Weaving Culture: The Power of Arts in Economic Growth│Rachael Parker

Building HUUB: Connecting Small Businesses to the Right Resources │ Jenny Poon & Chelsea Smith

In this episode of the Leading Ladies of Economic Development, Kaycee talks with leaders Jenny Poon & Chelsea Smith from HUUB, the digital platform that helps cities and economic development organizations centralize resources, funding, training, and community support to help small businesses start, grow, and thrive. Jenny and Chelsea share their paths from entrepreneurship to economic development and explain how their experiences navigating disconnected small-business resources led them to create HUUB, a digital platform launched during the pandemic to connect entrepreneurs with the right support. They discuss early challenges like relying on scattered online information and the importance of “one right person” in changing a business trajectory, shaping HUUB’s focus on vetted experts and tactical help. HUUB partners primarily with municipalities, often alongside chambers, nonprofits, and other ecosystem organizations, and offers one-on-one advising, an on-demand learning library, community board, aggregated funding and events, and ecosystem mapping—automating tasks that economic developers often do manually and providing continuity when staff turnover occurs. They emphasize equitable outreach through translation, UX design, demographic tracking, and representation among advisors, and note lessons from product development and from resisting traditional startup pressures, while urging greater technology investment and more thoughtful AI use. In this episode, we explore: * How Jenny and Chelsea’s entrepreneurial journeys and frustration with fragmented small-business resources inspired them to create HUUB, a platform that connects entrepreneurs with trusted support, funding, and expertise. * How HUUB partners with municipalities and ecosystem organizations to centralize advising, learning, funding opportunities, events, and resource mapping—reducing manual work, improving continuity, and making it easier for small businesses to find the help they need. * How intentional design, multilingual access, diverse advisors, and thoughtful use of technology and AI can expand access to resources and create stronger, more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. Quotable: “ And that's the key thing that I kept seeing over and over as an entrepreneur. It just takes one person, one right person, to completely change your trajectory as a business owner.” Resources and Links Connect with Jenny Poon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennypoon/] Connect with Chelsea Smith on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsealsmith/] HUUB - Economic Development Tools for Small Business Support [https://www.joinhuub.com/] Tools | HUUB - Economic Development Tools for Small Business Support [https://www.joinhuub.com/tools] Special Guests: Chelsea Smith and Jenny Poon.

From Rural Roots to Regional Impact: Anne Tyler Morgan on Law, Leadership, and Economic Development

In this episode of Leading Ladies of Economic Development, Kaycee welcomes Anne-Tyler Morgan, Member at McBrayer and Chair of the firm's Economic Development Practice Group. Anne-Tyler shares how growing up in rural Kentucky, riding alongside her developer father, sparked a lifelong passion for public policy, law, and community development. She discusses her unconventional path from in-house counsel to private practice, the evolution of economic development law, and the critical role legal strategy plays in helping communities attract investment and create opportunity. Anne-Tyler also offers thoughtful insights on leadership, mentorship, resilience, and what it means to be a woman leading in traditionally male-dominated spaces. From housing policy and workforce development to regional collaboration and community engagement, this conversation highlights the people, partnerships, and purpose behind economic development in Kentucky. In this episode, we explore: * Why successful projects depend on collaboration among attorneys, government leaders, economic developers, utility providers, consultants, and community stakeholders working toward a shared vision. * Bringing legal counsel into projects early can help identify risks, structure incentives, navigate approvals, and save both time and money throughout the development process. * Anne-Tyler emphasizes the importance of listening before speaking, respecting institutional knowledge, and trusting intuition when leading teams and making decisions. * Housing availability, workforce development, tax policy, and regional cooperation are increasingly important factors in creating thriving communities and sustaining long-term growth. Quotable: “ I hope that a few generations from now, someone can point to a company and say, ‘My granddaddy worked there,’ and know that I had a small part in making that possible.” Resources and Links Connect with Anne-Tyler Morgan on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/atmorgan/] Lexington Lawyers, Louisville Kentucky Attorneys | McBrayer PLLC [https://www.mcbrayerfirm.com/] Anne-Tyler Morgan | Lexington, KY Healthcare and Campaign Finance Lawyer: McBrayer PLLC [https://www.mcbrayerfirm.com/professionals-Anne-Tyler-Morgan.html] Special Guest: Anne-Tyler Morgan.

