Concurrent Sessions – Morning

9:45 – 10:30

Great Hall

A Practical Guide to Neighborhood-Led Systems Change

Carley Riley, Community Systems Steward, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; Sarah Strassel Robertson, Founder and Principal, Robertson Strategy, formerly Design Impact; Annika Aebker, Specialist, Population Health and Health Equity, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; Kristen Gasperetti, Consultant, Population Health and Health Equity, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; Luis Paris-Velasquez, Community Engagement Specialist, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Communities often address problems one at a time while the systems causing them remain unchanged. A Neighborhoods as Systems approach shifts this by placing residents in the lead to identify root causes and design solutions that reflect lived experience. This session introduces the Neighborhoods as Systems framework and toolkit—a practical four-phase process with 25+ tools, methods, and resources developed with Cincinnati neighborhoods. Participants will explore real case studies, key lessons learned, and leave with actionable ideas to help their own neighborhoods drive system-level change and build more equitable, thriving communities. Come ready to imagine what’s possible.

400 AB

Building the Future City: Procurement, Development & Inclusion in Action

Lydgia Sartor – Interim Director of Economic Inclusion; Laura Castillo – Interim Director of Procurement; Deputy Director, Office of Strategic Growth – Brandon Rudd;  Moderator: Ashleigh DuBois, Manager of Subcontractor Engagement, Skanska           

As Cincinnati imagines the next 25 years, the question isn’t just what we build; it’s who benefits. This panel brings together the directors of Economic Inclusion, Procurement, and Economic Development to explore how city systems can become engines of neighborhood wealth. We’ll look at how procurement, contracting, incentives, and small-business support can better match Cincinnati’s future: community-led, opportunity-rich, and built for the next generation.

400 C

The Student Perspective: Fostering a culture of reciprocity between college students and their surrounding communities.

Chris Valaski, Student Director UC Commuter & Community Action Team / Corryville Community Council; Ally Wanton, UC Community & Community Action Team; Ruth Guthrie, UC Commuter Organization; Mark Troy, UC Medical Symphony Orchestra

As a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, Christopher Valaski helped develop a program through the Center for Community Engagement to strengthen relationships between UC students and Uptown residents while fostering a culture of student involvement in local neighborhoods. Now in his final year, he serves as one of the few students on an Uptown community council, deepening his understanding of community–student dynamics. His work has supported the success of UC’s “Be A Good Neighbor” initiative. This talk highlights strategies for engaging students beyond traditional volunteerism and offers a roadmap for meaningful civic participation among one of the most active and willing age groups.

417

25th Anniversary of the Cincinnati Collaborative Agreement

Iris Roley, consultant City of Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Collaborative Agreement, signed in 2002 by the City of Cincinnati, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the American Civil Liberties Union, emerged after years of tension and the unrest following the 2001 shooting of Timothy Thomas. It established a nationally recognized framework for police reform centered on community problem-oriented policing, transparency, accountability, and mutual trust. Key elements included bias-free policing policies, data-driven oversight, citizen complaint processes, and ongoing dialogue between police and residents.

Today, the Agreement remains a cornerstone of Cincinnati’s public safety approach. It continues to guide reforms, shape training, and build trust between law enforcement and communities. Its collaborative model—bringing government, police, and community voices together—offers a durable blueprint for addressing modern challenges, advancing equity, and sustaining safer, more inclusive neighborhoods into the future.

427

Westwood: Five Years Forward

Greg Hand, David Booker, Abe Brandyberry, Kerry Rundle McIver, WestCURC

We will be presenting the Westwood Five Years Plan outlining priorities, investments, and outcomes designed to strengthen our missions and expand opportunities in Westwood. We want to encourage and inspire others to create similar plans for their own neighborhoods, and hope to showcase a variety of opportunities we are making and taking to create lasting and sustainable change.

10:45 – 11:30

Great Hall

Imagining a Strong Community Council Form of Government

Steve Ramos, President, Kimberly Jacobs, VP, East Walnut Hills Assembly, Jeff Hitman-Mason, President, Pleasant Ridge Community Council

Description: In 1999, the City of Cincinnati passed a charter amendment and formed a Strong Mayor form of government with the mayor appointing the city manager. Recent controversies around Hyde Park Square development and the sale of the Southern Railway have led many residents to believe that another change in governance is needed. Is it time for a Strong Community Council form of government? What would it look like? Hear discussions from East Walnut Hills and other community members. 

