College Park, MD – The National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) is proud to announce technology expert Peter Leyden as the keynote speaker for its Makeover Montgomery 4 Conference, to be held from May 9 through May 11, 2018 in College Park and Silver Spring, MD.
The event is being co-sponsored by the NCSG and the Montgomery County Planning Department, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
Keynote Speaker Peter Leyden
The conference will begin with a presentation by Leyden, who will reveal the societal and economic trends shaping the future of our communities. This keynote address will take place at the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation on May 9 at 7 p.m.
Leyden is the founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Reinvent, a network of innovators using the new medium of group video to brainstorm ideas about how to change America. He is an innovator and entrepreneur who has worked for a series of pioneering organizations, including Wired magazine, the Global Business Network and New Politics Institute.
Session Proposals Due on December 15
Conference presentation proposals are now being sought. Participants should base their presentations on four themes: Healthy, Smart, Inclusive and Competitive Communities. The deadline for submitting presentation proposals online is December 15, 2017 at 5 p.m. The selected presenters will take part in sessions to be held at the Silver Spring Civic Building (1 Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD) on May 10 and 11, 2018. Assistance with travel-related expenses may be available for out-of-town speakers.
Submit a presentation to the MM4 Conference
Presentations should focus on innovative planning and policy tools, and strategies that can help transform our suburbs into exciting, attractive and sustainable communities. Multiple session tracks will attract a diverse audience that includes practitioners, academics and interested community members from the DC area and across the nation. Conference themes and suggested topics include the following:
Competitive Communities
How must American suburbs change to be competitive in tomorrow’s economy? This track will tackle issues related to developing a diverse, educated and sustainable workforce, as well as other strategies for economic development and job growth. Topics include workplace innovations, mixed-use strategies and building the creative culture necessary to succeed in emerging markets.
Healthy Communities
What can suburban communities do to encourage active lifestyles for their residents? Advancing state-of-the-art approaches to increase walkability, reduce the stress of cycling and enhance recreation opportunities, this track will identify ways to create energized and engaging public spaces for healthier communities. Additional track topics could include access to healthy food and innovative concepts like park prescriptions, which partner parks departments with health insurers and medical doctors to encourage healthy living through exercise and outdoor activities.
Inclusive Communities
How can our increasingly diverse suburban communities promote equity for all? This track highlights efforts to inspire and educate community leaders to tackle issues of environmental justice, advance opportunities for affordable housing and uphold tenant rights.
Smart Communities
How will advancements in technology improve public services, change how our communities function and impact growth patterns? This track will address the planning-related impacts of big data and crowd-sourcing analytics, implementation of data sensors and smart technologies, and increased use of drones. Additional topics include the integration of autonomous vehicles and the role of technology incubators.
Makeover Montgomery 4 is being organized through a partnership between the National Center for Smart Growth and the Montgomery County Planning Department. The 2018 event follows similar conferences held in 2016, 2014 and 2011.
View the recap video from the 2016 Makeover Montgomery event.
Please visit www.makeovermontgomery4.com for more information.
Questions? Please contact Jason Sartori at Jason.Sartori@montgomeryplanning.org.
