ICR NEXT is a webinar series focused on helping the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) region thrive together post-pandemic. The initiative is driven by ICR IOWA, a joint venture of the Iowa City Area Development Group and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.

Previously Recorded ICR NEXT Webinars

ICR NEXT > Workforce Session Recording | Emsi Slidedeck
Moderator: President Lori Sundberg, Kirkwood Community College
Speaker: Director Beth Townsend, Iowa Workforce Development
Speaker: Joshua Wright, Executive Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development, Emsi

ICR NEXT > Economic Development Session Recording
Moderator: Lydia Brown, ICR Iowa Board Chair and Director of Business Development for Skogman Realty
Speaker: Director Debi Durham, Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Finance Authority

ICR NEXT > Community Funding for Economic Development Session Recording
Moderator: Karen Kurt, Executive Director of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG)
Speaker: Steve Castaner, U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Speaker: Grant Menke, USDA Rural Development
Speaker: Nichole Hansen, Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)
Session Materials: EDA, CDBG, USDA

ICR NEXT > Our Ag and Food Economy Session Recording
Moderator: Doug Neumann, Executive Director, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
Speaker: Secretary Tom Vilsack, Former United States Secretary of Agriculture
Speaker: Tom Benner, President and CEO for Lesaffre

ICR NEXT > Inclusive Growth Session Recording
Wednesday, May 20th from 9:30-10:30 am
Moderator: Oather Taylor, Inclusive ICR Advisory Council and DEI Consultant
Speaker : Ian Nicolini, Vice President of Indianapolis Economic Development
Speaker: Mackenzie Higgins, Policy Advisor for the City of Indianapolis
Session Materials: Rebuilding the Dream, Inclusive Incentives

ICR NEXT > Business Attraction Session Recording | Materials
Wednesday, May 27th from 9:30-10:30 am
Moderator: Kelly Hayworth, City Administrator for the City of Coralville
Speaker: Jay Garner, President of Garner Economics & Chair of the Site Selectors Guild
Speaker: Robyn Domber, Vice President of Research for DCI

ICR NEXT > Virtual Education Session Recording
Moderator: Tom Banta, Iowa EdTech Collaborative and Iowa City Area Development Group
Speaker: Elizabeth Hubing, Iowa EdTech Collaborative and Iowa City Area Development Group
Speaker: Julie Murphy, ACT
Speaker: Sara Vispoel, ACT
Speaker: Michal Eynon-Lynch, Pear Deck
Speaker: Carolyn Brown, Foundations in Learning
Speaker: Tom Nicknish, Vived Learning
Speaker: Mark Salisbury, Tuition Fit
Speaker: Chris Draper, IEP Equity
Session Materials: ACT Survey Results, Iowa EdTech Collaborative Survey Results, ACT Adaptive Learning Tools, Foundations in Learning, Vived Learning, Tuition Fit, and IEP Equity.

ICR NEXT > Social and Emotional Learning Session Recording
Wednesday, June 24^th from 9:30-10:30 am
Moderator: Dr. Doug Wheeler, Superintendent, College Community School District
Speaker: Kate Walton, Principal Research Scientist
Speaker: Jeremy Burrus, Senior Director of ACT’s Center for Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning (SEAL)
Session Materials

ICR NEXT > Skills-Based Hiring Session Recording
Moderator: Nathan Scheib, Lead Senior Corporate Recruiter, CRST
Speaker: Trevor Pruitt, Manager of Employer Initiatives, Skillful
Session Materials
Skillful Training Series
Skillful Job Posting Generator

ICR NEXT > Reinvent for Flexibility Session Recording
Thursday, August 27th from Noon – 1:00 pm
Moderator: Jennifer Stahle, Mercer
Speaker: Megan Neumann, Total Health Management
Speaker: Jason Lavender, Buoy
Session Materials