Governor of Ohio,
where he was a principal architect of Ohio’s Third Frontier Project, one of the nation’s premier State initiatives to
encourage economic development through support of applied research, technology commercialization and early
stage capital creation. He currently serves on the National Advisory Council of the California Health Benefits
Review Program, the Board of Directors of the Global Cardiology Innovation Center of The Cleveland Clinic, and the
Board of Directors of Providence Hospital in Washington,D.C. He has served as a member of Institute of Medicine
advisory bodies on biomedical technology issues and as a member of several biomedical company boards of
directors.
Fran Sibley
CEO
Michigan Human Resources Development, Inc.
Fran Sibley comes to the MI AFL‐CIO Human Resources Development, Inc by way of eighteen years as a union
activist. She has been a steward, chief steward, community services chair, an active member in the voter
organizing committee and Executive Vice‐President of UFCW Local 951. Ms. Sibley has been serving in workforce
development for the past 15 years. Beginning as an Education and Training Specialist in JTPA for Dislocated
Workers, she now directs Michigan’s only contractor in WIA statewide services and the largest contractor for local
services across the state. Ms. Sibley continues to dedicate her life to Michigan’s working families serving on many
state and local committees and boards, calling for action and accountability in the system and making sure that no
worker gets left behind.
Matthew Wagner
Executive Director
Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation
Matthew Wagner is the director of the Center for Advanced Technology & Innovation (CATI) and the Small
Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of Wisconsin‐Parkside. He is responsible for managing
Parkside’s community engagement initiatives in entrepreneurship, along with CATI’s unique technology transfer
model. Matt manages more than 300 patented technologies from global companies such as Kraft Foods, Boeing,
Motorola, and S.C. Johnson, licensing these patents to entrepreneurs and existing small manufacturers. As a result
of this success, UW Parkside and CATI were named a 2007 International Economic Development Council award
winner for Technology‐Based Economic Development. Matt has also led CATI’s efforts to expand its model into
Delaware, Pennsylvania and Ohio in partnership with the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Dr. Wagner
received his Ph.D. in urban economic development from the University of Wisconsin‐Milwaukee.
Philanthropy
Robin Hacke
Director of Capital Formation
Living Cities, Inc.
Robin Hacke is Director of Capital Formation at Living Cities (www.livingcities.org), a pioneering partnership among
22 major foundations and financial institutions that invests in revitalizing America's cities. Living Cities members
include leading foundations such as Ford, Gates, MacArthur and Rockefeller, as well as banks and insurance
companies such as JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Prudential, and MetLife. At Living Cities, Ms. Hacke is
responsible for developing initiatives to aggregate and deploy investment capital in low‐income and underserved
urban communities. She manages the Living Cities Catalyst Fund, a pooled below‐market rate loan fund. She
recently brought together 60 leading thinkers and practitioners in Detroit to consider how to use philanthropic
funding to change the trajectory of an urban economy. Before joining Living Cities in 2007, Ms. Hacke spent ten
years as a venture capitalist, investing in technology start‐ups in Israel and the US. She is a former investment
banker, and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA magna cum laude in Government from Harvard‐
Radcliffe College.
Neil Kleiman
Director, Policy
Living Cities, Inc.
Neil is responsible for framing the policy agenda at Living Cities and producing a series of research reports on a
broad range of community and economic development topics that affect urban areas. Prior to joining Living Cities,
Neil was the Vice President for Policy and Communications at Seedco, one of the nation’s leading workforce and
community lending intermediaries, where he oversaw their research publications. Previously he was the founding
director of the Center for an Urban Future, a New York City‐focused think tank. He has also consulted for
philanthropic, cultural and business‐development organizations including the Fund for the City of New York,
Workforce Strategy Center and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Neil's policy work has been featured in
numerous media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Chronicle of Higher
Education, and Cleveland Plain Dealer. He has also taught urban politics at Barnard College and John Jay College‐
CUNY and been a visiting fellow at Williams College. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Graduate Center
of the City University of New York.
Chuancy Lennon
Program Officer, Quality Employment
The Ford Foundation
Chauncy Lennon is a program officer in the Ford Foundation's Economic Opportunity and Assets program. The
goal of his grant making is to modernize public benefits programs ‐‐ such as Food Stamps, Medicaid, childcare, and
tax credits ‐‐ so that they promote economic stability and labor market advancement for low‐income workers.
Before joining the Ford Foundation in 2009, he was senior vice president for Asset Building at Seedco, where he
was responsible for the growth and operation of national initiatives that connect low‐wage workers to income‐
enhancing benefits and services. He has was also research director for the longitudinal study of mobility patterns
of the working poor featured in "No Shame in My Game: The Working Poor in the Inner City" and "Chutes and
Ladders: Navigating the Low‐Wage Labor Market." He earned his Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University
bachelor's degree from Williams College. He has taught urban studies at Columbia's School of International and
Public Affairs and at Barnard College.
