Session 4B:
Leveraging Promise As An Impact Investment: Anchors & Beyond

Time:
1:20 pm on Thursday, November 20, 2014

Location:
Omni New Haven Hotel — York

Moderator:
Saleem Ghubril, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Promise

‘Anchors’ Panelists:
Erin Haberman, Director, Community Relations, The Travelers Foundation
Carlton Highsmith, Chairman, Connecticut Center for Arts & Technology
Matthew Nemerson, Economic Development Administrator, City of New Haven
Katie Sandifer, Director of Employee Communications & Community Relations, Murphy Oil

‘Beyond’ Panelists:
Jerilyn Dinsmoor, Executive Director, La Crosse Promise
Yves Joseph, Vice President of Development, Centerplan Development Company
Diane Young Turner, Director, Yale University Community Hiring Initiative
Von Washington, Jr., Executive Director of Community Relations, The Kalamazoo Promise

The Promise movement is thriving and growing because of wonderful commitments from private donors — like in Denver and Kalamazoo — and anchor and philanthropic institutions in places like Pittsburgh, El Dorado, New Haven and, most recently, Richmond, Calif. This session will not only explore the reasons and expectations of those anchors, but also examine the next steps to grow and strengthen Promise programs. The truth is that to see full implementation of those major investments, other businesses and initiatives must be engaged in the effort to assist scholars in returning to the city. What will it take for local business to transform hiring practices for the betterment of the city? What can a city do to attract and maintain its home-grown talent such as that provided through Promise? In places where affordable housing is hard to come by, what can be done? What measures can business, city and local university officials take to ensure Scholars are fully prepared to take on the challenges of our ever-changing business world?

This will be a two-part panel, one highlighting the anchor institutions and the other focusing on the “beyond” — other local institutions, corporations and initiatives that can benefit from and ensure the return on the investment.