In an interview with Invest:, Janet Falotico, executive director of Visit Lawrence County, detailed the strategic and operational philosophies guiding the organization. She also emphasized the critical importance of youth leadership and community investment. “Lifelong residents can be either very passionate whether it be negative or positive. Therefore, we have focused on rallying the community and conducting more activities locally,” Falotico said.

What changes over the past year have most impacted Visit Lawrence County, and in what ways?

Each year brings a new director or a changeover within the board of directors, which can often shift the overall vision according to the individuals brought into those roles. Every year, we develop a strategic plan to decide our priorities, what we wish to see happen, and how we will make it happen. Without a map to guide you, the chances of reaching your destination are very slim. You must know where you are going or where you want to be. That is our primary focus. 

One of our key initiatives has been to highlight all the positive aspects of Lawrence County. We have been engaged in this effort off and on for years. This year we produced a video featuring Sean Kanan, a two-time Emmy Award-winning actor from our area. He has appeared in “Cobra Kai,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “General Hospital,” and “The Karate Kid.” We are a very small community, one of the smaller counties in the state, but we believe we present ourselves exceptionally well. We make the most of what we have. The video has received significant promotion and is widely shared. It has been well received, even among local residents, and has helped to build morale. The objective was not only to inform visitors about the positive attributes of our community but also to help residents recognize them. Lifelong residents can be either very passionate and negative or very passionate and positive. Therefore, we have focused on rallying the community and conducting more activities locally. Historically, most of our budget was spent outside the county, so people might not have been aware of our efforts. We have found that investing in our community is also beneficial. We allocate small grant funds to support local events so they can continue to occur. 

In addition to the video, we have altered our marketing strategy significantly since 2016. We now focus more on travel writers, content creators, social media influencers, and digital marketing. 

What strategies are you pursuing to support workforce needs in the tourism and hospitality industries, and how are you collaborating to prepare future talent?

While workforce development is somewhat outside my direct purview, I believe our community investment efforts contribute to this goal in a roundabout way. Several years ago, we initiated a program inspired by Flat Stanley, a character from a children’s book. Stanley is a paper doll mailed to various locations, and then he returns with stories about his travels. We created Flat Larry for Lawrence County and brought him into local schools. We used a cardboard cutout, discussed the community with students, and had them color their own Flat Larry to mail and share stories. Local businesses, such as pizzerias, would display the children’s artwork. This may seem like a small effort, but it helps young people appreciate the beauty of where they live from an early age. We have expanded this program significantly. We now create bucket lists for residents, tailored for elementary, junior high, and high-school students. For high-school and college students, we offer a digital version. Most activities on the list can be done at no cost, ensuring that families facing financial challenges can still participate. The goal is to foster community pride and engagement by highlighting all the positive aspects of Lawrence County.

From a tourism perspective, our role is to ensure that not only are visitors welcomed, but residents are also knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their community. In terms of workforce development, it is important to remember that before someone opens a business, takes a job, or moves to a new place, they are first a visitor. We also provide materials to real estate agents to give to new families moving into the community, as these resources are a wealth of information and help promote a positive image. It is about creating a sense of community and a vibrant county that attracts visitors, who may then become business owners, students, and long-term residents, all contributing to the success of Lawrence County.

What are some of the challenges that Lawrence County tourism is navigating, and how are you working to turn those into opportunities?

Having the right people in place at all times is always a challenge, and things do not always work the way you want them to work. We are all limited in the progress that we can make. I am thankful that the job I have allows a lot of leeway to make changes. 

On the development front, the city of New Castle, the county seat of Lawrence County, is also trying to determine how to bring more business into our downtown. New Castle and the surrounding townships/municipalities have tried many different ways and are still working on it. We are finding beautiful, sustainable parks and recreation for our downtown, for example. 

We also have a local airport and I know that it is trying to find a way to increase the landing strip because we need to be able to bring people into this airport and not just accommodate a local two-seater plane. It needs to open up. That is a challenge we are working on for the future, and hopefully if things go well, we will be able to make that happen. 

Another challenge would be that we do not have a full service hotel yet. We have some hotels, thankfully, and we have a ton of bed and breakfasts and Airbnbs. But not having a full service hotel and not having an expanded airport hinder you from having conventions that you might otherwise be able to host. 

I personally like to think that if you build it, they will come. If we keep trying, it is going to stick at some point. We have not given up. We are still trying. 

What are your top priorities moving forward, whether in marketing, partnerships, or visitor engagement, that you believe will define the organization’s next chapter?

We do have a strategic plan and that is the most important part of this whole thing. You have to have a plan. We set that up every January. Right now, it is to share all things good with our community, and to continue what we have found to work, which is to work with travel writers, content creators, influencers, and digital marketing. 

We plan to do more around group tours by working with Pittsburgh. We are going to group tour shows and encouraging people to come back here and not just stop in Pittsburgh or not just stop in Lawrence County, but to come around and see all that we have in this area. Group tours have not been around for years, but they are starting back up, which is a pretty big deal. We have had a couple over the past year, so we are looking forward to that picking up. 

In general, we will just continue on the road we are on and spread the good news. I personally expect our agency to perform even better when I retire next year because of the investment that has been put into our assistant director and the sustainability of our group. I believe she can make a bigger difference because her ideas are fresher and newer.

In an interview with Invest:, Nicholas Dragga, executive director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, discussed the company’s direction and collaborations built from a vision of a more accessible ballet for all. “The long-term effect of our initiatives is hard to track, but we are seeing the interests and growth with those labors,” Dragga said. 

What are the recent key milestones for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre?

Previously, the company’s 2023-2024 season was our highest-grossing season. We broke that record again this season by setting two new revenue records: this year’s Nutcracker became our highest-grossing production ever, and May’s Wizard of Oz achieved the highest gross for any non-Nutcracker show in our history.

We can now move beyond pre-pandemic conversations and look at new levels of growth. 

Ticket sales are strong and we have large audiences, from which 45% are from outside the metro area. Our productions bring a lot of cultural tourism into the city and help build downtown revitalization, including for the restaurant scene.

How do past seasons’ performances reflect the company’s evolving artistic direction?

Adam W. McKinney, our artistic director, has a vision of a more accessible ballet for all, where everyone can see their story and find their place through ballet. He wants to celebrate the classics and introduce new works, proving that it’s not necessarily a binary choice. We can do new interpretations of classic stories and still have blockbuster storybook ballets. The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, or Cinderella can still be classics, but also be very artistically adventurous. It’s possible to have cultural vibrancy and artistic expression with something that is popular and loved by everyone.

