Community Foundation Holds Innovation Breakfast

High Skills, High Demand, High Wage – Skills-Based Education Comes of Age

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia held an Innovation Breakfast on September 14, 2017 titled, “High Skills, High Demand, High Wage – Skills-Based Education Comes of Age.” More than 175 participants attended the event.

This event was moderated by Linda Odorisio, Former VP of US Communications for CGI, and included a panel consisting of Beth Downey, Coordinator of Career and Technical Education for Fairfax County Public Schools; Miguel Gòmez-Ibáñez, President of The North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA; Basim Mansour, President of Michael & Son, Inc.; and Dr. R. Scott Ralls, President of Northern Virginia Community College. Panelists discussed skills-based technical education and how it prepares individuals for high skill, high paying jobs; and philanthropy’s role in helping Northern Virginians grow the skills-based and craftsmanship ranks of our workforce, particularly to provide opportunities for the hard-to-employ in our community.

The Innovation Breakfast Series is designed to engage the Northern Virginia community in a dialogue about new and innovative solutions to spur economic growth in our region. To see photos from this event please visit https://photos.app.goo.gl/TkGw57uS8uh784ny1.

In 2018, the Community Foundation plans to hold a “Shape of the Region” half day conference on Thursday, February 15, 2018. The Shape of the Region half day conference is the inaugural event in the Community Foundation’s 40th anniversary year. This interactive community conversation will examine the current shape of the region’s civic and social health and the biggest challenges currently facing our region – barriers to social mobility and welcoming new immigrants into the life of the greater community. Please visit https://www.cfnova.org/register/shape-region/event for more information.

Access National Bank is the sponsor of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Innovation Breakfast Series. Access National Bank cares deeply about local community, and joined as the sponsor of this initiative to engage its employees, its clients, and its neighbors in local philanthropy. It sees the Innovation Breakfast Series as an opportunity to engage in community dialogue, learn about innovative approaches to solve complex issues, and network with 150-200 community leaders in the business, non-profit and government sectors all working together to meet critical needs in our region.