THE INCLUSIVE GROWTH SUMMIT
Shaping New Haven’s
future, together.
PUTTING IDEAS TO WORK
Across New Haven, residents have shared what matters to them: being able to afford life here, finding work that supports a family, building a successful business, and having a say in the future of their neighborhoods.
The Inclusive Growth Summit builds on those conversations with a shared question: How do we make that future possible?
Hosted by The Center for Inclusive Growth, the summit brings residents, business owners, community organizations, employers, and local leaders together to explore solutions, build partnerships, and identify steps we can take together.
WHY THIS SUMMIT MATTERS
Inclusive growth is not a single initiative. It is a regional strategy.
The future competitiveness of the City of New Haven and Connecticut depends on whether institutions, employers, entrepreneurs, educators, policymakers, and community leaders can work together to create pathways that are sustainable, scalable, and shared.
The Inclusive Growth Summit exists to accelerate that work.
The Inclusive Growth Summit was designed to help move the Greater New Haven Community beyond conversation to action. Hosted by The Center for Inclusive Growth, the Summit brings residents, business owners, community organizations, employers, and local and national leaders together to explore solutions, build partnerships, and identify a shared vision for inclusive economic growth.
At a time of rapid economic, technological, and demographic change, the Summit creates space to remove silos, strengthen partnerships, and collectively shape a future where economic growth benefits all residents, leaving no one behind.
Experience the Summit
.png)
TESTIMONIALS
“I just see so many people that deeply care about what we all care about, and that's ensuring that as we grow as a city, we grow together.”
Justin Elicker, Mayor, City of New Haven
"Inclusive growth means to me a kind of growth that I don’t think we’ve experienced before … It is from the beginning we all grow and prosper together… It is revolutionary and I think we can do it here in New Haven."
Christine Kim, Ward 7 Alder, City of New Haven
“[The Center is] bringing all of that together, synthesizing it for us into this incredible road map that we can now use to operationalize things that, frankly, we know to be true.”
Hope Chavez, Executive Director, Arts Council of Greater New Haven
WHAT TO EXPECT
-
Action-oriented conversations and breakout sessions
-
Cross-sector networking with regional leaders and changemakers
-
Practical strategies and implementation-focused ideas
-
Emerging trends shaping the future economy
-
Opportunities for partnership and collaboration
-
Insight into regional economic priorities and innovation ecosystems
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
-
Business leaders and employers
-
Economic development professionals
-
Entrepreneurs and founders
-
Educators and workforce leaders
-
Healthcare and housing stakeholders
-
Public sector and civic leaders
-
Transportation and infrastructure professionals
-
Climate and clean energy innovators
-
Nonprofit and community leaders
-
Investors and philanthropic partners
-
Residents interested in shaping Greater New Haven’s future economy
WHY NEW HAVEN, WHY NOW
New Haven stands at an important moment of opportunity.
As industries evolve and new economic drivers emerge, the region has an opportunity to build a future rooted in innovation, resilience, and broader participation in economic growth for all.
The Inclusive Growth Summit brings together the leaders, institutions, and ideas necessary to help shape what comes next.
LAST YEAR’S IMPACT
140+
Participants joined from across business, education, healthcare, housing, workforce development, entrepreneurship, climate and green energy, transportation, technology, and public policy.
+27%
Use this space to explain the above number.
15M
Use this space to explain the above number.
890
Use this space to explain the above number.
What Participants Said
I'm actually really excited about this opportunity to be able to share with other stakeholders about what inclusive growth means to me.
Rev. Scott Marks,
Director
New Haven Rising
People were very open and honest and willing to contribute and had a willingness to engage with both big-picture vision for what could be better and different, and also with some of the minutia on the ground that you have to deal with in order to effectuate change.
Anika Singh Lemar,
Clinical Professor Law,
Yale Law School
And that was really beneficial because we need people working at all levels to actually make the change that we want to have and have it be informed by the people who are most negatively impacted by the inequities in our society and also with support from people who are in positions of power to make that change.
Tagan Engel,
Economic, Food and Environmental Justice Strategist
On-Ramps to Economic Mobility
Intentional participation in the economy depends on nonnegotiable conditions such as housing stability, early talent pipelines, workforce readiness, and dignity.
