Episodes

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.

Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Quantifying Cybercrime: A Conversation With Steve Morgan
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Steve Morgan is the founder of Cybersecurity Ventures, a leading cybersecurity research company that provides data and insights on global cybercrime to C-suite executives, and editor-in-chief of Cybercrime Magazine. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Morgan about skyrocketing cybercrime damages, the cybersecurity skills gap, and Virginia’s place at the top of the cybersecurity industry.

Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Sharing Resources to Improve Cyberspace: A Conversation With Luiz DaSilva
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Luiz DaSilva is executive director of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) and Bradley Professor in Cybersecurity at Virginia Tech. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with DaSilva about the collaborative research taking place at CCI’s member institutions and how that collaboration is positioning Virginia to set the course for the future of the internet.

Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
An Exporter’s View of International Trade: A Conversation With John Keppler
Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
John Keppler is chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Enviva, the world’s largest producer of woody biomass and one of Virginia’s largest exporters out of its private terminal in the city of Chesapeake. VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret spoke with Keppler about the company’s unique export profile, its commitment to sustainable forestry practices, and the quest to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2030.