ChooseATL and the Metro Atlanta Chamber Launch New Speaker Series, JAM Session
Staff Report From Metro Atlanta CEO
Wednesday, June 8th, 2016
ChooseATL, a movement dedicated to attracting and retaining top talent to metro Atlanta, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber announced the launch of JAM Session, a national speaker series. The series -- a nod to Atlanta's music sector which is known for producing some of the world’s biggest hits by mixing various genres to create new categories -- will bring together thought leaders from diverse backgrounds to exchange ideas and discuss ways to collaborate across industries.
JAM Sessions will feature 30-minute “collision” conversations that highlight how different sectors can “JAM” or work together to create transformative innovation. The first JAM Session took place at the Battery Penthouse in San Francisco on June 6. The event, which focused on healthcare innovation and the role of diversity in driving change, featured Jordan Amadio, MD, a neurosurgeon and co-founder of NeuroLaunch; Dani Ayers, senior director, Affiliates, ToolBank USA; Marquesa Finch, co-founder of P2HEALTH; and singer-songwriter Raury.
Tackling Healthcare
To explore how a collision of the arts and healthcare can make a world-changing impact, genre-defying musician Raury came together with Dr. Amadio to discuss the impact music can make on patient care and how it can be leveraged to develop groundbreaking healthcare technologies.
“One of the last industries to be fundamentally disrupted is healthcare, which is why we chose this bold topic for our first JAM Session,” said Kornelius Bankston, director of Bioscience Industry Expansion at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “Last night was a big step toward generating ideas on how the healthcare industry can work with other sectors to holistically transform patient care.”
Highlighting Collaboration and Diversity
The launch of JAM Session comes as the tech industry continues to search for solutions to increase diversity. A recent report on PBS noted that the average workforce in Silicon Valley is 71 percent male. Of that demographic, 60 percent identify as white, 23 percent Asian, 8 percent Latino, and 7 percent African American.
To highlight the value that collaboration and diversity can have on the future of the tech industry, as well as the speed of innovation, JAM Session brought together Finch and Ayers who discussed navigating diversity issues in the tech industry and leveraging innovative technologies to create positive social and economic change.
JAM Session is one way that ChooseATL and the Metro Atlanta Chamber are showcasing the vibrancy of Atlanta to make the city top of mind for emerging talent.
“Atlanta is at the forefront of transformative innovation and always has been. It's our history, our truth to be a progressive region that always goes beyond traditionally siloed industry sectors, in order to be about something bigger -- to be about changing the world,” said Kate Atwood, vice president of ChooseATL. “We feel that JAM Session will put Atlanta top of mind for the next generation of leaders and change makers looking for impactful ways to make their mark.”