A Blueprint for Growth in Contra Costa County

David Twa, Contra Costa County Administrator
Kevin Klowden, Director, California Center; Managing Economist, Milken Institute
Kish Rajan, Director, California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development; Principal, Kish Rajan Public Affairs
Laura Anthony, News Reporter, ABC7 - Moderator

The California Center of the Milken Institute recently published a report that provides a platform to help public officials and business leaders chart a brighter future for Contra Costa County. The county is the third largest in the Bay Area and boasts a mature industrial base that generates more than $50 billion in annual sales. In the 1990s, Contra Costa was one of California’s most productive counties with wages to match. However, into the new millennium, lower-paying jobs have grown more rapidly than higher-paying ones, leading to increasing wealth disparity. The Milken report presents a multi-pronged and strategic plan for creating widespread prosperity in the county while also addressing the needs of the regions job creators and industries. Recently commissioned by the Contra Costa Economic Partnership (CCEP), steps are being taken to incorporate these findings into the future development of individual cities and the county as a whole. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from key leaders on next steps toward growth in Contra Costa County.

Location: Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program
Cost: $22 standard, $12 members, $7 students

Theater in the East Bay

Jonathan Moscone, Artistic Director, California Shakespeare Theater
Tony Taccone, Artistic Director, The Berkeley Repertory Theatre

The artistic forces behind the success of the Bay Area theater scene join us to explore their life and work. Moscone, son of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and a Yale-trained director, took charge of the California Shakespeare Theater in 2000 and turned around the once struggling troupe.  And during Taccone’s tenure at the Berkeley Rep, the Tony Award-winning nonprofit has earned a reputation as an international leader in innovative theater and as an incubator of new plays.

Location: Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program
Cost: $22 standard, $12 members,  $7 students (with valid ID) 

Becky Worley: Good Morning America’s Tech Guru

Reporter; Television Host

The lively and playful Worley comes to us for a discussion about how to make technology more accessible to the masses by eliminating the stresses associated with complicated new gadgets. A contributing reporter on "Good Morning America" and ABC and host of “Upgrade Your Life,” “The Next Frontier” and the Travel Channel’s “Cash and Treasures,” Worley aims to enlighten even the novice digital immigrant.

Location:  Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. book signing
Cost: $22 standard, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)