400 AB

On Track for 2051: How Transportation Will Shape Cincinnati’s Future

Mitch Radakovich, Board Chair, All Aboard Ohio All

Transportation decisions today will shape Cincinnati’s neighborhoods, economy, and opportunities for decades. This session, led by All Aboard Ohio, explores how investments in passenger rail, bus rapid transit, and the Reinventing Metro initiative can strengthen neighborhoods, expand access to jobs and education, and support a more equitable future. Learn how efforts to restore rail connections to Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, and beyond can reconnect residents to regional opportunity, while improved bus service enhances daily mobility. The session also highlights the role of advocacy and community engagement, inviting participants to help share and shape their vision for a more connected Cincinnati by 2051.

400 C

2026 Roadmap Update: Advancing Homeownership for Everyone

Elisabeth Risch, Executive Director, Housing Opportunities Made Equal Of Greater Cincinnati (HOME); Felicia Bell, President, Greater Cincinnati Realtist Association; Stacy Purcell, Senior Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid Society of SW Ohio; Ron Stubblefield, Director, Housing and Place-Based Initiatives at Greater Cincinnati Foundation

It has been over three years since HOME and a group of more than 30 partners published the Roadmap for Increasing Black Homeownership, and the 2026 Roadmap Update tracks progress in the region on the six recommendations proposed. Like the original Roadmap, this status update is intended to provide both a summary of the current housing landscape and immediate concrete recommendations for increasing and preserving Black homeownership in Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Using a panel of local housing professionals, this session explores how market trends, funding cuts, and local developments are affecting progress on Roadmap recommendations and where we go from here.

417

The Future in Our Hands: Youth Stories on Climate Action

Rachel Bickett, Office of Environment & Sustainability; Seeds of Change Youth Grant Leaders from Project C.R.E.A.T.E, Millvale Bicycle Corps, and Winton Hills Youth Council

Over the past 2 years, the Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Youth Climate Action Grant Program has awarded funds to youth-led sustainability initiatives to bring their creative climate solutions to life. From air quality research and educational programming, to school gardens and bike workshops, youth took initiative and became the change they want to see in the world. Hear from a panel of youth grant leaders to understand what the climate future looks like from their perspective, and how they are already taking steps to achieve a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future for their communities.

427

Building Futures: Preparing Cincinnati’s Workforce for 2051

LaTonya Chichester, Dusty Bryant, Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio; Nikki Crenshaw, Laborers Local 265

Building Futures is a 12-week apprenticeship readiness program led by the Urban League preparing adults for careers in the union building and construction trades. It addresses workforce shortages while creating pathways to family-sustaining wages and economic mobility. This session highlights how the program connects participants with unions, employers, and training partners for direct entry into apprenticeships. Participants will learn how training in soft skills, financial literacy, and certifications is paired with barrier removal like tools, PPE, and stipends. Through data and stories, the session shows how Building Futures strengthens neighborhoods by expanding opportunity and developing a skilled workforce.

11:45 – 12:30

Great Hall

From Quick Wins to Lasting Change: Neighborhood Leadership Systems for Cincinnati

Moira Weir, President & CEO, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, with community leaders and resident partner; Daronce Daniels, Found of the Heights Movement and Vice Mayor of Lincoln Heights; Te’Airea Powell, Vice President, East Westwood Improvement Association

Neighborhood leadership is the heart of strong communities—but what systems and support are needed to sustain it for the next generation? This session features a brief panel on United Way’s place-based cradle-to-career work, followed by an interactive discussion. Panelists will share lessons on building coalitions, using data effectively, and centering resident leadership while balancing quick wins with long-term systems change. Using real neighborhood examples, we’ll explore the tension between “quick wins” that build trust and the deeper systems needed for lasting impact. Participants will then be invited into a collective conversation to stress-test these ideas, share what’s worked in their own communities, and imagine what neighborhood leadership must look like 25 years from now

400 AB

Sidewalk Hospitality: A Simple Recipe for Building Community

Ruth Anne Wolfe, Founder, Tyler Chernesky, Executive Director, Ezra Logan, Youth Intern, Community Happens Here

Neighborhoods need sustainable strategies to foster connection amid polarization and a growing “loneliness epidemic.” Community Happens Here’s “Sidewalk Hospitality” model offers a proven, low-cost approach that creates regular opportunities for belonging while empowering young people as hosts and leaders. This hands-on workshop teaches how to transform public spaces into welcoming gathering places that spark meaningful conversation across differences. Through interactive exercises and real stories, participants will learn practical steps to launch their own programs. With demonstrated success—133 teens serving 10,000 drinks in 2025—this scalable model helps build social infrastructure, strengthen leadership, and create thriving, connected communities.

