Institute for Emerging Issues Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Institute for Emerging Issues
The Institute for Emerging Issues at NC State University wants to connect you with people thinking big thoughts about the future of North Carolina. We talk with business leaders, elected officials, researchers, faith leaders, people working bottom up and top down to make North Carolina great. We hope you’ll use their thinking to jumpstart your thinking about our state – where it is and where we might go together.
Financial barriers are among the most common hurdles to accessing education. Earlier this year, a federal law was passed expanding Pell Grant eligibility to include short-term workforce training programs. It was also announced that the expansion of the Short-Term Workforce Development Grant would include registered apprentices who are actively participating in an apprenticeship and are enrolled in Workforce Continuing Education courses. By making these programs more accessible, North Carolinians are able to obtain jobs in high-demand fields like data science, engineering, healthcare, information technology and manufacturing.
In this episode of “The Connector,” IEI Director Sarah Hall and NC Community College System Associate VP of Workforce Strategies Dr. Andrew Gardner break down the significance of these funding opportunities for North Carolinians and the state’s community colleges, and how this helps drive progress toward the state’s workforce development and educational attainment goals.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
The digital divide–the gap between people who have digital access and those who do not–impacts every facet of life, including healthcare, workforce opportunities, disaster response and more. To help address this issue, the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Office of Digital Opportunity recently released the North Carolina Digital Skills Standards, designed to equip North Carolinians with the digital tools and competencies necessary to thrive in today’s connected economy and society.
In this episode of “The Connector,” IEI Digital Opportunities Initiative Lead Jess Epsten talks with three digital opportunity leaders: NC State William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation Director of Digital Learning Emma Braaten and Digital Literacy Coordinator Becky Evans-Wilson, and NCDIT Office of Digital Opportunity Director Maggie Woods. Together, they take a deep dive into the standard’s six key areas of focus and how practitioners across sectors can use them.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
Great teachers are at the heart of successful workforce development. Celebrating a quarter-century of impact since its inception in 2000, NC State’s Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership (KFP) recognizes the vital role educators play in empowering students and shaping the workforce of tomorrow. Partnering with industry experts and community leaders, KFP offers K-12 educators innovative immersion experiences within local industries, community organizations and higher education institutions, giving them firsthand insights into career pathways and relevant workforce skills. These insights are then translated into programs and resources that bridge the gap between classrooms and the workforce.
In this episode of “The Connector,” IEI Director Sarah Hall is joined by KFP Director Dr. Vance Kite and Associate Director Mark Townley to explore the program’s history, how its unique industry immersions work, success stories of educators who have participated in the program and what’s next as KFP continues to evolve.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
Today's youth are the workforce of tomorrow. In this episode of "The Connector," IEI Director Sarah Hall sits down with two leaders who are revolutionizing high school education and workforce development: SparkNC President Dr. Lynn Moody and District C CEO Dan Gonzalez, to talk about their unique model for empowering high school students to build skills and explore careers in the tech industry. Now in more than 25 school districts across the state, SparkNC ignites students' passions through learner-centered, industry-relevant experiences, while District C's re-imagined internships, known as "teamships," provide students with a hands-on, team-based approach to solve real-world problems.
Hall, Gonzalez and Dr. Moody also discuss the outcomes of the inaugural SparkNC Exchange, which brought together more than 130 high school students at UNC Wilmington to explore tech fields and build valuable professional skills.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
Imagine getting a raise, only to lose more in vital public assistance for necessities like food, housing and childcare. This is referred to as the “benefits cliff,” a concept many North Carolinians learned about at the 2024 Emerging Issues Forum on financial resilience. Public assistance programs often lack a gradual reduction in benefits as a household's income increases, leading to an abrupt “drop off” once a certain income threshold is met.
