2011 GRA Conference Agenda
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Monday, July 25, 2011
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8:00 – 8:30am Full Breakfast & Welcome
8:30 – 10:15am Session #1: Is the Municipal Bankruptcy Threat Real?
The Multi-Billion Dollar Question
This panel will discuss fiscal stresses faced by local and state governments and explore the risk of and alternatives to bankruptcy for distressed governments.
Moderator: Richard Ciccarone, McDonnell Investment Management
Michael Pagano, University of Illinois at Chicago
James Spiotto, Chapman and Cutler LLP
William A. Brandt, Jr., Development Specialists, Inc.
The Honorable Kerry Cummings, President, Village of Glenview
10:15 – 10:25am Break
10:25 – 11:55am Session #2: Surviving the Third Rail: Making Pension Reform Work
This panel will discuss the successes and ongoing challenges experienced by the Chicago Transit Authority following its landmark pension and retiree health care reforms enacted in 2008.
Moderator: Dean Mead, Governmental Accounting Standards Board
Panelists: James Franczek, Franczek Radelet P.C.
Karen Walker, Chicago Transit Authority
12:00 – 1:35pm Luncheon, presented by Freeborn & Peters LLP
Location: LaSalle Dining Room
12:00 –12:40pm Luncheon Speaker: The Honorable Mike Quigley,
Congressman, 5th District of Illinois
12:45 – 1:15pm Lunch Served
Accounting Standards Board
This presentation will discuss the potential effects of pension accounting
standards changes under consideration by the Governmental Accounting
Standards Board.
1:45 – 3:15pm Session #3: Budgeting for Results: Funding Priorities,
Improving Outcomes
This panel will review recent performance measurement and “budgeting for results” efforts by the State of Illinois, Cook County and the Regional Transportation Authority.
Moderator: Rick Mattoon, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Panelist: Grace Gallucci, Regional Transportation Authority
Neil Khare, Cook County
The Honorable Dan Kotowski, Senator, State of Illinois
David Vaught, State of Illinois
3:15 – 3:30pm Break
3:30 – 5:00pm GRA Member-Focused Roundup #1: The Year in Review
GRA members will discuss major successes and challenges their organizations faced during the previous year.
Moderator: Kent Gardner, Center for Governmental Research
5:00pm Adjourn
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011
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8:30 – 9:00am Full Breakfast
9:00 – 11:00am Session #4: The Role & Contributions of Independent Research in
Improving Urban Education
This panel will discuss how the research and evaluation needs of public education systems can best be met by research organizations.
Moderator: Elizabeth Evans, New Voice Strategies
Panelists: Paul Goren, University of Chicago Urban Education Institute
Kirstin Pryor, Center for Governmental Research
Jean-Claude Brizard, Chicago Public Schools
Terry Mazany, The Chicago Community Trust
Robin Steans, Advance Illinois
11:00 – 11:15am Break
11:15 – 12:30pm GRA Member-Focused Roundup #2: Practicing What We Preach:
Lessons Learned from Strategic Planning
GRA member panelists will discuss strategic planning processes that their organizations have undertaken and stakeholder involvement as well as lessons learned.
Moderator: Lise Valentine, Civic Federation
Panelists: Ran Coble, North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research
Kent Gardner, Center for Governmental Research
Jeffrey Guilfoyle, Citizens Research Council of Michigan
Rob Henken, Public Policy Forum
12:30pm Adjourn for the Afternoon
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011
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9:00 – 9:30am Light Continental Breakfast
9:30 – 10:30am Session #5: Presentations from Award Winners
At this session, the 2011 GRA award winners will make short presentations about their winning projects and help others learn from their success.
Moderator: Eric Lupher, Citizens Research Council of Michigan
Panelists: Award Recipients
10:30 – 10:45am Break
10:45 – 12:15pm GRA Member-Focused Roundup #3: Innovative Methods in Research
and Marketing for Governmental Research Organizations
Panelists will discuss successful innovations and ideas for GRA member organizations in both research methods and marketing techniques.
Moderator: Steve Kroes, Utah Foundation
Panelists: H. Woods Bowman, DePaul University
Rebecca Hendrick, University of Illinois at Chicago
Kent Gardner, Center for Governmental Research
Mebane Rash and Nancy Rose, North Carolina Center
for Public Policy Research
12:15 – 12:30 Thank You & Adjournment