Amplifying Gender Equity: A Visionary Path Forward│Gretchen Hunt

In this episode of Leading Ladies of Economic Development, Kaycee sits down with Gretchen Hunt, Director of the Office for Women for the City of Louisville, Kentucky. As a lawyer, advocate, and lifelong champion for gender equity, Gretchen has spent more than two decades improving outcomes for women, families, and communities across Kentucky. From advancing workplace policies and leadership development programs to reimagining public spaces through the lens of safety and inclusion, Gretchen shares how Louisville is taking a practical approach to creating a more equitable city. She also discusses the hidden impact of caregiving responsibilities, the importance of supporting women's economic participation, and why meaningful change starts with addressing systems—not just individuals. Along the way, Gretchen offers powerful insights on leadership, wellbeing, and finding balance in a world that often asks women to carry more than their share. In this episode, we explore: * Why women are frequently the first to feel the effects of challenges related to housing affordability, childcare access, healthcare, and workforce participation. * Childcare, eldercare, and support for people with disabilities are essential systems that enable individuals to participate fully in the workforce and community life. * Policies that promote safety, flexibility, parental leave, and leadership opportunities don't just benefit women—they create healthier workplaces and stronger communities for everyone. * The concept of an "opposite world"—activities that allow us to disconnect from work and reconnect with ourselves. She shares why making time for personal restoration isn't a luxury but a necessity for long-term effectiveness and wellbeing. > Quotable: “Women really are the barometer of whether an economy is working or whether a city is working. If women are struggling with housing, childcare, safety, and economic opportunity, those are community issues. They're just being felt most acutely by women." Resources and Links Connect with Gretchen Hunt on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-hunt-7b792891/] Office for Women | LouisvilleKY.gov [https://louisvilleky.gov/government/office-women] City Hub and Network for Gender Equity [https://www.citieschange.org/] WD2026 – Women Deliver [https://womendeliver.org/wd2026/] Bogotá Care Blocks - Observatory of Public Sector Innovation [https://oecd-opsi.org/innovations/bogota-care-blocks/] Care Blocks: recognized by the OECD as a global example of social innovation | Bogota.gov.co [https://bogota.gov.co/en/international/care-blocks-recognized-oecd-example-social-innovation] Parks Alliance of Louisville [https://www.parksalliancelou.org/] LOUMED & Office for Women Night Walk [https://louisvilleky.wufoo.com/forms/m15rrueg09ojb37/] Home | Equimundo [https://www.equimundo.org/] What happens when a city takes women’s unpaid work seriously? | Vox [https://www.vox.com/policy/469634/care-blocks-child-care-women-caregiving-elder-care-families] Designing Safety, Building Belonging [https://www.citieschange.org/resources/designing-safety-building-belonging-addressing-gender-based-violence-in-urban-spaces/] Special Guest: Gretchen Hunt.

Building Trust and Transformation in Greater Freeport, Illinois │Andrea Schultz Winter & Nicole Haas

