Texas Tribune Symposium: The Future of Rural Texas

TCP is proud to sponsor The Texas Tribune Symposium for another day filled with conversations about what is coming for rural Texans. Many guest speakers will be in attendance covering topics like the needs and wants of these communities such as broadband connection & health care.

The event will draw attention to these through panels, one-on-one interviews, success stories and educational sessions. You can attend the event in person or online.

Agenda

8:oo a.m.: Breakfast

8:30 a.m.: Welcome & Opening Remarks

• Lawrence Schovanec, Texas Tech University President
• Evan Smith, CEO of The Texas Tribune

9:00 a.m.: Educational Opportunity for All

• State Rep. Ken King, R – Canadian
• H.T. Sanchez, superintendent of Plainview ISD
• Russell Lowery-Hart, president of Amarillo College
• JuliAnn Mazachek, president of Midwestern State University
• Moderated by Nic Garcia, regional editor of The Texas Tribune

10:00 a.m.: Ensuring Rural Health

• Lorenzo Serrano, CEO of the Winkler County Hospital District
• John Hodges, family nurse practitioner, Ralls Family Medicine
• Lori Rice-Spearman, president of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
• Jennifer Franklin, chief clinical officer of the Yoakum Community Hospital
• Moderated by Jayme Lorenzo, High Plains reporter at The Texas Tribune

11:00 a.m.: Getting Connected

• Jennifer Harris, federal program officer for Texas, Office of Internet Connectivity & Growth at the National Telecommunications & Information Administration
• Charlie Cano, CEO of Etex Telephone Cooperative
• Dustin Fawcett, Ector County judge-elect
• Moderated by Pooja Salhotra, East Texas reporter at The Texas Tribune

12:00 p.m.: Lunch

12:40 p.m.: City Hall Confidential

• Ginger Nelson, mayor of Amarillo
• Tray Payne, mayor of Lubbock
• Mark Hicks, mayor of Lufkin
• Anthony Williams, mayor of Abilene
• Moderated by Sewell Can, editor-in-chief at The Texas Tribune

1:45 p.m.: Preserving Natural Resources

• State Sen. Charles Perry, R – Lubbock
• Carlos Rubinstein, former chair of the Texas Water Development Board
• Marilu Hastings, executive vice president of the Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation
• Moderated by Adam Young, editor of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

2:30 p.m.: A Sound Economy

• Wendie Cook, board member of the Canadian Economic Development Corp.
• Judy Canales, executive director of the Eagle Pass Maverick County Economic Development Alliance
• Nathan Tafoya, executive director of the Mount Pleasant  Economic Development Corp.
• Moderated by Sarah Self-Walbrick, news director at Texas Tech Public Media

Register HERE.