SESSIONS & RESOURCES
Built to be revisited. Built to be shared.
DELTA FEST 2026 may be over, but the work isn’t. Session recordings and speaker slide decks from all three days are here—browse by day below, or jump straight to what you need.
SEPT 2 THE WHAT
Where investments are flowing across the region—and what it means.
SEPT 3 THE HOW
How systems actually move—capital, policy, procurement, and access.
SEPT 4 ACTIVATE
What comes next—alignment turning into pilots and partnerships.
Recordings and slides are organized by day below, linking out to the DELTA FEST YouTube channel—subscribe and share while you’re there.
WED · SEPT 2THE WHAT
The State of Things.
MORNING MAINSTAGE · 10:00 AM
The $271 Billion Question: What Does All This Investment Require?
Mapping the Deep South’s emerging economy—and how businesses, institutions, and communities can prepare to participate in what it creates.
Bill Bynum, CEO, HOPE; DELTA FEST host & co-producer·Lisa Yancey, Founder & President, Yancey Consulting·Victor Taylor, Division Vice President, U.S. Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, and Production Engineering, Nissan North America
BREAKOUT SESSIONS · 11:30 AM
Workforce Stabilization: Housing, Transportation & Retention
Where workforce systems are breaking—and what it takes to stabilize talent at scale.
Willie Simmons, Chairman, Mississippi Transportation Commission·Marcella Roberts, Principal & CEO, M. Roberts & Associates
Certification Readiness: The Capital and Scale Constraints Holding Firms Back
Why businesses can’t access opportunity—even when it’s right in front of them, and what can be different.
Kimberly M. Carlisle, General Counsel, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority·Jessica Allen, CEO, Propeller
HBCUs as Anchors: Talent, Place, and Economic Gravity
HBCUs as talent pipelines, real estate anchors, and cultural and economic stabilizers—addressing the retention problem to keep more graduates in the region.
Bobbie Knight, President, Miles College·Dr. Kellei Bishop Samuels, Chief of Staff/Vice President Institutional Effectiveness, Tuskegee University
From Forward, Ever, to Semper Paratus: What Can We Learn from Birmingham’s Newest Opportunity?
How a closed college became a federal training installation—and what Birmingham-Southern’s transition into a Coast Guard training center means for regional economic development.
Virginia Gilbert Loftin, VP Advancement & Communications, Birmingham-Southern College·Trevor Sutton, Chief Economic Development Officer, Birmingham Business Alliance·Sonja Smith, City Councilor, City of Birmingham
BREAKOUT SESSIONS · 12:30 PM
Heirs’ Property and Opportunity: Three Stories with Lessons for Family and Community
Three stories of family, property, and policy—with practical ideas and actions to help families and communities prevent property loss, increase entrepreneurial opportunity, and stabilize ownership across generations.
Karama Neal, Principal, Neal Firm Consulting and Mediation
Ownership & Investment in Rural and Small-City OZ Corridors
Where the next wave of development is quietly taking shape—how Opportunity Zone investment is evolving beyond major metros into rural and small-city corridors where land, infrastructure, and long-term growth potential are converging.
David Lipsetz, CEO & President, Housing Assistance Council·Bernita Johnson-Gabriel, Vice President, Capital and Capacity, New Growth Innovation Network
HBCUs & the Future Workforce: Activating Talent Pipelines for Regional Growth
WatchReport: Punching Above Their WeightReport: Economic Engine of HBCUs
AI, defense, health, logistics, tech and manufacturing—how HBCUs can be directly aligned with multi-year industry demand, moving from general talent development to targeted pipelines tied to real projects across the region.
Dr. Yolanda Page, President, Stillman College·Dr. Corey Wiggins, President, Tougaloo College
AFTERNOON MAINSTAGE · 2:30 PM
Building the Ownership Ladder: Homeownership & Land Retention Pathways
Ownership as the 21st-century prosperity strategy—and what it means for the Deep South.
