Loading Events

Events

The Amazon Opportunity

During this information-packed 3-hour event, we will hear from Amazon executives leading a variety of different initiatives within the organization, as well as Amazon’s business partners, real estate developers, nonprofit partners, and economic development experts about the best ways to partner with Amazon, what programs the company is focused on and where Amazon is focusing on next. This will be a can’t-miss event for business and civic leaders in any city where Amazon does business, particularly the cities of Seattle, Bellevue, Nashville, and Arlington.

This event is taking place 8:00 am – 11:00 am PDT

 

 

Brought to you by the Puget Sound Business Journal, the Nashville Business Journal, and the Washington Business Journal.

AGENDA

8:00 a.m. – 8:20 a.m. PDT – Welcome & Keynote
Jay Carney  Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs, Amazon

8:20 a.m. – 9:00 am PDT – Talent Pipeline Discussion
Amazon Speakers:
Ardine Williams – VP, Workforce Development, Amazon
Tammy Thieman – Senior Manager, Amazon Career Choice, Amazon

Panelists:
Kyle Allen – Managing Partner, Vaco
Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange – President, Seattle Central College
Amy Liu – Vice President and Director, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program

9:00 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. PDT – Housing, Infrastructure & Transit
Amazon Speakers:
Catherine Buell – Head of Community Development, Amazon
Guy Palumbo—Director, Public Policy, Washington State, Amazon

Panelists:
Marshall Crawford – President & CEO, The Housing Fund
Kimberly Driggins – Executive Director, Washington Housing Conservancy
Heather Raspberry – Executive Director, Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND)
Peter Rogoff – CEO, Sound Transit

9:40 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. PDT – Community Engagement Discussion
Amazon Speakers:
Brian Kenner – Director, Public Policy, External Affairs, Amazon
Alice Shobe – Global Director, Amazon in the Community, Amazon

Panelists:
Katie Cristol – Vice-Chair, Arlington County Board
Marty Hartman – Executive Director, Mary’s Place
Joe Woolley – CEO, Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce

10:20 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PDT – Commercial Real Estate Discussion
Amazon Speakers:
John Schoettler – Vice President, Amazon Global Real Estate and Facilities, Amazon
Holly Sullivan – VP of Worldwide Economic Development, Amazon

Panelists:
Ada Healey – Chief Real Estate Officer, Vulcan
Matt Kelly – CEO, JBG Smith
Cary Mack – Managing Partner, Southwest Value Partners

Register Now

Event Date August, 4

Event Time 3:00am - 6:00am

Featured News

December 4, 2025

Hilton Once Again Honored as World’s Best Workplace

Hilton Worldwide has once again been named the World’s Best Workplace by Fortune and Great Place to Work, marking a decade of recognition for its people-first culture and global leadership in hospitality. Headquartered in the McLean area of Fairfax NOVA, Hilton’s global hub continues to guide a workforce of more than 500,000 team members across 9,000 properties in 141 countries and territories. “This milestone goes beyond rankings – it’s a reflection of who we are and what we’ve always believed:…
Read More
December 4, 2025

Enterprise e-Support, Inc.: Turning Complexity Into Clarity for Modern IT Missions

Across the public and private sectors, organizations are navigating a rapidly evolving technology landscape defined by growing data volumes, aging systems, and increasing security demands. Enterprise e-Support, Inc. (EeS), a Fairfax NOVA-based technology company, focuses on helping organizations meet these challenges through secure, AI-enabled solutions that simplify and modernize complex IT environments. EeS develops cloud-based platforms that integrate enterprise architecture, streamline data management, reduce technical debt, and enhance cybersecurity. Its Nishkarsh® product suite, built and patented in the United States, supports…
Read More
November 27, 2025

Fairfax County Economic Development Authority Team Donates Over 3,400 lbs to Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive

This giving season, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) team came together for the fifth consecutive year to support Food for Others through an annual food drive contributing canned goods and other non-perishable items to help neighbors in need. This year, the FCEDA team donated 3,413 pounds of food, bringing the total contributed since 2021 to an impressive 10,678 pounds. Team FCEDA is proud to support Food for Others and is grateful for the Fairfax County business community for…
Read More