As Boston emerges from the global pandemic, nothing in the city will ever be quite the same. Whether it’s health care, sustainability, politics, or equity, COVID-19 has upended the status quo — and also provided an opportunity to confront the issues of the day with lasting, transformative change.
Those critical issues will be the focus of the second annual Globe Summit, The Boston Globe’s three-day virtual conference featuring some of the country’s most acclaimed and influential minds as well as stars such as Red Sox hall-of-famer David Ortiz and actor Sam Waterston.
More than 60 industry leaders, educators, politicians, and other speakers will join 25 Globe reporters and editors from Sept. 14-16 for over 30 free events centered around the theme of “The Next Boston.”
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Linda Henry, CEO of Boston Globe Media, said the 2022 summit highlights individuals “who are making an impact across sectors.”
“Our inaugural Globe Summit in 2021 brought together more than 14,000 people across the world,” Henry said. “This year, we hope to instill an even greater sense of community to those tuning in from Massachusetts and beyond as we shine a light on our region’s incredible potential and global contributions.”
The summit kicks off at 10 a.m. Wednesday with a conversation between Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Globe columnist Jeneé Osterheldt. The pair will discuss Wu’s priorities for the city’s future and her new team of city leaders.
Henry will host a session, joined by Lawrence H. Summers, secretary of the Treasury for President Bill Clinton, to discuss President Biden’s $700 billion Inflation Reduction Act, signed in August.
Other sessions will explore topics such as the justice system, education, technology, climate change, mental health, and others.
Rachael Rollins, US attorney for the District of Massachusetts, will talk about her goals for the Commonwealth with the Globe’s deputy managing editor for local news Anica Butler. Congresswomen Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley will convene to discuss the future of the Democratic Party.
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Jason Robins, CEO of sports betting company DraftKings, and Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of fitness wearable tech firm WHOOP, will talk about the intersection of technology and sports, and what it means for the industry’s future.
Attendees can register at Globe.com/Summit to get access to all the events, which will be recorded for on-demand streaming afterward. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is this year’s presenting sponsor, with supporting sponsors Mass General Brigham, Microsoft, Modern Health, Issues Management Group, Bentley University, EY, and Rhode Island Commerce.
Erika Hale Smith, vice president of events and sponsorships at Boston Globe Media, said this year’s conference will build on last year’s inaugural summit, featuring panels, film screenings, fireside chats, and more.
“We’ve curated a series of future-focused, thought-provoking sessions,” Smith said in a statement. “We’re confident that these discussions will frame actionable next steps and possible solutions for a more equitable, innovative, and resilient future for our city.”
Last year’s summit drew thousands of virtual attendees and featured headline speakers including author and professor Ibram X. Kendi and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert. Kendi will speak at this year’s event as well.
This year’s conference will also dive into a pressing health care issue: staffing shortages plaguing the industry in the wake of the pandemic. Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems; Katie Murphy, president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association; and Joanne Pokaski, assistant vice president of workforce development at Beth Israel Lahey Medical, will join Jessica Bartlett, the Globe’s medical reporter, for a panel discussion.
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Bartlett said she hopes to lead a conversation aimed at understanding the scope of the problem and how the industry is faring.
“The great thing about a panel is you get a bunch of people in the room who have very different perspectives,” Bartlett said. “That kind of interplay is almost more immediate ... as opposed to someone just commenting on something someone said in print. I think it helps people get to solutions faster.”
Other sessions include a look into the explosion of lab space, and its impact on Boston real estate, with Liz Berthelette, director of research at Newmark; Gregory Janey, president and CEO of Janey Construction Management; and Stephen N. Faber, executive vice president at Related Beal.
Scott Allen, the Globe’s assistant managing editor for projects, will sit down with Joan Donovan to discuss the growth and tactics of misinformation campaigns.
Donovan is the research director of Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy and, according to Allen, “one of the leading analysts of disinformation and the whole ecosystem that supports it.”
“Anybody who’s concerned about the coarsening and decline of public discourse should find something really interesting in this conversation,” Allen said.
Besides panels, Globe Summit will also screen two documentaries: “We Are As Gods” focuses on the life and legacy of Stewart Brand, a longtime environmental activist and founder of the Whole Earth Catalogue; while “Mija” showcases the lives of two first-generation daughters of Mexican immigrants as they attempt to make it in the music industry.
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The summit concludes Friday with a 5 p.m. cocktail club hosted by Boston.com — contrasting the summit’s focus on innovation, hosts will home in on the Old Fashioned.
For a full schedule and list of speakers, visit Globe.com/Summit.
Daniel Kool can be reached at daniel.kool@globe.com. Follow him @dekool01.