In this episode of “The Connector,” Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont Stakeholder Engagement Manager Justin Taylor joins IEI Communications and Marketing Director Jennifer Heiss to talk about the basics of the benefits cliff, how the cliff impacts the financial well-being of households, and strategies organizations can use to navigate the cliff and better support their communities. Taylor also shares the Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster, also known as CLIFF tools, to help employees and job seekers understand how higher earnings affect public benefits so they can make informed decisions.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
How can we empower the next generation to shape sustainable cities? In this special episode of “The Connector,” IEI’s 2024-2025 Hunt Intern Katherine Helms speaks with three urban planning experts: NC State University Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor and Faculty Scholar Dr. Kofi Boone, City of Raleigh Senior Energy & Sustainability Strategist James Hardin and McAdams Principal and Vice President of Urban Planning Mitchell Silver. They explore the crucial role education and community engagement plays in fostering sustainable urban living, discuss how students can get involved, and share emerging trends and technologies in sustainable urban design. This episode also features questions about urban planning from NC State students shared by IEI interns Jenny Browne, Crystal Leung and Nathan Yilma.
This discussion is part of IEI’s ongoing series related to the 2025-2027 Emerging Issues Forums exploring North Carolina’s future-forward infrastructure, with particular focus on energy, water and housing.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
North Carolina’s rapid population growth presents significant housing and real estate challenges. In this episode of “The Connector,” IEI Director Sarah Hall is joined by award-winning author and Peter A. Pappas Real Estate Development Program Director Chuck Flink. Together, they chat about the backstory of the Pappas Real Estate Development Program within NC State’s College of Design, and how this unique educational program equips students and professionals with the skills to build resilient communities and promote sustainable land use through practicum-based academics, sponsored research and real-world application. Hall and Flink also explore the impactful outcomes of the program and crucial next steps in addressing the state’s evolving infrastructure needs.
Housing will also be the focus of the 2027 Emerging Issues Forum, part of IEI’s 2025-2027 Emerging Issues Forum series on North Carolina’s future-forward infrastructure.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
Many families across North Carolina are unprepared for an economic downturn or just one emergency away from a financial crisis. According to a 2023 survey by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 40 percent of American households reported they would be unable to cover more than a month’s expenses if they lost their main source of income. The 2024 Emerging Issues Forum examined financial resilience: a household’s ability to financially withstand and recover from economic challenges.
In this episode of “The Connector” IEI Director Sarah Hall and United Way of North Carolina President and CEO Brittany Pruitt Fletcher unpack the newly released ALICE Report – “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.” The report is a comprehensive depiction of financial need in the state, placing a spotlight on households earning more than the official Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford basic expenses such as housing, transportation, food and childcare.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
The 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics, examined labor force participation and the barriers various worker groups face in finding and keeping jobs. A key barrier identified was access to childcare for parents and caregivers of young children.
This episode of "The Connector" features IEI Director Sarah Hall joined by three special guests: NC Department of Commerce Child Care Business Liaison Samantha Cole, NC Partnership for Children Director of Strategic Initiatives Mary Scott and Cleveland County Partnership for Children Executive Director Dr. Shannon White.
They dive into the new Child Care Business Liaison role, created to address the childcare gap as part of the state's economic development plan, and NC Tri-Share, a pilot program designed to make childcare more accessible for working families.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
Over the next three years, IEI’s Emerging Issues Forum will examine North Carolina’s key infrastructure needs as a result of the state’s rapidly growing population and evolving economic opportunities. The Future Forward Infrastructure series will focus on three interrelated issues: energy, water and housing, while also folding in other challenges and themes like transportation, broadband access, workforce development and affordability.
In this episode, IEI Community Initiatives Director Samantha Graham and City of Raleigh Sustainability Director Megan Anderson dive into the past, present and future of sustainable infrastructure plans and programming in Raleigh and ways North Carolinians can get involved in the City’s efforts.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
What exactly is the educational attainment gap? Why should North Carolinians care and how are we tackling this challenge?
For the 2022 Emerging Issues Forum, IEI partnered with myFutureNC to highlight North Carolina’s educational attainment gap and the state’s goal of 2 million North Carolinians aged 25-44 holding an industry-valued credential or postsecondary degree by the year 2030.
In this episode of The Connector, IEI Director Sarah Hall and myFutureNC President and CEO Cecilia Holden break down what the educational attainment gap is, the story behind “2 million by 2030” and where we are now in reaching that goal. They also explore the latest insights from the 2025 State of Educational Attainment Report as well as next steps to achieve this ambitious goal.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of The Connector, IEI Director Sarah Hall is joined by Forbes Field Associates Principal Ron Painter to talk about workforce development in North Carolina and the importance of bolstering today's workforce leaders while building the leaders of tomorrow. They also give a preview of the 2025 Strategic Workforce Leadership Initiative, a comprehensive professional development program designed for leaders engaged in workforce or economic development.
