Podcasts
Hear from thought leaders from inside and outside Virginia as we dive into content related to economic development, education, workforce, and other topics of interest to the business community.
Private Sector Solutions to Public Sector Challenges: A Conversation With Karen Dahut
Karen Dahut is CEO of Google Public Sector (GPS), where she works to bring Google technology to solve complex problems for U.S. public sector solutions at the local, state, and federal levels. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Dahut about GPS’ work with public and private sector partners to leverage Google technology to serve U.S. citizens.
Data Center Solutions at Scale: A Conversation With Shannon Kellogg
Shannon Kellogg is vice president of public policy at Amazon, where he leads the company’s public policy efforts in support of Amazon Web Services. VEDP Interim Vice President of Knowledge Work Meghan Welch spoke with Kellogg about Amazon’s cloud investments and other tech innovation the company is spearheading.
Rethinking the Supply Chain From Dock to Door: A Conversation With Myra Blanco
Dr. Myra Blanco is chief growth officer at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and CEO of the university’s Dock to Door Coalition. VEDP Vice President of Logistics Eric Jehu spoke to Blanco about the coalition’s goals for transforming the way supply chains are viewed, analyzed, and managed.
Amazon Invests in Technology and People: A Conversation With Ashleigh de la Torre
Ashleigh de la Torre is vice president of public policy at Amazon, where she leads the company’s transportation and sustainability initiatives, supporting its operations, logistics, and delivery businesses. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with de la Torre about Amazon’s complex logistics operations and ambitious sustainability goals.
The Value of Data: A Conversation With Lance Harcrow
Lance Harcrow is chief operating officer at Estes Forwarding Worldwide, a leading domestic and international freight forwarder headquartered in Chesterfield County. VEDP Vice President of Logistics Eric Jehu spoke with Harcrow about the issues his company sees as a logistics provider and how data analysis can transform the supply chain moving forward.
Key Factors in FDI Decisions: A Conversation With Jasjit Singh
Jasjit Singh is executive director of SelectUSA, a U.S. government program housed within the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration that works to attract foreign direct investment to the United States. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Singh about trends in foreign direct investment and SelectUSA’s work to drive FDI activity.
Perpetuating a Rock-Solid Relationship: A Conversation With Ambassador Alexander Yui
Ambassador Alexander Yui took over as the Taiwanese representative to the United States at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in December 2023. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Ambassador Yui about his experiences in the job and the trade relationship between Virginia and Taiwan.
The International View of the American Value Proposition: A Conversation With Ambassador Mark Brzezinski
Ambassador Mark Brzezinski has served as the U.S. Ambassador to Poland since 2021 and previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Ambassador Brzezinski about European perceptions of the business climate in the United States and Virginia and what states can do to attract European investment.
Nuclear’s Role in the Future of Clean Energy: A Conversation With April Wade
April Wade is executive director of the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium (VNEC), which represents stakeholders invested in research and development, workforce, innovation, and advocacy for the nuclear energy industry. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Wade about VNEC’s mission and activities and the role nuclear energy can play in a robust power generation industry working toward ambitious clean energy goals.
Charting a Cleaner Energy Future for Virginia: A Conversation With Bob Blue
Bob Blue is chair, president, and CEO of Dominion Energy, Inc., an integrated energy utility headquartered in Richmond that operates in 15 states and provides energy to 7 million customers. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Blue about the company’s history serving commercial and residential customers and its efforts to shift the balance of its portfolio toward clean energy.
The Big-Picture View of Quantum’s Potential: A Conversation With Jay Lowell
Jay Lowell is a principal senior technical fellow at The Boeing Company, where he helps guide technical strategy and research implementation regarding disruptive emerging technologies. Dave Ihrie, chief technology officer of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, spoke with Lowell about Boeing’s quantum priorities and how the company fits quantum technology into its existing mission.
A New Way to Model the Universe: A Conversation With Yaakov Weinstein
Dr. Yaakov Weinstein is chief scientist of quantum technologies at The MITRE Corporation, a major research organization that conducts and supports research from government and industry on topics important to national security and stability. Dave Ihrie, chief technology officer of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, spoke with Weinstein about the fundamentals of quantum computing, the history of the field, and potential implications across a disparate group of industries.
The Era of Quantum Utility: A Conversation With Joseph Broz
Dr. Joseph S. Broz is vice president for quantum growth and market development at IBM, where he’s responsible for driving commercial quantum applications and business adoption of advanced quantum computing capabilities. Dave Ihrie, chief technology officer of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, spoke with Broz about IBM’s extensive history and leadership position in the quantum computing field and why recent quantum successes are so important.
Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Virginia: A Conversation With Jonathan Zur
Jonathan Zur is president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC), a nonprofit organization that works with schools, businesses, and communities to promote inclusion. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Zur about VCIC’s mission, its activities, and the importance of pairing diversity with inclusion.
An Inside Look at Drone Innovation: A Conversation With Tom Walker
Tom Walker is the founder and CEO of DroneUp, a provider of drone delivery and flight services that has operated out of Virginia Beach since its founding in 2016. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Walker about DroneUp’s delivery partnership with Walmart, its history and growth in Virginia, and the company’s work to grow the drone industry in Virginia through a unique educational partnership.