These sessions examine place-based approaches that move beyond short-term services toward durable economic mobility and long-term participation in the economy.
2026 SUMMIT TRACKS
CALL FOR SPEAKERS
Help Shape the Conversation on Inclusive Growth
The 2026 Inclusive Growth Summit is now accepting speaker proposals from leaders, practitioners, innovators, and cross-sector collaborators whose work is helping shape a more inclusive and economically competitive future.
We are seeking engaging sessions, case studies, conversations, and actionable insights aligned with this year’s theme: The Power of the Next Step.
Selected speakers will join regional leaders across business, education, healthcare, housing, workforce development, climate and clean energy, transportation, entrepreneurship, and public policy.
Proposal Deadline:
June 17, 2026
Summit Agenda
3:00 PM
Arrival and networking
3:30 PM
Opening Plenary
DAWN RAGSDALE
Executive Director
The Center for Inclusive Growth
JUSTIN ELICKER
Mayor
City of New Haven
KAREN DUBOIS-WALTON
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
STUART DECEW
Executive Director
Yale Center for Business and the Environment
JAMESON DAVIS
Legislative Policy Analyst
Connecticut Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity
ALISHA CRUTCHFIELD
Founder and Owner
BLOOM
4:10 PM
The Inclusive Growth Roadmap: From Community Conversations to a Shared Destination
5:05 PM
Networking Dinner
5:50 PM
Track 1: On-Ramps to Economic Mobility Concurrent Sessions
Free Teacher Housing: A Scalable Solution to the Educator & Child Care Crisis
Allyx Schiavone
Friends Center for Children
The Next Step in Inclusion: Integrated Models for Economic Mobility in Immigrant Communities.
Fereshteh Ganjavi
Elena’s Light, Inc.
Track 2: Powering Ownership Transitions Concurrent Sessions
Stewarding Collectively Owned Assets
Adriana Abizadeh-Barbour
Kensington Corridor Trust
From Engagement to Stability: Building Community Pathways to Housing Opportunity
Virginia Spell
Urban League of Southern Connecticut
Track 3: NextGen Ecosystems in Action Concurrent Sessions
Building the Developer Bench: TBC’s Fellowship Accelerator Model for Emerging Real Estate Entrepreneurs
Dave Madan and Sandra Meetran
The Builder Coalition
Building the Next Workforce: How Technology and Neuroinclusive Apprenticeships Create Economic Opportunity
Riana LeJeune
Repinned Upholstery & Restoration / Renewabl
6:45 PM
Track 1: On-Ramps to Economic Mobility Concurrent Sessions
From Kitchen to Commerce: Building Equitable On-Ramps for Food Entrepreneurs
Sasha Fay and Sarah Miller
CitySeed
Shifting from Placement to Power: Integrating Community Agency into Workforce Readiness
Caterina Passoni
Havenly
Track 2: Powering Ownership Transitions Concurrent Sessions
Employee Ownership: The Next Step for Business Succession, Workforce Stability, and Shared Prosperity
Amanda Calder
Project Equity
Creating Legacy: Building Ecosystems that Power Community Ownership
Roquel Crutcher
Common Future
Track 3: NextGen Ecosystems in Action Concurrent Sessions
Main Street Meets AI: Ecosystem Strategies for Tech-Informed Small Business Growth
Kobéy Smith
Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce
From Entrepreneurial Ecosystem to Community Capital: Lessons from Greater New Haven’s Journey to a Statewide Investment Strategy
Dr. Lomax R. Campbell and Joseph W. Williams Jr.
Third Eye Network and The Community Foundation Mission Investments Company, respectively
7:35 PM
Closing Plenary and Call Forward
2026 SUMMIT PHOTO ALBUM
OUR PARTNERS
Thank you to our Partners
FAQ
Omni Hotel New Haven at Yale
155 Temple Street,
New Haven, Connecticut, 06510The Summit will take place from 3 p.m.–8 p.m.
Yes. You may park in the hotel garage. Please keep your garage parking ticket with you, and you will receive a voucher or sticker that will cover the full cost of parking upon checking in at registration. You will then use that when exiting the garage.
Business or business casual attire is recommended.
Please email your questions to summit@ignewhaven.org.