The program, which takes place April 29 - May 2 at NC State University, aims to equip professionals with the strategic insights and leadership skills needed to understand the economic conditions of their community and state, and leverage those strengths to capitalize on opportunities as they emerge.
To learn more about the 2025 Strategic Workforce Leadership Initiative and to reserve your spot, visit go.ncsu.edu/workforceleader.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of “The Connector,” IEI Policy and Program Manager Tarik Woods sits down with Chris Carmody, Executive Director of the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association, and Dr. Deb Wojcik, Executive Director of Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster. Together, they discuss North Carolina’s energy goals, what it will take to achieve them, and the economic advantages of a forward-thinking energy economy that balances the needs of both residents and industry. They also offer insights into the future of energy generation in the state.
This episode is also a continuation of the special series previewing the 2025 Emerging Issues Forum: Future Forward Energy on Feb. 19. Tickets for the forum are available at go.ncsu.edu/2025forum.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform—or watch this episode on IEI’s YouTube channel.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
Have you ever wondered where the energy that powers your home comes from, how it is generated and what careers are available in the energy industry?
In this episode of “The Connector,” NC Sustainable Energy Association Director of Policy Cassie Gavin and BEST NC Vice President of Policy and Programs Maureen Stover join IEI Policy and Program Manager Tarik Woods to talk about how energy policy works, the basics of North Carolina’s energy landscape and ways to encourage students to explore careers in the energy industry.
This episode is a continuation of the special series previewing the 2025 Emerging Issues Forum: Future Forward Energy on Feb. 19. Tickets for the forum are available at go.ncsu.edu/2025forum.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode and season two premiere of The Connector, host and IEI Policy and Program Manager Tarik Woods is joined by Dr. Michael “Mike” Cline, North Carolina’s State Demographer, and Alyssa Brown Moseley, Research Director at Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC).
North Carolina is expanding rapidly. Most projections estimate that by 2050 more than 14 million people will call North Carolina home, surpassing Ohio and Georgia. Woods, Cline and Moseley discuss these demographic trends shaping the state, what’s drawing new businesses to North Carolina and how the state is responding to its energy landscape to meet these evolving demands.
This episode kicks off a special series previewing the 2025 Emerging Issues Forum: Future Forward Energy, happening on Feb. 19. Tickets for the forum are available at go.ncsu.edu/2025forum**.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform—or watch this episode on IEI’s YouTube channel**.
The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of The Connector, The Collaborative Executive Director Marquita Robertson and Center for Responsible Lending Director of NC Policy Rochelle Sparko speak with Institute for Emerging Issues Communications Director Jennifer Heiss about what it means to be unbanked, and steps those who are unbanked can take to protect their money and get set up with FDIC insured bank accounts.
This episode is part of a special podcast series highlighting themes that came out of the 2024 Emerging Issues Forum**.
Web links referenced in this episode:
The Collaborative: thecollaborativenc.org
Center for Responsible Lending: responsiblelending.org
National Foundation for Credit Counseling: nfcc.org
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.**
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of The Connector, SaverLife Vice President of Research and Policy Mat Despard speaks with Institute for Emerging Issues Communications Director Jennifer Heiss about how employer benefits - such as access to healthcare, retirement savings accounts, and more - can help employees and their families achieve household financial resilience.
This episode is the first in a special podcast series highlighting themes that came out of the 2024 Emerging Issues Forum.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of The Connector, Institute for Emerging Issues Communications Intern Adam Sichel speaks with IEI Director Sarah Hall and National Advisory Board Member Jack Cecil about how IEI’s Emerging Issues Forums from 2022 to 2024 all tie together as a thematic three-part series on supporting North Carolinians’ economic development.
Cecil and Hall discuss the goals behind developing this series of forums, as well as how pivotal partnerships with groups such as myFutureNC, alongside the unforeseen impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately shaped these forums.
