The Community's Conversation

Jane Scott Legacy in Civic Engagement Forum Celebrating Community Leaders

If "The Columbus Way" were a river, its source might just be The Columbus Partnership. In this one-on-one conversation, the Partnership's new President and CEO Jason Hall shares his vision for the influential coalition of regional CEOs. As Columbus grows, so does the importance of collaborative leadership—and Hall's next steps could help shape the future of Central Ohio's economy, equity, and civic identity. Featuring:

Jason Hall, President and CEO, The Columbus Partnership The host is Sophia Fifner, President and CEO, The Columbus Metropolitan Club

The forum's presenting sponsor was Nationwide.

This forum was also sponsored by The Columbus Landmarks Foundation, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Encova Insurance, The Edwards Companies, Huntington, Smoot Construction, and The United Way of Central Ohio. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

What does the Federal Reserve actually do—and why should it matter to Central Ohioans? Beth Hammack, the new president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, sits down with CMC to explain her role, how the Fed operates, and how it impacts your paycheck, your mortgage, and our regional economy. Featuring:

Beth Hammack, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. The host is award-winning news anchor Clay Gordon.

This forum was sponsored by Homeport.

The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on April 16, 2025.

Columbus appears to be on track to keep an important promise: The Columbus Promise.

The innovative education partnership launched in 2021 with the goal of sending more Columbus City School graduates to college, boosting their own life trajectories and helping Central Ohio supercharge its workforce.

The Columbus Promise lets any graduate of Columbus City Schools attend Columbus State Community College at no cost for six semesters and provides a $500 stipend each semester plus academic support.

Now the Promise is no longer just a pilot. The program's key partners – the City of Columbus, Columbus City Schools, I Know I Can, and Columbus State – and an array of private backers – have all recently recommitted to launching a new phase of the program, with more than half of a new $25 million goal already raised.

With a panel of leaders, we unpack the Columbus Promise, explore its origins and impact, and get an inside look at what happens next.

Featuring

Dr. Angela Chapman, Superintendent/CEO, Columbus City Schools

Janelle Coleman, Vice President, Community Engagement & Corporate Philanthropy and President, AEP Foundation

Shannon Hardin, President, Columbus City Council

Dr. Desiree Polk-Bland, Senior Vice President for Student Success, Columbus State Community College

The moderator is Colleen Marshall, News Anchor, NBC4, and host of "NBC4's The Spectrum." This presenting sponsor of this forum was The Columbus Foundation. This forum was also sponsored by Cardinal Health and American Electric Power. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by The Ellis. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on April 9, 2025.

BIG things are happening in Central Ohio! With top leaders, we dig into some of the BIGGEST construction and development projects happening right now in our region, including the new $2B Columbus Airport terminal, the $200M reimagining of the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair, defense contractor Anduril's just-announced state-of-the-art plant, and the highway and transportation systems that will tie it all together. We explore where big ideas come from, and the partnerships and workforce that's essential to turn big dreams into tomorrow's Central Ohio reality.

Featuring:

Pamela Boratyn, Director, The Ohio Department of Transportation

Connor Brogan, Arsenal-1 Project Leader, Anduril

Matt Kunz, Vice President and Columbus General Manager, Turner Construction

And Joseph Nardone, President & CEO, The Columbus Regional Airport Authority

The host is Angela An, News Anchor, WBNS 10TV. This forum was sponsored by Barton Malow, The Columbus Regional Airport Authority, HNTB, Public Sector Consulting, and Turner Construction. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. It was also supported by The Ellis. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on April 2, 2025.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's new proposed $218 billion two-year state budget promises to completely fund the state's public education system, to deliver a tax credit for parents with minimum-wage jobs, and provides higher funding for children's services, including childcare, literacy, and vision programs. With the Governor's proposal in hand, Ohio lawmakers now have until July 1, 2025 to shape the budget and return it to the Governor's desk. CMC welcomes Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for an in-depth conversation on his proposed budget and his priorities for the state.

Featuring:

Governor Mike DeWine, State of Ohio

The host is Jo Ingles, Journalist & Producer, Statehouse News Bureau.

This forum was sponsored by The United Way of Central Ohio, The Ohio Farm Bureau, The Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Public Sector Consulting, Ian Alexander Photography, HNTB, and Smoot Construction.

The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on March 26, 2025.

