Agenda

Delta Summit 2022

March 29-31, 2022

Hilton New Orleans Riverside

Download Agenda (PDF)

Tuesday, March 29

8:00am - 12:00pm	Exhibition Hall Setup \| The District (Pre-function area, 3rd floor)
12:00pm - 2:00pm	Delta Summit Registration \|The District (Pre-function area, 3rd floor)
2:00pm - 2:20pm	Welcome \| St. Charles Ballroom *Dr. Corey Wiggins*, Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority *Leslie A. Durham*, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority GOLD SPONSOR: Alyssa L. Meller, Chief Operating Officer, National Rural Health Resource Center
2:20pm - 2:40pm	Recognition Ceremony \| St. Charles Ballroom Pete Johnson, Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority (2002-2009) Rex Nelson, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority (2005-2009) *Chris Masingill*, Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority (2010-2017) Mike Marshall, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority (2010-2017) Chris Caldwell, Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority (2018-2021) Peter Kinder, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority (2017-2018)
2:40pm - 3:00pm	Opening Remarks \| St. Charles Ballroom Governor John Bel Edwards, State of Louisiana
3:00pm - 4:15pm	Opening Plenary \| Economic Development and Community Resiliency in the Mississippi River Delta Region Dr. Corey Wiggins, Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority Leslie A. Durham, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority Secretary Don Pierson, Louisiana Economic Development *Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome,* City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge Mayor Friday Ellis, City of Monroe *Mayor Jennifer Vidrine*, City of Ville Platte *Moderator -* Michael Hecht, President & CEO, GNO Inc.
4:30pm - 5:30pm	Welcome Reception \| Sponsored by Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana

