LEANN HACKMAN-CARTY, FOUNDER (CANADA)

 

With a diverse background in the private, public and non-profit sectors, Leann has refined her unique, entrepreneurial ability to establish partnerships across various sectors, industries and borders; anticipate emerging and ongoing business needs; design new ways of providing goods and/or services; as well as conceptualize, plan and implement innovative initiatives.  Leann’s broad network of contacts locally, regionally, nationally and internationally is a real asset in her work. Expertise includes: community economic development, business & economic recovery, identification of strategic business and market opportunities, government relations and entrepreneurship. Leann has been the CEO of Economic Developers Alberta since 2009. In 2014, Leann completed a project with 11 Alberta flood impacted communities. In 2016-17, she worked with the Fort McMurray region on business and economic recovery by setting up and operating the business hotline; validating businesses for Red Cross emergency relief; and leading a 10-member economic recovery assessment team to the region. In 2019 she updated the Community Toolkit for Economic Recovery and Resiliency (Canadian Version)' to help communities prepare for and recover from economic disruptions, and brought this resiliency training program to Canada in 2017. In addition to her work at EDA, she heads up HackmanCarty and Associates, which is focused on community capacity building, resilience and recovery.  At the end of December 2017, she released her “Master Your Disaster” series of guidebooks on Amazon designed to help individuals, businesses and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. In 2018, she received Public Safety Canada’s Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award-Resilient Communities. In her capacity as the Canadian President of the Institute for Sustainable Development (www.isdus.org), she works with international experts on innovative long term community recovery and resiliency programs. In April 2019, she added the role a Managing Director (Canada) for Jobenomics (www.jobenomics.com) to address her ongoing desire to “create jobs for everyone” particularly in the wake of a disaster. In August 2019, she launched the MYD Global Youtube Channel where she talks “all things disaster”.

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LORETTA AVENT, ASSOCIATE (USA)

 

Loretta Avent has dedicated her life to improving the lives of Native American youth, following service in the White House as the Deputy Assistant to President Clinton for Intergovernment Affairs, White House Liaison to Indian Country and Liaison to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's Office. In that capacity, she worked extensively with various U.S. tribal leadership on a range of community issues. She has a passion for removing political, policy or administrative barriers.  Loretta partnered with HACKMANCARTY to bring her Native American Youth Forum concept to Canada in November 2014. Her understanding of the political environment, and how that impacts policy decisions at the local, regional and national levels is a great asset to communities and businesses. Loretta is based out of Phoenix, Arizona.

 

LYNN KNIGHT, ASSOCIATE (USA)

 

Lynn Knight’s career incorporates successful chapters as a journalist, entrepreneur, business executive, government, and non-profit leader. For over 5 years, Lynn served as the VP of Knowledge Management for the International Economic Development Council, the world’s largest and oldest organization for the economic development profession. She served as National Program Director for the organization’s technical assistance, economic recovery, and resilience portfolio, which assisted distressed communities in dozens of states and territories that experienced natural and manmade disasters. As the Washington, D.C. representative of the governor of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, in 2009, Lynn worked with federal agencies to build a social safety net for the territory, dealing with complex economic recovery, infrastructure, immigration, and labor issues. ​ As an entrepreneur, Lynn founded and owned a full-service public relations and advertising agency, Sunset Advertising Group, which served leading clients in the West Pacific for 14 years. She was the Saipan Bureau Chief / News Anchor for a regional cable TV company based in Guam. Early in her career, Lynn was Director of the Office of the Chairman of the California-based ComputerLand Corporation, a $1.4B retailer with 880 franchised stores in 26 countries. Lynn is based out of Virginia, USA.
 
NATALIE GIBSON, ASSOCIATE (CANADA)

 

For more than 20 years Natalie has been inspiring community leaders towards positive change through her work in both the public and private sectors. Natalie is a dedicated problem solver who can identify, discuss and determine the best path forward in a myriad of situations on any scale. Her superior communications skills and clear focus allows her to work closely with clients to determine initial and long-term success using the most efficient and effective tools available. As part of the Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) Natalie has worked on countless projects across Canada and the U.S. including her work with the EDA’s Emergency Disaster Recovery Project during the Alberta Floods of 2013 and in 2017 following the Fort McMurray wildfire. As a teacher and motivator, Natalie delivered one of Canada’s first Community Economic Development Training Programs (CEDTP) through the EDA, inspiring hundreds of community representatives, elected officials and industry leaders. Natalie’s ability to objectively assess an organization’s advantages and faults allows her to uncover opportunities in business retention, expansion and investment, building wealth and boosting economies across the country. Natalie is based out of Airdrie, Canada.

