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Workforce Pell: A New Opportunity for Tennesseans to Build Skills Through Short-Term Credentials

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2026 Future Forward Summit

For the third time, SCORE gathered leaders from education, business, and government to accelerate Tennessee’s progress in building well-designed education-to-career pathways that help students achieve economic independence. 

Areas of Focus

The 2026 Future Forward Summit highlighted the key levers required for lasting impact, focusing on system-level alignment grounded in statewide priorities and real-world implementation, giving participants practical strategies they can apply in their context and community.

K-12 Pathways to Economic Independence
Participants examined how high-quality pathways to economic independence begin in K-12 by aligning credentials to industry needs, expanding work-based learning, and strengthening advising to support students as they transition into postsecondary education and careers.

Postsecondary Credentials and Degrees That Deliver Value
Sessions focused on strengthening credential quality and transparency, expanding nondegree and stackable credentials, aligning affordability strategies, and ensuring postsecondary offerings connect clearly to workforce demand and opportunities.

Employer-Led Partnerships that Strengthen Local Talent Pipelines
Participants heard directly from employers and practitioners about effective partnership models, including how employers codesign pathways to ensure students earn skills and competencies to meet employment needs, identify priority sectors, and align talent development with hiring and advancement needs.

Future Forward Summit On Demand Videos

Agenda

8:00 A.M. | Breakfast

9:00 A.M. | Opening Remarks: Education, Workforce, and Tennessee’s Opportunity

  • Sen. Bill Frist, M.D., Founder & Board Chairman, SCORE
  • David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE

9:20 A.M. | Opening Panel Discussion: From Vision to Action

  • Dr. Agenia W. Clark, President, Fisk University
  • Glenn Jacobs, Mayor, Knox County 
  • Dr. Brian Noland, President, East Tennessee State University
  • Kelly McManus, Executive Vice President of Education, Arnold Ventures
  • Moderator: David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE

10:15 A.M. | Spark Session: Programs and Systems for the Future of Work 

  • Brent Parton, President, CareerWise
  • Dr. Keri Randolph, President, Benwood Foundation
  • Matt Sigelman, President, The Burning Glass Institute
  • Kayla Stevenson, Student, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Moderator: Mary Cypress Metz, Senior Vice President of Strategy, SCORE 

11:30 A.M. | Lunch Begins

12:00 P.M. | Lunch Plenary Panel: Building Tennessee’s Future Health Care Talent Pipeline 

  • Latasha Harris, Senior Director of Workforce Strategy, Memphis Medical District Collaborative
  • Dr. Matthew Loos, Vice President & Chief Academic Officer, Ballad Health
  • Tilita Shaw, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and Partnerships, HCA TriStar
  • Moderator: Josh Brown, President & CEO, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Tennessee Manufacturers Association

1:05 P.M. | Transition to Breakout Sessions

1:15 P.M. | Strategy Breakout Sessions 

Pathways in Practice: Lessons From the Future Forward Innovation Grant Year 1

  • Dr. Kate Ayers, Director of STEMM Education & Outreach, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
  • Dr. Katie Cahill, Assistant Dean of Partnerships & Economic Development for the College of Emerging & Collaborative Studies and Director of Workforce Development for the Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Dr. Russell J. Deaton, Executive Director of The Polytechnic@UofM, University of Memphis 
  • Jessica Friedman, Director of Viable Pathways to Prosperity, Chattanooga 2.0 
  • Bradley Leon, Executive Director of BlueSky Institute, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
  • Dr. Jeff Moorhouse, Corporate Director of Secondary Programs, Ballad Health, and Director of P20 Initiatives, East Tennessee State University
  • Dr. Andrea Poynter, Executive Director, Nurses Middle College Nashville

A Launchpad for Life: The Recommendations of the Commission on Purposeful Pathways

  • Kelly Kovacic Duran, Principal Consultant, Education First
  • Adriana Harrington, Managing Director of Policy, ExcelinEd
  • Dr. Paul Herdman, President & CEO, Rodel
  • Dr. Lázaro López, Executive Director, District 214 Education Foundation
  • David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE

From Classroom to Career: Partnerships That Scale Career-Connected Learning

  • Dr. Erin Crisp, Assistant Vice President for Learner Success & Workforce Pathways, University of Tennessee System
  • Daryl Curry, Chief Talent Development Officer, Nashville Chamber
  • Dr. Russ Deaton, Executive Vice Chancellor for Policy & Strategy, Tennessee Board of Regents-The College System of Tennessee 
  • Dr. Keri Randolph, President, Benwood Foundation
  • Bryce Warden, Senior Director of Pathways, SCORE

2:15 P.M. | Break/Transition

2:30 P.M. | Fireside Chat

  • Sen. Bill Frist, M.D., Founder & Board Chairman, SCORE
  • Cheryl Oldham, Executive Vice President of Human Capital, Bipartisan Policy Center 

3:15 P.M. | Closing Call to Action

  • David Mansouri, President & CEO, SCORE

3:30 P.M. | Adjourn

Meet Our Speakers

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Dr. Kate Ayers

Director of STEMM Education & Outreach, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

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Josh Brown

President & CEO, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Tennessee Manufacturers Association

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Dr. Katie Cahill

Assistant Dean of Partnerships & Economic Development for the College of Emerging & Collaborative Studies and Director of Workforce Development for the Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

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Dr. Agenia W. Clark

President, Fisk University

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Dr. Erin Crisp

Assistant Vice President for Learner Success & Workforce Pathways, University of Tennessee System

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Daryl Curry

Chief Talent Development Officer, Nashville Chamber

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Dr. Russ Deaton

Executive Vice Chancellor for Policy & Strategy, Tennessee Board of Regents-The College System of Tennessee

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Dr. Russell J. Deaton

Executive Director of The Polytechnic@UofM, University of Memphis

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Dr. Kelly Kovacic Duran

Principal Consultant, Education First

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Jessica Friedman

Director of Viable Pathways to Prosperity, Chattanooga 2.0

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Adriana Harrington

Managing Director of Policy, ExcelinEd

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Latasha Harris

Senior Director of Workforce Strategy, Memphis Medical District Collaborative

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Dr. Paul Herdman

President & CEO, Rodel

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Glenn Jacobs

Mayor, Knox County

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Bradley Leon

Executive Director of BlueSky Institute, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

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Dr. Matthew Loos

Vice President & Chief Academic Officer, Ballad Health

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Dr. Lázaro López

Executive Director, District 214 Education Foundation

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Kelly McManus

Executive Vice President of Education, Arnold Ventures

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Dr. Jeff Moorhouse

Corporate Director of Secondary Programs, Ballad Health, and Director of P20 Initiatives, East Tennessee State University

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Dr. Brian Noland

President, East Tennessee State University (ETSU)

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Cheryl Oldham

Executive Vice President of Human Capital, Bipartisan Policy Center

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Brent Parton

President & CEO, CareerWise

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Dr. Andrea Poynter

Executive Director, Nurses Middle College Nashville

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Dr. Keri Randolph

President, Benwood Foundation

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Tilita Shaw

Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and Partnerships, HCA TriStar

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Matt Sigelman

President, The Burning Glass Institute

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Kayla Stevenson

Student, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK)

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New in 2026: Future Forward Webinar Series

In 2026, SCORE expanded the summit’s reach and impact with the launch of the Future Forward Webinar Series. This virtual series builds shared understanding of statewide priorities, elevates real-world examples, and creates sustained momentum leading up to and following the Future Forward Summit.

Visit the Future Forward Webinar Series page to explore, watch recordings of the virtual sessions, and register for the latest webinar.