Central Texas Regional Summit

Expanding Opportunity Regional Summit

The Central Texas Regional Summit on Expanding Opportunity brings together leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area to explore how we can expand opportunities for people in our region in various areas of life such as housing or employment.

The Central Texas Regional Summit is a biennial event that brings together elected, policy and community leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Area to explore how we can do a better job of improving access to economic opportunity for individuals and families in the region.

Summit goals are to:

· Create a clearer sense of shared challenges and opportunities;

· Increase awareness of the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate efforts;

· Highlight collaborations already happening; and

· Foster new connections, ideas and actions to create an economically inclusive future for all people.

To view materials from past regional summits or expanding opportunity forums, click the “Archive” tab.
To view information about the upcoming 2024 Regional Summit, click the “Events” tab.

2024 Expanding Opportunity Central Texas Regional Summit

How can earn and learn programs ensure equitable economic opportunity?

The 2024 Central Texas Regional Summit on Expanding Opportunity will bring together leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area to explore how we can develop our local workforce through “earn & learn” and other up-skilling programs that help job-seekers connect with local opportunities and our community meet its workforce needs in high-need and high-demand industries. “Earn & learn” programs are work-based learning opportunities: in which participants are paid while they receive training in that industry; and that can, in some instances, lead to permanent employment for the participant.

Summit goals are to:

· Create a clearer sense of shared challenges and opportunities;

· Increase awareness of the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate efforts;

· Highlight collaborations already happening; and

· Foster new connections, ideas and actions to create an economically inclusive future for all people.

The 2024 Regional Summit will take place on April 5th from 9am-1pm at ACC Round Rock. Lunch will be provided.

2022 Expanding Opportunity Forums

On November 5th, CAN hosted the Central Texas Expanding Opportunity Summit focused on topic “ensuring an equitable economic recovery.” The summit touched on a variety of topics including the state of the current workforce, public private partnerships aimed at expanding access to economic opportunity and pathways to more inclusive growth. All topics could not be addressed in the half day summit, so CAN is holding these follow-up Expanding Opportunity Forums to have deeper conversations on critical issues and challenges pertaining to the economic recovery, building on the foundation established at the November 5th summit.

The topics for the three Expanding Opportunity Forums include:
1. Communities of Color and the Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery – Click Here to view the recording. Click Here to view the forum summary.

2. Building a Family- Friendly Workplace – Click Here to view the recording. Click Here to view the forum summary.

3. Women and the Post Pandemic Economic Recovery – Click Here to view the recording. Click Here to view the forum summary.

4. The Power and Potential of ApprenticeshipsClick Here to view the recording. Click Here to view the forum summary.

2021 Expanding Opportunity Regional Summit

The 2021 Central Texas Regional Summit on Expanding Opportunity will bring together leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area to explore how we can “ensure an equitable economic recovery.” The November 5, 2021 summit at Typhoon Texas in Pflugerville included presentations on: “A Pathway to a More Inclusive Texas” by Steven Pedigo, University of Texas Professor of Practice LBJ School of Public Affairs; “A Spotlight on Central Texas” by Tamara Atkinson (CEO of WFS-CA) and Paul Fletcher (CEO of WFS-RCA); and a panel on public-private partnerships with panelists from Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Pflugerville CDC, and Austin Community College.

Download the following event materials:

Program; Key Messages and Takeaways

Presentations:

Introduction and Opening Remarks by Raul Alvarez, CAN Executive Director; Suchitra Gururaj, 2021 CAN Board Chair; and Rudy Metayer, Pflugerville City Council Member

A Pathway to a More Inclusive Texas by Steven Pedigo, University of Texas Professor of Practice LBJ School of Public Affairs

A Spotlight on Central Texas by Tamara Atkinson (CEO of WFS-CA) and Paul Fletcher (CEO of WFS-RCA)

Panel: Public-Private Partnerships with Neeraj Aggarwal, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation; Amy Madison, Pflugerville CDC; and Garrett Groves, Austin Community College

2019 Expanding Opportunity Regional Summit

The 2019 Expanding Opportunity – Central Texas Regional Summit, brought together 84 leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area to explore how we can do a better job addressing affordable workforce housing. The October 25, 2019 summit at the Embassy Suites in San Marcos included presentations on the private sector perspective of workforce development from Angel Contreras, David Crain, Thomas Koreniewski, and Lourdes Holguin (CFAN) and Sandy Dochen (IBM). It is also a Career and Technical Education Program Panel with panelists from Del Valle ISD, Leander ISD, and San Marcos ISD.

Download the following event materials:

Program: Agenda, Presenter Bios, Summary 

Presentations from October 25, 2019 Summit:

Workforce Solutions Presentation by Tamara Atkinson (CEO of WFS-CA) and Paul Fletcher (CEO of WFS-RCA)

Del Valle ISD Presentation by Tashara Angelle, CTE Coordinator

Leander ISD Presentation by Camille Clay, Director of Career and College Transition Programs

San Marcos ISD Presentation by Michael Doyle , Director of CTE and Federal Programs

2018 Expanding Opportunity Regional Summit

The 2018 Expanding Opportunity – Central Texas Regional Summit, brought together about 120 leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area to explore how we can do a better job addressing affordable workforce housing. The November 8, 2018 summit at the Embassy Suites in San Marcos included expert panels on housing and featured a keynote address by Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, President of University Health System Foundation and Chair of San Antonio Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force.

Download the following event materials:

Program: November 8, 2018 Regional Summit Program – including speaker bios

Presentations from November, 8 2018 Summit:

Demographic Profile of Central Texas by Chris Schreck, CAPCOG

Preserving Middle-Income Housing by David Steinwedell, Affordable Central Texas

Making Housing a Key Priority in San Antonio by Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, President of University Health System Foundation and Chair of San Antonio Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force

Expanding Housing Opportunity in Central Texas by  Sean Garretson, Pegasus Planning

2016 Expanding Opportunity Regional Summit

The 2016 Expanding Opportunity – Central Texas Regional Summit, brought together about 170 leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area to explore how we can do a better job getting people to jobs and preparing people who live in our region for the jobs of the future. The November 2, 2016 summit at the Dell diamond in Round Rock included expert panels on transportation and workforce development and featured a keynote address by Catherine Morse, General Counsel and Senior Director of Public Affairs for Samsung Austin Semiconductor.

Download the following event materials:

Program: November 6, 2016 Regional Summit Program-including speaker bios

Presentation on Regional Growth, Employment Trends and Jobs/Housing Balance, Capital Area Council of Governments

Event evaluation results

2015 Expanding Opportunity Regional Summit

Download the following event materials:

View pictures from the Regional Summit

2015 Expanding Opportunity Regional Summit Overview

State of the Region Presentation by Chris Schreck, Economic Development Manager, Capital Area Council of Governments

Organizations

Designate a representative to serve on the Regional Summit Planning Team to help develop the theme, program and agenda for the 2018 summit program as well as assist with community engagement.

Organizations from each of the 5-Counties that are the focus of the summit will be instrumental in helping to engage policymakers, educators, service providers, planning entities and community, faith and business leaders.

Individuals

Serve on the Regional Summit Planning Team to help develop the theme, program and agenda for the 2018 summit program as well as assist with community engagement.

Sponsorship

We encourage businesses, service providers and other stakeholders in the host community and region to serve as financial sponsors for the regional summit. There is no fee for attending the event so sponsorships are essential if CAN is to cover the costs associated with facility use, communications/marketing and the lunch that is provided.

Contact Raul Alvarez if you would like to get involved or sign-up as a sponsor: ralvarez@canatx.org; or 512-414-0323.

Coming Soon…