 

​STEPHEN JORDAN, ASSOCIATE (USA)

 

In 2000, Stephen Jordan founded and served for 12 years as executive director of the Business Civic Leadership Center, a not-for-profit 501(c)-3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce focused on corporate social responsibility and public-private partnerships. He is the author, co-author, and editor of numerous publications on corporate responsibility, business ethics, and global development. Before founding BCLC, Stephen served as executive director of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America. Stephen holds an MBA from Georgetown University and an MA in Political and Social Thought from the University of Virginia with high academic honors from both institutions. His practice areas include enterprise-wide corporate responsibility and sustainability strategy, business and non-profit development strategy, marketing and advocacy strategy, public-private partnership development, stakeholder relationship management, social capital and trust-building, social impact and socially responsible investing, resilience, and disaster recovery. Stephen is based out of Washington DC.

 

CHUCK VOLLMER, ASSOCIATE (USA)

 

Chuck is the author and founder of Jobenomics, which deals with the economics of business and job creation.  Jobenomics’ principal focus is on citizens at the base of America’s socioeconomic pyramid with special emphasis on minorities, women, youth, veterans and other hopefuls who want to develop a skill, career and start a business.  The Jobenomics National Grassroots Movement has reached an estimated audience of 30 million people via media, website, blog, and lectures.  In 2017, Jobenomics’ website received over 350,000 page views with the majority the viewers spending a half hour or more online, not counting time spent reviewing hundreds of thousands of downloads of Jobenomics ten e-books and special reports.  In 2018, Jobenomics America TV began airing on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Dish TV’s new America’s Voices News Network.  Today, Jobenomics has garnished wide-spread support for its economic, urban renewal, small business, and workforce development efforts.  Two dozen U.S. communities started Jobenomics initiatives led by local community leaders. Chuck is based out of Washington, DC.

 

DEIDRE HACKMAN, ASSOCIATE (CANADA)

 

Over the past 30 years, Deidre has been a creative leader for a number of global brands including Nike, Speedo, Bebe Sport, Spyder and Victoria Secret. As a Designer, she is always interested in solving problems in creative, innovative ways. Her process includes developing a strategic positioning for the brand and then creating concepts to drive the design and product development. Deidre also owned and operated her own design/retail operation including manufacturing, merchandising and management. All of this experience helped develop a well rounded knowledge of what it takes to make an operation successful, and how important the creative process is in all of it. Deidre's leading edge creative and design skills are invaluable when businesses and communities are looking to position their brand in an effective, competitive marketplace. Deidre is based out of Edmonton, Canada.  

 

MICKIE VALENTE, ASSOCIATE (USA)

 

Mickie works hands-on with communities that are recovering from major economic disruptions or taking proactive steps to build community resilience. She has worked with communities of all sizes across the U.S. and Canada. Recently she has served as the Economic Recovery Advisor to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, providing expert advice to the State, and assisting with developing targeted economic recovery strategies, implementing assistance programs and engaging State, Federal and Local partner organizations to establish economic recovery teams that will provide the expertise and resources to recover from wildfires and other major economic disruptions. Mickie is regularly engaged as a subject matter expert and trainer by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) as they work with communities in economic distress. Before launching her own firm in 2008, she served in partner engagement roles with Enterprise Florida and the Florida Council of 100. Mickie is based out of St. Petersburg, Florida.

 

HORACIO REYES, ASSOCIATE (MEXICO)

 

Horacio Reyes is a Mexican economist with over thirty years of experience in International Business, Negotiation, Public Affairs, Tourism and Marketing. He is now an international business consultant. His diverse experience has been with the public and private sector, including a significant focus on international affairs. This includes serving as a Diplomat, Vice-President of the Mexican Export Bank, and as a high ranking official at Federal, State and Municipal levels. During his career, he has lived and worked in Mexico, Canada, Japan, Italy, USA, India and Hong Kong. He speaks several languages and has been an International speaker and advisor. Horacio is based in Querétaro, Mexico.