Governors’ education policy, workforce, and economic advisors attended the 2011 Joint Governors’ Policy Advisors Institute in Seattle, Washington, June 9 -11. At the meeting, “Navigating the New Normal: Strategies to Improve Productivity and Competitiveness”, advisors were offered the opportunity to hear from national experts on education, workforce and economic issues, share state best practices, and network with colleagues. Topics covered during the meeting included: implementing common core state standards; evaluating educator effectiveness; improving K-12 and higher education productivity; accelerating the growth of emerging industries and preparing workers for the jobs they create; engaging the research side of universities in state economic growth; and, redesigning economic and workforce funding strategies.

AGENDA

PRESENTATIONS:

Education Advisors Pre-Meeting

  • What Can We Learn from High Performing Nations?
    • Marc Tucker, president, National Center on Education and the Economy
  • Lessons Learned from Governors’ Education Advisors
    • Donna Cooper, former education advisor, Office of Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell
    • Scott Jenkins, former education advisor, Office of Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
  • Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Discussion
    • Joan Wodiska, director, Education, Early Childhood, and Workforce Committee, National Governors Association
  • Evaluating Educator Effectiveness
    • Ben Fenton, co-founder and chief strategy officer, New Leaders for New Schools
    • Ellen Goldring, Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor of education policy and leadership, Vanderbilt University
    • Tom Kane, deputy director for research and data, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Building a Birth-3rd Grade State Policy Framework
    • Swati Adarkar, executive director, Oregon Children’s Institute
    • Bette Hyde, director, Washington Department of Early Learning
    • Jennifer Stedron, senior policy advisor, Early Childhood Education, Office of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
  • State Policies to Support School Choice
    • Greg Richmond, president & chief executive officer, National Alliance of Charter School Authorizers
    • Todd Ziebarth, vice president for state advocacy and support, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
  • Economic and Workforce Advisors Pre-Meeting
  • Welcome & Introductions
    • Mary Jo Waits, director, Economic, Human Services, and Workforce Division, NGA Center
  • The Playbook to Sustain Economic Growth
    • Edward Glaeser, director, Taubman Center on State and Local Government, Harvard University, and Author, Triumph of the City
  • Hot Topics in State Workforce and Economic Development Policy
    • Cheryl Slobodian, director, Operations Support and Small Business Consulting, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting
    • Steven VanAusdle, president, Walla Walla Community College
    • Mary Trimarco, Managing Director, Washington State Department of Commerce
    • Todd Hardy, associate vice president for economic affairs, Arizona State University
  • Mastering the State R&D Investment Challenge: How to Engage the Research Side of Higher Education
  • The Top 10 Things Governors Can Do to Advance Workforce Development
    • Martin Simon, program director, Economic, Human Services, and Workforce Division, NGA Center
  • Geeks, Foodies, and Global Health Activists: How Washington Is Finding Its Next Top Clusters in Unexpected Places
    • Vajra Allan, project administrator, Global Health Technologies Fund, Washington Global Health Alliance
    • Kristina Hudson, business development manager and interactive & digital media specialist, enterpriseSeattle
    • Steven VanAusdle, president, Walla Walla Community College
    • Egils Milbergs, executive director, Washington Economic Development Commission

Joint Advisors Institute

  • Focusing on Our Strengths: What It’s Going to Take to Keep America Competitive
    • Vivek Wadhwa, senior research associate, Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School
  • Know Your Industries, Meet Their Needs
  • Getting the Adult Workforce Up to Speed
    • Lavon Nelson, senior director for workforce development, Illinois Community College Board
  • Accelerating the Growth of Emerging Industries and Preparing Workers for the Jobs They Create
    • Elliot Forsyth, vice president, Workforce Operations, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
    • Eric Shreffler, sector director, Advanced Energy Storage, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
  • Shaping the State's Future Economy by Preparing the Skilled Workforce of the Future
    • Nathan Furr, assistant professor of entrepreneurship, Brigham Young University, and Author of The New Entrepreneur blog on Forbes.com
  • Preparing a New Kind of Multi-Skilled Worker: New Partnerships, New Degrees, Even New Colleges
    • Elizabeth Ambos, assistant vice chancellor for research initiatives and partnerships, California State University
    • Stephen Schiffman, interim vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, Olin College
  • Thinking Big About Community Colleges
    • Irving Pressley McPhail, president and chief executive officer, National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering
    • Heather Van Sickle, executive director, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship
  • Improving Productivity across the Pipeline
    • Marguerite Roza, senior data and economic advisor, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
    • Jane Wellman, executive director, Delta Cost Project
  • New Investment Strategies in Economic Development and Workforce
    • Charles Fadel, global education lead, Cisco Systems
    • Eleni Papadakis, executive director, Washington Workforce Training and Education Board