The Catalyst NEA Economic Development and Leadership Forum is an annual event that
highlights Northeast Arkansas's role as a key driver of state and regional economic
success.
Catalyst 3.0: 11/05/26
This year's Catalyst NEA: Economic Development and Leadership Forum is on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Embassy Suites and Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro.
Hosted by A-State, Catalyst NEA brings together business leaders, educators, policymakers,
researchers and innovators for a full day of conversations focused on the issues shaping
the future of Northeast Arkansas, the state and the broader Mid-South. The forum has
attracted more than 600 attendees in each of its first two years.
This year’s program will feature four panel discussions examining how research, education,
industry and public leadership can work together to strengthen the economy, prepare
the workforce and improve quality of life.
Building the AI and Cybersecurity Workforce Together
Innovation and Resilience
This panel will explore how the region can prepare its workforce for an AI-driven
economy while strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure. The discussion will consider
how education, industry and public institutions can build the talent and resilience
required in a rapidly changing environment.
University-Industry Partnerships That Deliver Results
The Innovation Engine
This panel will examine how universities, businesses and research organizations can
turn discoveries and expertise into practical solutions. The discussion will highlight
how research and public-private partnerships can create opportunities, strengthen
industries and generate broader economic impact.
Bridging Learning and Earning
Strengthening the Workforce Continuum
This discussion will focus on building stronger connections from K–12 education through
higher education and into employment. Panelists will discuss how schools, universities
and employers can better align learning with the skills and opportunities Arkansans
need to build successful careers.
Rewriting the Rural Health Playbook
Collaboration That Delivers
Join us as we examine how universities, health care providers and community partners
can address gaps in rural health care access. The discussion will focus on collaborative
approaches that strengthen services, develop the health care workforce and improve
outcomes across rural communities.
Catalyst NEA 3.0 Sponsorships Now Available
Partner with Catalyst NEA and align your organization with the leaders and ideas moving
Northeast Arkansas forward. Sponsorship provides a unique opportunity to support collaboration,
innovation and long-term regional growth, all while benefiting student scholarships
at A-State. For sponsorship questions, contact us at catalyst@AState.edu.
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Growing the Future, Together
Catalyst NEA is more than a conference. It’s a platform for connection, a catalyst
for strategic action across sectors. It's where we bring our momentum into the same
room and point it at what’s next.
Catalyst NEA is more than a conference. It’s a platform for connection, a catalyst
for strategic action across sectors. It's where we bring our momentum into the same
room and point it at what’s next.
Why attend Catalyst NEA?
Attendees engage with industry leaders and top experts as they examine pivotal sectors
driving growth in the region and across the state. Previous topics include:
Steel & Advanced Manufacturing – Forging Innovation into Regional Strength
Agriculture – Turning Farm Strength into Business Growth
Regionalism – Converting Momentum into Long-Term Prosperity
Entrepreneurship – Building Companies and Careers in NEA
Healthcare – Building a Stronger, Healthier Region
Infrastructure – Power, Logistics and Regional Readiness
Mentorship – Building Networks that Drive Success
Mental Health & Wellness - Prioritizing Well-Being for Lasting Impact
If A-State can help — with faculty expertise, student talent, or facilities — ask
us. That’s why we’re here.
Calvin White Jr., Interim Chancellor
Regionalism in Action
A shared commitment to collaboration continues to bring leaders together across communities
and industries.
Look at this crowd — 600 folks, different cities, different organizations. Regionalism
is not a slogan and it’s not a mandate. It’s a collective effort. Everybody coming
on board to do things together to help themselves and to help the greater good.
Previous Events
The aim is straightforward: align higher education and 21st-century workforce development
with employer needs, pair faculty expertise with real-world challenges, and build
experiences that keep talented graduates in Arkansas where they can help companies
scale and our economy grow.
Catalyst NEA 1.0 featured a series of panel discussions with leaders from manufacturing,
healthcare, higher education, mental health and leadership, centered on collaborative
partnerships that can be a catalyst for future growth in Arkansas.
Catalyst NEA 2.0 featured a series of panel discussions centered on agriculture, infrastructure,
entrepreneurship and regionalism, highlighting how strategic collaboration and shared
momentum can position Northeast Arkansas for sustained economic growth and opportunity.
Catalyst NEA in Action
A look inside the conversations, connections and momentum shaping the future of Northeast
Arkansas.
Conversations among infrastructure and transportation leaders help shape the future
of connectivity and growth in Northeast Arkansas.
Leaders in Northeast Arkansas’s steel industry join Chancellor Todd Shields to discuss
innovation, workforce and the region’s growing manufacturing impact.
Entrepreneurship panelists Jim Washam, Eric Howerton, Amanda Herget, Dave Stickler
and Heather Nelson discuss what it takes to build, grow and sustain a business.
Education leaders and policymakers engage in conversation, highlighting collaboration
driving regional progress.
Catalyst NEA brings together influential leaders from across Arkansas to share ideas
and shape the region’s future.
Questions?
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