How is PBT adapting to emerging trends in ballet?

Due to the PBT School and some of our very intentional programming beyond the stage, our audience tends to be on the younger side. Our programming is frequently family-friendly, such as The Nutcracker, and we have a very robust school with over 400 students. Community

Engagement programming makes up the third pillar of the company, with a thousand students we’re meeting outside the studio for classes and events every week. Those connections pay dividends for a generation. We are educating tomorrow’s audience every day.

The audience also expects high production values, which were reflected in the success and feedback of Cinderella, Peter Pan, and certainly, The Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz was brought to life using an effective combination of projections and practical elements, rather than just a video screen. The familiar titles have their draws, but we must invest in production value to meet the audience’s expectations, deliver even higher-quality productions every year, and add that surprise element every time.

What initiatives are in place for the company’s educational pillar?

Aside from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, we have community education and engagement. Its primary program, among many, is the creative movements residencies at elementary schools. We were involved with 105 classrooms this past year, from pre-kindergarten to third grade, and we are adding fourth grade as we build longer relationships with the students. They learn about dance and the ballets performed that particular season, which usually culminates with tickets to the performances. The long-term effects of our initiatives are difficult to track, but we are seeing increased interest and growth as a result of our efforts.

How have recent collaborations affected the company’s direction?

To borrow the words of our artistic director: “More magic happens when you put more artists together.” We have a tremendous partnership with the local school districts through our community engagement programs. Our programs work because they all highly involve participants. On the artistic side, the choreographers and designers make all the productions possible. We are fortunate to work with stellar artists. With the artistic director’s vision, there are diverse choreographers and artists’ works presented on stage. These diverse voices add richness to the ballet experience in every way, and Pittsburgh is now benefiting from that. Pittsburgh’s art scene is rich, vibrant, diverse, and thriving. There are more amenities and arts organizations in Pittsburgh than in any other city of our size. The music, theater, and dance scenes work well together. We collaborate with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra every other year.

We’re in continuous collaboration with the opera and the theater, both for productions on the stage and even mundane things such as sharing lighting equipment. The arts and culture scene has become a catalyst that brings people downtown and keeps the restaurant scene, as well as the retail scene, alive. It’s also preventing brain drain by creating a place where people want to live, work, and play.

What is the biggest challenge facing ballet companies like PBT?

Similar to any corporation, it‘s the rising costs of doing business. Particularly in the performing arts, there’s a productivity gap. We can’t get more efficient at rehearsing a ballet, and there’s a limited number of seats are available for each performance. As labor costs reasonably rise and inflation increases, there is higher pressure on the business model, especially since we are subsidizing the cost of the tickets. We try to make them accessible, hence we’re relying on contributed revenue or donations to bridge the gap. In America, there’s currently uncertainty in the sociopolitical environment that every corporation must navigate. As this environment changes, so do the funding priorities.

What are the company’s key priorities for the next few years?

The three-year budgeting process has been finalized, which includes productions through 2028, allowing us to put our priorities on the table and dream big. We will premiere a brand new Nutcracker production in 2027, comprising all new sets, costumes, choreography, and projections. Another priority is to increase the hospitality of ballet, so more audiences can experience the magical feeling it creates. PBT’s exciting programming will ensure that the audiences get to experience both familiar and new ballet stories, as well as see artists who look like them on stage, and feel at home in the theater.

In an interview with Invest:, Shanna Carrick, executive director of Film Pittsburgh, said that inclusive storytelling is central to the organization’s mission as it expands its cultural impact in the region. “We believe film is for everyone, and we aim to create that inclusive, ephemeral experience of being in a theater together, watching independent cinema as a community,” Carrick said.

What is your overview of Film Pittsburgh, including its purpose and mission in the Pittsburgh area?

Film Pittsburgh originated from the JFilm Festival, founded in 1994 by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, beginning as a volunteer-run event. We now also produce Pittsburgh Shorts, ReelAbilities Pittsburgh, and the Three Rivers Film Festival, which has been running since 1981. It was originally part of the Three Rivers Arts Festival that takes place every summer, and while it’s changed hands over time, we’re now honored to steward that legacy.

In addition, we have an educational outreach program called Teen Screen. Though these programs differ, they are united under the common mission of presenting diverse perspectives and building empathy through film. We believe film is for everyone, and we aim to create that inclusive, ephemeral experience of being in a theater together, watching independent cinema as a community.

What are your immediate priorities as you begin this journey of fostering empathy and connection through film?

I’ve been in this position for just a few months. I come from a background in operations and arts management, so my initial focus was on strengthening our operational infrastructure and modernizing our systems. I introduced SaaS tools like Slack for internal communication, Monday.com for project management, Google Workspace for collaboration, and Brex for expense tracking. It was a lot of tech all at once, but it was all in service of improving efficiency and connecting our hybrid workforce.

We’re a small team — just eight employees — so my first priority was to support them. I wanted to understand their vision for the organization, their priorities, and how they hope to evolve Film Pittsburgh. I began with an employee-first review and have continued to focus on listening and learning. We also have an incredibly engaged board, which is a rare and wonderful asset. While I haven’t run a film festival before, I’ve managed a lecture series, which is quite similar in many ways, so I feel well-prepared and excited to lead.

What strategies are you implementing to support and sustain an independent workforce in Pittsburgh?

I hold an MBA in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management, so I’m well aware of the high cost of turnover, especially when you lose institutional knowledge. That’s why I’ve prioritized taking care of our employees, whether they’re part-time, hourly, or full-time.

For example, I introduced unlimited sick leave. Previously, we didn’t have a separate sick time policy. Now, staff don’t have to choose between canceling a well-earned vacation or coming in sick, which is especially important with COVID and the flu still circulating.

The goal is to make sure everyone feels supported, valued, and secure in their roles, especially in today’s unpredictable nonprofit arts landscape, where grant funding is shrinking and individual giving is decreasing. That shift means we’ll need to emphasize earned revenue more going forward.

As for broader workforce development in the filmmaking space, that’s outside of our direct purview. We’re at the tail end of the creative process — we receive submissions from filmmakers and evaluate them with our volunteer judges and programming team. The Pittsburgh Film Office is the main player in workforce development for local filmmakers, but we fully support and celebrate our independent creators especially for Pittsburgh-made films.

How would you describe the contribution of the film industry to the regional economy in Pittsburgh?

The film industry here is definitely on a growth path. Take Row House Cinema, for example. It started as a single-screen theater in Lawrenceville and has now expanded. They’ve acquired a 99-year-old legacy theater in Dormont — a Pittsburgh neighborhood — and are transforming it into an atmospheric theater. It’s actually the first atmospheric theater built in the United States in over 40 years.