“By working together and participating in Emerging Issues Forums, we can raise awareness to help alleviate these burdens and empower families to overcome challenges and provide opportunities for all,” said Cecilia Holden, CEO and President of myFutureNC.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In the latest episode of The Connector, IEI Communications Director Jennifer Heiss speaks with Melissa Hart, senior lecturer in finance at NC State University Poole College of Management and adjunct professor at UNC Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School, about educating students of all ages on personal finance. Hart discusses the role technology plays in accessing personal finance information, and strategies for making the best decision for your unique individual situation.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
As the first full year of The Connector Podcast comes to a close, IEI Director Sarah Hall and IEI Director of Community Initiatives Samantha Graham ask the question: What gives you hope? Podcast guests answered this question throughout the year, giving listeners insight into the unique challenges and successes they see across the state in increasing educational attainment, bridging North Carolina’s digital divide, and more. This episode highlights some of their responses.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
It’s the holiday season! As you prepare to gather with friends and family, now is also a great time to prepare to handle conflict and difficult conversations that may come up during your holiday gathering.
In this episode of The Connector, IEI Director Sarah Hall speaks with MDC Vice President of Partnerships and Programs Calvin Allen and MDC Program Director Kathryn Gaasch about navigating conflict during the holidays. Allen and Gaasch share ways to prepare guests and yourself in advance to foster an enjoyable holiday gathering, as well as strategies for navigating difficult conversations in the moment.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of The Connector, IEI Assistant Director Pat Cronin introduces the 2024 Emerging Issues Forum, Weathering Financial Storms: A Resilient Future for North Carolina Families.
Cronin provides an overview of financial resilience and shares a sneak peak into what attendees can expect at the forum, including keynote remarks from The Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary and insights on financial decision making from experts with the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University. Tickets are currently available for purchase.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of The Connector, Wake Forest University Pre-College Programs Executive Director Kyla Hollingsworth discusses the long-term impact of their College LAUNCH for Leadership program - a free, nine month leadership program that prepares high school juniors in Winston-Salem, Charlotte and surrounding communities for college.
This is the fourth installment of our “Checking In” series with members of the Institute For Emerging Issues’ Educational Attainment Community Cohort. Listen to previous episodes of this series below:
Checking in with Wilson Education Partnership
Checking in with Isothermal Community College
Checking in with Communities Supporting Schools of Wayne County
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In this episode of The Connector Podcast, Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Digital Inclusion Initiative Leader Samantha Graham is joined by High Country Council of Governments GIS Analyst and Planner Tatiana Magee, and Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Library Regional Director Amber Briggs to discuss how they got involved in digital inclusion planning, the biggest successes and challenges they’re seeing in the communities they serve, and how implementation funding will directly impact residents of western North Carolina.
This episode is the third and final installment in our series exploring the challenges and opportunities of bridging North Carolina’s digital divide. Listen to the previous episodes here:
- Episode 16: National Support for Bridging North Carolina’s Digital Divide
- Episode 17: The Role of Libraries in Digital Inclusion
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
A recent review of digital inclusion plans across North Carolina showed that libraries were the most cited community asset for digital access and support by people of all ages.
In this episode of The Connector Podcast, Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Digital Inclusion Initiative Leader Samantha Graham and BAND-NC Project Specialist Jess Epsten are joined by State Library of North Carolina Digital Literacy Skills Coordinator Lori Special to talk about the critical role libraries play in expanding digital literacy and access across North Carolina communities.
This episode is the second installment in our three-part series exploring the challenges and opportunities of bridging North Carolina’s digital divide.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In episode this of The Connector, guest host and IEI Digital Inclusion Initiative Leader Samantha Graham is joined by National Digital Inclusion Alliance Policy Director Amy Huffman for the first installment in our newest series exploring the challenges and opportunities of bridging North Carolina’s digital divide.
Graham talks with Huffman about what the NDIA is doing nationally to help states in their digital equity and inclusion efforts, as well as how North Carolina’s efforts measure up when compared to the rest of the country.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.
In episode 15 of The Connector, host James Herrick and Institute for Emerging Issues Assistant Director Pat Cronin are joined by Wilson Education Partnership Executive Director Robin Williams for the third installment of our “Checking In” series with members of IEI’s Educational Attainment Community Cohort.
