Akron Roundtable Podcast

The Crypto Conundrum - Breaking Down Bitcoin Basics talk will trace the evolution of digital currencies and their importance in our modern digital world. It will cover Bitcoin's history, blockchain technology, and its decentralized nature. The chat also discusses mining, security, and privacy aspects. The discussion examines Bitcoin's advantages, risks, and drawbacks, as well as its impact on the economy and society. We will also explore the potential effects of widespread adoption on traditional banking systems and peer-to-peer transactions.

Join us for a facilitated session as leaders from agriculture and energy come together to discuss the pressing issues and promising pathways for the future of climate change. Through an engaging facilitated discussion by Zaria Johnson, we will unpack the intricate relationship between energy, agriculture, and climate change. Panelist Mike Chadsey and Erin Fitzgerald will share valuable insights into the current state of affairs and explore the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. Discover how energy, agriculture, and climate-conscious business are reshaping industries and communities worldwide. This session will shed light on the interdependencies between energy production, agricultural systems, and climate action, emphasizing their profound influence on one another. Learn about the strategies, policies, business models, and technological advancements driving sustainability in these sectors. Explore innovative initiatives and collaborative efforts that are building a more resilient and environmentally responsible future. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation. Be prepared to delve into practical solutions and approaches to address the challenges posed by climate change. Together, we will explore how we can foster economic growth, achieve energy independence, ensure food security, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

What does freedom mean to the individual citizen or an entire race? Whose history, whether made by an individual or an entire community, deserves reverence, protection, and preservation? In celebration of Juneteenth, this talk by Brent Leggs will highlight a galaxy of Black American sites representing generational citizenship and a profound national identity.

Cindy Hohl, MBA/MLIS, is a member of the Santee Sioux Nation and director of policy analysis and operational support at the Kansas City Public Library She is a past president of the American Indian Library Association and committed to focusing her work around creating welcoming spaces where library workers know that they belong there. In her work on the DEIA committee with the National Information Standards Organization and as a North American representative to the International Federation of Library Associations Indigenous Matters Section she works with librarians to share information across the globe. Cindy serves as treasurer on the executive board of the Freedom to Read Foundation and on the steering committee for the Joint Council of Librarians of Color conference. As an ALA Spectrum Scholar, she strives to increase diversity in the library field through mentorship, recruitment, and advocacy. She currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Spectrum Advisory Group and on the PLA Membership Advisory Group. Cindy is also on the ballot running for President of the American Library Association and with 55,000 members, is the largest and most influential library association in the world. Cindy supports systemwide planning and analysis of the Kansas City Public Library and she has earned an award-winning management and leadership career in marketing, finance, operations, and public libraries. With a passion for learning, she strives to connect others to the value of the information field, and she is always looking for new ways to share her love of libraries by highlighting the positive impacts that librarianship has on the community using the tools of data analysis and storytelling. Cindy holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Friends University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Baker University and a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Wayne State University. Libraries have the power to help people live their best lives, and Cindy actively seeks out opportunities to help BIPOC students connect to the field by applying for the ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program. Proudly representing the Santee Sioux Nation, she was selected as a Spectrum Scholar in 2016 and she is passionate about leadership, equal access, relationship building, Indigenous Knowledge systems, decolonizing classification standards, equity in data & information, training, learning, policy development, identifying trends, and honoring the oral-storytelling tradition of tribal communities. Librarianship is the gateway to protecting intellectual property and expressing intellectual freedom in every community and Cindy encourages everyone to celebrate their right to read. In her work as treasurer of the Freedom to Read Foundation and while serving on the Missouri Library Association Intellectual Freedom committee, Cindy advocates for everyone to have equal access to library services and materials and she is passionate about supporting community members with their right to use libraries without barriers. Cindy believes that censorship has no place in an educated society and speaks to the tenets of librarianship to ensure equal access to information and materials. She often says there has never been a better time to be a librarian!

As president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Loretta J. Mester participates in the formulation of U.S. monetary policy and oversees more than 1,000 employees in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh who conduct economic research, supervise banking institutions, and provide payment services to commercial banks and the U.S. government. She assumed her role as president and CEO in June 2014. Dr. Mester was born in Baltimore, MD. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics and economics from Barnard College of Columbia University. She earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from Princeton University, where she was a National Science Foundation Fellow. Prior to being named president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Dr. Mester was executive vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, where she served as the chief policy advisor, attended meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee, and oversaw the economists and analysts in the Research Department, as well as professionals in the Financial Statistics Department and the Payment Cards Center. She joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia in 1985 as an economist, becoming senior vice president and director of research in 2000, and executive vice president and director of research in 2010. Dr. Mester is an adjunct professor of finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She has also taught in the undergraduate finance and M.B.A. programs at Wharton and in the Ph.D. program in finance at New York University. Her areas of research expertise and interest include the organizational structure and productive efficiency of financial institutions, financial intermediation and regulation, agency problems in credit markets, credit card pricing, central bank governance, and inflation. Dr. Mester has published numerous articles in refereed academic and professional journals on a variety of topics, including economics, central banking, and financial intermediation and regulation. In addition, she is a co-editor of the Journal of Financial Services Research and an associate editor of several other academic journals. Dr. Mester is a director of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, a trustee of the Cleveland Clinic, a trustee of the Musical Arts Association (Cleveland Orchestra), a director of the Council for Economic Education, a founding director of the Financial Intermediation Research Society, a member of the senior council of the Central Bank Research Association (CEBRA), and a member of the advisory board of the Financial Intermediation Network of European Studies (FINEST). She is a member of the American Economic Association, the American Finance Association, the Econometric Society, and the Financial Management Association International.

