Last Thursday, NVC hosted our inaugural NOVA Roadmap Innovators & Stakeholders Exchange (NOVA RISE) event! Thank you to all the NVC members, sponsors, and speakers who took the time to attend this brand-new event — a milestone moment for our community.
The energy at Valo Park was incredible, as regional executives, investors, and community leaders gathered to discuss the specific innovation initiatives shaping the next decade of our economy.
View the digital program book. | View more event photos.
Expert Insights: Powering the Region
Special thanks to the following expert panelists and moderators who shared insights on housing affordability, the energy infrastructure needs to power the digital economy in our region, and the importance of leadership in the business community, specifically regarding what it takes to power the next chapter of our region’s economy:
Panel 1: The Business Case for Housing Affordability
- Dan Alban, Strategic Advisor & Co-Founder, YIMBYs of NOVA
- Thomas Fleetwood, Director, Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development
- Evan Goldman, Executive Vice President, Land Acquisition and Development, EYA LLC
- Moderator: Carmen Romero, President & CEO, True Ground Housing Partners
Panel 2: Powering Northern Virginia’s Digital Economy
- Vardahn Chaudhry, Senior Vice President, Asset Management, American Real Estate Partners
- Kevin Gundersen, Head of Public Affairs, Digital Realty
- Bill Murray, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Communications, Dominion Energy
- Brandon Todd, Vice President, Government Affairs, Policy & Advocacy, Washington Gas
- Moderator: Mark Looney, Partner, Cooley LLP
Fireside Chat
Key Takeaways
The discussions focused on the critical pillars of regional growth and the move from identifying challenges to taking action. Key themes included:
Mobilization Over Conversation: As NVC’s Jared Sloane noted to open the event, NOVA RISE is about the “mobilization of leaders, ideas, and solutions” to move beyond identifying regional challenges and toward active solutions.
The Interdependence of Business and Government: During the Fireside Chat, Todd Stottlemyer highlighted a fundamental economic reality:
“Government spends the resources that are created by private industry and a tax base. I think that’s important for government to remember.” – Todd Stottlemyer
The Need for “Patient Capital”: Panelists highlighted the success of models like Amazon’s investment in housing, with Thomas Fleetwood noting that “inexpensive and patient capital” is what allows critical affordable housing projects to move forward in high-employment centers.
The Scale of Regional Power: Bill Murray highlighted the unprecedented energy demands of our digital age, noting that we are now planning at a gigawatt scale to ensure Northern Virginia remains the global leader in data and technology.
Energy Diversity to Meet NOVA’s Growing Needs: The focus on energy diversity was a central theme for Washington Gas during the infrastructure discussion. Brandon Todd emphasized that a single-source solution is insufficient for the region’s rapidly growing commercial needs, advocating instead for a comprehensive strategy that includes natural gas alongside renewable sources.
“An all-of-the-above energy approach is the only way that the region will be able to meet our energy demands… What we always focus on, whether we are talking to lawmakers, whether we’re talking to local elected officials, is not to foreclose on any types of energy options. It’s really going to take wind, solar, natural gas, electricity, to meet the commercial demands that we’re seeing in Virginia.”
The Specialized Workforce Pipeline: In our digital economy discussion, experts emphasized that power and land are only part of the equation. We must prioritize a specialized workforce pipeline to build and maintain the complex infrastructure that keeps Northern Virginia a global leader.
Dialogue with an Action Orientation: Progress requires more than just meeting. As Stottlemyer noted, “I think you’ve got to dialogue with an action orientation… because speed is both our friend and our enemy at this point, [because] things are moving very quickly. “
“Madisonian Moderation”: The importance of compromise and trade-offs was emphasized as the only way to create a framework for sustained growth in a highly disruptive era.
Thank You To Our Sponsors!
This event was made possible through the generous support of our partners, who are committed to the success of NVC and the NOVA Roadmap.
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Presenting Sponsor: Washington Gas
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Fireside Chat Sponsor: Melwood
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VIP Luncheon Sponsor: William A. Hazel, Inc.
- Insights Sponsors: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Dominion Energy