Maurice Jones, Former US Deputy Secretary, HUD·Mayor John Horhn, City of Jackson, MS
CLOSING MAINSTAGE · 5:00 PM
Investment Readiness: What Do Small and Mid-Sized Communities Need to Prepare for Investment?
How states and mid-sized communities can prepare to attract capital, tell their story, and drive long-term growth—as large-scale industrial development reshapes housing demand, capital flows, and corridors across the region.
Angie Cooper, President, Heartland Forward·Willie Simmons, Chairman, Mississippi Transportation Commission
AFTER HOURS · 8:00 PM
Live Performance
5th Child, Hip-Hop Artist, Community Organizer & Entrepreneur·Summer Joy, Songbird of Soul·Mr. Sipp, The Mississippi Blues Child
Some magic doesn’t make it to tape. You had to be in the room.
THU · SEPT 3THE HOW
Systemic Ways to Transform the System.
MORNING MAINSTAGE · 10:00 AM
Public–Private Power in Motion: Policy, Procurement & Access
Leaders shaping policy, capital, and infrastructure speak on how decisions—and dollars—actually move.
Raphael Bostic, Former President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta·Bill Bynum, CEO, HOPE; DELTA FEST co-producer
BREAKOUT SESSIONS · 11:30 AM
Power of Place: How Strategic Investment Around Anchor Institutions Can Attract and Retain Talent
How place-based investment around higher education institutions can transform talent retention.
Herschell L. Hamilton, CCIM, CEO, BLOC Global Group·Melissa E. Smiley, Chief Economic and Community Development Officer, City of Birmingham, Office of the Mayor·John Henry, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, UNCF
Growing Business Along Commercial Corridors
How commercial corridors function as growth ecosystems—where businesses scale faster by clustering around shared demand, infrastructure, and movement.
Mayor Paul Young, City of Memphis, TN·Haley R. Fisackerly, President & CEO, Entergy Mississippi
Expanding Supplier Pipeline and Access Tiers in Corridor Growth Areas: Advanced Manufacturing
How advanced manufacturing supply chains are structured, where entry points exist across aerospace, automotive, energy systems, and other industrial sectors—and what it takes for regional suppliers to compete.
Charisse Conanan Johnson, CFA, CEO, Next Street·Spencer Lau, Head of Next Street Institute
CDFI Liquidity Strategies & Bringing Different Forms of Capital Together
CDFI liquidity strategies—and the financing structures being coordinated through public, quasi-public, philanthropic, and commercial partners.
Ashley N. Wicks, Partner, Butler Snow LLP·Dingli Graham, Chief Investment Officer, Waverley Street Foundation·Ellis Carr, President & CEO, Capital Impact Partners
Opening the Path: How Philanthropy De-Risks, Proves, and Scales Prosperity
How philanthropic capital de-risks new models and aligns with institutional capital and operators to scale prosperity across the Deep South.
Nealon DeVore, Chief of Staff & Director, U.S. South Initiatives, Nathan Cummings Foundation·Sherra Bennett, Director of Movement Building, Place-Based Strategy, and External Affairs, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
INVITATION ONLY
Closing the Gap: Activating Under-the-Radar Firms for Major Project Procurement
A working session aligning unfilled procurement positions with high-potential firms—and the targeted pilot approach to accelerate their entry into active deal flow.
Ryan Burks, President, RYCARS Construction·William L. McElroy, AIA, NCARB, Principal / Managing Member, McElroy Architecture, PLLC
Closed-door working session. Not recorded.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS · 12:30 PM
Where JVs, Mergers, and Acquisitions Are Opportunities for Small and Growth-Stage Businesses to Scale
How smaller firms use joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions to access scale, markets, and capabilities they can’t build alone.