Katie Moon will talk with moderator and Track & Field News correspondent Dave Hunter about her 2020 Olympic experience and related track and field accomplishments, as well as her current training path leading to the 2024 Olympics.

Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, Congresswoman Emilia Strong Sykes grew up on the city’s west side and has dedicated her career to strengthening her community. For 8 years, Emilia served as the State Representative for Ohio House District 34, otherwise known as the “Birthplace of Champions.” During that time, she served for four years in Democratic leadership, including three years as the House Minority Leader. In her first year as the leader of the House Democratic caucus, despite serving in the minority, the percentage of bipartisan bills passed in the Ohio House was nearly double each of the previous four years combined. In 2022, Congresswoman Sykes became the first Black person elected to represent Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, where she has committed to fighting for economic opportunity, safer communities and affordable healthcare for Northeast Ohioans, bringing along a spirit of bipartisan cooperation to get things done for those she serves. Congresswoman Sykes has received numerous awards for her advocacy, including the EMILY’s List national Rising Star award, Legislator of the Year from the Ohio Minority Business Enterprise, the Champion for Children award from Summit County Children’s Services, and 30 for the Future award from the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce. Outside of elected office she engages her community as a lifelong member of her church, a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and a life member of the NAACP. Congresswoman Sykes graduated with high honors from Kent State University with a B.A. in Psychology and later went on to the University of Florida, where she earned a Juris Doctor with a Certificate in Family Law and a Master of Public Health. Congresswoman Sykes is a newlywed, married to Kevin Boyce and enjoys spending time with family, engaging in the arts, and enjoying the many blessings of life.

Theron Brown will take us on a musical journey from past to present as he unpacks the stories and spirit of Howard Street. He’ll reveal the cultural significance of this gift to the city of Akron and a new synergy around the realization of wealth that was formed during an important era of jazz history in our community.

TABLEAU 2022: Tableau is Akron Roundtable's annual fundraising dinner which sets the stage for an evening of great discussion with a celebrated speaker. Our special guest, Connie Schultz, will step away from the podium to share personal insights and life experiences in an intimate conversation with Justin Hilton, Executive Director, Leadership Akron. Your generosity by attending this fundraiser will help Akron Roundtable bring exceptional speakers to Northeast Ohio. Speaker: Connie Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for USA Today and author of the New York Times bestselling novel, The Daughters of Erietown. She is also a Professional in Residence at Kent State University’s School of Media & Journalism, where she teaches opinion writing, feature writing and ethics. Schultz has been featured for her work in numerous publications and interviews, including The New Yorker, NPR, Politico, Kirkus Reviews Magazine, Glamour, Columbia Journalism Review, The Washington Post, and Ohio Magazine. Her book reviews appear regularly in The Washington Post, and she has also written for The New York Times, Politico, Parade, The Atlantic, Time, The Nation, Glamour, Democracy Journal and ESPN Magazine, among others. For more event details and full speaker bio please visit: https://bit.ly/3eRT9Jt

Speaker: Rich Kramer is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. He became CEO in 2010 and was elected Chairman by Goodyear’s Board of Directors later the same year. For more event details and full speaker bio please visit bit.ly/3iQdj8w

Speaker: Jerika L. Richardson is Senior Vice President for Equitable Justice & Strategic Initiatives at the National Urban League. She leads the organization’s advocacy, public education, and strategic work on civic engagement, voting rights, police reform, criminal justice reform, and other justice related areas. Moderator: Marlene Harris-Taylor is director of engaged journalism which includes managing Ideastream Public Media's health team and the special project Connecting the Dots Between Race and Health. Prior to this role she was the managing producer of health for two years and a reporter on the health team for more than three years. For more event details and full speaker bio please visit bit.ly/3h5D2cz

Speaker: Christopher Wilkins became Music Director of the Akron Symphony in the fall of 2006. Since then the orchestra’s programming has reflected his strong interest in community-oriented projects. He has developed partnerships with many artists and organizations based in Northeast Ohio, including the Akron Art Museum, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Firestone High School, Summit County Historical Society, YEPAW 365, GroundWorks Dance Theater, Neos Dance Theatre, and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. For more event details and full speaker bio please visit bit.ly/3W3AaLM