Williams talks with Herrick and Cronin about the work Wilson Education Partnership is doing to build relationships between business leaders and public high schools in Wilson County to prepare students to enter the workforce. As a one person shop, Williams also discusses why she decided to join IEI’s community cohort and how peer learning helped her to improve WEP’s programming in Wilson County.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In episode 14 of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues Assistant Director Pat Cronin and Isothermal Community College Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Greg Thomas for the second installment of our “Checking In” series with members of IEI’s Educational Attainment Community Cohort.
Thomas talks with Herrick and Cronin about ICC’s approach to community engagement and how the college is making education, and good paying jobs, accessible and attainable for traditional and nontraditional students in Rutherford and Polk counties.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In episode 13 of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues Assistant Director Pat Cronin and Communities Supporting Schools (CSS) of Wayne County Executive Director Selena Bennett.
Bennett talks with Herrick and Cronin about the work CSS of Wayne County is doing to close the educational attainment gap and help kids stay in school, the many ways the local Wayne County community is supporting the mission of CSS, and what she has learned from her experience on IEI’s Educational Attainment Community Cohort.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In episode 12 of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues Director Sarah Hall and NC Tech Paths Director of Strategic Partnerships Ariana Williamson.
Williamson talks with Herrick and Hall about her time on the Talent First Economics Task Force, the common barrier she has seen faced by groups of underrepresented workers, and the impact learning pathways are making in preparing workers for jobs.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In the final installment of Talent First Tuesdays, Institute for Emerging Issues Director Sarah Hall and ncIMPACT Initiative Research Director Jess Dorrance are joined by NC Department of Commerce Economist Jonathan Guarine, Men and Women United for Youth and Families Executive Director Randolph Keaton, and NENC Career Pathways Workforce Connector Brandi Bragg to discuss barriers faced when connecting opportunity youth - those who are between the ages of 16 and 24, and not employed or in school - to the workforce.
Talent First Tuesdays is a special five-part series of The Connector Podcast highlighting breakout sessions from the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics. The goal of Talent First Tuesdays is to continue important conversations around putting the needs of talent first, and helping underrepresented workers find employment and stay engaged in the workplace.
Previous Talent First Tuesdays can be accessed below.
Justice-Involved Persons
Transitioning Military and their Families
Families and Caregivers of Young Children
Individuals with Disabilities and/or Neurodiversity
About The Connector
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In our Families and Caregivers of Young Children conversation, IEI Director Sarah Hall and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Foundation Early Childhood Director Rob Thompson were joined by NC Department of Commerce Strategic Data Analyst Neil Harrington, NC Early Childhood Foundation Executive Director Muffy Grant and Community Action Opportunities Life Works Coach Ashanti Ternoir to discuss the barriers faced by parents of children under the age of five, such as lack of available child care.
Registration for Talent First Tuesdays is free and required. Click on each session below to learn more and register.
Tuesday, May 23, at 9 a.m.: Opportunity Youth
About The Connector
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In our Individuals with Disabilities and/or Neurodiversity conversation, IEI Director Sarah Hall was joined by NC Department of Commerce Data Analytics and Research Team Director Oleksandr Movchan, NC Department of Commerce Executive Assistant to the Secretary Toya Crichlow, NC Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Employment and Inclusion Chris Egan, Disability:IN North Carolina Executive Director Beth Butler Fadel and NC Business Committee for Education Deputy Director Morgan Crawford to discuss the barriers faced by individuals with disabilities and/or neurodiversity when entering the workforce.
Registration for Talent First Tuesdays is free and required. Click on each session below to learn more and register.
Tuesday, May 23, at 9 a.m.: Opportunity Youth
About The Connector
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In the second installment of Talent First Tuesdays, Institute for Emerging Issues Director Sarah Hall and Industry Expansion Solutions Director of Defense Industry Initiatives Michael Mullins are joined by Josh Levy with the NC Department of Commerce, Erin Ananian-Gentile with the NC Military Business Center and Tyler Klemas with Duke Energy Corporation to discuss barriers faced by military veterans and their families when entering the workforce.
Talent First Tuesdays is a special five part series of The Connector Podcast featuring each breakout session panel from the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics. The goal of Talent First Tuesdays is to continue important conversations around putting the needs of talent first, and helping underrepresented workers find employment and stay engaged in the workplace.
Registration for Talent First Tuesdays is free and required. Click on each session below to learn more and register.
