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Attracting, developing, and retaining talent has been a hallmark of American economic strength for decades. However, in the first decades of the 21st century, the combined impacts of recession, slow recovery, and globalization on some sectors alongside rapid advances in technology in others is challenging our ability to keep our workforce current with the demands of the la...

In April of 2018, two black men walked into a Starbucks in Philadelphia for a business meeting. Ten minutes later, while waiting for their colleague to arrive, a manager called the police and they were arrested. Rosalind Brewer, one of the most accomplished African American women in business had just become COO of Starbucks. In navigating how the company should respond to...

Technology used to be a lot more accessible, open, and ethical. It was driven by optimistic tinkerers rather than big companies. That changed. The entire industry and ecosystem is now ruled by a handful of companies rather than upstarts. American tech giants are now among the most powerful institutions in the world, rivaling governments in their power over media, culture,...

In times of financial crisis, we turn to national treasuries and central banks for solutions. The true power of these institutions, however, lies in their ability to prevent crises, not only economic, but also social and environmental. This panel will explore how financial leaders are leveraging the power of the national purse to address climate change and food security, l...

Creating a meaningful life with work that’s fulfilling is not for the faint-hearted in a post-pandemic world. How can we navigate these choppy waters with grace, humor, and wisdom? (Book signing to follow.)

In 2018, economic activity was accelerating in almost all regions of the world. One year later, much has changed. The escalation of US-China trade tensions, credit tightening in China, and macroeconomic stress in key G20 economies have all contributed to a weakened global expansion. As the US trade war with China deepens, what are the biggest risks at this delicate moment?...

Amidst the pandemic, the George Floyd killing, and the 2020 election, the calls for business to respond to societal challenges have increased exponentially. Chip Bergh has spent much of his decade-long tenure as Levi Strauss & Co. CEO speaking out on topics including gun-violence prevention, voting rights, climate change, and racial justice. Join Bergh and Ellen McGirt as...

How did an Iranian-born single mom make her way to the “room where it happened,” ultimately serving as one of the closest advisors to the president of the United States? Join Valerie Jarrett as she tells her story, from breaking race and gender barriers in the 1970s and 1980s to working on equality for women and girls, civil rights, and our criminal justice system — along...

Historically, globalization has been characterized by cross-border flows of resources and products. Financial exchanges follow, allowing for direct investment at home and abroad. In the digital economy, we see massive flows of information and data, which are perhaps even more critical to economic growth, crossing borders everywhere. In an era of anti-globalism, can the pac...

Since 2009, the US unemployment rate has fallen from 10 percent to 4¼ percent, underpinned by steady job gains. Yet despite this employment strength, growth in output and wages has been disappointing. Many other countries have seen even worse economic performance. Are there policy changes that could help kick-start higher growth? John Fernald, whom The Wall Street Journal...

The unemployment rate is at its lowest in decades and the economy is booming, yet millions of working families are struggling to gain a foothold in the American Dream. The Aspen Institute's Ascend program catalyzes innovation from the ground up: forward-thinking community organizations, state policymakers, and philanthropists making bold partnerships to create lasting secu...

Technologists and reputable research now predict a huge potential for disruption in jobs as the pace of technology accelerates. Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, GiveDirectly, and Y Combinator are all proposing experiments in a Universal Basic Income (UBI) as an answer, but American politicians are silent. This session will explore why UBI is the right future economic poli...

If young adults need a college education so badly, why are recent college grads so disproportionately unemployed? Experts tell us that two-thirds of jobs in the US by 2020 will require post-secondary credentials of some sort. Ironically, the pace of change is such that identifying the jobs that will come available in five years is hard to predict, creating questions ab...

After decades with no significant geopolitical rivals, the United States now faces the emergence of China as a major adversary. How will this change the landscape of the emerging world order? What new forms of geopolitical conflict will arise, and what new forms of cooperation are necessary?

As virtual and augmented reality technologies mature, the line between the physical world and a simulated world begins to blur. By way of amusing features like face filters and animated avatars, many users are embracing augmented realities on a regular basis, sometimes without even realizing it. Join a panel of technologists to discover how these platforms and products are...

Much of America’s economic prosperity and success resides in its metropolitan areas. Not surprisingly, Silicon Valley and San Francisco, Austin, and Seattle are the places that house tech powerhouses, attract top young talent, and offer high wages. Towns and cities that offer jobs and lifestyle amenities with room to grow (think: Fort Collins, CO, Raleigh, NC, and Mesa, AZ...

Last year the State of Washington, one of the most progressive in the country, voted against a carbon tax. Why? Do we face major resistance as climate policies land on ballots across the country, even though awareness and concern for the issue is at a historical high? Can we avoid hurting middle-class Americans and focus instead on corporations? What is working in other co...

The state of the U.S. economy is of critical importance to all Americans and sure to be a major issue in the 2020 presidential election. On its face, the economy appears strong – high growth, low unemployment, low interest rates, and little inflation. But beneath the surface worrying trends lurk. Many Americans continue to be left behind. Markets are signaling a high chanc...