400 C

Preserving Local Businesses through Worker Ownership

Meghan Elizabeth, Ellen Vera, Co-Directors, Co-op Cincy

Co-op Cincy introduces entrepreneurs to worker-owned and cooperative business models as practical paths to long-term success. Drawing on 12+ years of experience, Meghan Elizabeth explains how co-ops function, how shared ownership shapes team growth and leadership, and what it takes to build financially strong, people-centered businesses. Participants will gain insight into how cooperative models reduce risk and build collective wealth while aligning business values with community impact. The session also highlights local resources available in Cincinnati, including funding, infrastructure, and support systems, equipping attendees with tools to explore or launch their own cooperative ventures

417

Balance: The City Budget Gameshow – Community Budget Request (CBR) Edition

Andrew Dudas, Budget Director, Brian Gay, Division Manager, Hannah Ryland, Senior Budget Analyst, City of Cincinnati, Office of Budget & Evaluation; Maria Dienger, Senior City Planner, Department of Planning and Engagement, City of Cincinnati

Attention Community Councils: This special “Community Budget Request” edition of “Balance: The City Budget Gameshow” will provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about the City’s budget and specifically how to navigate the Community Budget Request (CBR) process. By involving contestants from the audience in a series of educational challenges, this non-traditional session aims to put the FUN– in funding!  After receiving accolades for “City of Cincinnati Project of the Year 2023” and “Ohio City & County Management Association Citizen Participation Award 2024,” this session returns to the Neighborhood Summit in 2026 with fan-favorite games as well as new content specifically related to the CBR process. So, come on down and join the audience for the award-winning experience of “Balance: The City Budget Game Show – Community Budget Request” edition.

427

ToolBank Leadership Academy

Kat Pepmeyer – Executive Director, Jerel Stewart – Program Coordinator,  Margaux Roberts – Program Coordinator Mini-Toolbank, Cincinnati Toolbank; Student – ToolBank Academy

What happens when young people are trusted to shape their neighborhoods, not just consulted? This interactive workshop highlights the Cincinnati ToolBank Academy, where high school students design and launch a neighborhood-based Mini-ToolBank—a container-based tool lending hub for underserved communities. Participants will hear directly from youth about building skills in asset mapping, project planning, budgeting, volunteer management, and construction, then applying them in real time. Blending storytelling with discussion, the session explores how youth voice, workforce pathways, and neighborhood infrastructure intersect. This is not a presentation about young people—it’s a conversation with them.

Concurrent Sessions – Afternoon

2:00 – 2:45

Great Hall

From Vacant to Vibrant: Proactively Ending Blight and Building Safer Neighborhoods for 2051

Art Dahlberg –  Director, Buildings and Inspections; James Brunner – Deputy of Director, Buildings and Inspections

As we celebrate 25 years of bringing neighborhoods together, this session looks ahead to 2051 and explores how proactive vacant building strategies can shape safer, stronger communities. The Dept of Buildings and Inspections will introduce the City’s Vacant Building Suite—a coordinated, forward-thinking approach to addressing vacancy before it leads to blight and disinvestment. Attendees will learn how programs work together to educate, monitor, and enforce accountability while prioritizing safety and housing quality. Using real data, neighborhood examples, and a visual timeline, the session highlights how early action improves outcomes and how community members play a key role.

400 AB

Launching a Land Readjustment Initiative in the Greater Cincinnati Area

Andrea Jandricek, RA, Adjunct Faculty UC, Secretary, Changing Ground Project; Ed Mattis, Vice President at Republic Commercial Real Estate

The Changing Ground Project is launching a land readjustment (LR) initiative in Greater Cincinnati to help transform low- to moderate-income neighborhoods into more economically prosperous, walkable mixed-use communities. LR consolidates individual properties into cooperatively owned larger land entities, enabling cohesive, higher-value mixed-use development while allowing existing owners to retain ownership and enjoy the financial upsides of the new development along with the investor. Widely used globally but less practiced in the U.S., land readjustment offers a new path to equitable development. As a newly established nonprofit, The Changing Ground Project will pilot and test LR models in Cincinnati in a variety of contexts.