Ohio's energy demand is set to skyrocket with the rise of data centers, electric vehicles, and the shutdown of aging power plants. Can the state's power generation keep pace, or will electricity shortages hinder Ohio's growth? Major tech companies are establishing data centers in central Ohio, consuming a growing portion of the state's power supply to support consumers and power-intensive technologies like AI. Additionally, the retirement of some fossil-fuel power plants and the unpredictability of renewable sources like wind and solar add further pressure to Ohio's energy system. With industry leaders and experts, we explore the real "power play" essential for the state's economic growth.

Featuring:

Ryan Augsburger, President, The Ohio Manufacturers' Association

Kenny McDonald, President & CEO, One Columbus

Janine Migden-Ostrander, Pace University Law School E nergy & Climate Center, and Former Ohio Consumers' Counsel

Todd Snitchler, President & CEO, Electric Power Supply Association

The host is Bryant Petway, Construction Executive, ArchKey Solutions

This forum was sponsored by The Columbus Region. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on March 19, 2025.

Columbus is more than lucky: the city is home to a vast array of performing arts organizations that bring vibrancy, expression, and wonder to Ohio's state capital through theater, dance, ballet, live music performances, and more. Artists, venues, and companies abound, plus scores of associated programs that seek to inspire young people to learn about themselves by exploring the world of performing arts.

While audiences are filling events, funding remains a challenge, with uncertainties around public funding that are driving arts organizations to build innovative partnerships with each other and supporters.

With Central Ohio's rising population, demand for the performing arts is expected to grow, and new venues to handle the growth are in the works: CAPA is raising $14 million to renovate an historic church on Third Street in downtown into a new multipurpose arts venue, while the Columbus Symphony last year unveiled plans for a breathtaking new 200,000-square-foot venue that would be the city's first purpose-built concert hall, and Shadowbox's Up Front Performance Space is also now newly-renovated.

With representatives from key venues and organizations, we take stock of the state of performing arts in Columbus with industry leaders for a look behind the curtains.

Featuring:

Daniel Walshaw, Chief Operating Officer, Columbus Symphony

Chad Whittington, President and CEO, The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts

Stacie Boord, CEO, Shadowbox Live

Regina Ann Campbell, CEO, King Arts Complex

The host is Jami Goldstein, Chief Creative Officer, The Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC).

This forum was sponsored by The Carol A. McGuire Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund and The Greater Columbus Arts Council.

The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on March 12, 2025.

In partnership with The Women's Fund of Central Ohio, this CMC forum unveils the latest research featuring new data on the critical resources that women in Central Ohio need – and often lack – to build wealth. Women face distinct hurdles in accumulating personal wealth, and the implications are huge: according to the Federal Reserve, closing gender and racial wealth gaps could have expanded Ohio's GDP by a staggering $67 billion from 2005 to 2019. Despite women's substantial contribution to Central Ohio's economy, disaggregated research has been lacking—until now. With a panel of passionate leaders, we discuss these fresh findings and shed light on how women in Central Ohio can overcome barriers to wealth creation.

Featuring:

Keena Smith, CEO, The Women's Center for Economic Opportunity

Shannon Isom, President and CEO, Community Shelter Board

Lisa Gray, Founding President, Ohio Excels

And Alex Dorman, Research Fellow, The Center for Community Solutions

The host is Courtney Falato, Vice President and Program Officer, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

This forum was sponsored by The Mary Lazarus Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund and JPMorgan Chase & Co. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by The Women's Fund of Central Ohio and Vue Columbus.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at Vue Columbus in Columbus' historic Brewery District on March 5, 2025.

Click here to read the subject of this forum, The Women's Fund of Central Ohio's recent research report, "Making Women Wealthy and Free."

The Columbus Chamber of Commerce and The Ohio Chamber of Commerce both help drive Ohio's economy. How do they collaborate to support businesses, and where do they see opportunities for growth in Central Ohio? This conversation explores the biggest challenges facing Ohio's business climate and the initiatives and partnerships needed to ensure a strong future for the region's employers, workers, and the broader economy.

Featuring:

Derrick Clay, President & CEO, The Columbus Chamber of Commerce

Steve Stivers, President & CEO, The Ohio Chamber of Commerce

The host is award-winning news anchor Clay Gordon.

This forum was sponsored by The Columbus Chamber of Commerce and Huntington Bank. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on February 26, 2025.

This CMC forum features a 1:1 conversation with U.S Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, representing Ohio's Third Congressional District since 2013. We'll cover Congresswoman Beatty's legislative priorities and unpack current events in Washington for an in-depth look at the state of federal politics and U.S. democracy.

Featuring:

Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Third Ohio Congressional District, United States House of Representatives

The host is Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Statehouse News Bureau.

This forum was sponsored by The Robert Weiler Company. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on February 19, 2025.