Wednesday, March 30

7:00am - 8:45am	Networking Breakfast \| St. James Ballroom
7:00am - 8:45am	Delta Summit Registration \| The District (Pre-function area, 3rd floor)
8:45am - 9:00am	Welcome \| St. Charles Ballroom PLATINUM SPONSOR: Sonia Axter, Managing Director, Ullico Infrastructure Fund
9:00am - 10:00am	Morning Plenary \| Fireside Chat - St. Charles Ballroom James Carville, Political Icon Moderator - Clancy DuBos, journalist
10:00am - 10:30am	Networking Break
10:30am - 11:45am	Concurrent Sessions
Public Infrastructure and Transportation	Leveraging the Mississippi River to Enhance Intermodal Transportation Dr. Norma Jean Mattei, Professor, University of New Orleans	Royal
Workforce Development and Education	Community Colleges Addressing Industry Needs Josh Bower, Director of Talent, Workforce, and Economic Development, Hinds Community College Kevin O'Neill, VP of Workforce and Economic Development, West Kentucky Community and Technical College	Jackson
Business Development and Entrepreneurship	Business Incubation Models that Strengthen Entrepreneurial Ecosystems *Dr. James Stapleton*, Co-founder, Codefi and Codefi Foundation on Rural Innovation, Inc. Tonitrice Wicks, Program Officer, Delta I-Fund	Fulton
Community Revitalization	Brownfields 101: Assessment to Redevelopment *Trey Hess*, Director of Brownfields & Economic Development, PPM Consultants Chad LaComb, Development Planner II, Acadiana Planning Commission	Commerce
Public Health	Maintaining a Healthy Workforce: How to Address Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder, and Burnout *Dr. Steve Pautler, Chief Executive Officer, Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital Maryam Abdallah,* Founder & CEO, I Am Well Consulting, LLC Gina Matlock, Community Champion, Henry County Medical Center Moderator - Mellie Bridewell, President / CEO, Arkansas Rural Health Partnership	Magazine
DRA Programs and Initiatives	DRA Critical Infrastructure Programs *Amanda Allen*, Senior Program Manager - SEDAP, Delta Regional Authority Darci Malam, Program Management Specialist, Delta Regional Authority	Jefferson
Delta Leadership Network	Delta Leadership Network Session: Lift Ev'ry Voice: Advancing on an Inclusive Creative Economy through Equitable Cultural Heritage Tina Naremore Jones, Ph.D., Black Belt National Heritage Area *Rebecca Blankenbaker,* Executive Director at Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc. *Rhonda Price,* Director, Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area Program (invited) *Keena Graham,* Superintendent, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument *Malika Polk-Lee,* Executive Director, B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center *Moderator - Rolando Herts, Ph.D.*, Director, Delta Center for Culture and Learning, Delta State University	Canal
11:45am - 12:45pm	Networking Lunch \| St. James Ballroom
12:45pm - 2:00pm	Concurrent Sessions
Public Infrastructure and Transportation	Broadband Connectivity for All Scott Woods, Director of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives, National Telecommunications and Information Administration Glenn Fishbine, Chief Technology Office, GEO Partners LLC (virtual)	Canal
Workforce Development and Education	Labor Market Trends and Best Practices for Workforce Development Allison Forbes, Vice President of Research, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness	Royal
Business Development and Entrepreneurship	Access to Capital for Urban, Rural, and Minority Entrepreneurs *Jon Atkinson*, CEO, The Idea Village Kathy Saloy, Sr. Vice President for Community Economic Development, Hope Enterprise Corporation Moderator - Rebecca Kaufman, Senior Director, AgLaunch	Fulton
Community Revitalization	Capitalizing on Federal and State Funding Opportunities: Grants, Loans, and Tax Credits John Sutherlin, PhD, Chief Innovation Officer, University of Louisiana Monroe	Jefferson
Public Health	Rural Healthcare Facilities: Economic Engines for Delta Communities Joshua Gilmore, Chief Executive Officer, Iron County Medical Center Kirk Souileau, CEO, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Alison Davis, H.B. Price Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics / Executive Director, Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky Moderator - Alyssa Meller, Chief Operating Officer, National Rural Health Center	Commerce
DRA Programs and Initiatives	DRA Health Programs *Christina Wade*, Program Manager - Health, Delta Regional Authority Mandy Guin, Program Manager - Innovative Readiness Training, Delta Regional Authority	Magazine
Delta Leadership Network	What does passion have to do with it? Engaging and Sustaining community leaders for change on the other side of COVID-19 Hunter Goodman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Community, Workforce, and Economic Development, University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture	Jackson
2:00pm - 2:30pm	Networking Break
2:30pm - 3:45pm	Concurrent Sessions
Public Infrastructure and Transportation	Water and Wastewater Management in Rural Communities Kevin White, PhD, Professor, University of Southern Alabama	Canal
Workforce Development and Education	Cultivating Workforce Development Ecosystems Dr. John Nicklow, President, University of New Orleans Jim Carlson, Ed.D., Interim Chancellor, Northshore Technical Community College Dr. Yolanda Page, VP for Academic Affairs, Dillard University Moderator - Josh Tatum, Director of Strategic Initiatives, GNO Inc.	Jackson
Business Development and Entrepreneurship	*Business Incubation Models that Strengthen Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (REPEAT)* Dr. James Stapleton, Co-founder, Codefi and Codefi Foundation Tonitrice Wicks, Program Officer, Delta I-Fund	Jefferson
Community Revitalization	Reinvigorating Investment into Main Street *Adrienne LaFrance-Wells*, Main Street Director, City of West Monroe Bub Gideons, Chairman of the Board, Pride of Atmore Katie Axt, Main Street Director, City of Paducah	Royal
Public Health	Executing an Innovative Readiness Training Medical Mission Captain Patricia Gould, Air National Guard IRT Medical Project Manager, U.S. Air Force *Joel Evans,* Chief Executive Officer, Delta Area Economic Opoortunity Corporation *Susan Youngblood,* Community Advocate/Program DIrector, Selma Redevelopment Authority Moderator - Bevin Hunter, Director of Economic Development, The Lawrence Group	Commerce
DRA Programs and Initiatives	DRA Human Infrastructure Programs *Alex Holland*, Senior Advisor, Delta Regional Authority Sea Talantis, Program Manager - Leadership, Delta Regional Authority Susan Edwards, Program Analyst, Delta Regional Authority	Magazine
Delta Leadership Network	Talent Attraction in a Changing Delta Mark Herbison, President, HTL Advantage Tim Lingo, Human Resources Director, Aerojet Rocketdyne The Honorable Ronny Walker, Mayor, City of Ruston Moderator - Gwyn Fisher, Director, Greater Memphis Regional Economic and Community Development, State of Tennessee	Fulton
3:45pm - 4:00pm	Networking Break
4:00pm - 5:30pm	Afternoon Plenary \| The Downtown Comeback \| St. Charles Ballroom The story of a hometown, downtown, small town USA comeback. A behind the scenes view of the community restoration that led to the historic home restoration you see on TV. *Jim Rasberry*, HGTV's "Home Town" Mallorie Rasberry, HGTV's "Home Town" Josh Nowell, HGTV's "Home Town" Ryan Biles, Architect, Kudzu Collective; Fellow, 2022 Delta Leadership Institute