Their investment is a powerful signal. At a time when streaming is more convenient than ever — watching movies on laptops or even phones — Row House is betting on the value of shared, in-person moviegoing experiences. People are still seeking opportunities to gather and engage with film as an event rather than passive consumption.

Atmospheric theaters bring the outdoors inside, and Row House will be featuring elements like a starlit ceiling and Art Deco architectural designs inspired by 1920s movie palaces. I toured the new space and am incredibly excited about what it represents, not just for film but for local economic and cultural development. It’s an investment from a local business, not a major chain, which is important for building community-rooted growth.

What do you see as the biggest investment opportunities in the film industry today?

It’s really all about the audience experience. The global trend in experiential cinema is growing, especially in Asian markets. For instance, 4DX — originating in South Korea — has expanded into the U.S. market specifically in Regal Cinemas. We don’t yet have one in Pittsburgh, but it’s a fully immersive experience: the seats move, there are wind and fog effects, even scents. I watched Fantastic Four in 4DX, and when Johnny Storm ignites, you can actually smell something burning.

Another example is the Sphere in Las Vegas, which wraps the audience in a dome screen for full immersion. They’re producing a Wizard of Oz experience where you’re in the tornado with Dorothy, feeling the wind. Then there are smaller ventures like Cosm in Los Angeles and Dallas, with wraparound ceilings and walls to make you feel like you’re inside the film.

And let’s not forget Metro Private Cinema, which is taking a different route by creating micro-cinemas for small groups, paired with gourmet dining. It’s all about transforming film into a full sensory experience that people want to pay for — not just a night out, but a memorable event.

How does Film Pittsburgh support educational opportunities for emerging filmmakers?

We engage with schools through our Teen Screen program. It provides educators with free access to curated films that align with and supplement their curriculum. The program is funded by a mix of donor and foundation support and revenue from our festivals. Beyond just screening films, we also create opportunities for students to interact directly with filmmakers — sometimes via Zoom — so they can learn firsthand about the filmmaking process and see it as a viable career path.

What programs or efforts are in place to ensure diversity, accessibility, and inclusion within the community through film?

This is something we take very seriously. One of our guiding principles is: Nothing about us without us. That means involving the communities represented in our programming. For example, we’re showing a Spanish-language film titled DEAF, about a deaf mother and hearing father raising a child and in a particular scene during childbirth navigating the challenges of medical care without access to Spanish Sign Language.

To deepen the impact, we’re hosting a talkback featuring professionals from the Sign Language Interpreting Professionals organization, a deaf mother of a hearing child, and one of our staff members who is a hearing parent of a deaf child. These conversations create powerful educational moments.

In general, we ensure our programming is diverse and one way that we can do this is by endeavoring to have our volunteer screeners — the ones selecting and rating the films — reflect that diversity as well. Inclusion has to be built into every stage of the process.

How are you measuring the success of those efforts, and where do you see opportunities for further improvement?

We’re focused on both qualitative and quantitative data. Of course, personal impact matters: if people leave a screening feeling moved or transformed, that’s a success. However, we also track metrics like ticket sales, survey responses, and contributions. We ask if attendees felt welcomed, if they see themselves as part of our community, and if they’d return next year.

We’re also doing a major brand relaunch for the Three Rivers Film Festival (3RFF). Brand-based marketing is crucial for building recognition and long-term loyalty, and we’ll be using Net Promoter Scores and other feedback tools post-festival to evaluate progress and refine our approach. 

What are Film Pittsburgh’s main goals for growth over the next few years?

Our biggest goal is to position Pittsburgh as a destination city for film. I often reference the “Paris to Pittsburgh” initiative, where downtown restaurants brought dining outdoors to create a more European atmosphere. In the same spirit, we want Pittsburgh to be seen as the Cannes of Appalachia, or the Sundance of Pennsylvania.

We envision people traveling here from around the world to attend our festivals, watch incredible independent films, stay in our fantastic downtown hotels like our partners at IHG’s  EVEN hotel and the Kimpton, and enjoy our amazing local dining scene. With events like the NFL Draft coming to Pittsburgh in April, there’s a tremendous opportunity to increase tourism and make sure those visitors come back year after year, not just for sports but for film as well.

With the pandemic woes in its rearview, the hospitality industry is making every effort to course-correct and enjoy an even greater future after what was an extremely rough couple of years for the industry. In Pittsburgh, the iconic Renaissance Hotel is hard at work preparing for a key renovation that will cement it as among the best lifestyle hotels in downtown. “We are very committed to what is going on in the city,” Chris Johnson, general manager for the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel, said in an interview with Invest:. “We are going big on the renovations because we are very confident in this market and this community and believe the ROI on this investment will be there for us.”

What is your general outlook for the Pittsburgh market?

My relocation here was by choice. In my previous position, I was the vice president of operations for a hotel company managing 15 hotels along the Midwest, and I had three properties located in the Pittsburgh market. The more that I started coming to Pittsburgh, the more I really started to fall in love with the city. I love the rivers, the sports, the people, the topography. I brought my team together for a regional meeting in Pittsburgh, and when I was here, I said to my boss “I want to move to Pittsburgh.” I spoke with my wife and we were here 30 days later. I absolutely love it. It is a great restaurant city and there are so many things to do. I have lived in 13 cities, and this is my third stint in Pennsylvania. It is home now and where I plan to live after retirement. 

What are your top priorities to continue the success of the Renaissance Hotel?

My focus since I have been here revolves around service. It is about creating a service-first culture. Coming out of COVID, many hotels still have not added back those key functions that we provide, such as bell service and daily housekeeping, for example. It is all about creating that service culture within our team and developing that. We are just at the beginning stages of a complete renovation and repositioning of the hotel. We will be starting renovations this September. We will be bringing down our restaurant, Bradex Rebellion, and converting that into a mixed use space. We are really looking to transform into a lifestyle hotel. We will stay in the Marriott family, but we will transition to an autograph collection hotel. That will encompass a complete renovation of all the public spaces, our Bradic streetside bar, and our guest rooms will be upgraded. This will be a significant renovation. There are a lot of opportunities in the market. The Renaissance Brand really puts you at a threshold. We feel the renovations will take the hotel further up the market and provide unique experiences for travelers coming to the city. We are really excited about it. 

What is the thought process behind the planned renovations?