Sam Singh
Senior Consultant
New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan
Sam Singh is a senior consultant to the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan. The New Economy
Initiative for Southeast Michigan is an eight‐year, $100 million effort to help restore the region to a position of
leadership in the new global economy. The New Economy Initiative (NEI) works with other partners in the region
and in the state to sponsor and support activities that prepare, attract and retain talented workers; encourage
innovation and entrepreneurship; and change the region’s culture to embrace learning, work and innovation.
Previously, Mr. Singh served ten years as the President and CEO of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, an 1100
member‐based association that was actively involved in public policy, capacity building and leadership
development for the nonprofit sector. Mr. Singh has been actively involved in politics in the city of East Lansing,
Michigan; serving one term as mayor and three terms on the City Council.
Kris Smith
Program Director
Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
Kristopher Smith is a program director with the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, and
serves as staff to the Restoring Prosperity in Older Industrial Cities working group. In addition, he coordinates a
funder‐led leadership team focused on auto recovery efforts primarily in the Midwest and Great Lakes region.
Prior to joining the Funders’ Network in May 2008, Kris held various positions in the public and non‐profit sector
for the past 12 years. He has worked for the South Florida Local Initiatives Support Corporation as a Senior
Program Officer leading a community revitalization program focused on affordable housing, community safety and
strengthening local economies; administrator in the City of Miami city manager’s office focused on neighborhood
transformation efforts in Overtown; and program manager for leadership development at the Miami office of the
National Conference for Community and Justice. Kris has a Master’s in Public Administration from Nova
Southeastern University and a Bachelor’s in Public Science from Bethune Cookman University.
Whitney Smith
Program Manager
The Joyce Foundation
Whitney Smith joined the Joyce Foundation in November 2005 as the Employment Program Manager. The
Employment Program is focused on improving the labor market outcomes of low‐income, low‐skilled adults in the
Great Lakes region. She is overseeing two major initiatives: a three‐year, $5 million evaluation of employment
programs that serve men recently released from prison and a $15 million system reform effort to improve
employment outcomes of low‐skilled adult learners in five Midwest states. Ms. Smith has broad experience on
welfare and workforce policy, most recently as Associate Director of the Chicago Jobs Council. She has worked with
homeless families in New York City and helped develop a job‐training program for low‐income women. Ms. Smith
is the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Oak Park Regional Housing Center. She holds a bachelor’s
degree from Bowdoin College and a master’s degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the
University of Chicago.
Jasmine Thomas
Program Officer, Strong Local Economies
Surdna Foundation
Jasmine Thomas is the Program Officer for Strong Local Economies at the Surdna Foundation, a national family
foundation based in New York. She has extensive nonprofit experience in the fields of health and mental health,
working at a number of community‐based organizations. Prior to joining Surdna, she served as a Program Officer at
The New York Community Trust where she managed diverse grantmaking portfolios, including Community
Development & Environment. Jasmine received her B.A. in Government & Politics (Political Theory) at the
University of Maryland, College Park. She earned a Masters degree in Philosophy from Columbia University’s
Teachers College. She also holds an M.S.W. from New York University.
Laura Trudeau
Senior Program Director
The Kresge Foundation
Laura J. Trudeau, Senior Program Director, leads The Kresge Foundation’s Detroit Program and Community
Development Team and is a member of the foundation’s Management Team. Prior to joining Kresge in 2001, Ms.
Trudeau was employed by Bank One and its Detroit predecessor, NBD Bank, serving in a number of roles in Public
Affairs, Trust, and Corporate Banking, most recently as Vice President and Midwest Region Head of Philanthropy
and Community Relations. She has served as a volunteer on many civic and community boards , including the non‐
profit Eastern Market Corporation, City Connect Detroit, City Year Detroit, the Local Advisory Committee for
Detroit LISC; the Corporation for Supportive Housing, ArtServe Michigan and the Gleaners Community Food Bank.
Ms. Trudeau has a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Development from Central Michigan University.
