The Connector

In this episode of The Connector, SaverLife Vice President of Research and Policy Mat Despard speaks with Institute for Emerging Issues Communications Director Jennifer Heiss about how employer benefits - such as access to healthcare, retirement savings accounts, and more - can help employees and their families achieve household financial resilience. 

This episode is the first in a special podcast series highlighting themes that cam...

In this episode of The Connector, Institute for Emerging Issues Communications Intern Adam Sichel speaks with IEI Director Sarah Hall and National Advisory Board Member Jack Cecil about how IEI’s Emerging Issues Forums from 2022 to 2024 all tie together as a thematic three-part series on supporting North Carolinians’ economic development. 

Cecil and Hall discuss the goals behind developing this series of forums, as well as how pivot...

In the latest episode of The Connector, IEI Communications Director Jennifer Heiss speaks with Melissa Hart, senior lecturer in finance at NC State University Poole College of Management and adjunct professor at UNC Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School, about educating students of all ages on personal finance. Hart discusses the role technology plays in accessing personal finance information, and strategies for making the best...

As the first full year of The Connector Podcast comes to a close, IEI Director Sarah Hall and IEI Director of Community Initiatives Samantha Graham ask the question: What gives you hope? Podcast guests answered this question throughout the year, giving listeners insight into the unique challenges and successes they see across the state in increasing educational attainment, bridging North Carolina’s digital divide, and more. This ep...

It’s the holiday season! As you prepare to gather with friends and family, now is also a great time to prepare to handle conflict and difficult conversations that may come up during your holiday gathering.

In this episode of The Connector, IEI Director Sarah Hall speaks with MDC Vice President of Partnerships and Programs Calvin Allen and MDC Program Director Kathryn Gaasch about navigating conflict during the holidays. Allen and Ga...

In this episode of The Connector, IEI Assistant Director Pat Cronin introduces the 2024 Emerging Issues Forum, Weathering Financial Storms: A Resilient Future for North Carolina Families. 

Cronin provides an overview of financial resilience and shares a sneak peak into what attendees can expect at the forum, including keynote remarks from The Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary and insights on financial de...

In this episode of The Connector, Wake Forest University Pre-College Programs Executive Director Kyla Hollingsworth discusses the long-term impact of their College LAUNCH for Leadership program - a free, nine month leadership program that prepares high school juniors in Winston-Salem, Charlotte and surrounding communities for college.

This is the fourth installment of our “Checking In” series with members of the Institute For Emergi...

In this episode of The Connector Podcast, Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Digital Inclusion Initiative Leader Samantha Graham is joined by High Country Council of Governments GIS Analyst and Planner Tatiana Magee, and Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Library Regional Director Amber Briggs to discuss how they got involved in digital inclusion planning, the biggest successes and challenges they’re seeing in the communities they ser...

A recent review of digital inclusion plans across North Carolina showed that libraries were the most cited community asset for digital access and support by people of all ages. 

In this episode of The Connector Podcast, Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Digital Inclusion Initiative Leader Samantha Graham and BAND-NC Project Specialist Jess Epsten are joined by State Library of North Carolina Digital Literacy Skills Coordinator Lor...

In episode this of The Connector, guest host and IEI Digital Inclusion Initiative Leader Samantha Graham is joined by National Digital Inclusion Alliance Policy Director Amy Huffman for the first installment in our newest series exploring the challenges and opportunities of bridging North Carolina’s digital divide.

Graham talks with Huffman about what the NDIA is doing nationally to help states in their digital equity and inclusion ...

In episode this The Connector, host James Herrick and Institute for Emerging Issues Assistant Director Pat Cronin are joined by Wilson Education Partnership Executive Director Robin Williams for the third installment of our “Checking In” series with members of IEI’s Educational Attainment Community Cohort. 

Williams talks with Herrick and Cronin about the work Wilson Education Partnership is doing to build relationships between busi...

In episode this of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues Assistant Director Pat Cronin and Isothermal Community College Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Greg Thomas for the second installment of our “Checking In” series with members of IEI’s Educational Attainment Community Cohort.

Thomas talks with Herrick and Cronin about ICC’s approach to community engagement and how the colleg...

In episode this of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues Assistant Director Pat Cronin and Communities Supporting Schools (CSS) of Wayne County Executive Director Selena Bennett. 

Bennett talks with Herrick and Cronin about the work CSS of Wayne County is doing to close the educational attainment gap and help kids stay in school, the many ways the local Wayne County community is supporting the ...

In episode this of The Connector, host James Herrick is joined by Institute for Emerging Issues Director Sarah Hall and NC Tech Paths Director of Strategic Partnerships Ariana Williamson.

Williamson talks with Herrick and Hall about her time on the Talent First Economics Task Force, the common barrier she has seen faced by groups of underrepresented workers, and the impact learning pathways are making in preparing workers for jobs. 

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In the final installment of Talent First Tuesdays, Institute for Emerging Issues Director Sarah Hall and ncIMPACT Initiative Research Director Jess Dorrance are joined by NC Department of Commerce Economist Jonathan Guarine, Men and Women United for Youth and Families Executive Director Randolph Keaton, and NENC Career Pathways Workforce Connector Brandi Bragg to discuss barriers faced when connecting opportunity youth - those who ...

In our Families and Caregivers of Young Children conversation, IEI Director Sarah Hall and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Foundation Early Childhood Director Rob Thompson were joined by NC Department of Commerce Strategic Data Analyst Neil Harrington, NC Early Childhood Foundation Executive Director Muffy Grant and Community Action Opportunities Life Works Coach Ashanti Ternoir to discuss the barriers faced by parents of children...

In our Individuals with Disabilities and/or Neurodiversity conversation, IEI Director Sarah Hall was joined by NC Department of Commerce Data Analytics and Research Team Director Oleksandr Movchan, NC Department of Commerce Executive Assistant to the Secretary Toya Crichlow, NC Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Employment and Inclusion Chris Egan, Disability:IN North Carolina Executive Director Beth Bu...

In the second installment of Talent First Tuesdays, Institute for Emerging Issues Director Sarah Hall and Industry Expansion Solutions Director of Defense Industry Initiatives Michael Mullins are joined by Josh Levy with the NC Department of Commerce, Erin Ananian-Gentile with the NC Military Business Center and Tyler Klemas with Duke Energy Corporation to discuss barriers faced by military veterans and their families when entering...

The Institute for Emerging Issues is hosting a special five episode series of The Connector Podcast called Talent First Tuesdays. In this series, IEI is welcoming back each breakout session panel from the 2023 Emerging Issues Forum, Talent First Economics to continue the important conversations that took place earlier this year. 

In this episode, IEI Director Sarah Hall and NC State University Director of Economic Partnership Tom Wh...