Kanayo Oweazim, Small Business Philanthropy Manager, JPMorgan Chase·Allegra Stennett, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, New Majority Capital·Alaina C. Beverly, CEO, The Greenwood Trust·Chibunna Chimezie, Entrepreneur & Managing Partner, Clinton Street Capital - Veterans Room
Access & Readiness: How Businesses Get In, Compete & Win in Procurement
Access is only part of the equation. How procurement works, what organizations require, and what it takes for a business to be truly contract-ready.
Ryan Burks, President, RYCARS Construction·Earl P. Burke, MBA, SFO, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Jackson Public School District
The Creative Economy as Growth Engine
Stephen Brown, Executive Director, Briarwood Arts Center, and the artist known as 5th Child·Qing Viktorious Shaman, PhD, CEO & Founder, Qing & Kween Art Haus·Kaid, Creative Executive, Multidisciplinary Artist, Entrepreneur & Artivist·Rita Brent, Comedian, Musician, Veteran
Models to Unlock Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 Contract Opportunities
Collective Strategies to Maximize Opportunities for Local Businesses.
Kendra Key, Community Economic Development & Finance Professional·Ines Polonius, CEO, Communities Unlimited
Becoming a Recurring Supplier: How Major Projects Create Long-Term Business Opportunities
How companies move from winning one opportunity to becoming trusted, recurring partners — through supplier networks, subcontracting, and long-term procurement strategies.
Edmond E. Hughes, Executive VP & Chief Human Resources Officer, HII·Robert Ridgway V, VP of Business Development, Yates Construction
INVITATION ONLY
REIT + OZ + CDFI + Muni Bonds: Hybrid Capital Stacks in Practice
How REITs, Opportunity Zones, and CDFIs can be intentionally structured together to unlock liquidity, expand ownership, and align with real projects across the Deep South.
Tray Hairston, Esq., Butler Snow LLP·Courtney Pogue, Senior Director, Grow America
Closed-door working session. Not recorded.
AFTERNOON MAINSTAGE · 2:30 PM
Becoming a Recurring Supplier: From Entry to Embedded
What it takes to build the capacity, relationships, systems, and partnerships that turn one opportunity into sustained growth.
Charisse Conanan Johnson, CFA, CEO, Next Street·Toni D. Cooley, JD, CEO, Systems Group of Companies·Lisa Yancey, Founder & President, Yancey Consulting; DELTA FEST co-creator & co-producer
CLOSING MAINSTAGE · 5:00 PM
Anchors as Engines: Health Systems & HBCUs as Economic Infrastructure
Aligning these anchors to stabilize regions, coordinate investment, and create durable systems of growth.
Cara V. James, President & CEO, Grantmakers in Health·Rock Anderson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Emory Healthcare·Mark Constantine, Senior Fellow & Strategic Advisor to the CEO, Dogwood Health Trust·Dr. James L. Coleman, Jr., Ed.D., Chief Executive Officer, G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center
AFTER HOURS · 8:00 PM
Laughs, Legacy & Liberation
A variety show celebrating economic prosperity—comedy, music, games, and interactive entertainment.
Rita Brent, Host·Tonya Boyd-Cannon·Mark Gregory·Bostic Poindexter
Some magic doesn’t make it to tape. You had to be in the room.
FRI · SEPT 4ACTIVATE
Coordination, Continuation & Durability.
MORNING MAINSTAGE · 10:00 AM
Financing Regional Prosperity: Capitalizing the Deep South’s Economic Mobility Ecosystem
This session brings together capital leaders to unpack how regional development deals are actually structured—how different sources of capital interact, how risk and return are allocated, and how ownership is determined.
Desiree Francis, Managing Vice President of Community Finance, Capital One·Janis Bowdler, President, Solutions Division, Enterprise Community Partners·Leroy Abrahams, Executive Vice President — Head of Community and Market Engagement, Regions Bank·Bill Bynum, CEO and Co-Creator of HOPE
BREAKOUT SESSIONS · 11:30 AM
Expanding The Ownership Economy: New Pathways to Capital and Prosperity
How cooperative and shared investment structures can expand ownership—enabling individuals, communities, and aligned partners to participate in large-scale regional projects.
