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2025 Agenda

2024 Detroit Policy Conference - A Discussion with Hilary Doe and Shirley Stancato

Agenda details are tentative and subject to change.

8:00 a.m.

Registration, Networking, and Breakfast

Location: Rocket Companies Exhibit Hall

8:30 a.m.

Detroit’s First Word: NeighborHUB

Moderator: Devon O’Reilly, Senior Director, Community Engagement and Leadership Development, Detroit Regional Chamber

Sponsor: The Kresge Foundation 

Location: The Kresge Foundation Theatre, Rocket Companies Exhibit Hall  

Devon O'Reilly Leadership Detroit Devon O’Reilly
8:45 a.m.

Detroit’s First Word: Renaissance Center Development

Panelists: Jared Fleisher, Vice President, Government Affairs and Economic Development, Rocket Companies  

David Massaron, Vice President, Infrastructure and Corporate Citizenship, General Motors 

Sponsor: The Kresge Foundation 

Location: The Kresge Foundation Theatre, Rocket Companies Exhibit Hall  

Jared Fleisher Headshot Jared Fleisher
9:00 a.m.

Detroit’s First Word

Sponsor: The Kresge Foundation 

Location: The Kresge Foundation Theatre, Rocket Companies Exhibit Hall  

9:25 a.m.

Conference Welcome

Speaker: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber
Location: Sound Board Stage

sandy baruah Sandy K. Baruah
9:40 a.m.

The Case for a Detroit-Ann Arbor Innovation Corridor

Speaker: Richard Florida, Founder, Creative Class Group
Location: Sound Board Stage

Richard Florida Headshot Richard Florida
9:55 a.m.

Power Perspective: Darren Riley

Speaker: Darren Riley, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, JustAir 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Darren Riley headshot Darren Riley
10:03 a.m.

General Session

Location: Sound Board Stage

10:28 a.m.

Businesses Driving the Innovation Economy

Panelists: Kofi Bonner, Chief Executive Officer, Bedrock 

John McLaughlin, Global ESG Leader and Ann Arbor Site Lead, KLA 

Carolina Pluszczynski, Chief Operating Officer, Michigan Central 

Robert G. Riney, President and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ford Health 

Moderator: Richard Florida, Founder, Creative Class Group 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Kofi Bonner Kofi Bonner John McLaughlin headshot John McLaughlin Carolina Pluszczynski headshot Carolina Pluszczynski Bob Riney Robert G. Riney Richard Florida Headshot Richard Florida
10:53 a.m.

General Session: Warren Evans

Speaker: Warren Evans, Executive, Wayne County 

Interviewer: Carol Cain, Senior Producer and Host, Michigan Matters, CBS Detroit; Columnist, Detroit Free Press 

Sponsor: Miller Johnson 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Warren Evans Headshot Warren Evans Carol Cain Headshot Carol Cain
11:08 a.m.

Keynote Address: Sandy K. Baruah

Speaker: Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber 

Location: Sound Board Stage  

sandy baruah Sandy K. Baruah
11:16 a.m.

Innovation in the Automotive Industry

Location: Sound Board Stage 

11:41 a.m.

Power Perspective

Location: Sound Board Stage 

11:49 a.m.

Lunch

Pick-up Location: Outside Entrance of Rocket Companies Exhibit Hall 

Sponsor: Trion Solutions

 

12:40 p.m.

General Session: Alexa and Johnnie Turnage

Speakers: Alexa and Johnnie Turnage, Founders, Black Tech Saturdays 

Location: Sound Board Stage  

Alexa and Johnnie Turnage headshot Alexa and Johnnie Turnage
12:55 p.m.

Keynote Address: Dug Song

Speaker: Dug Song, Co-founder and President, Song Foundation 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Dug Song Dug Song
1:10 p.m.

Power Perspective: Michael Healander

Speaker: Michael Healander, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Co-founder, Airspace Link

Location: Sound Board Stage 

 

Michael Healander headshot Michael Healander
1:18 p.m.

Keynote Address: David Coulter

Speaker: David Coulter, Executive, Oakland County

Location: Sound Board Stage 

David Coulter David Coulter
1:33 p.m.

Accelerating Innovation

Panelists: Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, President, Wayne State University 

Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz, President, Michigan State University 

Dr. Santa J. Ono, President, University of Michigan 

Moderator: Richard Florida, Co-founder, Creative Class Group 

Sponsor: University of Michigan 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Kimberly Andrews Espy headshot Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy Richard Florida Headshot Richard Florida Kevin Guskiewicz headshot Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz Santa Ono Dr. Santa J. Ono
1:58 p.m.

A Conversation With Josh Sirefman and Mary Culler

Speaker: Josh Sirefman, Chief Executive Officer, Michigan Central 

Interviewer: Mary Culler, President, Ford Philanthropy; Chair, Michigan

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Mary Culler headshot Mary Culler Josh Sirefman headshot Josh Sirefman
2:23 p.m.

Power Perspective: Lisa McLaughlin

Speaker: Lisa McLaughlin, Co-founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Workit Health 

Location: Sound Board Stage

2:31 p.m.

Break

2:50 p.m.

General Session: Mark Hackel

Speaker: Mark Hackel, Executive, Macomb County 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Mark Hackel Mark Hackel
3:05 p.m.

A Conversation With Nia Batts and Dennis W. Archer Jr.

Speaker: Nia Batts, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, Union Heritage 

Interviewer: Dennis W. Archer Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sixteen42 Ventures  

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Dennis W. Archer Jr. headshot Dennis W. Archer Jr. Nia Batts Headshot 2024 Nia Batts
3:25 p.m.

Power Perspective: Ned Staebler

Speaker: Ned Staebler, Vice President, Economic Development, Wayne State University; President and Chief Executive Officer, TechTown 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Ned Staebler headshot Ned Staebler
3:33 p.m.

Investing in Innovation

Panelists: Ben Marchionna, Chief Innovation Officer, Michigan Economic Development Corp.  

Rishi Moudgil, Executive Director, Michigan Founders Fund 

Chris Rizik, Managing Partner, Renaissance Venture Capital 

Jessica Robinson, Co-founder and Partner, Assembly Ventures 

Sponsor: Michigan Economic Development Corp. 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Ben Marchionna headshot Ben Marchionna Rishi Moudgil headshot Rishi Moudgil Chris Rizik headshot Chris Rizik Jessica Robinson headshot Jessica Robinson
3:58 p.m.

Power Perspective: Kevin Johnson

Speaker: Kevin Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Economic Growth Corp. 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Kevin Johnson headshot Kevin Johnson
4:06 p.m.

Keynote Address: Mike Duggan

Speaker: Mike Duggan, Mayor, City of Detroit 

Sponsor: Comcast Business 

Location: Sound Board Stage 

Mayor Mike Duggan headshot Mike Duggan
4:35 p.m.

Reception

Sponsors: Downtown Detroit Partnership, Enbridge Energy, Kroger 

Location: Rocket Companies Exhibit Hall 

4:45 p.m.

Detroit’s Last Word

Panelists: Mary Sheffield, President, Detroit City Council, District 5

James Tate, President Pro Tem, Detroit City Council, District 1

Fred Durhal III, Member, Detroit City Council, District 7

Sponsor: The Kresge Foundation 

Location: The Kresge Foundation Theatre, Rocket Companies Exhibit Hall 

Fred Durhal III headshot Fred Durhal III Mary Sheffield headshot Mary Sheffield James Tate headshot James Tate
2024 Detroit Policy Conference - A One on One Discussion with David Coulter

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