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Just six days into its first week, the 2020 ATXeleator cohort has completed its opening weekend retreat and first weekly session. Topics and activities included:
History of Austin (Miike Miller of the Austin History Center)
Media panel on the current state of city affairs (reporters Chad Swiatecki of the Austin Monitor, Phillip Jankowski of the Austin American Statesman, Michael King of the Austin Chronicle, Audrey McGlinchy of KUT Radio and moderator Mary Alice Kaspar of Compass Communications)
Demographic Future of Texas and Austin (Dr. Vila Valencia of the Texas Demographic Center)
Mayors Panel (Mayors Lee Cooke and Lee Leffingwell)
City Government Overview (Assistant City Manager Rodney Gonzalez)
Ten Rules for Governing (Texas Senator Kirk Watson)
Capital Metro Update while riding the Red Line from DT Station to the Domain for dinner (Lonny Stern, Capital Metro and 2019 ATXelerator graduate)
Scooter Tour of the Seaholm Development and West Campus (Marget Shaw, COA Economic Redevelopment Program Manager and Dan Keshet, author of the blog “Austin on Your Feet” and 2020 ATXelerator graduate). Scooters graciously provided gratis by Bird.
City Finances “101” (Greg Canally, COA Deputy Chief Financial Officer)
Upcoming weekly session topics include: Land Use, Transportation, Utilities, Economic Development, Public Safety, Homelessness, Diversity & Social Equity and Nonprofits/P3s. In addition, the class will complete a volunteer project as part of the Austin Parks Foundation’s “It’s My Park Day” event, a closing retreat on class projects, media training and how to run a campaign, followed by “The Pitch” competition and the program-ending Center4ATX Games III on April 16.