Erie, PA – Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper is among 20 county leaders nationwide who have been invited to participate in a new program, the Economic Mobility Leadership Network, that will explore the role counties can play in positively affecting economic mobility.
The program is run by the National Association of Counties and is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dahlkemper and the other 19 participants will form a leadership network of county officials who will engage on economic issues, including assessing current barriers to economic mobility and sharing information about scalable and transferable programs across the country.
“There’s a sense that Erie County is at the cusp of reinventing itself and its economy – but we need to ensure that we get across the finish line,” Dahlkemper said. “I’m looking forward to hearing from our counterparts across the nation to see what works and what doesn’t work, and to bring some of those lessons back home to Erie County.”
The cohort will travel to three counties that have made concerted efforts and demonstrated success in addressing economic mobility in their communities. During the visits, participants will explore topics including workforce development, generational poverty, affordable housing, educational opportunities, transportation access, criminal justice reform and data sharing.
The cohort’s first visit, to Multnomah County, Oregon, will be July 30 to Aug. 1. Subsequent visits will bring the group to Hennepin County, Minnesota, in September, and Garrett County, Maryland, in November. All travel, lodging and conference costs are paid by the National Association of Counties through the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
