JUST ECONOMY
Nashville
September 8-9
JUST ECONOMY
Nashville
September 8-9
SCHEDULE
September 8
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
registration
Location: Gateway Pre-Function Space
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Community Investment Essentials
Location: Gateway D
This training has reached maximum capacity for registrants.
This pre-summit training designed for those new to NCRC’s work or seeking a foundational understanding of the systems we strive to change. This session will equip you with the context and vocabulary needed to actively participate in critical conversations and get more out of the summit.
3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Panel & Discussion Groups: Setting the Table
Moderator:
Jesse Van Tol, President and CEO, NCRC
Speakers:
Priya Jayachandran, CEO, National Housing Trust
Brooke DeRenzis, CEO, National Skills Coalition
Nicole Elam, President & CEO, National Bankers Association Foundation
Jonathan Brereton, CEO, Scale Link
Location:
Gateway AB
Description:
As government resources become increasingly scarce, the ground beneath community development is shifting. This opening panel will bring together national leaders in finance, housing and small business to map out the systemic changes impacting our work. You will hear firsthand about the major economic and policy trends reshaping the landscape of community investment. This session is designed to provide the critical context you need to engage meaningfully in the afternoon’s table dialogues, where you will dissect these national shifts and pinpoint how this “new normal” is creating immediate and pressing challenges in your community.
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Location: Sky Pavilion
September 9
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
registration
Location: Gateway Pre-Function Space
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Breakfast & General Session: Imagination and Collaboration
Moderator:
Kay Bowers, Board of Directors, NOAH
Speakers:
Michael Neal, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute
Matt Wiltshire, President, Pathway Housing Fund
Kristen Baker, Executive Director, LISC Greater Cincinnati and Louisville
Nate Hogan, President, CLT Alliance Foundation
Location:
Gateway AB
Description:
When the old playbook is no longer an option, it’s time to write a new one. This breakfast panel moves beyond “tightening our belts” to explore what it truly means to do things differently. Featuring leaders facilitating innovation from across the country, this discussion will showcase real-world examples of how to sustain community priorities by building entirely new, efficient systems of collaboration. You’ll leave inspired with fresh ideas to bring to the subsequent table talks, where you and your peers will discuss new models and unlikely partnerships to achieve your goals.
10:15 AM – 11:45 AM
Discussion Groups: Imagination & Collaboration
Location: Gateway CDE
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Lunch Panel & General Session: Private & Public Sector Perspectives
Moderator:
Katy Crosby, Chief, Community Engagement & Institutional Accountability, NCRC
Speakers:
Adam Hall, Community Impact Manager, Fifth Third Bank
Jamari Brown, Sr. Director of ECD, City of Nashville
Christopher Kizzie, Vice President, Advisors, Enterprise Community Partners
Eddie Latimer, CEO, Affordable Housing Resources
Location:
Gateway AB
Description:
What does a fully integrated, place-based community investment strategy look like on the ground? This lunchtime panel will highlight the Fifth Third Neighborhood Program, which integrates capital, expertise and technical support to create equitable growth and economic mobility. This impactful work models what can be done when community and capital align their interests and outcomes through a focused, collaborative approach. This session offers a powerful example of how a corporate partner can anchor and advance a community’s vision.
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM
General Session: Implementation & Opportunities
Moderator:
Aron Thompson, VP, Housing & Economic Development, Executive Director, R.E.D. Academy
Speakers:
Jeff Darnell, TAEM Director, Martha O’Bryan Center
Diego Eguiarte, SVP // Director of Emerging Markets and Small Business Lending, Pathway Lending
Marshall Crawford, CEO, The Housing Fund, Nashville
Location:
Gateway AB
Description:
Inspiration is essential, but action is critical. The closing panel of the summit is focused squarely on execution. This session is dedicated to identifying the “quick win” changes you can implement as soon as you return home to move your community development priorities forward, even without new funding. You’ll hear about what is working right now from practitioners who are successfully navigating this new reality. The panel will directly prepare you to close out the summit by pinpointing your single highest-impact idea and mapping out the actions you and your colleagues need to take to make it a reality.
2:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Discussion Groups: Implementation & Opportunities Report Out
Location: Gateway CDE
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Closing Reception
Location: Gateway AB
Location:
Hilton BNA Nashville Terminal
2 Terminal Dr.
Nashville, TN 37214
If you have any questions regarding registration or would like to express your interest in attending, please email us at membership@ncrc.org
Nashville Host Committee
Aron Thompson, VP, Housing & Economic Development, Executive Director, R.E.D. Academy
Beverly Watts, NCRC Board Member
Kay Bowers, Board of Directors, NOAH
Marshall Crawford, CEO, The Housing Fund, Nashville
Sponsors
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Your Voice.
Your Community.
One Movement.
Unite with changemakers to build a Just Economy grounded in local voices, driven by collective strength and built to lift every neighborhood.
At the 2025 Just Economy Leadership Summit in Nashville, we host practitioners working in housing, workforce, small business development, inclusion and the supportive services that hold our communities together.
This gathering is not just about naming challenges – it’s about identifying immediate next steps while beginning to shape long-term strategies that respond to the lasting impact of shifting federal priorities.
If you have any questions regarding registration or would like to express your interest in attending, please email us at membership@ncrc.org
Your voice matters. Your experience matters.
Together, we can move from working alone to working in alignment, translating hard truths into real steps forward.
What You’ll Gain:
Deep Connection:
Break through isolation by building relationships with peers facing similar challenges and responsibilities.
Strategic Influence:
Help shape a national economic justice strategy grounded in local realities.
Actionable Insights:
Explore proven strategies and best practices at the state and local level that can be applied beyond the convening.
Collaborative Opportunities:
Gain insights into banks and other key partners for lasting impact.
Long-Term Support:
Join ongoing working groups to drive implementation and stay connected well after the event.
