WASHINGTON—The nation's governors will gather in Washington, D.C. later this month for the 2007 National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting.

Beginning Saturday, Feb. 24, a bipartisan group of governors from the U.S. states and territories will come together for four days of meetings at the J.W. Marriott Hotel. Nearly 50 governors are expected to participate in the meeting, which will include sessions with the president, members of his cabinet, Congressional members, academic leaders, business executives and other experts for discussions on a host of issues and challenges facing states.

Improving the nation's economic competitiveness through innovation is the key topic on the governors' meeting agenda this year. In addition, governors will explore globalization and its affect on state competitiveness, public-private partnerships in early childhood education, children's health and clean energy investment during the four standing committee sessions: Economic Development and Commerce; Education, Early Childhood and Workforce; Health and Human Services; and Natural Resources. All four committees will meet Monday, Feb. 26.

The theme of innovation will run throughout the meeting, building on NGA Chair Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano's Innovation America initiative.

Governors will have the opportunity for candid dialogue during three "Governors Only" sessions and will participate in a series of breakout sessions to discuss state strategies for improving student achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and promising state strategies for promoting innovation-based economic development.

Sunday's plenary session will highlight the importance of STEM in creating an "innovation environment" in every state—and the nation. James H. Simons, founder and chair of Math for America and president of Renaissance Technologies Corporation, will deliver a keynote address focused on the importance of improving student achievement in math. In addition, a panel of educators representing the different facets of STEM will address governors, including Dean Kamen, inventor, entrepreneur and advocate for science and technology; Mary Ann Rankin, dean of the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas; and William H. Schmidt, University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University.

The session will conclude with a presentation by noted communications consultant Frank Luntz, who will speak about effective ways to communicate about innovation.

On Sunday night, governors and their spouses will travel to the White House for a black-tie evening with President and Mrs. Bush. The following day, governors will return to the White House for meetings with the president and members of his cabinet regarding many of the critical issues topping the legislative agenda during the current Congress.

The winter meeting will conclude with a final plenary session Tuesday morning, Feb. 27, featuring U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who will speak about the federal role in innovation and competitiveness.

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Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation's governors and one of Washington, D.C.'s most respected public policy organizations. Its members are the governors of the 50 states, three territories and two commonwealths. NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues to developing and implementing innovative solutions to public policy challenges through the NGA Center for Best Practices. For more information, visit www.nga.org.