Dalila Wilson-Scott’s Post

I’m so excited to be part of this Business for Good: Innovate for Equity panel at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business on Friday, February 7, 2025! 🙌🏽 It’s especially meaningful because I earned my PhD from UC Irvine in 2020, and I can’t wait to return to campus after all these years. This event is a great opportunity to discuss how we can leverage technology, education, and inclusive practices to address social inequities. For my UC Irvine and SoCal friends—whether we’ve known each other for years or only connected virtually—I’d love to see you there! Let’s catch up, reconnect, and exchange ideas in person. Here’s the event description: Business for Good: Innovate for Equity 📅 Friday, February 7, 2025 ⏰ 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. 📍 Lyman Porter Colloquium Room (SB1 5200) (Networking event immediately following. Space is limited.) Join us for a diverse panel of community leaders from the fields of technology, education, healthcare, and manufacturing to gain insight on leveraging technology and inclusive practices to address social inequities. Our panelists will discuss where they find their inspiration for helping others, what they find rewarding in their work, and future opportunities they envision for others based on their experience. Looking forward to meaningful conversations and connections! #BusinessForGood #InnovationForEquity #UCIrvine #SocialImpact

We are delighted to partner with the University of New Hampshire as the temporary location for our first Community Outreach Office, in the heart of one of the country’s most active innovation ecosystems and hub for innovation in healthcare, technology, and robotics, among other industries. Under the leadership of Daniel Modricker, the New England office will allow us to deliver important intellectual property services and engage directly with communities to strengthen innovation, drive economic growth, and create jobs. The new office expands the strong support network we are weaving throughout the country, including regional offices in Alexandria, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, and San Jose and the newest in Atlanta, which we plan to have fully operational by December 2025. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4hkKzNN

Atlanta Black Chambers The ABC South Metro Brunch N' Learn is on Saturday, November 16th! Hosted by Lauren Levins. Register on Eventbrite! https://lnkd.in/eHaq6vFi This Brunch n' Learn brings together experts from key industries that play an essential role in economic development. Our lineup includes professionals and leaders from: Healthcare: Addressing how health services impact workforce productivity and community well-being. Workforce Development: Building a skilled labor pool to meet regional demands. Commercial Real Estate: Exploring development trends, property investments, and urban planning. Local Government: Insight into the decisions shaping our community’s economic landscape. Education: Examining the importance of an educated workforce and support for lifelong learning. Logistics/Transportation: Enhancing mobility and efficiency for people and goods. Manufacturing: Identifying new opportunities in production and supply chain dynamics. Technology: Integrating digital solutions to drive efficiency and innovation. Finance: Understanding financial strategies and resources that fuel local growth. Who Should Attend: This event is perfect for... Business owners and entrepreneurs Real estate developers and investors Industry professionals in the listed sectors Community and civic leaders Anyone interested in contributing to or learning about economic development in South Metro Atlanta Whether you're seeking to make connections, learn about new opportunities, or gain insights on industry trends, this Brunch n' Learn will provide you with the information and inspiration you need to thrive. Why Attend? Engaging in economic development isn't just about understanding trends; it’s about creating a future for South Metro Atlanta that reflects the needs and ambitions of its community members. By bringing leaders and decision-makers together, we aim to spark collaborations that will drive inclusive growth and lasting impact in our region. Register Today https://lnkd.in/eHaq6vFi Space is limited, so secure your spot today! Join us for a meaningful experience that combines good food, great company, and powerful insights into the economic future of South Metro Atlanta.

🎉 Exciting news from the U.S. Conference of Mayors! 🎉 We were so honored to meet with mayors from across the country and discuss how microtransit is reshaping the way cities move. At the Council on Metro Economies and the New American City meeting, Mayor Larry Klein of the City of Sunnyvale shared updates about the city’s microtransit program. This initiative addresses first- and last-mile challenges, making transportation more equitable and accessible for all Sunnyvale residents. As Mayor Klein said: “It helps high school students who can’t do after-school programs because their families can’t provide service. It supports seniors who are afraid to drive at night and helps lower-income families access medical appointments and their jobs more easily… This is a big boon for our city.” 🎥 Check out his speech below!

WATCH ON DEMAND: Missed our recent CROSSROADS virtual events? Never fear – recordings of each panel discussion, expertly moderated by world-renown advisor, author and urbanist Prof Greg Clark CBE FAcSS are now available for on-demand viewing: https://lnkd.in/e2P3b3tQ Timed with the launch of CROSSROADS – a comprehensive survey of more than 10,000 people across 10 countries – these virtual events brought together diverse panellists from around the world to unpack the challenge of promoting fair and fit-for-purpose infrastructure, from one generation to the next.   CROSSROADS presents a fascinating snapshot of community sentiment – including multi-generational preferences, priorities and perspectives – through an infrastructure lens. The key findings from this wide-ranging study set the scene for a series of engaging panel discussions exploring how we can make the right decisions today, to help chart a course to a more equitable infrastructure future, tomorrow.   Discover our panellists’ value-adding insights here: https://lnkd.in/e2P3b3tQ   #CROSSROADS #FutureCommunities #PowerofCommitment

We recently announced the 12 programs and projects from across Washington to receive a 2024 Governor’s Smart Communities Award, and are excited to share the stories of five communities! The City of Lacey received a Smart Partnership Award for the Lacey MakerSpace expansion. The space is a joint endeavor between Lacey, Saint Martin's University, and the Thurston Economic Development Council. It provides community access to high-tech equipment, education, and workforce training to empower makers, innovators and small businesses. Check out the Lacey MakerSpace: https://lnkd.in/gpfz3znP Stay tuned for more featured projects!

