December 5th

8:30 – 10:00am Breakfast Program
In this session, GCO’s President and CEO will welcome you to the event and introduce you to GCO’s work on education, employment, and family formation – also known as the “success sequence.” He will then sit down for a discussion with Dr. Ron Haskins, one of the country’s leading researchers on the success sequence. Together, they will explore the origins of the success sequence, its impact on public policy and community practice, and its ongoing relevance to poverty alleviation.

10:15 – 11:45am Education to what degree: The promise of education innovation
Innovation and flexibility are pillars of creating an education system that serves all students. In a panel moderated by Jamie Lord, GCO’s Government Affairs Director, top education experts from Georgia and across the country will explore policies and programs that break outside of a one-size-fits-all mold in order to give students a cutting edge to compete and thrive in a growing workforce.
Special guest interview with Jack Harris, President of Junior Achievement 
Ben Scafidi, Director of the Education Economics Center
Tyler Thigpen, Co-Founder and Head of School at the Forest School 
Anthony Flynn, Executive Director and COO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta
Dr. Robert Lerman, Institute fellow in the Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population at the Urban Institute

12:15 – 1:00pm Lunch panel — “Business! Mankind was my business.”: How some Georgia companies are bringing solutions and hope to disadvantaged communities

Businesses have an important role to play in shaping vibrant communities. Moderated by Bill Rodgers, GCO’s VP of Workforce Solutions, this panel will provide us with a glimpse of the employment landscape in Georgia, challenges faced by various communities, how some of Georgia’s top companies are creating opportunity and promoting human flourishing through jobs, community engagement, and venture philanthropy.
Greg Beadles, COO, AMB Sports and Entertainment 
Chris Clark, President and CEO of Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Rodney Bullard, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at Chick-Fil-A and Executive Director of the Chick-Fil-A Foundation

1:15 – 2:45pm A bolder bottom line: Work as the most effective antipoverty intervention
In Georgia, the workforce has faced a quiet crisis. While unemployment has dropped to a commendable low, there is a teeming, uncounted number of able-bodied men who have simply given up. During “A Bolder Bottom Line,” panelists will address the problem facing unemployment head-on, proposing ways that existing businesses and nonprofits help these individuals find their way back into the workforce, and policies that can have a quick impact on breaking barriers to employment.
Special guest interview with Luke Marklin, CEO of Bellhops
Dave Derocher, Managing Director of The Other Side Academy
Stacey Howell, Executive Director of Every Woman Works
Phillip Hunter, Executive Director of Georgia Works!
Lloyd Martin, VP of Manufacturing and IT for CKS Packaging, Inc.

3:00 – 4:30pm Healthy Families: Incubators of the Next Generation
“Family first” is more than an adage, it’s a critical and time-tested framework for building a strong society and stable, confident workforce. In this session, GCO’s Healthy Families Initiative Director, Joyce Whitted, leads a panel discussion highlighting the value of healthy families on the economy, along with policies and business practices that can ensure Georgia is truly the best state to work and thrive.
Brian Amero, Henry County Superior Court Judge
Julie Baumgardner, President and CEO of First Things First
Brad Wilcox, Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia
Erin Norman, Senior Solutions Consultant at Heart+Mind Strategies

4:30 – 6:00pm Closing Reception
15 minute rolling tours of Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be offered at this time.