Future Forward Summit

WATCH ALL: Future Forward Summit 2025 YouTube Playlist

Opening Remarks & Session Panel: Opportunities & Challenges — The Education-to-Work Landscape

• Randy Boyd, President, University of Tennessee
• Paul Fain, Editor & Co-Founder, Work Shift
• Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education
• Kelli Rhee, President & CEO, Arnold Ventures
• Dr. Nicole Smith, Chief Economist, Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce
• Moderator: David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE

Plenary Session Panel: Bridging the Data Divide Toward an Impact Credentials Framework

• Jonathan Furr, Chief Data Ecosystem Officer, Strada Education Foundation
• Nathalie Gazzaneo, Co-Director, Harvard Project on Workforce
• Dr. Steven Gentile, Executive Director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission
• Deniece Thomas, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

• Moderator: Mary Cypress Metz, Senior Vice President of Strategy, SCORE

   

Spark Sessions: Unlocking Student Opportunity Through Partnerships and Innovation

• Sarah Oppenheimer, Executive Director, Opportunity Insights
  Slide Deck Presentation — Creating Opportunity in Tennessee: New Insights from Big Data
• Dr. Keri Randolph, Executive Director, Chattanooga 2.0
• Dr. Paul Herdman, President & CEO, Rodel
   

Closing Keynote: Understanding the Future of Work and the Education Pipeline

• Keynote Address: Matt Sigelman, President, The Burning Glass
• David Golden, Chief Executive Officer, East Tennessee State University Research Corporation  
• Tara Scarlett, President & CEO, Scarlett Family Foundation and Chair, Tennessee Higher Education Commission
• Moderator: David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE

9:00 AM | Welcome And Opening Remarks 

9:15 AM | Opening Session Panel

• Randy Boyd, President, University of Tennessee 
• Paul Fain, Author and Journalist, Work Shift 
• Kelli Rhee, President & CEO, Arnold Ventures 
• Dr. Nicole Smith, Chief Economist, Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce 
• Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education 

• Moderator: David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE 

   

10:20 AM | Strategy Breakout Sessions

AM Breakout Option 1: 

• Shawn Kimble, Superintendent, Lauderdale County School System  
• Dr. Andrea Poynter, Executive Director, Nurses Middle College Nashville 
• Dr. Lázaro López, Associate Superintendent of Illinois District 216 and Chair of the Illinois Community College Board 

AM Breakout Option 2: 

• Dr. Russ Deaton, Executive Vice Chancellor for Policy and Strategy, Tennessee Board of Regents 
• Dr. Amy Moreland, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Policy and Strategy, Tennessee Board of Regents 
• Dr. Jothany Reed, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Tennessee Board of Regents  

AM Breakout Option 3:

• Dr. David Troutman, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 

• Dr. Kelvin Bentley, Program Manager, Texas Credentials for the Future, University of Texas System 

   

11:10 AM | Plenary Session Panel

• Jonathan Furr, Chief Data Ecosystem Officer, Strada Education Foundation 
• Nathalie Gazzaneo, Co-Director, Harvard Project on Workforce 
• Dr. Steven Gentile, Executive Director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission 
• Deniece Thomas, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development 

• Moderator: Mary Cypress Metz, Senior Vice President of Strategy, SCORE 

   

12:00 PM | Lunch 

12:30 PM | Spark Session

• Sarah Oppenheimer, Executive Director, Opportunity Insights 
• Keri Randolph, Executive Director, Chattanooga 2.0 

• Paul Herdman, President & CEO, Rodel 

   

1:30 PM | Strategy Breakout Sessions

PM Breakout Option 1:

• Janet Ayers, President, The Ayers Foundation Trust 

PM Breakout Option 2:

• Dr. Andrew Hudson, Director of Viable Pathways to Prosperity, Chattanooga 2.0 
• Dr. Patrick O’Hagan, Assistant Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development, Chattanooga State Community College 
• Dr. Keri Randolph, Executive Director, Chattanooga 2.0 
• Weston Wamp, Hamilton County Mayor 

PM Breakout Option 3: 

• Dr. Paul Herdman, President & CEO, Rodel 
• Lisa Gray, President, Ohio Excels 

• Moderator: Nancy Dishner, President & CEO, Niswonger Foundation 

   

2:30 PM | Keynote Address

Keynote Address: Matt Sigelman, President, The Burning Glass Institute 

Panel Discussion

• David Golden, Chief Executive Officer, East Tennessee State University Research Corporation 
• Tara Scarlett, President & CEO, Scarlett Family Foundation and Chair, Tennessee Higher Education Commission 
• Matt Sigelman, President & CEO, The Burning Glass Institute 

• Moderator: David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE 

   

3:30 PM | Call to Action 

4:00 PM | Adjourn