Episodes

Friday Mar 31, 2023
Friday Mar 31, 2023
Jonathan Zur is president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC), a nonprofit organization that works with schools, businesses, and communities to promote inclusion. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Zur about VCIC’s mission, its activities, and the importance of pairing diversity with inclusion.

Monday Jan 09, 2023
An Inside Look at Drone Innovation: A Conversation With Tom Walker
Monday Jan 09, 2023
Monday Jan 09, 2023
Tom Walker is the founder and CEO of DroneUp, a provider of drone delivery and flight services that has operated out of Virginia Beach since its founding in 2016. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Walker about DroneUp’s delivery partnership with Walmart, its history and growth in Virginia, and the company’s work to grow the drone industry in Virginia through a unique educational partnership.

Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Following The Crooked Road: A Conversation With René Rodgers
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Dr. René Rodgers is head curator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, where she leads the museum’s collections, permanent and special exhibits, and other educational programming. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Rodgers about Virginia’s role in the popularization of what’s now known as country music, the complexities of promoting tourist attractions across state lines, and how the museum has benefited from the presence of The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail.

Thursday Sep 29, 2022
The Story Behind an Iconic American Hike: A Conversation With Philip D’Anieri
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Philip D’Anieri is the author of “The Appalachian Trail: A Biography,” published in 2021 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. VEDP President Jason El Koubi spoke with D’Anieri about the history of the Appalachian Trail inside and outside of Virginia, why he chose to cover the trail’s history through a human lens, and the inseparability of his field, urban planning, from the natural environment.

Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Dr. Anne Kress is president of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), the largest public educational institution in Virginia and the second-largest community college in the United States. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Kress about the importance of community colleges in workforce development, the effectiveness of industry partnerships in delivering talent to employers, and NOVA’s efforts to serve a large, diverse population.

Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
When Education Meets Employment: A Conversation With Earl Buford
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Earl Buford is president of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting adult learners as they navigate between education and employment. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Buford about CAEL’s mission and work, best practices for getting workers the training they need for the jobs they want, and the family history that motivates him.

Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Helping Life Sciences Companies Succeed in Virginia: A Conversation With John Newby
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
John Newby is CEO of Virginia Bio, the nonprofit statewide trade association that serves and promotes the life sciences industry in the Commonwealth. VEDP Interim President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Newby about recent life sciences success stories in the Commonwealth and Virginia Bio’s efforts to grow the industry, including the recently announced industry hub, Virginia Bio-Connect.

Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Nurturing Innovation in the Life Sciences: A Conversation With Chandra Briggman
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Chandra Briggman is president and CEO of Activation Capital, a nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship in tech clusters in Virginia, and VA Bio+Tech Park, a life sciences and emerging technologies community in Richmond. VEDP Interim President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Briggman about her organization’s mission and activities, the emerging pharmaceutical cluster in Richmond and Petersburg, and the nuances of supporting life sciences investment during a global pandemic.

Monday Jan 10, 2022
Automation and Work in ‘The Fourth Age’: A Conversation With Byron Reese
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Byron Reese is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, and futurist. VEDP Interim CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Reese about the progression of technology and what it means for the future of the workforce.

Monday Jan 10, 2022
From the Shore to the Stars: A Conversation With Ted Mercer
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Maj. Gen. Ted Mercer is the new CEO and executive director of Virginia Space, the owner and operator of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), collocated at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. VEDP Interim CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Mercer about his priorities at Virginia Space, the facility’s capabilities and clients, and the importance of commercial launches at Wallops.