North Carolina’s Research Triangle is one of the fastest-growing areas in the U.S., with a population that’s boomed by 5.6% since 2020 to 2.4 million people, according to Census data. Its strong access to talent, a pro-business environment and a low cost of living have helped it get here. The area, also known simply as “The Triangle,” is anchored by Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill and their major universities: North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They all surround Research Triangle Park, or RTP, the largest research park of its kind in the U.S.  RTP was created in 1959 by a cooperative effort between governments, businesses and universities as a way to lure companies to the talent there and also retain North Carolina’s highly educated and skilled students. It has transformed the state and the region’s economy, once heavily reliant on tobacco, textiles and furniture. “I’ve been here 50 years. And in that 50 years, North Carolina has totally restructured its economy,” said Michael Walden Reynolds, an economics professor at North Carolina State University. The Triangle region has about 4,000 tech and 600 life science companies, and more than 300 companies are headquartered in RTP alone, according to the Research Triangle Regional Partnership and Work In The Triangle. Apple said it’s committed to building a $1 billion East Coast hub there, though it put a four-year pause on its expansion earlier in 2024. Other major companies such as Meta, Novo Nordisk and Amazon are growing their operations in the area as well. “Companies are seeing the advantages of doing business here,” said Ryan Combs, executive director of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership. “Google and Apple in the tech sector, but you have companies like Novo Nordisk that have been here for over 30 years and continue to make incredible investments.” The state’s corporate income tax of 2.5% is already the lowest in the country and will be eliminated by 2030. CNBC ranked North Carolina fourth when considering economic growth and job growth in 2024 and placed it second on its list of America’s Top States for Business. 

D-Day at NYU I got a deluge of reports on the NYU conference with takeaways from brokers and consultants. For some reason, I got inspired to write a takeaway from the principal side. Every hotel conference I learn more by observing who is NOT in attendance. The most glaring absence this year was from the brokers with much smaller teams than usual. Although they have deals to pitch, they know that it is highly unlike anyone will borrow at +9% to buy a struggling hotel at a 4% cap rate. Everyone was obsessed to figure out when rates will go down, as this is the magic bullet to a return to the good old days. The Covid leisure travel bump is over and the consumer is stretched unless he went all-in into NVIDIA call options. AI won’t put food on your table. We have two very significant conflicts going on, a rudderless EU and US elections at the end of the year. So, to underwrite anything you need to hope all these issues get somewhat resolved and we go back to free money. The problem is that hope is hard to model in Excel. If you are curious that picture is known as “Into the jaws of death”. Doing a deal today, one has as much certainty as those kids who landed on Normandy in 1944. Maybe, the 80th anniversary of D-Day helps people to remember that freedom is not free, and peace is an unstable equilibrium. War is the most constant feature of history. In close to 3500 years of recorded history less than 300 years saw no wars. The ultra-low interest rates were also an abnormality and anyone over 40 knows that. The two decades of “Pax Economica” is unlikely to return any time soon because war, conflict, nationalism and deglobalization are inflationary. Can’t buy, can’t sell, so what do you do as a principal? The default answer would be we are holding our positions. But again, in the spirit of D-Day, that is the wrong approach. In the words of Gen. Patton “we are not holding a goddamned thing, let the [Germans] others do that, we are advancing constantly”. That means in our hotel operations we are challenging every assumption, working with GMs to cut costs, deploying new technology and doing selective renovations. V-Day is still far away on rates and geopolitical stability, in the meantime, we are advancing constantly. #NYUconference #hotels #travel #inflation #D-Day

Day 3 of our Winter Institute was filled with powerful conversations and learning moments that deepened our understanding of inclusive service and digital connection. We kicked off with JJ Kapur, an ACC and LFA alumnus, who led an eye-opening session on facilitating inclusive conversations. JJ helped us explore how diverse storytelling can bridge divides and bring communities together. We examined the dangers of single narratives and discovered practical ways to practice cultural humility in our service. Next, Patrice P. Bayyan from Partners for Rural Impact PRI guided us through a thought-provoking exploration of how service and leadership intersect with inclusion. We dove deep into concepts like positionality and intersectionality, considering how these frameworks can help us create more equitable outcomes in the communities we serve. LFA alumna Tyne Jeanae Dickson led a crucial session on trauma-informed practices. As we work shoulder-to-shoulder with communities that have experienced various forms of trauma, Tyne helped us build a toolkit for sustainable, trauma-informed service that honors both our communities and ourselves. The day concluded with an illuminating Digital Equity Panel focused on Texas as a case study. Leaders in the digital connectivity space shared insights about current challenges, priorities, and their vision for a more connected Texas. This real-world example helped us better understand how digital equity work can transform communities and open up new possibilities for connection. It was a packed final day at the ACC Winter Institute before our Members went back home to finish out their last 6 months of service!

By working closely with unemployed graduates to support them into graduate level employment, the ambitions of #HLSMPlus will support the aims of the #GetBritainWorking White Paper of achieving an 80% employment rate. #GraduateUnemployment #GraduateOutcomes #Employability