This page contains the schedule for the 2021 Virtual RuralRISE Summit, as well as session recordings from the event.
For speaker bios, visit this page or click the links below.
Day 1: September 20th
12:00 – 12:05 pm
Welcome and Overview
Speakers:
Nathan Ohle – Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)
Joe Kapp – National Center for Resource Development (NCRD)
12:05 – 12:10 pm
Quick Pitch: Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF)
12:10 – 12:15 pm
Quick Pitch: PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship
12:15 – 1:10 pm
Successful & Innovative Rural Funding Initiatives Panel
This panel discussion will include an overview of innovative rural funding initiatives.
Speakers:
Caitlin Cain, CEcD, MUP – VP & Rural Director, RuralLISC
Suzanne Anarde – CEO, RCAC
Erik Stegman – CEO, Native Americans in Philanthropy
1:10 – 1:15 pm
Quick Pitch: I Am A Rural Teacher
Rural Schools Collaborative in partnership with the National Rural Education Association
1:15 – 1:45 pm
The Value of Public Radio & Local Media in Rural Communities
Speaker:
Sally Kane – CEO, National Federation of Community Broadcasters
1:45 – 2:15 pm
Inclusive Board Development for Rural Organizations
Successful Board Engagement: In this session, we will explore the board’s collective roles and responsibilities, responsibilities of individual board members, and the appropriate partnership role of the chief executive in working with the board.
Speakers:
Jennifer Moriarty – Moriarty Consulting
2:15 – 2:30 pm
Break
2:30 – 3:25 pm
Public Policy & Messaging for Impact Panel
Influencing from bottom to top: how to change policies, lobby for support and funding, etc at the state level. How to speak to policymakers. And politics for ecosystem builders.
Moderator:
Jason Wiens – Policy Director, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Speakers:
Tom Downs, Esq. – Principal, Downs Government Affairs
Jason Grill – Director of Policy Engagement, Right to Start
Ted Stiger – Senior Director of Government Relations & Policy, RCAP
3:25 – 3:30 pm
Quick Pitch: Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design (CIRD)
3:30 – 4:20 pm
Rural Ecosystem Building Panel: Innovative Ideas & Impact in Rural Communities
What does it look like to take visionary ideas and turn them into concrete steps? This panel will examine working models around rural impact.
Moderator:
Erik Pedersen – Vice President of Entrepreneurship, NetWork Kansas
Speakers:
Mildred J. Franco – Executive Director, The Generator
Bill Woodrum – Coordinator, WV Entrepreneurship Network / WV BusinessLink
Ciara Thyfault – Senior Product Manager, Rural Entrepreneurship, Central Region, NetWork Kansas
4:20 – 4:55 pm
Fireside Chat: Ecosystem and Nonprofit Support in Rural Communities
Speakers:
Cass Walker Harvey – Executive Director, First Southwest Community Fund
Cara Dingus Brook – CEO & President, The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio
Andy Stoll – Serial Entrepreneur and Senior Program Officer, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
4:55 – 5:00 pm
Closing
5:00 – 6:00 pm
Social Hour & Networking
Day 2: September 21st
12:00 – 12:07 pm
Welcome
Speakers:
Nathan Ohle – Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)
Joe Kapp – National Center for Resource Development (NCRD)
12:07 – 12:10 pm
Quick Pitch: Entrepreneur
12:10 – 12:15 pm
Digital Inclusion
This session will cover regional efforts in digital inclusion, including national workforce and economic impact numbers.
Speaker:
Roberto Gallardo, Ph.D. – Director, Purdue Center for Regional Development
12:15 – 1:25 pm
Keynote Speaker & Broadband Discussion
RuralRISE welcomes Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr.
Commissioner Carr will bring a leading voice on broadband issues to the RuralRISE stage that hits home on an immediate need in accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship in rural and tribal communities. Without accessible and affordable broadband, rural communities will continue to be left behind in the ever-evolving innovation landscape.
Speaker:
Brendan Carr, FCC Commissioner
1:25 – 1:30 pm
Broadband Initiatives with the Center for Rural Innovation (CORI)
Speaker:
Matt Dunne – Founder and Executive Director, Center for Rural Innovation (CORI)
1:30 – 2:30 pm
Federal Resources for Rural Communities Panel
Moderator:
Nathan Ohle – Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)
Speakers:
Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk – Chief Innovation Officer, USDA Rural Development Innovation Center
Brittany Sickler – Senior Innovation Policy Advisor, SBA Office of Investment and Innovation
Eric Smith – Director for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Economic Development Administration
2:30 – 2:45 pm
Break
2:45 – 3:10 pm
Keynote Speaker: Diverse Faces of Rural – The Importance of Inclusive Rural Ecosystem Building
In this keynote, Dell Gines will discuss the many faces of rural, including the new diverse world of ecosystem development and how we can move forward!
Speaker:
Dell Gines, Ph.D., CEcD – Lead Community Development Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Omaha Branch
3:10 – 3:15 pm
Quick Pitch: Lead for America
3:15 – 3:55 pm
Start Us Up Resource Guide
This session will include resources from the Kauffman-led Start Us Up coalition and a real-life example of how one small ESO took the first step to advocating for policies that support entrepreneurs.
Speakers:
Jason Wiens – Policy Director, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Grace Rains – Director of Operations, The Conductor
3:55 – 4:00 pm
Quick Pitch: Dan River
4:00 – 4:05 pm
Quick Pitch: The Magic Valley Food Innovation Center – Plaka & Associates
4:05 – 4:15 pm
From the Convent to the Country: What Mother Theresa’s Secretary Learned Working In Rural America
For the first time ever, join us as Sue Weber, Mother Theresa’s secretary for 7 years, publicly shares her stories, wit, and wisdom on why she left the convent to serve rural communities across the world. From educator to entrepreneur, Weber shares her experiences from meeting royalty to opening the first AIDS hospice and how these experiences drove her to work in rural communities from California to Uganda. From fleeing rebels in Yemen to sheltering orphans in war-torn Beirut, Weber’s unique experiences will uplift and inspire RuralRISE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem builders to continue driving economic opportunity even in the face of the most difficult challenges.
Speaker:
Sue Weber
4:15 – 4:20 pm
Closing & Invite to Social Hour
4:20 – 5:00 pm
Social Hour