Tuesday, May 16, at 9 a.m.: Families with Young Children
Tuesday, May 16, at 10 a.m.: Disability/Neurodiversity
Tuesday, May 23, at 9 a.m.: Opportunity Youth
Missed the first Talent First Tuesdays featuring the justice-involved panel from the Emerging Issues Forum?
Watch the recording
Listen to the discussion on The Connector
About The Connector
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
The Institute for Emerging Issues is hosting a special five episode series of The Connector Podcast called Talent First Tuesdays. In this series, IEI is welcoming back each breakout session panel from the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics to continue the important conversations that took place earlier this year.
In this episode, IEI Director Sarah Hall and NC State University Director of Economic Partnership Tom White are joined by NC Department of Commerce Senior Economist Andrew Berger-Gross, Arise Collective Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Jackson, Meridian Behavioral Health Services Certified Peer Support Specialist Nathan Cartwright and IEI Practitioner in Residence Philip Cooper to discuss barriers faced by justice-involved workers, as well as programs that are helping them successfully enter or reenter the workforce.
The 2023 forum brought together people from different perspectives and backgrounds to discuss putting the needs of talent first, and helping underrepresented workers find employment and stay engaged in the workplace.
Registration for Talent First Tuesdays is free and required to attend. Click on each session below to learn more and register.
Tuesday, May 9, at 10 a.m.: Transitioning Military and their Families
Tuesday, May 16, at 9 a.m.: Families with Young Children
Tuesday, May 16, at 10 a.m.: Disability/Neurodiversity
Tuesday, May 23, at 9 a.m.: Opportunity Youth
If you’d like to ask a question of the panel but can’t make a session, email your question to ieicommunications@ncsu.edu.
In episode six of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by NC Association of Workforce Development Boards Executive Director Stephanie Deese.
Deese provides an overview of workforce development boards—what they are, what purpose they serve, how they help communities and how people can get involved.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In episode five of The Connector, host James Herrick takes us back to the 2014 Emerging Issues Forum where the topic was teacher quality in North Carolina - specifically training, retaining and supporting world-class teachers in every classroom to secure our state’s future economic competitiveness. Guest Brenda Berg, president and CEO of BEST NC joins Herrick to discuss the recommendations that came from the 2014 forum and where they stand today, as well as BEST NC’s latest report, Teacher Pay in North Carolina: A Smart Investment in Student Achievement.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In episode four of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Practitioner-In-Residence Philip Cooper, NCWorks Commission Executive Director Annie Izod and IEI Director Sarah Langer Hall.
Together, Cooper, Izod and Hall recap the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, including connections that were made and explored opportunities that will help break down barriers for underrepresented members of North Carolina’s workforce. Hall also gave a preview of how the institute will continue to move this work forward.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In episode three of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Director Sarah Langer Hall and IEI Policy Intern Brodie Smith.
The 2023 Emerging Issues Forum is examining ways to overcome barriers and help workers find employment and stay engaged in the workplace. As part of his internship with IEI, Smith took a deep dive into each of the five groups of underrepresented workers at the center of Talent First Economics. Herrick, Hall and Smith discuss Smith’s research and the reports he developed on each group, and the role his research played in helping IEI understand the issues and opportunities around these particular workers.
The reports can be viewed at the following links:
Transitioning Military and their Families
Disability/Neurodiversity
Parents and Caregivers of Young Children
Opportunity Youth
Justice-Involved Individuals
This and other episodes of The Connector offer a sneak peak into the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics. Tickets for the forum are available at go.ncsu.edu/TalentFirstNC.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In Episode two of The Connector, Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Director Sarah Langer Hall is joined by IEI Practitioner in Residence Philip Cooper and Daniel Vuono with East Fork Pottery in Asheville.
Hall, Cooper and Vuono discuss the importance of inclusive hiring and working with talent partners to open opportunities to overlooked candidates. They also discuss how working with talent partners can help businesses ensure that employees are able to navigate benefits and wrap-around services while succeeding on the job.
This and other episodes of The Connector offer a sneak peak into the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics. Tickets for the forum are available at go.ncsu.edu/TalentFirstNC.
IEI’s The Connector Podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
The Institute for Emerging Issues presents: The Connector
IEI’s The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina.