Presentation: The role of public education is to ensure every child in America is provided an opportunity to reach their full potential in ways that prepare them for success in a global society. The pandemic, however, exposed glaring inequities in America's education system, and school districts were forced to rethink the way they've operated over the last century. Hear Christine Fowler Mack, Superintendent of Akron Public Schools, talk about these issues and more. Speaker: Born and raised in Akron and educated in Akron Public Schools (APS), Superintendent Christine Fowler Mack is an experienced school district leader whose first classroom experience was in the APS system as a teacher at Robinson Elementary School from 1989 – 1995. Following that, Fowler Mack was a student dean and teacher leader for two years in APS. For more event details and full speaker bio please visit https://bit.ly/3DhJvJm

Speaker: Mike Crawford is the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer for Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company and its subsidiaries, including Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, which he joined in December of 2018. Mr. Crawford spent almost 25 years at the Walt Disney Company. He rose to Senior Vice President and General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort and President of Shanghai’s Walt Disney Holdings Company. For full speaker bio and event details visit: https://bit.ly/3S5J7SY

Presentation: Why do Black American women suffer a 300% maternal mortality rate as compared to white women? Why do Native American babies suffer the highest infant mortality rate in the developed world? Why are BIPOC Americans charged and incarcerated at a rate of 6-9 times that of white Americans despite comparable crime rates. And how do we R.I.S.E. up to these challenges in a meaningful way? Speaker: Qasim Rashid is a human rights attorney based in Chicago. Mr. Rashid’s practice focuses on matters dealing with civil rights, immigration, non-profits, consulting, media, and political consulting. Mr. Rashid began his legal career working for a major financial institution to build out consumer finance protection policies and help manage corporate litigation for a $1.2B portfolio. He then pivoted his practice to include non-profit and civil rights matters, where he has worked with several national non-profit organizations focused on women’s rights, racial justice, and religious freedom. For full speaker bio and event details visit: https://bit.ly/3Dk7dVZ

Presentation: This presentation, given on August 18th, 2016, was part of the Akron Roundtable's 40th Anniversary series, in which several key speakers from over the decades were invited to return to the Roundtable podium. Speaker: Dr. Austen, born and raised in Akron, Ohio, received his BS degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his MD degree from Harvard Medical School. He was appointed Chief of the Surgical Services at the MGH in 1969 at the age of 39 and he held that position for almost 29 years. Dr. Austen was active in numerous roles throughout his life including serving as a Founding Trustee of Partners HealthCare System, the Founding President and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO), a member of the National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Life Member Emeritus of the MIT Corporation (Board of Trustees) and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Dr. W. Gerald Austen passed away in September of 2022. For full speaker bio and event details visit: https://bit.ly/3ewDKh5

Presentation: The last two and a half years has been a time of significant disruption. Carey will share theories on societal and business disruption and how GOJO continues to leverage its values to support the world’s increased need for PURELL® products despite this disruption. Speaker: Carey Jaros has led GOJO Industries as President and Chief Executive Officer since January 2020 and has been with the company since 2014. She brings passion for GOJO’s Purpose — Saving Lives and Making Life Better Through Well-Being Solutions — to her daily work. Her focus is on continuously extending GOJO leadership as a market-making, growth-oriented company that cares about the health and wel-being of people both out in the world and within its own walls. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/3MdvwH0

Presentation: Many would acknowledge that we are entering a third wave of access to public higher education in America. We will review the first two waves of access, the markers of this third wave, and discuss changes in who pays for the cost of earning a college education, with Kent State University offered as an example of these trends. Speaker: Todd Diacon became Kent State University's 13th president in July 2019. A tireless advocate for student success, President Diacon has more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/3tkcExE

Presentation Ohio is an aging state. Explore Ohio’s plan to take on ageism, eliminate disparities and inequities among older Ohioans, and create a state where Ohioans live longer, healthier lives with dignity and autonomy. Speaker Jennifer Carlson is the Ohio Department of Aging’s Assistant Director. In the role, she drives the development of innovative policy and programs to improve the health, wellness, and safety of older Ohioans. Carlson also serves as chief advisor to the department’s director, Ursel J. McElroy. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/3x440Ft

Presentation Widely recognized as one of the defining features of our community, Summit Metro Parks celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2021. With the support of Summit County residents, the park district protects 15,000 acres of green space and hosts nearly six million visits each year. Informed by the stories of its past and its vision for the future, the park district enters its second century with a renewed approach to protecting natural resources and connecting people to nature. Speaker Appointed in September 2015, King is the seventh director of Summit Metro Parks, which was established in 1921 and is the first woman to lead the park in its history. In this role she serves as the chief executive and chief financial officer, leading and directing the organization to ensure achievement of its mission, financial viability, short and long-term growth, and stability. For full event details and speaker bio visit: https://bit.ly/39MXqv0