Our whole thought process behind the renovations is that it is OK for local folks to pop in. Part of the autograph collection is that every property of this kind needs to have what is known as a mark. Something unique and individual about the property. We are in the process of generating something that will have the same feel of the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas, for example. When you go to Las Vegas, you do not have to stay at the Bellagio to see the fountains. We are not ready to unveil what will be the name or the distinguishing feature of the hotel just yet, but it will be something that I am confident that people will come by to check out. We also do the concessions and food catering for Heinz Hall. As such, we want to grow those relationships with the downtown theater district and the cultural district. We want to be the spot that people think of when they come downtown. We want to create a place and host events that families can take advantage of because our property is really unique and iconic. 

What will be the net positive effects of the ongoing downtown revitalization efforts?

We are here to support the revitalization of downtown in any way we can, whether that is hosting events or just being a good neighbor and a good partner in that process. Looking at our downtown, what would truly be beneficial is a higher density of residential options. The residential presence that is happening just outside of downtown will be nice to see within downtown. This will have a ripple effect and catalyze the businesses in the area. 

What goes into accommodating the different events happening in the region?

It is a lot of work. There are some great properties here and the market is competitive. We have seven weddings scheduled through the end of September. We are going to be busy. I believe people are shifting back to wanting more traditional experiences. Professionals help handle every bit of the wedding experience. We can handle all the big, and smaller, details. Hotels provide a more professional infrastructure. And for us, our wedding specialist is incredibly talented. He has been doing it his whole life. Couples-to-be partner with someone who has great experience and is acutely in tune with their vision and who wants to execute it at a very high level. We are seeing the benefit of this and that’s where we feel like the planned renovations will really pay off once completed. Once completed, we will have a unique look and really catch people’s attention. 

What challenges are most prominent in the hospitality industry today?

One of the hardest aspects remains filling open positions. We look for people who have experience, but most importantly, passion. Our industry has lost many professionals since the pandemic. Our perspective is that we will hire for personality and train for skills. If someone is truly passionate about taking care of guests then we will be successful. The biggest challenge is finding and retaining those really passionate people. 

What have been changes related to guest experience?

People are looking for all the services they were used to before COVID. Additionally, it feels that people are hungry to be connected to the city they are visiting and to the local culture. They want to know where the locals go. People are really wanting to experience those hidden gems and not necessarily go to that chain restaurant or do something they can get in any other city. Part of our primary focus is to listen to guests while they stay with us and make those great, unique recommendations. A lifestyle hotel gets in front of this by being that local expert. Our team members are ambassadors of the city and really can make those great recommendations. 

What is the outlook for your operations in the next couple of years?

We want to make sure we are supporting the direct efforts of the Convention Bureau to bring citywide business to the market. We need to make sure we can grow that revenue stream in the market, which helps us all. We need to support all the efforts that will make Pittsburgh a destination market. We are very committed to what is going on in the city. Our ownership is going to put a significant investment into this property. We are going big on the renovations because we are very confident in this market and this community and believe the ROI on this investment will be there for us.

In an interview with Invest:, Jeremy Goodman, president and CEO of Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, discussed the developments supporting a 20-year master plan to improve the facility. “We’re going to be doing a lot of fundraising to get these projects off the ground, including providing better visitor amenities, and better homes for our animals,” Goodman said.

What recent changes have impacted Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium? 

A recent major accomplishment for us was rejoining the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), after leaving over a decade earlier. AZA is often considered the gold standard of zoos and aquariums. We have started some new events, as well, which are going to be huge draws. The very popular winter Wild Illuminations is a walkthrough holiday event with everything from reindeers, lanterns to carolers. The Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza is an October-long event with tens of thousands of people, over 3,000 hand-carved pumpkins, music, and theatrical displays.

On the animal front, there’s always new births and things along those lines. One of the challenges we certainly face is climate change. Severe weather is becoming more frequent, and weather patterns are changing. Being a mainly-outdoor facility, we are starting to feel the effects. Besides designing new exhibits with potentially more indoor spaces, we are looking at weather insurance, and moving events around to make sure they’re in the best possible season. If we have great weather, our attendance is through the roof. 

With the zoo receiving a $10 million gift, how do you see that impacting planning? 

It is a game changer for us. When I first started, we developed a new strategic plan, followed by a new 20-year facility master plan. When we add up all the projects in today’s dollars, it amounts to several hundred million dollars worth of investment into the zoo over the course of that time, in order to not only meet the ever-changing standards, but also to exceed the standards. We want to have state-of-the-art exhibits that inspire our visitors and become great homes for our animals. To build zoo exhibits properly is an expensive endeavor, but we are committed to excellence here, and a gift like this helps kick off all the projects in our master plan. 

Our new giraffe barn is going to exceed all of the standards, and be incredible for the well-being of our animals. It will give them so much more space, and allow our visitors to see them in the winter, which they’ve never been able to do. It will allow us to expand our giraffe population, as well. That is going to have an immediate impact on our visitors. I’m also super excited about the Expedition Indonesia project. This will, by far, be the largest immersive exhibit this region has never seen. We’re planning on having close to a dozen endangered, or critically endangered, animals featured. We’ll have not only incredible experiences around every corner, but it’ll also be the absolute best for the animals. It will incorporate education and conservation throughout the entire story. This gift allows us to start the design process, because an exhibit like that usually takes a couple of years to design, and costs several million dollars. This also allows us to raise money for the exhibit itself. People see this kind of support and they want to be part of it, so hopefully it’ll stimulate other very generous gifts from the community. 

How does the zoo’s 20-year master plan align with Pittsburgh’s desire for inclusive, accessible green spaces?

Our master plan is divided into three phases. The projects in the first phase we’ve committed to are the new front entrance, which is already under construction; and making a fully-accessible route from the currently steep, non-accessible gravel walkway. We are going to be doubling that in length, and paving it. At our front entrance, we’ll have restrooms at the ticketing plaza for the first time ever. That’ll include inclusive restrooms with adults changing tables, so special needs adults or large children can feel very comfortable coming here. The letters we’ve gotten from people who actually need them and use them bring tears to our eyes. We’re one of the few places in the entire region that has something like that. It’s incredible that people who are incredibly limited can come to the zoo every week because we have this facility. 

The giraffe barn project will improve the welfare for our animals, and the experience for our visitors. That will help set up phase two of the projects. It will serve as holding for a number of animals which will be part of our African rainforest exhibit. We’re already getting ahead of the game. The orangutan habitat is the same thing as our Expedition Indonesia. Orangutans are going to be the stars of the show, but we’ll have tons of other animals from Asian hornbills, Malayan tapirs, tomistoma, giant bats, clouded leopards, and siamang. 

