M. Eric Johnson

Impact Investing Workshop


Local Economic Development:
enabling student learning by doing

December 5, 2025: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Vanderbilt University, Chelsea campus
440 W. 21st St, New York City, NY 10011

Agenda

9.30-10.00 – Registration and coffee.

10.00 – Welcome and Introductions
Eric Johnson, Bruce Henderson Professor, Vanderbilt University

10:15 – Impacting Communities: Economics of Mutuality and Place-based Investing
Jay Jakub, Executive Director, Economics of Mutuality Foundation

11:00 – Making a Local Impact
Tom Quinn, CEO, Western New York Impact Investment Fund

11.45 – Harvard Experience
Brian Trelstad, Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School

12.30 – Lunch

Investor motivation and partnership: a conversation (12:45-1.30)
Moderator: Maria Catoline, Senior Partnerships and Engagement Officer, Impact Assets
Sallie Bailey, Investor
Claire Raffel, Collective Climate Justice Fund

1.30 – Best Practices – Café Breakout

  1. Deal flow and partnering
  2. Fundraising
  3. Curriculum development – impact, due diligence, consulting, and deal execution
  4. Follow up – clinics, consulting, partnerships.

2:45-3.30 – From Morehouse to Harvard and Back
Archie Jones, Founder, NxGen COACH Network

3:30 -4:00 – Group discussion and next steps.