The Economic Opportunity Summit

Nasdaq's Economic Opportunity Summit convenes leaders, builders, and visionaries to explore how connected ecosystems are redefining growth, creating pathways to prosperity that are more inclusive, resilient, and transformative.

Speaker:

• Jailan Griffiths, Global Head of Purpose, Nasdaq

Economic opportunity starts locally. And when it works, it compounds.  

The regions leading today are not just attracting investment, they are building ecosystems and communities that turn it into enduring growth. By aligning policy, capital, talent, and education, they create the conditions for innovation to take root, for talent to stay, and for businesses to scale with resilience. What begins as local momentum scales into global competitiveness.

This session explores how coordinated action across public and private sectors is turning local strength into scalable growth and shared prosperity. What is working, what can be replicated, and how communities are shaping the foundation for competing on a global stage.

Speakers:

• Clarence E. Anthony, CEO & Executive Director, National League of Cities
• Mike Carney, President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
• Kathleen McLaughlin, EVP & Chief Sustainability Officer, Walmart  

Moderator: 

• Kevin Kennedy, EVP of North American Markets, Nasdaq 

AI is rapidly becoming the connective infrastructure of modern economies. But the real opportunity is not AI that optimizes a single organization. It is AI that connects organizations, capital, talent, and trusted data across an entire ecosystem to expand economic participation.

This session convenes leaders who are building the full AI ecosystem: the data centers that provide computing power, the platforms that connect services, and the community partnerships that make growth lasting and locally grounded. Through real-world examples, the discussion will explore what it takes to build responsibly, earn community trust, and ensure the benefits of AI-enabled growth are broadly shared through jobs, skills, investment, and regional competitiveness.

Speakers:

• Aparna Bawa, EVP, Chief Legal & People Officer, Intel
• Matt Dunne, Founder, Center on Rural Innovation (CORI)
• Marnie Webb, CEO, TechSoup  

Moderator:

• Michael Davis, Chief Technology Office, Enterprise Solutions, Nasdaq

Networking Break

We can measure GDP to the decimal, but we still can’t see who the economy is actually working for. This session reframes data not simply as a reporting tool, but as a tool for expanding access and informing action.

Bringing together perspectives behind the Nasdaq Economic Opportunity Index (EOI) and GDPX, the panel will explore how new approaches to measurement can reveal the conditions that support innovation, talent, access to capital, and long-term resilience. Together, these frameworks connect macroeconomic signals with human experience, showing how better data can help redirect capital, inform decisions, and expand opportunity.

Speakers:

• Michael Normyle, US Economist, Nasdaq
• Thomas Rudgley, Oxford Economics
• Le’Kiesha French, President & CEO, Next Economy Action Tank and Founder, Future in Color Institute
• Tia Hodges, President & CEO, MetLife Foundation 

Moderator:

• Jailan Griffiths, Global Head of Purpose, Nasdaq

Powerful brands are increasingly built through people, not just products. As audiences seek authenticity, trust, and connection, creator-led communities have become a powerful force for driving engagement, loyalty, and influence.

Featuring Ally Love and Amanda Hill, this conversation explores how Peloton has transformed storytelling and talent into a strategic advantage. Together, they'll discuss how organizations can empower authentic voices, build meaningful communities, and leverage storytelling to create both business value and broader societal impact. 

Speakers:

• Ally Love, VP Strategy & Development and Instructor at Peloton, TODAY On-Air Contributor, NFL Play Action Host, and Founder & CEO of Love Squad
• Amanda Hill, SVP Global Content and Instructor Strategy, Peloton 

Moderator:

• Brian Buckley, Chief Marketing Officer, Nasdaq

Technology is transforming every aspect of society, from how we work and learn to how we build businesses and participate in the economy. Yet the future is not inevitable. It is shaped by the people, values, and decisions driving innovation today. In this fireside chat, we explore how entrepreneurs, institutions, and communities can play a more active role in shaping technological progress and ensuring the future reflects a broader range of voices, perspectives, and possibilities from growth alone toward resilience, access, and shared prosperity.

Speakers:

• Shaolee Sen, Vice President NAM, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
• Aniyia Williams, Director, Programs and Policy, Omidyar Network 

Moderator:

• Nicola Corzine, CEO & Executive Director, Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center

Networking Break

By 2034, Gen Z will be America’s largest generation, and they are already reshaping how people engage with banking, investing, and the broader financial ecosystem.

This panel explores how next‑generation platforms and institutions must evolve to support a generation that expects to actively participate, not simply transact. From digital‑first banking to new flows of capital, data, and education, the conversation challenges leaders to rethink how financial ecosystems are designed so the next generation can help shape economic outcomes.

The question is no longer whether Gen Z will engage. It is whether the financial ecosystem is built for how they participate.

Speakers:

• Liyan Chen, VP and Head of External Communications, Chime
• Brandon Tepper, SVP, Global Head of Data at Nasdaq

Moderator:

• Oyin Adedoyin, Personal Finance Reporter, Wall Street Journal

What does it mean to build a career that creates opportunity not only for yourself, but for others? This fireside chat features a candid conversation with Stef Strack about navigating pivotal career transitions, from leadership roles at global companies to entrepreneurship and ultimately building a business centered on purpose. The discussion will explore how experience can become a springboard for reinvention, what it takes to make the leap from executive to founder, and how purpose-driven leadership can open doors and create lasting opportunities for the next generation.

Speaker:

• Stef Strack, Founder and CEO, VOICEINSPORT

Moderator:

• Jailan Griffiths, Global Head of Purpose, Nasdaq  

Closing Remarks