Events

Keisha Harrison is the inaugural CEO of the Madison Public Market Foundation. A native of Chicago, she has extensive experience in project management, strategic planning, and change management, most recently serving as the Executive Director of the historic Indianapolis City Market. Recognizing the importance of having a third place, Keisha is excited about the opportunity to help create a new tradition for Madisonians in its forthcoming public market, envisioning it as a cherished space where generations come together.

The Madison Public Market will be a year-round, inclusive public marketplace near downtown Madison, Wisconsin. Housed in the renovated former Fleet Services building, it’s designed to showcase locally grown and prepared foods, handcrafted goods, art, and beverages, while serving as a vibrant gathering place for the community. The Market emphasizes equity through entrepreneurship, providing affordable merchant spaces, a commercial kitchen, and business incubation support to help new and diverse small businesses grow and thrive. Learn about its history and current project status and get a sneak preview of what's coming

Join Lisa Smith, as she presents the Wisconsin Girl Report—a clear, data-driven look at what girls across our state are experiencing right now, and what that means for our collective future. The report surfaces critical trends, persistent gaps, and emerging pressures shaping girls’ confidence, leadership, and sense of belonging. It makes one thing unmistakable: when girls are supported early and consistently, the impact lasts far beyond childhood. To share key findings from the Wisconsin Girl Report and how they are being used to inform real action across the state.

Casey FitzRandolph will take us on his journey, from performing as a Munchkin in a “Wizard of Oz on Ice” production at Madison Ice Arena at age 2, to becoming the fastest man in the world on skates at age 27, giving us a window into what it takes to convert a childhood dream of gold into reality.  He’ll take us behind-the-scenes to give us a better understanding of what the men and women we’re watching in Milan Cortina have been through to get there…and what they’re feeling and experiencing as they try to make their often decades long dream come true at their moments of truth!

Christy Clark-Pujara is the Chair and a Professor of History in the Department of African American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on the experiences of Black people in British and French North America in the 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th centuries. She is particularly interested in retrieving the hidden and unexplored histories of African Americans in small towns and cities in the North and Midwest. This talk examines how the practice of race-based slavery, Black settlement and advocacy for full civil rights, and debates over abolition and the political rights of Black people shaped the state’s white-black race relations.

Everyone wants a life that is both long and sweet. Dr. Zorba Paster will introduce the five spheres that shape longevity: Physical health; Brain, Mind, and Mood; Social connection; Spiritual well-being; and Material security. Together, these form a practical, personal longevity plan. The basics—eat well, stay active, avoid tobacco. Those matter. But what about the other softer, less measurable parts of life? How do meaning and purpose, social relationships, and financial stability influence how long you will live?  Dr. Paster will share ideas and insights designed to stir your thinking, so you can craft a longevity plan that fits your values, your priorities, and your lifestyle.

Join Tom Still, President of the Wisconsin Technology Council as he delves into the evolving presence of AI and Data Centers in our world, and in Wisconsin. Tom Still has worked for the Wisconsin State Journal, with a weekly Inside Wisconsin column, focusing on public policy, business, politcs, and trends in technology. He was also a Senior Lecturer for 16 years in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at UW-Madison, where he continues to serve on advisory roles.