Federal Agency
Hilda Solis
Secretary
Department of Labor
Secretary Hilda L. Solis was confirmed as Secretary of Labor on February 24, 2009. Prior to confirmation as
Secretary of Labor, Secretary Solis represented the 32nd Congressional District in California, a position she held
from 2001 – 2009. In the Congress, Solis’ priorities included expanding access to affordable health care, protecting
the environment, and improving the lives of working families. A recognized leader on clean energy jobs, she
authored the Green Jobs Act which provided funding for “green” collar job training for veterans, displaced
workers, at risk youth, and individuals in families under 200 percent of the federal poverty line. In 2007, Solis was
appointed to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission), as well as the
Mexico — United States Interparliamentary Group. In June 2007, Solis was elected Vice Chair of the Helsinki
Commission's General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. She was the only
U.S. elected official to serve on this Committee. A nationally recognized leader on the environment, Solis became
the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2000 for her pioneering work on
environmental justice issues. Her California environmental justice legislation, enacted in 1999, was the first of its
kind in the nation to become law. Solis was first elected to public office in 1985 as a member of the Rio Hondo
Community College Board of Trustees. She served in the California State Assembly from 1992 to 1994, and in 1994
made history by becoming the first Latina elected to the California State Senate. As the chairwoman of the
California Senate Industrial Relations Committee, she led the battle to increase the state's minimum wage from
$4.25 to $5.75 an hour in 1996. She also authored a record seventeen state laws aimed at combating domestic
violence. Solis graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and earned a Master of Public
Administration from the University of Southern California. A former federal employee, she worked in the Carter
White House Office of Hispanic Affairs and was later appointed as a management analyst with the Office of
Management and Budget in the Civil Rights Division. She was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as
Secretary of Labor on January 20, 2009.
John Bienko
Deputy Director, Office of Entrepreneurship Education
U.S. Small Business Administration
John “Jack” Bienko is SBA’s Deputy Director for Entrepreneurship Education. In this capacity, he shares
management oversight of SCORE’s counseling and training program composed of nearly 11,000 volunteers
operating in over 800 locations nationwide. Mr. Bienko also directs SBA’s Office of International Visitors, a
courtesy service to foreign visitors and dignitaries showcasing for international visitors the "American small
business model." Other programs under his purview are SBA's online training network, youth entrepreneurship
services, financial literacy campaigns, SBA’s Emerging 200 initiative and additional special markets outreach
including incubation of new service delivery methods. Jack has held a series of SBA positions with increased
responsibilities including management of outreach initiatives and program teams. Mr. Bienko has also contributed
to special projects for the White House including NATO’s 50th Anniversary Summit and the National Performance
Review. He has served as project lead on a series of SBA high‐profile efforts including National Small Business
Week and Business Matchmaking. Jack was instrumental in expanding SBA’s work in public‐private partnerships
and thereby selected as the senior career official to establish the Agency’s office tasked with developing corporate
and trade association relationships. His experience with SBA operations such as contracting, grants management,
marketing, training, and partnership development has proven valuable to previous endeavors and continues to
make him a key member of SBA’s team. Mr. Bienko received a Master of Arts in Architecture and Planning from
the University of Buffalo prior to be accepted as a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Government. His
previous experience includes work with the United Way, the City of Buffalo, NY, the U.S. Olympic Committee, the
National Football League, Special Olympics, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Michael A. Brown
Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff
U.S. Small Business Administration
Michael Brown is the special assistant to the chief of staff. Previously, Brown served as a regional field director for
the Obama for America Campaign for Change, where he was responsible for developing strategies aimed at
increasing the electorate in Atlanta and Detroit. He was also the regional political director for several states during
the campaign primaries. Brown holds a master’s degree in public administration from North Carolina Central
University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of South Carolina.
Aimee Dobrzeniecki
Deputy Director, Manufacturing Extension Partnership
National Institute of Standards and Techonology
Aimee Dobrzeniecki is the Deputy Director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) at the Department
of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards of Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
MEP is a national network with hundreds of specialists who understand the needs of manufacturers. For the past
20 years, MEP has worked with thousands of manufacturers delivering $1.44 billion in cost savings annually and
$10.5 billion in increased or retained sales in one year. MEP provides companies with access to public and private
resources that enhance growth, improve productivity, and expand capacity. MEP works with companies willing to
invest in their future, to make improvements in the short term, and to position themselves to be stronger long‐
term competitors both domestically and internationally. Before working for the Department of Commerce, Aimee
acquired manufacturing technology experience through her work in ground weapon systems development for the
Department of the Army Tank‐Automotive Command in Warren, Michigan and through her work in gear research
and manufacturing for the IIT Research Institute in Chicago, Illinois. Beginning in 1994, Aimee also worked in the
MEP system as a field agent—first, in a position at The Chicago Manufacturing Center and second, at the
Manufacturers Resource Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she assisted dozens of small and medium‐sized
manufacturers. Aimee received an EMBA in 2004 from George Washington University and a BS in Mechanical
Engineering from Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Michigan in 1987.