Lyneir Richardson, Assistant Professor and CEO, Rutgers Business School and TREND·Rukiya Kelly, Global Head of Corporate Impact and Engagement, FICO
Community Development as Economic Infrastructure: Housing, Small Business Corridors & Local Ownership
How housing, small business corridors, and local ownership systems can be designed to support workforce stability, expand participation, and retain wealth locally.
Janelle Williams, Co-Founder & CEO, Kindred Futures·Rhea Williams-Bishop, Director of Mississippi and New Orleans Programs, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Find Strength in Numbers & Keeping Businesses Local: Business Growth Through Strategic Partnerships, Joint Ventures, Mergers & Acquisitions
How small and mid-sized businesses grow by joining forces—and what the continuum from cooperation to strategic partnerships, consortia, joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions asks of a company before it’s worth pursuing.
Dr. Randal Pinkett, Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, BCT Partners
From Local Assets to Local Wealth
The Delta has abundant land, energy, and natural resources—but those assets don’t automatically create wealth for the people who live there. How investment, construction, and community engagement can turn local assets into durable economic opportunity.
Dingli Graham, Chief Investment Officer, Waverley Street Foundation·Dan Tangherlini, CEO, Overstory Works
INVITATION ONLY
Strengthening CDFIs for Regional Prosperity
Pathways to expand CDFI liquidity, unlock new capital partnerships, and reduce over-reliance on government funding.
Brett Theodos, Director, Center for Local Finance and Growth, Urban Institute·James Wahls, Senior Vice President, Programs and Initiatives, Mission Investors Exchange
Closed-door working session. Not recorded.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS · 12:30 PM
New Careers & Businesses in AI, Healthcare & Education
Where demand is growing across AI, healthcare, and education—and how to position as a professional, operator, or builder in the next wave of opportunity.
Philip Chow, CEO, Humanitas AI·Dr. Nashlie Sephus, Founder, The Bean Path
Expanding Transportation & Logistics Businesses Across Growth Corridors
Where ports, rail, highways, inland terminals, and distribution networks are attracting the next wave of infrastructure capital—and how to position for participation.
Stormie Janzen, Vice President, Safety and Recruiting, Total Transportation of Mississippi·Christopher Coes, Executive Director, AmericaFWD, and former Acting Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
Digital Delta: Building Supply Chain Intelligence Systems
The session will explore how Memphis can lead in building supply chain intelligence systems—leveraging its position as a logistics hub to translate movement, data, and infrastructure into a new layer of economic advantage.
Gopal Narasimhan, Executive Vice President, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Hope Credit Union
INVITATION ONLY
Cohort Experimentation: Designing What We Test Next
A working session designing the next set of real-world experiments emerging from DELTA FEST—with defined pilot concepts, aligned collaborators, and a clear path to execution.
Joe Scantlebury, President & CEO, Living Cities·Bernita Johnson-Gabriel, Vice President, Capital and Capacity, New Growth Innovation Network
Closed-door working session. Not recorded.
AFTERNOON MAINSTAGE · 2:30 PM
AI, Infrastructure & Competitive Advantage
AI and emerging technologies are reshaping infrastructure, operations, and financial capacity—creating new pathways for businesses and institutions to scale.
Mignon L. Clyburn, Principal, MLC Strategies LLC·Chip Pickering, CEO, INCOMPAS
CLOSING MAINSTAGE · 5:00 PM
Where Do We Go From Here
Naming potential pilots, partners, and what happens next.
Bill Bynum, CEO, HOPE·The Honorable Errick D. Simmons, Mayor, City of Greenville, Mississippi
AFTER HOURS · 8:00 PM
Live Performance
D.K. Harrell, Blues Guitarist & Vocalist
Some magic doesn’t make it to tape. You had to be in the room.
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