In Episode One, host and IEI Interim Director Sarah Langer Hall speaks with IEI Practitioner in Residence Philip Cooper and Vitrelle Hospitality General Manager Scott Kirschner about the labor shortage and effective ways to connect underrepresented workers to the workforce.
This and upcoming episodes of The Connector will offer a sneak peak into the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics.
Find the Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.
In this episode, we talk with North Carolina's Governor Cooper on his look back at 2021 and forth to 2022. We hear his thoughts on how we might get more people back into the work place and get 400,000 more people with skills and abilities beyond high school into the work force. He discusses his push to get more broadband home adoption to the people to help with work, education and telemedicine.
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode, we focus on "Can Kitty Hawk Take Flight",a college solution for 1.5 million NC adults with guests Dr. Andrew Kelly, Senior VP Policy and Strategy with the UNC System; Dr. Susan Barcinas, Adult and Community College Education at NC State and Conni Branscom; Adult Completing Student at UNCC. They discuss one of North Carolina’s biggest hidden assets, a group that goes by the code name of SCND, and the new strategy that the UNC system is launching to help us reach them , a project called Kitty Hawk.
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode of the “Connected” podcast series, host Maggie Woods (IEI Policy and Program Manager and BAND-NC Program Director) speaks to Robert Hiett; Executive Director and Ben Farmer; Economic Development Planner for the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments .
IEI's “Connected” podcast series explores the challenges of the digital divide as well as opportunities for digital equity and inclusion in North Carolina and promising best practices.
Find this on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode, we focus on "Where Are The Workers" with guest host Sarah Hall, Senior Policy and Programs Manager; Andrew Berger-Gross, NC Department of Commerce, LEAD Division; Barbara Brothers, Business Engagement Director, Capital Area Workforce Board; Trey Goodson, Marketing Director, NC East Alliance. They discuss the “the most difficult hiring environment for employers in a generation or more and the most promising labor market for jobseekers in recent memory."
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode, we focus on "What NC Can Do About Hunger" with guests Shevani Metha, Hunt Intern and NCSU Senior; Ron Dumas, UNC-Asheville and Ronnie Smith, past President of NCACC and Martin County Commissioner. They discuss the work of IEI's Pilot 21 focus on hunger.
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode, we focus on "Mental Health Reaches Critical Mass" with guests Chris Suggs, Founder Kinston Teens and Dr. Nora Dennis, Director, Behavioral Health, BCBSNC. They discuss making progress on mental health challenges.
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode of the “Connected” podcast series, host Maggie Woods (IEI Policy and Program Manager and BAND-NC Program Director) speaks to Amy Huffman; Policy Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance.
IEI's “Connected” podcast series explores the challenges of the digital divide as well as opportunities for digital equity and inclusion in North Carolina and promising best practices.
Find this on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode, we focus on "The Future of Telehealth" with guest host Maggie Woods - IEI Policy and Program Manager and BAND-NC Program Director and guests Kim Schwartz - CEO of Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center, NC Representative Donny Lambeth and Dr. Sebastian Gimenez of the DHHS Office of Rural Health .
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode of the “Connected” podcast series, host Maggie Woods (IEI Policy and Program Manager and BAND-NC Program Director) speaks to Bruce Clark; Executive Director, Digital Charlotte about Charlotte's Innovative Digital Navigator Program.
IEI's “Connected” podcast series explores the challenges of the digital divide as well as opportunities for digital equity and inclusion in North Carolina and promising best practices.
Find this on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
The Institute for Emerging Issues presents a brand new podcast series: “Faith and Community” with host Kylie Foley, Rural Faith Communities Program Manager. We are having deep conversations with faith leaders & partners about topics that matter to faith communities, from mental health and aging, to digital inclusion and food insecurity. We explore how faith leaders are engaging in honest conversations in their communities about values and practices, especially when differences prevents progress or collaboration in rural partnership.
In the fourth episode of “Faith and Community,” Bryan Hatcher (President of CareNet) and Hanna Broome (presiding Elder AME Dunn-Lillington District) discuss rural clergy mental health.