Our education center expansion is part of phase one as well. Education is at the core of everything we do. We definitely want to make sure that we are fully accessible to our community, and provide them with what they need. The three-story expansion onto our current education building will allow us to have even better homes for our ambassador animals that go out to schools, and senior centers. We’ve been hiring so many more educators recently that we’re running out of office and work space for them. We are also looking at putting in a full-time, licensed nature preschool based out of the zoo, as well as putting in a studio for cyber school work. 

What are your key priorities for the zoo and aquarium for the next few years? 

We’re going to be doing a lot of fundraising to get these projects off the ground, including providing better visitor amenities, and better homes for our animals. We try to keep it fresh and provide our visitors with new experiences each time they come, whether it’s an event like Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza, or a new exhibit like the giraffe barn. Everything we know is constantly changing, and no two visits are ever alike. The animals are always doing something different, and there’s always something new going on here. The goal is to build that momentum, and get people excited.

In an interview with Invest:, David Morehouse, executive vice president of strategy at the Pittsburgh Steelers emphasized the team’s role in the city’s revival through events like the upcoming NFL Draft, which is expected to generate up to $200+ million. “Hosting the NFL Draft will be the biggest event Pittsburgh has ever had,” he said. He also noted the Steelers’ global media impact and Acrisure Stadium’s evolution into a year-round destination beyond football. 

What changes over the past year have impacted the Steelers and Acrisure Stadium, and in what ways?

Like most cities, we’re coming out of a post-COVID economic environment. The city and the region are working to build back to what things looked like before the pandemic and to emerge stronger. That includes our  business community. Because of these efforts, we’re seeing a lot more investment coming into the city and region. 

For the Steelers, we’ve focused on evaluating the impact we have on the region as a baseline for how we can support this growth. We had PricewaterhouseCoopers  analyze  our economic footprint. To complement that work, we just finished a research project with a company called Trajektory. They performed an impressions analysis — essentially looking at how many times Pittsburgh was mentioned in the media ecosphere over the course of a year and the percentage of those mentions tied to the Steelers 

So off the field, we’ve been focused on better understanding the role we can play as an  economic engine . On the field, we’ve been focused on getting back to the Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh has always been a region  built on innovation. At the turn of the 20th century, it was steel and how steel was made. That innovation helped build the country. Now, that same spirit of innovation is being directed toward AI/robotics, life sciences and healthcare, energy and advanced manufacturing. A lot of that is driven by the universities here. We try to support that momentum however we can.

One major way we’ve done that is by bringing the 2026 NFL Draft to Pittsburgh. It’s one of the two biggest events the NFL holds each year, the other being the Super Bowl. 

What role do the Steelers and Acrisure Stadium play in the current economic landscape of Pittsburgh?

Art Rooney, our president, felt strongly that the Steelers should do what we can to give the city’s economy a boost. One major way we’ve done that is by bringing the 2026 NFL Draft to Pittsburgh. The Draft draws about 50 million television viewers, with many more watching through social media and digital platforms. Cities that have hosted the world-class event have seen between 500,000 and 800,000 visitors in recent years.

Hosting the Draft in Pittsburgh has created a lot of economic activity even before the event itself. Projects that were on the books from the city, the county, and the state are being accelerated to get ready for April 2026. And geographically, we’re well-positioned. We’re within driving distance of 11 NFL cities and 35 Division I college football programs.

The projected economic impact is $200M+. Beyond that, it gives us a national and global platform to showcase how Pittsburgh has evolved, especially with the growth in robotics, AI, energy, life sciences and tech broadly.

Beyond the Draft, the Steelers and Acrisure Stadium generate regular economic impact throughout the year. Over a four-year period, the Steelers created $3.4 billion in economic activity in Allegheny County alone. There are 3,000 permanent jobs supported by the Steelers and Acrisure Stadium. And on game weeks, about 58% of fans in the stadium come from more than 75 miles away. That results in a $61 million spending uplift per home game week.

We’ve been sold out since the 1970s, and that sellout streak continues today. That consistency drives major value for the local economy.

What kind of visibility do the Steelers bring to Pittsburgh, both nationally and globally?

The NFL is one of the most powerful marketing platforms in the world. The Super Bowl remains the most-watched television event in the country, and NFL programming dominates television ratings year-round.

Pittsburgh benefits from that. The impressions analysis we did with Trajektory showed that 50% of all global mentions of the word “Pittsburgh” are tied to the Steelers. That means half of the time someone sees or hears “Pittsburgh” in the media, it’s in the context of our team. If you removed the Steelers from the equation, that’s how much global visibility Pittsburgh would lose.

That shows the role we play in telling Pittsburgh’s story. Our audience reach through TV, digital, social media, and live attendance is significant. That’s something we work hard to maintain and grow.

What are your goals and priorities for the next three to five years?

Our focus is to improve and expand on what we’ve already been doing. We’ve had success as a team, as a brand, and as a development partner in the city. We want to build on that momentum.

That means continuing to bring in big events, generating attention for Pittsburgh, and using that attention to bring in new investment.

A good example is the Dublin game. We didn’t just go over there to play football. We also took  a group of business executives through the Allegheny Conference. There, they met with Irish business leaders to discuss potential synergies and opportunities to invest in Pittsburgh.

The Dublin game was about more than just football. It was about building international relationships that can benefit the region long term.

How does the organization engage with the Pittsburgh community off the field?

The Rooney family has owned and operated the Steelers for three generations. They’ve always believed that giving back to the community is one of the most important responsibilities of owning a sports team. We see it in big moments, like bringing the NFL Draft to Pittsburgh. But it also happens every day, in smaller ways, through our philanthropic partnerships and community programs. That commitment has been a part of the franchise for decades, and it continues today.

How is Acrisure Stadium being used beyond football, and how does that tie into your long-term vision?

Where the stadium sits today used to be a junkyard. Then Three Rivers Stadium was built, with parking lots all around it. Since then, the area has been transformed. The city’s central business district has essentially expanded across the river to the North Shore.

Now, the stadium is surrounded by restaurants, music venues, bars, office space, and retail. It’s a mixed-use district, and it’s where people come to gather year-round.

Taylor Swift’s concert is a great example. People were sitting on the hill at Point State Park across the river, listening from a distance. There were tens of thousands of people outside the stadium just enjoying the music. Inside, we had about 80,000 fans. That event showed how the stadium has become much more than just a sports venue. It’s a destination.

In an interview with Invest:, Malachi Van Tassell, president of Saint Francis University, discussed the university’s innovative efforts in producing professionals with strong ethics. “We make sure that our educational offerings are relevant for the needs of society, as well, which keeps us competitive from a marketing point of view,” Van Tassell added. 

