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Lake Tahoe may be made up of many communities, but we are one lake and one regional economy, so what affects some of us, affects all of us. The annual Tahoe Economic Summit is an opportunity to catalyze change and take action for the benefit of our regional economy while supporting our community, quality of life and environment.
The theme for 2022 is “Envision Tahoe.” Due to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, plus the recent Caldor Fire, it is more critical than ever to look at economic diversification and recovery. Government leaders, local residents, business owners, young professionals, start-up companies, developers, investors, and entrepreneurs are all encouraged to attend to help us build a resiliency strategy that will benefit Lake Tahoe and all our communities.
As Region IX Administrator, Elmy Bermejo oversees SBA programs, offices, and operations in the SBA’s Pacific region, serving Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, and Nevada.
Ms. Bermejo has a passion for building and strengthening relationships while assisting people and organizations to attain their goals. She has been a senior government official with more than 25 years of experience at the executive level and has established a successful record of collaboration with public and private stakeholders on a range of issues including workforce development, disaster relief, and small business. Ms. Bermejo recently served as the Northern California Director for External Affairs for Governor Gavin Newsom; before that, she served as a Senior Advisor and Outreach Director for Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis of California, the first woman ever elected to this position. Ms. Bermejo also served in President Barack Obama’s administration at the U.S. Department of Labor as the Regional Representative to the Secretary and as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. She serves on the San Francisco Commission on the Environment, The Women’s Foundation of CA, and as an Advisory member of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Public Good.
As director of EDA’s Seattle Regional Office, Person-Whitley manages a team of professionals spread throughout the American West focused on working with local, state, and Tribal governments, as well as other organizations, on applying economic development practices to regional needs by developing plans and projects for federal collaboration and investment. An alumnus of North Carolina State University and Southern New Hampshire University, she lives in the Seattle area with her husband and two children.
Before joining EDA, Sheba was the Executive Director of the Economic Development Board of Sonoma County, where she led efforts to meet the needs of small businesses during fires and COVID-19 and provided small business support to entrepreneurs of many backgrounds and cultures. Through this work, Sheba gained a unique perspective on how to support others through economic development work and encourage new leaders to come forward.
8:15 – 9:00 | REGISTRATION |
9:00 – 9:45 | OPENING REMARKS Heidi Hill Drum, CEO of Tahoe Prosperity Center Bill Kelly, Board Chair of TPC |
9:45 – 10:15 | KEYNOTE Elmy Bermejo Small Business Administration – Regional Administrator |
9:45 – 10:15 | KEYNOTE Sheba Person-Whitley Regional Director U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration |
10:45 – 11:30 | Q&A WITH KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Elmy Bermejo Sheba Person-Whitley |
11:30 – 1:00 | LUNCH AND NETWORKING |
1:00 – 2:30 | IDEAS MIXER MASTERMIND A networking opportunity to dive into local issues with Community Leaders in a 1:1 personal way. Arrive with a question or idea you’re working through and get inspiration, answers, and guidance to help our community thrive. |
2:30 – 2:45 | BREAK |
2:45 – 4:00 | IDEA MIXER TAKEAWAYS Hear from local Champions to share key takeaways from the Ideas mixer. |
4:00 – 4:15 | WRAP UP |
4:30 – 6:00 | SIP AND SOLVE Enjoy a drink of your choosing in this Sip and Solve opportunity to further champion our Tahoe solutions. |
Thank you for considering a sponsorship of the 5th Annual Tahoe Economic Summit. The theme is “Envision Tahoe” and keynotes, panels and the program will focus on this theme. Topics include Economic Resiliency, Housing, Workforce Development and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Expected attendance is 200 (in-person and limited virtual) including regional and statewide government officials, business owners, entrepreneurs, community leaders, students and business professionals.