In this episode, we focus on "How Churches & Faith Organizations are Recovering" with guests Kylie Foley, IEI Rural Faith Coordinator; Rev. Kimberly Clarke Turner, Pastor, Triad Native American UMC and director, Institute for Early Career Clergy Development, Hood Seminary; and Rev. Andy James Director of Small Church Ministries and Technology, New Hope Presbyterian.
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode of the “Connected” podcast series, host Maggie Woods (IEI Policy and Program Manager and BAND-NC Program Director) speaks to Layla Garms; Program Officer of Equity in Education with Winston Salem Foundation and Martha Allman; Senior Assistant Provost and Dean of University Collaborations at Wake Forest University about building a community-wide digital equity plan in Forsyth County.
IEI's “Connected” podcast series explores the challenges of the digital divide as well as opportunities for digital equity and inclusion in North Carolina and promising best practices.
Find this on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
The Institute for Emerging Issues presents a brand new podcast series: “Faith and Community” with host Kylie Foley, Rural Faith Communities Program Manager. We are having deep conversations with faith leaders & partners about topics that matter to faith communities, from mental health and aging, to digital inclusion and food insecurity. We explore how faith leaders are engaging in honest conversations in their communities about values and practices, especially when differences prevents progress or collaboration in rural partnership.
In the third episode of “Faith and Community,” Justine Post of the Conservation Fund and Michelle Osborne of RAFI-USA discusses rural churches food ministries and strengthen community engagement through innovative partnerships and community projects.
In this episode, we focus on "After the Flood Waters Recede" with guests Jim Fox, former Director of NEMAC; Mayor Zeb Smathers of Canton NC; Jeff Howell, Yancey EMC; and NC House of Representatives Majority Leader, John Bell.
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube, as well as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn+Alexa.
In this episode of the “Connected” podcast series, host Maggie Woods (IEI Policy and Program Manager and BAND-NC Program Director) speaks to Natalie Rivera (NCFHP Internet Connectivity Project Coordinator with NC DHHS) about the sustainable initiative to bring internet to migrant farmworker housing across North Carolina.
IEI's “Connected” podcast series explores the challenges of the digital divide as well as opportunities for digital equity and inclusion in North Carolina and promising best practices.
The Institute for Emerging Issues presents a brand new podcast series: “Faith and Community” with host Kylie Foley, Rural Faith Communities Program Manager. We are having deep conversations with faith leaders & partners about topics that matter to faith communities, from mental health and aging, to digital inclusion and food insecurity. We explore how faith leaders are engaging in honest conversations in their communities about values and practices, especially when differences prevents progress or collaboration in rural partnership.
In the second episode of “Faith and Community,” Rev. Karen Richardson-Dunn of the NC Council of Churches “Partners in Health & Wholeness” initiative discusses aging as a natural process as we move through life.
In this episode, we focus on the "Power of Local Support of Educational Attainment" with guests Dale Jenkins, former CEO Curi and co-chair, myFutureNC Commission; Dr. Laura Leatherwood, President Blue Ridge Community College; Rev. James Gailliard, Senior Pastor Word Tabernacle and member, NC House of Representatives.
Find this also on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube.
The Institute for Emerging Issues introduces a brand new podcast series: “Faith and Community” with host Kylie Foley, Rural Faith Communities Program Manager. We will have deep conversations with faith leaders & partners about topics that matter to faith communities, from mental health and aging, to digital inclusion and food insecurity. We’ll explore how faith leaders are engaging in honest conversations in their communities about values and practices, especially when differences prevents progress or collaboration in rural partnership.
In the first episode of “Faith and Community,” Rev. Allen Stanton, the Executive Director of the Turner Center, discusses his new book "Reclaiming Rural: Building Thriving Rural Congregations" and how rural faith leaders can relate to their congregations and communities.
In this inaugural episode of the “Connected” podcast series, host Maggie Woods (IEI Policy and Program Manager and BAND-NC Program Director) speaks to Kenny Sherin (Randolph County Extension Director and the Broadband Access and Education Coordinator for NCCooperative Extension) about Cooperative Extension’s role in digital inclusion.
IEI's “Connected” podcast series explores the challenges of the digital divide as well as opportunities for digital equity and inclusion in North Carolina and promising best practices.
Gov. Cooper has declared Aug. 16-20, 2021, as Rural Broadband Week to highlight digital inclusion and innovation: https://governor.nc.gov/media/2705/open