How would you describe Saint Francis University’s missions and programs?

Saint Francis University is a Franciscan and Catholic institution of higher education. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest Franciscan institution in the United States. We’re known regionally, and throughout the country, for our school of health sciences and education. We educate a significant number of physician assistants, nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists, and they make up 60% to 70% of our student body. We’re also known for the Shields School of Business that has graduated a number of business leaders throughout the country. It has a strong focus on morals and ethics. The university has four-year offerings, a significant number of master’s degrees, and a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership and Innovation. We are well known throughout Western Pennsylvania and within the Pittsburgh community for our healthcare professionals , and for being a great Catholic school set in a rural area not too far from the city of Pittsburgh. 

What recent changes have impacted the university?

Our core offerings remain very strong and robust, from the health sciences and business to STEAM. What grabbed the headlines was our decision to reclassify our athletics program, from Division I in the National Collegiate Athletic Association to Division III. That came about because of headwinds, and how Division I has changed around us. Things like the transfer portal forced us to take a good look at what is best for the university. The decision brings us closer to the Pittsburgh community. This also gives us an opportunity to double down on our core strengths. We can also ensure our students have a robust experience while getting a fine education, and landing a career position once they graduate.

How does the university balance tradition with innovative learning experiences?

Saint Francis started as an agricultural school for boys. Along the way, the institution has learned to pivot. In this day and age, we are being innovative in terms of our research at the institution, and the delivery of our educational content. We also want to be innovative in terms of how we participate in the community, such as trying to partner with businesses. We are always looking to evolve so we can provide a timely, relevant, and robust educational product for our students. 

How does STEAM education support the region’s workforce demands? 

We have ventured into the area of workforce development. The program to spotlight is our aviation maintenance technician program, which is housed at our Aviation Education Center at Johnstown Airport. Now, two cohorts of aviation maintenance technicians are being educated, and once they complete their certification, they will join the workforce. Here we have career-ready folks ready to fill a need in a particular industry. Likewise, we have a patient care technician program that we run out of our Curry Innovation Center in Altoona. These two programs build on a lot of the STEAM programs we offer. We have also had an amazing environmental engineering program in place for nearly 20 years. Chances are good that if we were to meet folks who work at the water authority, or at various engineering firms, we would meet Saint Francis graduates. 

We’ve also made significant investments in the arts. The Center for Fine Arts on campus is now 2 years old, and was completely fundraised by our alumni. We want to emphasize that part of being a healthcare worker or a business person, for example, is having a well-rounded education that includes arts and humanities. We’re coming at it from different approaches, but at the core, we really are a lot of those STEAM programs. 

How is the university addressing challenges in higher education?

The classic challenge in our greater region is declining demographics. There are fewer college-bound students. Higher education now doesn’t have the finest reputation it once did. People question why they even need a college education. Then, that’s compounded by the affordability factor. Higher education is not cheap. It takes a lot to run a university. We want to pay qualified faculty members good wages for their expertise, and balance that with keeping education affordable. There are also a lot of competing institutions. Students can be very selective when it comes to what institution they attend. We have been focusing on the affordability aspect because, from a Catholic and Franciscan mission point of view, we want our education to be accessed by anybody who wants to be educated by us. We work very hard to keep costs down, and to raise scholarships so students can afford to come here. We make sure that our educational offerings are relevant for the needs of society, as well, which keeps us competitive from a marketing point of view. 

What are the biggest opportunities in higher education?

We believe in capitalizing on success. A number of years ago, we jettisoned majors that were either underenrolled, or no longer relevant, so that we could double down on our strengths, which are healthcare, business, and STEAM. First and foremost, that means keeping a strong focus on making sure we are cutting-edge and up-to-date. Secondly, we are expanding into areas like workforce development. The aviation maintenance technician program and the patient care technician program are precursors of things to come, which will also be based on market needs. After beginning the Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership and Innovation program, I foresee us creating additional doctoral programs in response to market needs. We are in a state of transition, where we are asking ourselves what is the next best program to invest in. 

What are the university’s strategies to increase enrollment?

We believe strongly in our college in high school program. As an academic, I certainly want students to have the four-year traditional experience on campus, but college in high school gives us the opportunity to introduce high-school students to the Saint Francis experience from within their school. We will send a professor into the high school to teach an introduction to business class, for example, and then the students can graduate from high school with a three-credit course that counts toward their degrees, should they come to Saint Francis. Those are heavily discounted college credits. We charge a minimal fee for college in high school courses, yielding savings of over $3,000 per course. Parents can see that those courses are going to count toward the degree. It’s a nice way to get a little bit of a jump start, save some money, but also wet the students’ appetite for college courses.

What are your primary priorities in terms of sustaining growth at the university?

The next few years are going to be critical. The focus at the institution is the reclassification of the athletics program, but our focus is much broader than that. What we really are doing is doubling down on our Catholic and Franciscan mission. When students come here to get a nursing degree, they’re also going to be educated with Franciscan and Catholic values. That’s important not only to Catholics, but to Christians, as well. That sets us apart from state institutions, or other independent schools. 

In the coming years, I would like to see more focus on the Catholic identity of the institution, including the traditional on-campus culture, and the religious values the institutions share with families who send their kids to us. That’s something folks will want to keep their eyes on in the coming few years, besides the fact that we’re going to be winning championships as a Division III institution. Our tradition of winning will certainly continue, but our tradition of educating moral and ethical professionals in healthcare, as well as in business, will carry us through.

In an interview with Invest:, Calvin Troup, president of Geneva College, highlighted the institution’s pivotal role in driving economic growth, fostering community partnerships, and innovating academic programs to meet regional needs. “We must articulate why a university education is more vital than ever, not just for institutional gain but for the benefit of communities, culture, and society,” he emphasized.

How would you describe the college’s impact on the wider community, both economically and culturally?

The college significantly impacts Beaver Falls as the largest employer, fostering community development through partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce and city government. We view Beaver Falls, a growing small town, as a key partner. Established in 1880, the college is deeply vested in Beaver County, having endured historical challenges like the steel industry’s departure in the late 20th century. We support the community by producing graduates in critical fields like engineering, cybersecurity, and education, addressing regional needs. Our nursing program, in collaboration with CCBC, allows students to earn an RN after two years at each institution and a BSN in their final year at Geneva, meeting immediate workforce demands. Through academic programs and community engagement, the college remains resilient, serving and strengthening Beaver County and the surrounding region.

Over the past year, what major changes or developments have most shaped Geneva College’s direction?

