Bridge Michigan Issues Summit

Please join Bridge Michigan at the inaugural Issues Summit. The half-day, statewide convening will bring together residents, civic leaders, policymakers, and subject-matter experts for in-depth, journalist-led conversations about the issues shaping Michigan’s future.

Expert panels will draw from Bridge Michigan’s year-long reporting initiative, Bridge Listens, and will be moderated by Bridge Michigan reporters, diving deep into top reporting areas. Panel topics include health, education, the environment, and the economy/affordability.

Veteran Detroit broadcast journalist Devin Scillian will be the event’s emcee. Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Henderson will moderate discussions on the Michigan gubernatorial and Senate races. Panelists will include top minds from throughout the state, exploring topics like education, health care, housing and the environment.

The Summit takes place Oct. 21 at Marygrove Conservancy in Detroit, with free in-person and virtual attendance options.

Check-in opens at noon, followed by the program from 1-5:30 p.m. and a happy hour and networking reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

For more information on the event, please visit the Bridge Listens Issues Summit website.

Info: The Discussion: This panel will tackle how Michigan can realistically build a 21st-century workforce when its K-12 foundation is struggling. Experts and policymakers will discuss potential systemic reforms, evaluating data-driven literacy interventions alongside strategies to address persistent teacher shortages and chronic student absenteeism. What happens to our workforce if we can’t get K-12 right?
Panelists: Dr. Judy Walton, Harrison Community Schools Superintendent | Danielle Cover, K-5 Literacy Coach, Ferndale Public Schools | Dr. Venessa Keesler, Ph.D., President and CEO, Launch Michigan | Ryan Fewins-Bliss, Executive Director, Michigan College Access Network

Info: The Discussion: Many Michigan adults have experienced a healthcare affordability problem in the past year. Premiums are jumping, people are rationing medicine, and medical debt is piling up. This panel explores why costs are climbing, how consolidation and insurance disputes are affecting coverage, and what solutions candidates are proposing to make healthcare accessible to working Michiganders. Panelists: Marianne Udow-Phillips, Senior Advisor, Center for Health and Research Transformation at University of Michigan | Dr. Deidre Hurse, Public Health Researcher & Medical Educator | Dr. Latonya Riddle-Jones, Associate Professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine | Laura Appel, Executive Vice President, Michigan Health & Hospital Association

Info: The Discussion: Affordability challenges shape Michigan's economic outlook — from housing costs to wages to the state's workforce struggles. This panel examines housing supply challenges, zoning reform efforts, tax structures and wage stagnation. How do candidates plan to address these interconnected issues? Panelists: Dan Gilmartin, Executive Director/CEO Michigan Municipal League | Dr. Tim Hodge, Economics Professor, Oakland University | Dr. Natasha Pilkauskas, Professor, University of Michigan | Chelsie Wilkinson, Executive Director, Room at the Inn

Info: The Discussion: How is Michigan balancing Lansing’s aggressive push for a high-tech economy with the physical and financial limits of our legacy infrastructure and natural resources? Panelists: Brenda Stumbo, Ypsilanti Township Supervisor | Michelle Martinez, Director, UM-SEAS Tishman Center or Director, University of Michigan Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment | Dr. Erik E. Nordman, Director, MSU Institute of Public Utilities | Jeff Guilfoyle, Senior Strategist, Public Sector Consulting

Event venue & nearby stays

Marygrove Conservancy-Madame Cadillac Building, 8425 West McNichols Road, Detroit, United States

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