Following the Crooked Road: A Conversation With René Rodgers
Dr. René Rodgers is head curator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, where she leads the museum’s collections, permanent and special exhibits, and other educational programming. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Rodgers about Virginia’s role in the popularization of what’s now known as country music, the complexities of promoting tourist attractions across state lines, and how the museum has benefited from the presence of The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail.
The Story Behind an Iconic American Hike: A Conversation With Philip D’Anieri
Philip D’Anieri is the author of “The Appalachian Trail: A Biography,” published in 2021 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. VEDP President Jason El Koubi spoke with D’Anieri about the history of the Appalachian Trail inside and outside of Virginia, why he chose to cover the trail’s history through a human lens, and the inseparability of his field, urban planning, from the natural environment.
Creating Positive Outcomes for Students and Employers: A Conversation With Anne Kress
Dr. Anne Kress is president of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), the largest public educational institution in Virginia and the second-largest community college in the United States. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Kress about the importance of community colleges in workforce development, the effectiveness of industry partnerships in delivering talent to employers.
When Education Meets Employment: A Conversation With Earl Buford
Earl Buford is president of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting adult learners as they navigate between education and employment. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Buford about CAEL’s mission and work, best practices for getting workers the training they need for the jobs they want, and the family history that motivates him.
Helping Life Sciences Companies Succeed in Virginia: A Conversation With John Newby
John Newby is CEO of Virginia Bio, the nonprofit statewide trade association that serves and promotes the life sciences industry in the Commonwealth. VEDP Interim President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Newby about recent life sciences success stories in the Commonwealth and Virginia Bio’s efforts to grow the industry, including the recently announced industry hub, Virginia Bio-Connect.
Nurturing Innovation in the Life Sciences: A Conversation With Chandra Briggman
Chandra Briggman is president and CEO of Activation Capital and VA Bio+Tech Park in Richmond. VEDP Interim President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Briggman about her organization’s mission and activities, the emerging pharmaceutical cluster in Richmond and Petersburg, and the nuances of supporting life sciences investment during a global pandemic.
Automation and Work in ‘The Fourth Age’: A Conversation With Byron Reese
Byron Reese is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, and futurist. VEDP Interim President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Reese about the progression of technology and what it means for the future of the workforce.
From the Shore to the Stars: A Conversation With Ted Mercer
Maj. Gen. Ted Mercer is the new CEO and executive director of Virginia Space, the owner and operator of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), collocated at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. VEDP Interim President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Mercer about his priorities at Virginia Space, the facility’s capabilities and clients, and the importance of commercial launches at Wallops.
Sharing Resources to Improve Cyberspace: A Conversation With Luiz DaSilva
Luiz DaSilva is executive director of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) and Bradley Professor in Cybersecurity at Virginia Tech. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with DaSilva about the collaborative research taking place at CCI’s member institutions and how that collaboration is positioning Virginia to set the course for the future of the internet.
Quantifying Cybercrime: A Conversation With Steve Morgan
Steve Morgan is the founder of Cybersecurity Ventures, a leading cybersecurity research company that provides data and insights on global cybercrime to C-suite executives, and editor-in-chief of Cybercrime Magazine. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Morgan about skyrocketing cybercrime damages, the cybersecurity skills gap, and Virginia’s place at the top of the cybersecurity industry.
An Exporter’s View of International Trade: A Conversation With John Keppler
John Keppler is chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Enviva, the world’s largest producer of woody biomass and one of Virginia’s largest exporters out of its private terminal in the city of Chesapeake. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Keppler about the company’s unique export profile, its commitment to sustainable forestry practices, and the quest to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Building on Success at The Port of Virginia: A Conversation With Stephen Edwards
Stephen Edwards is the new CEO and executive director of The Port of Virginia. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Edwards about the port’s ambitious ongoing modernization efforts, Virginia’s geographic export advantages, and the challenges of guiding essential logistics operations during a global pandemic.
The Appian Way: A Conversation With Matt Calkins
Matt Calkins is founder and CEO of Appian, an enterprise cloud software company headquartered in Fairfax County. Appian is a leader in low-code automation, enabling organizations to develop powerful and business applications quickly. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Calkins about building and running a software company headquartered in Northern Virginia.
Factors in Corporate Headquarters Location Decisions
VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with leading site consultants Greg Burkart (Duff & Phelps), Jeannette Goldsmith (Strategic Development Group), and Chris Schastok (CBRE) about the factors that affect corporate headquarters location decisions, how companies will operate differently coming out of the pandemic, and the advantages Virginia has in attracting corporate headquarters investment.
Making AI Serve Us All: A Conversation With Kevin Scott
Kevin Scott is chief technology officer and executive vice president, technology and research, at Microsoft, and the author of “Reprogramming the American Dream: From Rural America to Silicon Valley — Making AI Serve Us All.” VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Scott about his journey from rural Virginia to one of the biggest tech companies in the world and how artificial intelligence is poised to transform the U.S. economy.
