Rhodies-in-Transit – We Mean Business
Grow Smart RI and The Providence Foundation are joining forces to engage Rhode Island’s business and civic leaders, together with stakeholders from Woonsocket to Westerly around a critical issue: the positive role of better public transit to Rhode Island’s economic competitiveness and quality of life.
Across the country, cities and states are investing in better transit and walkable communities as leaders vie to compete in a rapidly changing economy. Closer to home, you may have read that Hasbro is prioritizing ‘convenient access to public transit‘ when considering a future location that will help them attract and retain talent. Quality public transit systems can significantly boost economic development, location-efficient housing production, environmental sustainability and public health, while also reducing the cost of living and traffic congestion.
The Forum will feature two business leaders from Nashville who will share how their Chamber of Commerce led the successful push for a voter-approved transit an sidewalk ballot initiative this past November. We’ll also hear from RIPTA CEO Chris Durand about RIPTA’s vision and progress , along with a panel of local business, civic and elected leaders who have been joining us on RIPTA to get coffee and discuss transit-driven opportunities for a stronger, healthier Rhode Island.
SPEAKERS
Ashley Northington
Chair, Nashville Chamber of Commerce
‘Choose How You Move’ Initiative
‘Choose How You Move’ Initiative
As Senior Vice President of Change Management and Strategy for RW Jones, the nation’s largest and most experienced strategic communications and marketing firm focused exclusively on serving education clients, it’s no wonder Ashley was tapped to lead the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce ‘Moving Forward’ initiative. Moving Forward is a group of business and community leaders dedicated to improving transit in support of the continued growth of the region’s economy. Under Ashley’s leadership, Moving Forward successfully led the charge for a $3.1 billion voter-approved referendum in 2024 that will invest in better transit, sidewalks and traffic signals as essential infrastructure for a modern 21st century economy.
Sam Davidson
CEO, Entrepreneur Center
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As a four-time entrepreneur who believes that the height of one’s success is directly related to the depth of their community, Sam is now CEO of Nashville Entrepreneur Center and was part of the Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Moving Forward’ initiative to alongside Ashley. In 2006, he began his entrepreneurial journey by founding Cool People Care, a media and merchandise company that leveraged new technology to connect thousands of individuals to causes and nonprofits in local communities around the US. Cool People Care’s line of eco-friendly and cause-related merchandise raised over $125,000 for causes ranging from disaster relief to hunger awareness. And that was just the beginning. He then went on to co-found three more impactful companies.