2024 Summer Buzz Breakfast Series!
Foundations For The Future:
Shaping the Future of Our Community and
the Crucial Role of Education
Wednesday, August 14 – K-12: Opportunity and Gaps: Where Are We?
Moderator: Representative Lindsey Prather, NC House District 115, NC General Assembly; Assistant Director of Admissions, UNC Asheville
Panelists
- Dr. Maggie Fehrman, Superintendent, Asheville City Schools
- Dr. Rob Jackson, Superintendent, Buncombe County Schools
- Ashley Allen, Co-Executive Director, Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe
- Copland Rudolph, Executive Director, Asheville City Schools Foundation
- Christy Cheek, Executive Director, Buncombe County Schools Foundation
- Jessica Peacock, Policy Engagement Coordinator, Public School Forum of North Carolina
Buy August 14 Tickets Now
Completed 2024 Events
Wednesday, June 12 – Critical Beginnings: Birth to 5, The First 2000 Days
Moderator: Amy Barry, Executive Director, Buncombe Partnership for Children
Panelists:
- Greg Borom, Director, Western North Carolina Early Childhood Coalition
- Tasha Lewis, Workforce Development Program Director, Buncombe Partnership for Children
- Krista Shalda, Parent and Member of the Buncombe Racial Equity in Early Education Work Group
- Cici Weston, Executive Director, The Christine Avery Learning Center
- Marcia Whitney, President and CEO, Verner Center for Early Learning
Wednesday, July 10 – Higher Ed: Challenges and Changes…What’s The Future?
Moderator: Dr. Kevan Frazier, Executive Director, Western Carolina University Programs in Asheville
Panelists
- Dr. Damian Fernandez, President, Warren Wilson College
- Dr. John Gossett, President, Asheville Buncombe Technical College
- Dr. Richard Starnes, Provost, Western Carolina University
- Dr. Kimberly van Noort, Chancellor, University of North Carolina Asheville
Where and at what time does the series happen? How much are tickets?
All breakfasts take place at the Crowne Plaza Expo Center. Doors open at 7:45 AM. Breakfast and networking from 8:00 – 8:30 AM. The program begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 9:45 AM.
Individual event tickets are $30, or you may purchase series tickets (all three events) for $75.
Table Sponsorships
Table sponsorships are available! Individual event table sponsorships are $350 or you may purchase a series table sponsorship for $1000. Each table seats eight people. Table sponsors are recognized on all event materials and from the podium during the event. For more information on table sponsorships, please contact Jan Lowe at jlowe@unca.edu or Purchase your Table Now.
What is the Buzz Series?
Buzz Breakfast, hosted by Leadership Asheville at UNC Asheville, is traditionally a three-part breakfast event series focused on one theme held each summer. The series is a fundraiser for the Leadership Asheville Flagship Program and all proceeds are used to provide financial assistance to community members who might otherwise not be able to participate in the Leadership Asheville Program. The theme varies each year, but it is always a timely & thought-provoking one that directly connects to our local Asheville community. Previous themes have included: “Growing & Retaining A Diverse Workforce For A Vibrant Future,” Working Together for a Safe and Vibrant Downtown,” and “Equity in Creative Placemaking.”
What are some past topics? Who are past guests?
Previous topics have included:
- Building Bridges: What is Already Being Done and How Can You Help?
- Show Me The Money: Funding Our Priorities…Where Does It Come From?
- Safety For All & What Does That Mean?
- Growth and a Diverse Workforce: Where Are We Now?
- Growth & Retaining A Diverse Workforce From Within
- In-migration: Recruiting & Retaining A Diverse Workforce
- Removal of Confederate Monuments
- Considerations When Selecting Public Art & Monuments
Past guests have included:
- Mitch Landrieu, former Mayor of New Orleans, and author of In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History
- Paul Farber, the Director of Monument Lab, and Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Public Art & Space at the University of Pennsylvania
- Katie Cornell, Executive Director, Asheville Area Arts Council,
- Stephanie Monson Dahl, Strategic Development Program Director, City of Asheville
- Sekou Coleman, Executive Director, Asheville Writers in the Schools & Community
- Scott McLean, Director, Talent Management, The Biltmore Company
- Nathan Ramsey, Director, Mountain Area Workforce Development Board, Land of Sky Regional Council
- Kidada Wynn, Executive Director, Student Services, Asheville City Schools
- Meherwan Irani, Founder, Chef and CEO, Chai Pani Restaurant Group
- Jorie Matijevich, Regional Vice President of Human Resources, Mission Health
- John Russler, Plant Manager, EATON Corporation
- Avril Pinder, County Manager, Buncombe County
- Dana Frankel, Downtown Planning Manager, City of Asheville
- Kevan Frazier, Co-Owner, Well Played Game Café; Founder, Asheville By Foot Walking Tours; Executive Director, WCU Biltmore Park
- Captain Mike Lamb, Asheville Police Department
- David McCartney, General Manager, Hotel Arras
- Debra Campbell, City Manager, City of Asheville
How can I learn more?
For more information, please contact Jan Lowe, Director of Leadership Asheville, or call 828-255-7102.