More than 250 Local Leaders and Residents to Gather for New Haven Inclusive Growth Summit

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Center for Inclusive Growth will host its second annual Inclusive Growth Summit on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale. Mayor Justin Elicker will open the sold-out event, which will bring together more than 250 people to advance a shared vision for inclusive growth in New Haven.

Under the theme "The Power of the Next Step," the Summit will move beyond identifying challenges to focus on action, implementation, and long-term collaboration. The event will bring neighborhood residents and grassroots leaders into the same room as policymakers, institutional executives, employers, funders, educators, developers, entrepreneurs, and other people positioned to direct resources and implement solutions.

"When we established the Center for Inclusive Growth, our goal was to build a stronger partnership between the City, Yale and the community to connect more residents to economic opportunity," said Mayor Elicker. "The Summit is an important next step in advancing these efforts as we work together to ensure that New Haven's growth is inclusive and that more of our residents have access to good paying jobs, to start and grow their own businesses and to build generational wealth for themselves and their families."

Mayor Elicker also serves on the Center's Board of Directors. The Board is chaired by Kerwin K. Charles, Indra K. Nooyi Dean & Frederick W. Beinecke Professor of Economics, Policy, and Management at the Yale School of Management, and also includes Peter Salovey, President Emeritus of Yale University and Sterling Professor of Psychology, and City of New Haven President Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers. Together, its members bring civic, institutional, and community perspectives to the Center's work and help strengthen connections between New Haven's priorities and the leadership and resources needed to advance them.

"Yale and New Haven share a responsibility to ensure that economic growth expands opportunity and improves lives in every neighborhood," said Dean Charles. "The Inclusive Growth Summit brings residents, community organizations, government, businesses, and educational institutions into the same conversation. By learning from promising work here in New Haven and across the country, we can deepen partnerships, challenge our thinking, and identify practical ways to build a more inclusive city."

Attendees will also hear from local leaders and business owners directly connected to or impacted by the Center's work, including Karen DuBois Walton, President and CEO of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven; Stuart DeCew, Executive Director of the Yale Center for Business and the Environment (CBEY) and Lecturer at the Yale School of the Environment; Alisha Crutchfield, philanthropist and founder of BLOOM New Haven; and Jameson Christopher Davis, J.D., MELP, African American Legislative Policy Analyst for the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity.

A central moment of the Summit will be the release of the Inclusive Growth Roadmap, fulfilling the Center's commitment to report back on what it heard during its 2025 community engagement process. Developed by the Center for Inclusive Growth, the Roadmap draws on the experiences and ideas of more than 300 residents and stakeholders, data and research from more than 100 sources, and promising approaches from communities across the country. The Roadmap identifies key priorities, opportunities and strategies that strengthen economic participation, break down silos and ensure New Haven's growth creates opportunity and prosperity for all residents.

"Residents were clear that they did not want their involvement to end with a conversation or a report," said Dawn Leaks, executive director of the Center for Inclusive Growth. "They wanted their voices to lead to meaningful, systemic change. They told us they would rather wait longer for progress that is significant and built for lasting impact than see a headline-grabbing solution that disappears after a year. The Roadmap reflects that charge, and the Summit is an opportunity to begin organizing the people, partnerships, and resources needed to move it forward."

The Summit will feature speakers from local and national organizations, with sessions organized around three tracks:

On-Ramps to Economic Mobility

Sessions will examine the conditions residents need to participate fully in the economy, including stable housing, childcare, workforce preparation, accessible career pathways, and community agency. Speakers include:

• Allyx Schiavone, Friends Center for Children - New Haven, Conn.
• Fereshteh Ganjavi, Elena's Light - New Haven, Conn.
• Sarah Miller and Sasha Fay, CitySeed - New Haven, Conn.
• Caterina Passoni, Havenly - New Haven, Conn.

Powering Ownership Transitions

Sessions will explore business succession, employee ownership, collective ownership, and other approaches that preserve local businesses, jobs, community assets, and opportunities to build wealth. Speakers include:

• Adriana Abizadeh-Barbour, Kensington Corridor Trust - Philadelphia, Pa.
• Amanda Calder, Project Equity - Oakland, Calif.
• Roquel Crutcher, Common Future - Oakland, Calif.
• Virginia Spell, Urban League of Southern Connecticut - New Haven, Conn.

NextGen Ecosystems in Action

Sessions will focus on the role of technology, clean energy, data, skilled trades, real estate development, and entrepreneurship in preparing residents and businesses for the next economy. Speakers include:

• Dave Madan and Sandra Meetran, The Builder Coalition - Boston, Mass.
• Kobéy Smith, Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce - New Haven, Conn.
• Dr. Lomax R. Campbell, Third Eye Network - Atlanta, Ga.
• Joseph W. Williams Jr., The Magnificent Community Foundation Mission Investments Company - New Haven, Conn.

"The Center sits at a unique intersection between Yale and New Haven," Leaks said. "That position allows us to connect university knowledge and resources with the expertise of residents, the work of community organizations, the reach of local institutions, and the priorities of the city. Our role is to bring those perspectives together, identify where greater coordination is needed, and help turn shared goals into practical action."

The Summit will also highlight the Center's work since its inaugural convening, including its programs and initiatives that strengthen local businesses, expand access to institutional purchasing opportunities, connect entrepreneurs with specialized guidance, support business ownership transitions, and help residents access Yale programs and expertise.

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About the Center for Inclusive Growth

The Center for Inclusive Growth is a New Haven-based nonprofit dedicated to building economic power and opportunity in underserved communities. Through education, programming, and partnerships, the Center equips local residents and entrepreneurs with the tools, resources, and networks they need to build lasting wealth and a more equitable regional economy.

Media Contacts

The Center For Inclusive Growth

Media Contact: Markeshia Ricks, 203-208-6261, [email protected]

Office of Mayor Justin Elicker

Media Contact: Lenny Speiller, 203-725-4249, [email protected]