Thursday, March 31

7:00am - 8:45am	Networking Breakfast \| St. James Ballroom
8:45am - 9:00am	Announcements \| St. Charles Ballroom
9:00am - 10:00am	Morning Keynote \| Heartland: Working Hard & Being Broke In the Richest Country on Earth Sarah Smarsh, journalist and author of "Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth" Moderator - Joshua Stockley, PhD, Professor, University of Louisiana Monroe
10:00am - 10:30am	Networking Break \| Book Signing
10:30am - 11:45am	Concurrent Sessions
Workforce Development and Education	Work-based Learning Models Supporting Career Pathways in the IT Industry Kagan Coughlin, Co-founder & Trustee, Base Camp Coding Academy	Royal
Business Development and Entrepreneurship	Emerging Industries Advancing Innovation in Agriculture and Construction *Pete Nelson*, Executive Director, AgLaunch Zach Mannheimer, Founder & CEO, Alquist	Jackson
Community Revitalization	Philanthropy in the Delta Region *Kim Davis*, Senior Advisor - Home Region Program, Walton Family Foundation Abe Hudson, Program Officer - Home Region Program, Walton Family Foundation Justin Burch, Director of Workforce Development, Rural LISC Moderator - Rebecca Kaufman, Senior Director, AgLaunch	Jefferson
Public Health	Maintaining a Healthy Workforce: How to Address Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder, and Burnout *Dr. Steve Pautler*, Chief Executive Officer, Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital Maryam Abdallah, Founder & CEO, I Am Well Consulting, LLC Gina Matlock, Community Champion, Henry County Medical Center Moderator - Mellie Bridewell, President / CEO, Arkansas Rural Health Partnership	Commerce
DRA Programs and Initiatives	DRA Critical Infrastructure Programs *Amanda Allen*, Senior Program Manager - SEDAP, Delta Regional Authority Darci Malam, Program Management Specialist, Delta Regional Authority	Fulton
Delta Leadership Network	When Disaster Strikes and the DLN Response Leslie A. Durham, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority *The Honorable Jake Bynum,* Mayor, Weakley County, Tennessee; Regional Advisory Council FEMA (TBD) *SBA* (TBD) *Moderator - Mary Anne Medlock,* West Kentucky Workforce Board Business Services Liaison; Regional Advisory Council	Magazine
11:45am - 12:15pm	Networking Break (Refreshments provided)
12:15pm - 1:30pm	Closing Plenary \| Resilient Leadership in the Age of COVID-19: Plan, Prepare, Execute and Adapt Your Plan Lt. General Russel L. Honore, Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina and Leader of U.S. Capitol Complex Security Review
1:30pm	Book Signing \| Lt. General Russel L. Honore
2:00pm	Adjourn

Summit agenda is subject to change

Contact Us

Email Address

DeltaSummit@dra.gov

Mailing Address

236 Sharkey Ave, Suite 400 | Clarksdale, MS 38613

Phone Number

662.624.8600