2021 Economic Forecast VIRTUAL Event

Supply chain problems. Workforce shortages. Inflation. As we approach two years of economic challenges due to COVID-19, there are two big questions: Where does the economy go from here? What does recovery look like? Join the KC Chamber and Mid-America Regional Council's Chief Economist Frank Lenk for the 2022 Economic Forecast. Frank brings his unique and expert-lens as he looks at what will follow us into the new year from the 2021 economy. He then joins a panel featuring Chris Kuehl of Armada CI, Niki DaSilva of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, business immigration attorney Mira Mdivani, and Angelique Nedved of SchoolSmartKC to discuss the workforce talent and pipeline, how immigration reform is impacting pandemic employment numbers, global supply chain issues, and inflation. Kansas City PBS's Mary Sanchez moderates. This event is virtual for the general public with a $10 admission.

Special thanks to our Economic Forecast Presenting Sponsor, BMO Harris Bank. Additional sponsors include Black & Veatch, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Grant Thornton, and UMB.

Moderator: Mary Sanchez, Senior Reporter, KC-PBS

Mary Sanchez is a senior reporter for Kansas City -PBS, where she produces in-depth news stories and multimedia content on civic affairs important to Kansas City.
 
Sanchez is also a nationally syndicated columnist with Tribune Content Agency, specializing in Latin American issues; immigration, race, politics, education and culture. Her columns appear in publications across the nation and internationally. 
 
Sanchez has also been a metro columnist for The Kansas City Star and a member of the Star's editorial board, in addition to her years spent exploring race, class and educational issues through enterprise reporting.

Niki DaSilva, Manager of Program and Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Niki DaSilva serves as the manager of programs and policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Center for Education and Workforce, the nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening the nation's educational standards and the quality of its workforce. Her main role is to support the Chamber Foundation's Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) program by empowering employers with their data to develop sustainable talent supply chains with training and education partners that, in turn, not only build a better workforce, but better communities. She also serves as a TPM Faculty member.
 
Before joining the Chamber Foundation, DaSilva worked for the State of Indiana as legislative assistant to the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and aided the committee in crafting the state's $34 billion biennial budget. In addition, her portfolio included school funding, tax and fiscal policy, education and workforce development, and health care.

Dr. Chris Kuehl, Managing Director, Armada Corporate Intelligence

Dr. Chris Kuehl is a Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence. He provides forecasts and strategic guidance for a wide variety of corporate clients around the world. He is the chief economist for several national and international organizations. Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, National Association of Credit Management, Finance, Credit and International Business and the Business Information Industry Association. He is also the economic analyst for several state accounting societies. Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Kansas.
 
Prior to starting Armada in 1999 he was a professor of economics and finance for 15 years teaching in the US, Hungary, Russia, Estonia, Singapore and Taiwan. He holds advanced degrees in economics, Soviet studies and East Asian studies.
 
Chris is the author of Business Intelligence Briefs and Executive Intelligence Briefs - both publications from Armada. He is also responsible for the Credit Manager's Index from NACM and Fabrinomics from the FMA.
 

Mira Mdivani, Business Immigration Lawyer, Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm; President & CEO, Corporate Immigration Compliance Institute

Immediate Past President of Kansas Bar Association, Mira Mdivani heads global workforce mobility practice at Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm, leading U.S. employers in strategic planning and risk assessment, including movement, onboarding and retention of international personnel and managing corporate immigration compliance risks. 

She is the author of Corporate Immigration Compliance Plans, Policies and Procedures; I-9 Audits: The Best Way to Prevent I-9 Disasters; and H-1B Visa Demystified, Practical Guide for Employers.  Mdivani's professional recognition includes the Carol Foreman Medal of Civility Award by the Kansas Women Attorney's Association; Business Practitioner of the Year by the Missouri Law Media, Best of the Bar by the Kansas City Business Journal, Outstanding Achievement Award by Kansas Bar Association, Robert L. Gernon Award for Outstanding Service to Continuing Legal Education, President's Award from the Missouri Bar, Johnson County Bar Association's Earl E. O'Connor Civility Award, and Pro Bono awards from the Kansas Bar Association, University of Missouri ? Kansas City School of Law, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Mdivani has served as President of Johnson County Human Resource Management Association. 

She is President and CEO of Mdivani's training arm, Corporate Immigration Compliance Institute.  Mdivani is current Chair of CASA of Jackson County and serves on the boards of Barstow School and Kansas City Lyric Opera.

Dr. Angelique Nedved, Director of School Quality, SchoolSmartKC

Dr. Angelique Nedved is a 30-year veteran of education, having served in numerous leadership positions within school districts and educational organizations in the Kansas City area. Dr. Nedved provides comprehensive experience in school improvement and organizational change, with particular focus on the adoption of modern and engaging learning environments. Her work in Lawrence Public Schools earned her national recognition as one of the country's Top 30 Transformers, Trailblazers, and Technologists in 2016.
 
In her current role as Director of School Quality at SchoolSmartKC, Dr. Nedved leads in depth reviews of schools for investment and the structuring of investment support to ensure quality schooling for local youth, and also drives SchoolSmartKC's broader efforts to coordinate leadership, instruction and other supports needed for all schools in our local system to thrive. Throughout her tenure at SchoolSmartKC, Angelique has directly mentored and assisted in career development for many notable school leaders around Kansas City and has assisted schools with implementing current and evolving educational best practices, such as Real-World Learning (RWL), and reevaluation of implementation of DEI practices and the support of student groups. Her passion for supporting underrepresented students led to her present role on the Board of Jewish Vocational Services (JVS).