Behind the Love: A Conversation With Rita McClenny
Rita McClenny is president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC), the agency tasked with expanding domestic and international inbound travel and motion picture production in Virginia. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with McClenny about Virginia’s top tourist destinations, marketing tourism during a global pandemic, and what it’s like overseeing one of the most enduring brands in tourism marketing, “Virginia is for Lovers.”
Virginia’s Place in Space: A Conversation With Dale Nash
Dale Nash is CEO and executive director of Virginia Space, owner and operator of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Nash about the mission and history of Virginia Space and the opportunities for commercial space flight at Wallops.
‘We Go to Space to Improve Life on Earth’: A Conversation With Peter Beck
Peter Beck is CEO, CTO, and founder of Rocket Lab, a private space company with commercial launch sites in New Zealand and at Wallops Island on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. VEDP Executive Vice President Jason El Koubi spoke with Beck about Rocket Lab’s evolution, its decision to locate in Virginia, and the future of commercial space flight.
Range: The Case for the Liberal Arts - A Conversation With Katherine Rowe
Dr. Katherine A. Rowe is the 28th president of William & Mary. She also founded and serves as CEO at Luminary Digital Media and has published three books. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Rowe about integrating digital literacy with a classic liberal arts education, running a university during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more.
What’s Next for the Food & Beverage Industry?
VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with leading site consultants Brian Corde (Atlas Insight), Scott Kupperman (Kupperman Location Solutions), and Brandon Talbert (Austin Consulting) about the factors that make states and localities successful in attracting projects in an industry where even the most successful companies depend on low margins and economies of scale.
Beyond One-Size-Fits-All College Dreams: A Conversation With James Rosenbaum
James Rosenbaum is a professor of human development, social policy, and sociology at Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and a faculty fellow at the Institute for Policy Research. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Rosenbaum about how the traditional college model fails some students and what can be done to make it work better.
The Future of Cities: A Conversation With Joel Kotkin
Joel Kotkin is the Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and executive director of the Houston-based Center for Opportunity Urbanism. The New York Times has described him as “America’s Uber-Geographer” for his work on global economic, political, and social trends. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Kotkin about the forces affecting U.S. cities, suburbs, and rural areas.
Preparing Students for Sustainable Jobs: A Conversation With Steven Brint
Steven Brint is distinguished professor of sociology and public policy at the University of California, Riverside, and the author of “Two Cheers for Higher Education.” VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret caught up with Brint on a recent trip to the West Coast to discuss his work in, and analysis of, higher education in the 21st century.
Connecting Southern Virginia to the World: A Conversation With Tad Deriso
Tad Deriso is president and CEO at Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation, a South Boston-based nonprofit organization that has built an advanced open-access fiber optic network in Southern Virginia. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Deriso in Danville about his work creating world-class fiber infrastructure in a rural region.
The Evolution of Cloud Computing: A Conversation With Susie Adams
Susie Adams is chief technology officer (federal government business) at Microsoft, where she oversees and implements the technical strategy for the technology giant’s Department of Defense, civilian, and intelligence community businesses. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Adams about data centers, Big Data, and the future of cloud and edge computing.
Moving the Needle in Rural Communities: A Conversation with Tom Barkin
Tom Barkin is the president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. VEDP’s President and CEO, Stephen Moret, recently spoke with Barkin about some of the issues and opportunities he has seen in the Fed’s Fifth District in his first 18 months on the job.
Virginia’s Rural Storyteller: A Conversation with Beth Macy
Beth Macy is a three-time New York Times best-selling author. She is the author of “Factory Man”, “Truevine”, and “Dopesick.” VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret recently visited with Macy in Roanoke to discuss her work and unique perspective on issues facing rural America.
Building the Capacity for Greatness at The Port of Virginia: A Conversation with John Reinhart
John F. Reinhart is the CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority (VPA). VEDP’s President and CEO, Stephen Moret, recently spoke with Reinhart about a transformative period in the history of the Port and what the future looks like at The Port of Virginia in the maritime industry.
The State of Modern Manufacturing: A Conversation with Jay Timmons
Jay Timmons is president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and chairman of the board of the NAM’s Manufacturing Institute. VEDP’s President and CEO, Stephen Moret, recently spoke with Timmons about the issues that are important to manufacturers in the U.S.
Remaking Economic Development: A Conversation with Amy Liu
Amy Liu, vice president and director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings speaks on the future of economic development, how it is changing and how it should change, as well as the Amazon HQ2 project that recently was announced in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Tim Sands’ Bold Vision for Virginia Tech
Timothy D. Sands, the 16th president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, discusses exciting new developments at Virginia Tech, the university’s role in bringing Amazon’s HQ2 project to Virginia, the plan for a new innovation campus in Alexandria, and how Virginia Tech partners with business and industry.
Greg LeRoy Puts Good Jobs First
Greg LeRoy, the founder and executive director of Good Jobs First, discusses the inspiration for the creation of Good Jobs First, thoughts about the Amazon HQ2 project, and the future of economic development incentives in the U.S.