Geneva College is advancing its 2021–2031 strategic vision, consistently implementing key initiatives. In recent years, we accredited a nursing program and introduced a 3+1 cybersecurity program, enabling students to earn a master’s degree in four years, alongside a similar MBA program. A transformative $9.3 million property gift adjacent to the campus was approved by the Board of Trustees for a new engineering center and a sports and recreation center, enhancing both the college and the community. We’re also launching a capital campaign for a new welcome center. Most significantly, the Geneva College Tuition Promise, introduced last year, offers tuition-free education to Pennsylvania students from households earning $70,000 or less annually. This initiative has driven two consecutive years of strong enrollment, despite broader higher education challenges, by providing access to mission-fit students, solidifying Geneva’s position as Western Pennsylvania’s most affordable Christian college.

How has enrollment trended over the past 12 months, and what do you see as the main factors driving those changes?

Last year, Geneva College recorded its largest enrollment in years, with 376 new freshmen compared to 261 the previous year. This year, we’re on track to enroll approximately 335 freshmen, slightly below last year’s peak but aligned with our adjusted targets. We’ve refined our enrollment requirements to ensure students are academically prepared, prioritizing completion rates and sustainability. This strategic adjustment supports predictability and stability in our traditional undergraduate enrollment. A key factor in this success was a branding process initiated three years ago, which is now yielding significant impact. By focusing on academic readiness and long-term student success, Geneva is strengthening its position while maintaining a sustainable enrollment model.

Which academic programs are seeing the greatest interest and demand from students?

Geneva College’s strongest programs are business and engineering, with high enrollments in cybersecurity, education, psychology, and nursing. Our nursing program, in collaboration with CCBC, added slots this year due to strong demand, aligning well with our mission. While rooted in a liberal arts core, most majors focus on workforce-relevant fields. Accounting majors receive multiple job offers, and most engineers are employed before graduation. In 2024, 96% of graduates were placed within six months, based on a 95% reporting rate. Employers consistently seek more Geneva graduates due to their quality and preparedness. 

What challenges do you foresee for Geneva College over the next few years?

The biggest challenge in higher education, including at Geneva College, is navigating the ongoing turbulence post-COVID. Public confidence in institutions, including universities, has waned, with higher education no longer exempt from skepticism previously directed at government or politics. We now operate within tighter financial constraints and must clearly demonstrate our direct value to culture and society. Unlike before, when the benefits of a college education were assumed, we now face increased scrutiny. We must articulate why a university education is more vital than ever, not just for institutional gain but for the benefit of communities, culture, and society. This shift requires us to address public doubts head-on, as the assumption of college’s inherent value may not hold for years to come. 

How do you expect the broader higher education sector to evolve in the second half of this decade?

Higher education is grappling with dramatic changes tied to the new administration, creating widespread uncertainty. Honest institutions must stay steady, avoiding overreactions to fleeting media moments and focusing on long-term stability. By mid-presidential term, as court decisions and policies settle, clarity will emerge, aiding strategic planning. The most critical questions aren’t political but about preparing students for an unpredictable future. In a recent address, I told students that every election in my lifetime has been called the most critical, which is nonsense. Society’s toughest challenges, like those facing our country, culture, and world, often lack political solutions but demand educational ones. Strong schools like Geneva must remain resolute, equipping students to tackle complex, non-political problems through education.

In an interview with Invest:, Bob Stein, executive director of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh, discussed navigating federal priorities, driving regional economic growth, and leveraging key educational programs. “These are times of considerable change, but there are also many great developments occurring for Pittsburgh, which is becoming increasingly vibrant within its business ecosystem,” Stein said.

What changes over the past year impacted the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE), and in what ways?

Over the past year, we have witnessed a significant shift between the Biden administration and the Trump administration. As a result, we must pivot to align with the changing priorities of each administration in order to best serve their objectives for greater macroeconomic development. For example, the Trump administration is focused intensely on energy and AI, which are very exciting areas of growth. Consequently, we are looking forward to applying for federal grants to support and serve those specific initiatives. These are times of considerable change, but there are also many great developments occurring for Pittsburgh, which is becoming increasingly vibrant within its business ecosystem. It is a very exciting city to consider.

How have initiatives like “Doing Business With Pitt” and “UPMC Essentials for Success” shaped IEE’s strategic focus and capacity?

Our goal at the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence is to provide economic development for business owners and entrepreneurs. We accomplish this through consulting, education and networking. No matter what size business or entrepreneur we work with, we aim to help them become more profitable. We want to increase their revenue, increase their investment in the business, increase the number of jobs saved or created within their company, and create more startups. Those are our five key economic metrics. We work with more than 1,500 businesses each year, representing all different sizes. 

Our objective is to be the one-stop shop for whatever a business may require. If they need succession planning, we can help them. If they require financial assistance, such as securing loans or financial analysis, we want to help them. If they need startup assistance, we want to help them. We strive to be the comprehensive resource for business needs here in Pittsburgh. It is also very rewarding to be part of the University of Pittsburgh. Few universities have an economic development organization as part of their mission and strategic plan. While education is central to any university’s mission, to have an organization that serves all of Western Pennsylvania with such depth and breadth is truly remarkable.

How is your department structured to best serve the needs of the Pittsburgh community?

We have five different programs within the Institute. The first is our Small Business Development Center, which is a federally and state-funded program. Federal funding comes from the Small Business Administration, and state funding is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Through the Small Business Development Center, we provide no-cost management consulting to small businesses with under 500 employees. Within this center, we have several specialty initiatives, including an Environmental Management Assistance Program that helps businesses with environmental air quality permits. We also have an International Trade Program to help businesses increase their exporting processes, and we provide bilingual consulting in Spanish. Additionally, we have a Center of Excellence in Digital Services within the Small Business Development Center that assists businesses with e-commerce and online internet marketing analysis.

The second major program is called PantherlabWorks, our virtual accelerator that helps businesses conduct market research or develop new products. Under PantherlabWorks, we are managing the Build Back Better grant, which was awarded to us a couple of years ago, and we are assisting with advanced manufacturing and robotics. The third program is the Entrepreneurial Fellows Class, which is an annual program for businesses with $1 million or more in revenue. The class consists of 35 to 40 people, begins in January, and graduates in December. We teach these business owners how to take their companies to the next level and achieve further growth.

The fourth program is our Urban and Community Entrepreneurship Program, which includes the Community Power to Prosper class. This program is held twice a year and is designed for smaller businesses, typically in underserved areas of the city and region, with revenues usually under $100,000. We do not charge for this program, and it meets twice per month. We hold graduations in July and December. The fifth and final program is our membership program for businesses with $1 million or more in revenue. These members pay an annual fee to the university and, in return, receive high-level networking and educational events. For example, today we hosted a program with the president of the Savannah Bananas, a very popular and innovative baseball team, who shared their story.