400 C

Building Belonging: A Tiny‑Home Village for Neighbors Emerging from Homelessness

Sharon McCutchen, Independent community presenter

This session presents a bold, community-centered vision for a supportive tiny-home village within Cincinnati’s I-275 belt, designed to help people emerging from long-term homelessness rebuild stability, dignity, and purpose. Inspired by Austin’s Community First! Village, the model combines affordable housing with gardens, arts and skills spaces, micro-enterprises, a general store, trails, and gathering spaces. Participants will explore how housing, creativity, entrepreneurship, and nature can foster lasting belonging. An interactive exercise invites attendees to imagine a Cincinnati-based village and identify steps to begin turning this vision into reality.

417

Creating the Future: The Power of Arts & Culture to Impact Neighborhood Vitality over the next 25 Years

Kathy Garrison, Artsville; Tiffany Cooper, Founder/CEO, Meaningful Connections LLC

Led by Artsville with Meaningful Connections, this session explores how arts and culture drive neighborhood revitalization and well-being in Madisonville. Participants will learn how Artsville’s work with residents, artists, clergy, and community groups builds connection, opportunity, and neighborhood pride. The session also introduces the Cincinnati Arts & Culture Community Impact Study, examining the social impact of arts across the city. Together, attendees will reflect on how current investments in neighborhood-based arts initiatives can shape future generations and imagine what Cincinnati’s communities could look like 25 years from now.

427

From Now to 2051: Building Youth Leadership Pipelines for Cincinnati’s Neighborhoods

André Rogers, Alumni/Current Public Allies Staff – Panel Facilitator; Panel: Alex Rushing, Ally, Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses; Macda Mulugeta, Ally, City of Cincinnati Office of Environment & Sustainability; Makiyah Smith, Ally & Legacy, HEY (Hopeful Empowered Youth); Devoe Sherman, Alumni & current 2nd Year Ally, Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati; Daphney Thomas, Alumni, Founder/CEO, National Commission for Black Arts & Entertainment

What will Cincinnati look like in 2051 if young people are meaningfully invested in as neighborhood leaders today? This facilitated panel brings together Public Allies (ages 18–24) and Alumni to explore how youth leadership pipelines are built and sustained. Through paid, full-time apprenticeships in community organizations, Public Allies reduces barriers and embeds young leaders in real work. Panelists will share firsthand stories of entering civic leadership pathways, navigating power and responsibility at a young age, and how early investment in leadership development shapes long-term civic identity and commitment. Through guided conversation and audience interaction, the session will explore what young people need now to become the neighborhood stewards, organizers, nonprofit leaders, and public servants of 2051

3:00 – 3:45

Great Hall

Pre-Approved Plans and the Future of Local Housing Development

Veronica Cardello – Ohio REALTORS; City of Cincinnati Representative; Darrick Dansby – REALTOR; Mary Huttlinger – RAGC; Casey Terry – GOPC

As housing demand continues to outpace supply, communities are exploring new tools to reduce barriers to development while maintaining thoughtful planning standards. Pre-approved housing plans provide a pathway to faster approvals by aligning design, zoning, and building requirements in advance. This session will examine how municipalities and industry partners are collaborating to implement pre-approved plan programs, reduce administrative burden, and create predictable development processes. Attendees will gain insight into program structure, stakeholder engagement, and how pre-approved plans can support local housing goals.

400 AB

Cincinnati Parks + Rec for Wellness: Envisioning the Future

Daniel Betts, Director, Cincinnati Recreation Commission; Jason Barron, Director Cincinnati Park Board, Jennifer Spieser, Cincinnati Park Board Foundation President 

Cincinnati Parks + Rec for Wellness is a groundbreaking partnership among the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, Cincinnati Parks, Cincinnati Recreation Commission, and the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC. Together, these partners are addressing one of Cincinnati’s most pressing challenges: health inequity. Rooted in research, the program brings evidence-based wellness directly into neighborhood parks and recreation centers—offering free fitness classes, mindfulness programs, and family-centered activities across the city. By removing financial and geographic barriers, Cincinnati Parks + Rec for Wellness meets families where they live and learn, expanding equitable access to preventative care in communities that have historically faced limited options.

417

Increase Meeting Attendance

Ben Klayer, President, West Price Hill Community Council

During this session, I will share strategies to help community councils increase attendance at meetings. There are three main strategies: improving the invitation process, creating a hook for the meeting, and running an effective meeting. These strategies are based on my own experience as president of my community council; during my tenure I have doubled our membership and usually draw about 2-3x more people at meetings compared to before.

427

City Improvements to Litter Operations

Kelly LaFrankie, City of Cincinnati, OPDA; Art Dalhberg, Director of B&I and Mark Riley, Director of DPS

Overview of the accomplishments of the City’s litter working group and a roadmap forward outlining next steps for City improvements in the litter space.