In this episode of the Leading Ladies of Economic Development, Kaycee talks with leaders Andrea Schultz Winter & Nicole Haas from the Greater Freeport Partnership to explore how collaboration, communication, and community-driven strategy are reshaping regional economic development in northwest Illinois. Andrea Schultz and Nicole Haas share how their unexpected career paths led them into the field and ultimately back to the region, where they now help guide a merged organization that brings together economic development, tourism, Main Street, and chamber functions under one collaborative model. They reflect on the evolution of the organization since its formation in 2018, including the challenges of aligning four legacy entities, building trust with members, and establishing a unified vision during a period that included both organizational transition and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, we explore: * A deep dive into the merged organizational model combining economic development, tourism, Main Street, and chamber functions—and how trust and communication drive it. * Strategies for talent attraction and retention, including “come home” campaigns, employer-driven workforce personas, and partnerships addressing childcare and housing. * Downtown revitalization efforts like the Recast City cohort and Downtown Unlocked initiative focused on activating underused spaces and supporting small-scale manufacturing and housing. Quotable: “Change is built at the speed of trust.” Resources and Links Connect with Andrea Schultz Winter on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-schultz-winter-8438a84/] Connect with Nicole Haas on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehaas/] Greater Freeport Partnership Website [https://greaterfreeport.com/] Come Home Campaign - Greater Freeport Partnership [https://greaterfreeport.com/live/come-home/] Freeport Selected to Participate in National Program for Downtown Revitalization and Economic Resilience - Greater Freeport Partnership [https://greaterfreeport.com/2026/02/freeport-selected-to-participate-in-national-program-for-downtown-revitalization-and-economic-resilience/] Special Guests: Andrea Schultz Winter and Nicole Hass.

You Can’t Censor Experience: Leading Community Change from the Ground Up │Kathleen J. Guillaume-Delemar

In this powerful episode of the Leading Ladies of Economic Development Podcast, Kaycee sits down with Kathleen (Kat) J. Guillaume-Delemar, President and CEO of the Center for Community Progress. Kat shares her deeply personal journey—from growing up in under-resourced communities in Brooklyn during the crack epidemic to leading a national organization focused on equitable property revitalization. She challenges conventional ideas about “blight,” economic development, and community engagement, emphasizing that lasting change must be community-led, policy-driven, and rooted in lived experience. Through candid storytelling and practical examples, Kat explains how communities can reclaim vacant and abandoned properties without displacement—and why listening to community “whispers” is the key to sustainable revitalization. In this episode, we explore: * Lived experience should shape leadership and solutions. Kat emphasizes that real, lasting change comes from leaders who understand the systems firsthand, not just in theory. * Communities must be true partners, not afterthoughts. Effective revitalization starts with residents, not after decisions are made. Listening early leads to sustainable outcomes. * Fixing systems matters more than fixing properties. The Center for Community Progress focuses on policy, education, and tools that address the root causes of vacancy and disinvestment. * Revitalization can happen without displacement. When done right, community-led strategies can increase stability, homeownership, and quality of life—without fueling gentrification. Quotable: “You can censor words—but you can’t censor lived experience.” Link to register for the 2026 reclaiming vacant properties conference: 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference | Center for Community Progress [https://communityprogress.org/rvp26/] Resources and Links Connect with Kat J. Guillaume-Delemar on on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-guillaume-delemar/] Center for Community Progress [https://communityprogress.org/] Resources for Community Development Leaders & Professionals | Center for Community Progress [https://communityprogress.org/services/leadership-education/] National Land Bank Network | Center for Community Progress [https://communityprogress.org/nlbn/] Creating Homeownership Opportunities in Newark through Housing Choice Vouchers | Center for Community Progress [https://communityprogress.org/publications/new-jersey-hcv-homeownership/] From Harm to Home | Center for Community Progress [https://communityprogress.org/blog/from-harm-to-home-replicating-detroits-make-it-home-program/] Chatham Savannah Land Bank Authority | Savannah, GA [https://www.savannahga.gov/485/Land-Bank-Authority] Benzie County, MI [https://www.benzieco.gov/government/land_bank_authority.php] Detriot Land Bank Authority [https://buildingdetroit.org/] Detroit Landy Bank Authority Rehabbed & Ready Program [https://buildingdetroit.org/rehabbed-ready] County of Saginaw, MI - Land Bank [https://www.saginawcountymi.gov/departments/treasurer/land-bank/] Publications | Center for Community Progress [https://communityprogress.org/publications/] Special Guest: Kathleen (Kat) J. Guillaume-Delemar.