The Entrepreneurial Fellows Class educates but also builds entrepreneurial talent locally. How does IEE leverage this program to support workforce development in Pittsburgh?

Through the Entrepreneurial Fellows Class and the Community Power to Prosper classes, we are teaching entrepreneurs how to be successful business owners. For many of the smaller businesses in the Community Power to Prosper program, this is the only formal business education they have ever received. We are giving them the keys to their future success through education. We teach them how to grow their business, which will enable them to add jobs, increase revenue, and foster more economic development in the region. The same is true for the Entrepreneurial Fellows Class.

What challenges does IEE face, and how are you turning them into opportunities?

Challenges are always present, and they are interlinked with opportunities. We are primarily a self-funded center within the university. So we have challenges on funding. We always need to raise our own funds and obtain foundation support and grants. That is always a challenge of any nonprofit. I think that turns it into an opportunity because we can think through what new initiatives we might not have previously considered before and how to get funding for them. We are seeing a lot of AI right now, which presents a challenge to everybody. It could be, in a lot of ways, a good challenge. We have to figure out how we are going to use technology to do a better job helping our clients, but also to help the customers embrace it and use it to help their businesses grow. 

Given IEE’s 25-plus years of regional impact, how do you assess its current role in driving Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurial and economic growth?

As a leader of one of Pittsburgh’s largest economic development organizations, I think it is my role to make sure that the institute is available for the business owners to help them grow. We want to make sure we are providing services according to the administration’s strategic priorities of energy and AI. I need to make sure I rally my team around our mission of supporting business owners and entrepreneurs. I think the future is strong for the Institute. Our core services are very important and they are very impactful and they provide a lot of value to the businesses. I just need to make sure our network continues to grow.

In an interview with Invest:, Vu Nguyen, co-director of Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Academy, highlighted surging demand for AI and robotics education, with schools pushing for advanced training despite its technical challenges. Nguyen emphasized expanding equitable access and strengthening ties between companies, schools, and communities to prepare students for the workforce. “Connection creates opportunity, and we want to keep building those connections,” Nguyen noted.

What changes this past year have had the greatest impact on your programming?

We’ve seen a lot of interest in integrating AI into education. AI has been around for a long time, but only recently has it started trickling into local school districts. Some states are really pushing for AI concepts to be built into their school districts’ curricula.

Our team released courses in applied AI and robotics, but they’re more technical than most of our existing programs. Because of this, this particular training is not available as a remote (online) training. Instead, we’ve been doing custom training in person to ensure proper networking/IT setup. Even with warning schools and districts about the technical requirements, the districts still want it. That shows how strong the demand is to teach AI to students.

At the same time, there’s a growing amount of funding for workforce development programs in robotics and AI. We’re seeing momentum from both education and industry.

What makes Pittsburgh an ideal location for robotics education and workforce training?

I feel very lucky to be located here in Pittsburgh. Decades into my career, I’ve seen the boom in robotics and tech companies. We’re talking about 100+ companies in the area – many of which spun out of CMU. 

Being in this area gives students something concrete to aspire to. They can see real career paths right in their backyard, rather than needing to move across the country.

Within our own building — the National Robotics Engineering Center — we get access to innovations 10 to 15 years before they hit the public. This allows us to build lessons for teachers, so students are prepared for the technologies they’ll face by the time they graduate.

What technology trends are you focusing on for the future?

Quantum isn’t my specialty, but in machine learning and machine vision we’re seeing real opportunities. What’s exciting is that the hardware is finally affordable for schools. Not long ago, vision systems cost thousands of dollars, and you’d need a dozen for a classroom. That just wasn’t possible.

Now, with accessible robot kits and vision tools, students can learn why data is important, how to collect quality data, and how it impacts machine learning algorithms. If the data is bad, for example, the robot produces biased or wrong results. Teaching students to understand data quality, collection, and application is incredibly exciting.

How does being in Pittsburgh help with partnerships and industry collaboration?

The ecosystem here is strong. We have the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, which brings together companies to collaborate, and the ARM Institute, which connects hundreds of members from manufacturers, tech companies, schools, and research institutions.

These organizations help coordinate large initiatives. For example, as a former Educational Workforce Advisory Committee (EWAC) member at the ARM Institute, one of the things we worked on was pushing for a standard for the definition of “robotics technician.” Different companies used the term differently, which made it confusing for the workforce. Creating shared standards is a big step forward. The network and support system in Pittsburgh fosters collaboration across the sector.

How do you see the role of higher education evolving?

Higher education has always been the starting point for innovation. Universities attract funding to solve complex problems, and they give students opportunities to work on real-world projects while studying. That experience is critical for preparing them for careers in robotics or other advanced fields.

Career and technical centers also play an important role by providing clear pathways from education into the workforce. Together, universities and training centers form the foundation for both innovation and workforce readiness.

Beyond the military, where else is there demand for your programming?

Workforce development is a big driver. Pennsylvania, for example, has created grants to support pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships, especially in robotics and advanced manufacturing. Apprenticeships have existed for a long time, but until recently, they didn’t expand much into fields like robotics or advanced manufacturing.

These grants encourage organizations to work together, expand opportunities, and create a workforce that can support companies within the state.

How is the workforce adapting to robotics?

We see a lot of electricians, machinists, and fabricators who want to transition into autonomy and robotics. Some companies send their workers for training, while others come on their own time to expand their knowledge.

They recognize that robotics and AI are shaping their industries, and they want to be prepared for the changes.

How are you addressing barriers to equitable access, such as transportation or childcare?

Equity is central to our mission. We work hard to get into underserved and underrepresented communities, both urban and rural. That means securing grants to start programs in schools that otherwise couldn’t afford them.

During COVID, we created a virtual robot curriculum so students could keep learning even without access to physical robots. That continues to help make robotics more accessible.

We also provide support such as stipends for students who complete certifications, and we connect with existing programs that help cover transportation, childcare, or even food insecurities. The goal is to remove barriers so students can focus on learning instead of just surviving.

What are your top goals over the next two to three years?

We want to expand access to more schools. Even though we already work with many, there are still plenty that want programs but lack staff or resources. Offering remote teaching options is one way to help.

I also want to strengthen connections between companies, schools, and communities. When companies engage directly with local schools, it builds trust and creates opportunities for students.

Ultimately, our goal is to prepare students to work in robotics, or at least to develop problem-solving skills they can use anywhere. Connection creates opportunity, and we want to keep building those connections.