Pennsylvania Allies Program:
Training for Local Economic Development Stakeholders
Who Should Participate:
This program is NOT designed for full-time economic development professionals.
Rather, it has been designed for professionals working in roles that actively support economic development organizations and their efforts within PA communities (e.g., board members of economic development organizations, local elected officials, community groups / representatives, chambers of commerce, local government workers and the agencies they represent, etc.). PEDA believes that by providing local economic development stakeholders with an introductory understanding of economic development trends and tools (and their own role in becoming champions within their communities), they will have the background, information and confidence to make informed decisions that can directly – and positively – impact the communities in which they live. With instruction by industry professionals and with the benefit of real-life examples, individuals participating in this program will develop a basic understanding of what economic development means, today, and what role(s) they can play in the process.
Program Elements:
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Certificate: Participants completing the program will receive a certificate, documenting their achievement. (Participation in all 6 virtual sessions is required to receive the certificate, while participation in the reception - which requires a separate fee, as outlined in the next bullet - is optional.)
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Networking: Beyond the intrinsic value of the program’s sessions, PEDA strongly recognizes the importance of networking. For a separate fee, registrants of this program will have the opportunity to participate in an evening reception scheduled to take place on Monday, October 26, 2026 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Wyndham Gettysburg (primary venue for the 2026 PEDA Fall Conference, a separate event for which additional information and registration options can be found here.)
Program Session Dates, Times, Titles & Presenters*:
Session 1: Tuesday, November 3, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual
Economic Development in Your Community
- Steve McKnight | President & CEO | Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation
- Rick Vilello, Jr. | Deputy Secretary, Community Affairs and Development | Pennsylvania DCED
Session 2: Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual
Public Finance Tools: Grants & Local Programs
- Ryan Emerson | Director of Grants | Pennsylvania DCED
Session 3: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual
Supporting & Accelerating Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Your Community
- Ryan Glenn | Director of Statewide Initiatives | Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Session 4: Tuesday, December 1, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual
Identifying International Business Opportunities for Local Companies
- Katherine Skopp | Managing Director, International Operations, BusinessPA | Pennsylvania DCED
Session 5: Tuesday, December 8, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual
The Economic Impact of Recreational Development
- Nathan Reigner, PhD | Director of Outdoor Recreation | Pennsylvania DCNR
- Silas Chamberlin, PhD | Chief Strategy Officer / VP of Economic & Community Development | York County Economic Alliance
Session 6: Tuesday, December 15, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual
The Changing Workforce
- Jesse McCree | CEO | SCPA Works
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Networking Reception (Optional Add-On / Separate Fee): Monday, October 26, 2026 | 5:30-7:00 pm ~ live
- Networking Reception (optional add-on / separate fee)
The live networking reception will take place at the Wyndham Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA.
*subject to change
Consent to Use of Photo / Video / Audio:
Registration for, attendance at or participation in this event – or any of its functions – constitutes an agreement by the registrant, attendee or participant to PEDA’s photographing and / or recording of this event (or portions thereof) and to PEDA’s use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant’s, attendee’s or participant’s image and/or likeness and/or voice (as recorded on audio or video) without compensation.
Cancellation / Refund / Substitution Policies:
If the need to cancel your participation in the Zoom sessions should arise, please notify PEDA – in writing, by emailing sdreese@wannerassoc.com – by 4:30 pm on October 5, 2026. Where applicable, if the need to cancel your confirmed participation in the optional reception arises, please notify PEDA – in writing, by emailing sdreese@wannerassoc.com – by that same date and time, noting that no refunds will be provided after that point. Substitutions are permitted.
Recognition of Support:
This Project was financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, DCED.
Consent to Share Information:
Registration for, attendance at or participation in this series constitutes an agreement by the registrant, attendee or participant to allow PEDA to share his/her/their name, title and organization name (a) with session presenters and (b) with entities that have provided financial support for the series (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development and other authorized representatives) only insofar as doing so would allow PEDA to demonstrate the impact of the series.
Zoom credentials will be emailed to registrants in advance of the first virtual session.
Questions should be directed to Shelly Lawyer at sdreese@wannerassoc.com.
Please note capacity for this series is limited.
