Future Forward
WRCOG’s Future Forward Webinar Series is a streamed broadcast that aims to provide meaningful and trusted information from forward thinking leaders. The Series launched in April 2020 and has already featured a multitude of esteemed speakers from the Milken Institute, WorkingNation, the University of Redlands, Riverside Community College District, Fehr and Peers, and many more!
To suggest or participate in a future episode, please contact Elisa Laurel at elaurel@wrcog.us.
A big thanks to our Partner for the series - The Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Don’t forget to check out our growing library of episodes on our YouTube page.
• Episode 1: April – Fiscal Impacts of COVID-19
Teifion Rice-Evans, Managing Principal of Economic & Planning Systems, discusses the economic and fiscal vulnerabilities and impacts of COVID-19 on the Inland Empire and Western Riverside County.
• Episode 2: May – How COVID-19 is Changing Public Engagement
Ashley Labosier, Executive Director of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, discusses how COVID-19 will affect the way we communicate in a crisis.
• Episode 3: June – A Region at its TIP-ing Point
A special virtual live stream event featuring dynamic discussions on Talent, Innovation and Place (TIP), that discusses how to activate change in the midst of disruption in order to create a more resilient and innovation-driven economy for the Inland Southern California region.
• Episode 4: July – How COVID-19 is Changing the way we Drive
COVID-19 has had a profound impact on all aspects of life, including daily travel. Since March 2020, Riverside County has seen a significant reduction in travel overall due to the impacts of COVID-19. Jerry Walters, Principal and Co-Founder of Fehr & Peers, discusses near-term and long-term transportation impacts from COVID-19.
• Episode 5: August – Navigating Virtual Governance and the Brown Act
A lawyer, elected official, and state policy influencer walk into a virtual meeting and what do you get? A timely discussion on how to navigate governance in a virtual world and the implications of the Brown Act.
• Episode 6: September – Envisioning the Future. A Candid Conversation on What Young Professionals Want
As a region, we commonly discuss topics like workforce development, career pipelines, and the notorious "brain drain" phenomenon (when young professionals trained in the region leave to find work elsewhere) - all of which surround the importance of curating our efforts now and for the future.
• Episode 7: October – The Future of the Office
At the onset of the stay-at-home mandate, telecommuting quickly became a necessity to safeguard employees and protect organizational efficiency. With new perspectives and dynamics to navigate, listen in to learn how the future of the office is being reimagined.
• Episode 8: December – Tips and Tricks on Future Grants
Whether in a COVID-19 climate or not, grants are an essential resource for the future of many organizations big and small. Andrea Owen, Vice President for Blais and Associates will be providing an in-depth presentation on tips and tricks for future grants.
• Episode 9: January 2021 – The Future of WRCOG
What is WRCOG? In 2020 we brought you several episodes that featured dynamic discussions on topics by forward thinking leaders. We've always been a bit shy but as a New Year's resolution we wanted to start off 2021 by breaking out of our shell. Listen in for a lively chat with WRCOG's leaders as we talk about how the agency fits into the regional picture and what’s in store for 2021.
• Episode 10: March 2021 – The Future of Transportation – What Trends Are Here to Stay?
Learn from leading transportation expert, Chris Gray, Deputy Executive Director for the Western Riverside Council of Governments, on the latest trends and travel behaviors that have been influenced by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• Episode 11: May 2021 – The Past, Present and Future of Conservation in Riverside County
May is Conservation Appreciation Month! In this episode we highlight our regional efforts in conservation and touch on:
- Past efforts of conservation in Riverside County.
- Habitat Conservation Plans.
- What we have learned and how science has influenced management practices.
- Hear #whatsnext for Conservation.
Episode 12: August 2021 - Alt-Car 2021
What is being done in California to advance transportation and keep our air clean? Listen in to hear about episode regional and statewide efforts in clean technology and infrastructure. Highlights include:
- Funding efforts from the state.
- Special vehicle rollouts and program announcements
- What we have learned and best management practices.
- Hear #whatsnext for Alternative Fueled Cars.
Upcoming Episodes:
Stay tuned!