Join Clatsop Community College and Fort George Brewery for February’s Ales & Ideas Lecture on Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 at 7 p.m. featuring CCC presenters Kevin Leahy and Jessica Newhall addressing “Immigration and Our Regional Economy- from Fort to Present”.
As the oldest city in the State of Oregon and the first permanent American settlement west of the Rockies, Astoria and the surrounding area has a rich and dynamic economic history. This fun and engaging presentation, by Kevin Leahy and Jessica Newhall of the Clatsop Community College’s Center for Business, Community and Workforce Development, will explore that history through the lens of the people who made it possible- the human resources that arrived in the region in seek of a brighter future –and for the ambitious, wealth and opportunity.
Through research and photos, interspersed with narrative drawn from interviews with locals, including the Lum and Englund families, we will explore the economic, societal and political forces that drew immigrants to the area, what that immigrant experience might have been like and how immigration patterns have shifted over time. We will arrive at the present day, where we will examine the human resource challenges that are shaping the region’s present-day economy, workforce, and community.
Fort George lectures are in-person events. Doors open at 6 p.m., with food, ales, and other beverages available; no purchase necessary. Minors are welcome at this FREE event.
Kevin Leahy is the Executive Director of CEDR (Clatsop Economic Development Resources), Clatsop County’s economic development organization, Associate Vice-President of the Clatsop Community College Center for Business, Community and Workforce Development, and the Clatsop WORKS Internship Program & Co-operative work experience programs at Clatsop Community College. He sits on the Cabinet of Clatsop Community College, on the Columbia-Pacific Economic Development District Board, is a member of the ECAN (Extension Community Advisory Network) Steering Committee for Oregon State University, and is a member of each of the County Chambers and Downtown organizations. Leahy is a fourth-generation resident of Clatsop County, graduated from Astoria High School, attended Clatsop Community College, and graduated from Oregon State University. In his “spare” time, Kevin loves spending time with his family and 20-month-old granddaughter Evie, the Seaside Rotary Club and is the co-President of the 2023 Astoria Regatta Festival.
Jessica Newhall is the Director of the Center for Business, Community & Workforce Development at Clatsop Community College. After 2 decades of working for large technology and media firms around the globe, Jessica moved to the North Coast and transitioned from the corporate world to small business owner and real estate developer. In 2017 Jessica joined the Clatsop Community College SBDC and has since counseled hundreds of small business owners on how to build and grow their businesses. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Colorado Boulder and in 2021 completed the Yale School of Management Women’s Leadership Program while pregnant with her daughter. Jessica is a regular contributor on business and leadership topics to The Astorian, a board member of the Seaside Chamber of Commerce, and past president of the Assistance League of the Columbia Pacific. She is an avid travel and outdoors enthusiast and has lived in 3 countries and 5 states.