Charles Imohiosen
Special Assistant to the Senior Policy Counsel, Office of the Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Charles Imohiosen is Special Assistant to the Senior Policy Counsel to Administrator Lisa Jackson at the
Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to joining EPA, Charles was an attorney specializing in complex litigation
matters at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP in New York City. Before that, he worked as
a policy advisor to the Manhattan Borough President in New York City, where he focused on economic
development issues. Charles is a graduate of Williams College and Harvard Law School, and served as a law clerk
for a federal judge in New York. He is married with two children.
Brian McGowan
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer, Economic
Development Administration
Department of Commerce
Brian McGowan was appointed U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and Chief
Operating Officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) in
September 2009. Before joining the Obama Administration, he was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger and
served as California’s Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Commerce. McGowan has over 15 years of
economic development experience at all levels of government. McGowan's broad experience in the field of
economic development has allowed him to create and implement comprehensive and award winning
marketing/public relations campaigns, workforce development initiatives, business retention/expansion programs
Brookings
Bruce Katz
Vice President and Director
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
Bruce Katz is a Vice President at the Brookings Institution and founding Director of the Brookings Metropolitan
Policy Program. The Metro Program seeks to redefine the challenges facing cities and metropolitan areas by
publishing cutting edge research on major demographic, market, development and governance trends.
Mr. Katz regularly advises national, state, regional and municipal leaders on policy reforms that advance the
competitiveness of metropolitan areas. He focuses particularly on reforms that promote the revitalization of
central cities and older suburbs and enhance the ability of these places to attract, retain and grow the middle class.
In 2006, he received the prestigious Heinz Award in Public Policy for his contributions to urban and metropolitan
America. Before joining Brookings, Mr. Katz served as Chief of Staff to Henry G. Cisneros, former Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Katz has also served as the staff director of the Senate
Subcommittee on Housing and Urban
Amy Liu
Deputy Director
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
Amy Liu is the Deputy Director and co‐founder of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. The program
produces research and policy ideas that advance the health and prosperity of cities and metropolitan areas. Ms.
Liu has co‐authored a number of Brookings publications that focus on state and local reforms in such places as
Washington, DC, Louisville, and Pennsylvania. She has been a frequent speaker and author on the rebuilding
efforts in greater New Orleans and southern Louisiana post Hurricane Katrina. She is often cited for her co‐
authorship of the “The New Orleans Index: Tracking Recovery of New Orleans & the Metro Area.” For the
Brookings Opportunity 2008 initiative, Ms. Liu wrote "Pathways to the Middle Class: Ensuring Greater Upward
Mobility for All Americans" with Hugh Price. Prior to Brookings, Ms. Liu was Special Assistant to HUD Secretary
Henry Cisneros and staffed the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committee.
Howard Wial
Fellow
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
Past Positions include: Instructor in Economics at Swarthmore College, Brandeis University, Carleton College, and
Brown University; Instructor in Industrial Relations at Pennsylvania State University; Instructor in Law at Rutgers
University‐Camden. Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Technology Assessment, and General
Accounting Office. Research Director of the AFL‐CIO Working for America Institute and the Keystone Research
Center
John Austin
Nonresident Senior Fellow
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
John Austin, 47, is a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Brookings Institution, as well as a Michigan statewide
elected official, reelected in 2008 to his second‐term as Vice‐President of the Michigan State Board of Education.
Mr. Austin is also a resident scholar at the University of Michigan ‐ Institute for Research on Labor, Employment
and the Economy (IRLEE). Austin currently directs the Great Lakes Economic Initiative for the Brookings Institution,
designed to improve the economic vitality of the Great Lakes states. Austin has authored key Brookings reports
that have directly shaped the region’s economic development agenda: “The Vital Center: A Federal‐State Compact
to Renew the Great Lakes Region;” “The Vital Connection: Reclaiming Great Lakes Economic Leadership in the Bi‐
National Great Lakes Region;” and “Healthy Waters, Strong Economy” (See
www.brookings.edu/projects/greatlakes.aspx) In recent years Mr. Austin has served as Policy Director for
Michigan’s Governor‐appointed Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth, and was principal author
of the Commission’s influential report. He also was the founding Director of the New Economy Initiative for
Southeast Michigan—a $100 million effort by the region’s philanthropies to aid in the area’s economic
transformation. In 2002 he co‐authored the report Revitalizing Michigan Cities, with Michigan Future, Inc., which
led to Governor Granholm’s “Cool Cities” initiative. Austin received his Masters in Public Administration from
Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelors from Swarthmore College in Economics & Political
Science, with High Honors and Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Austin has been married 21 years to his wife Terese. They and
their three school‐age children reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.