Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, UK Martin School to Co-host Urban-rural Issues Roundtable Series
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 27, 2021) — The first-ever Kentucky Public Policy Roundtable Series, co-sponsored by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the University of Kentucky Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, is taking place noon Tuesday, June 8, 2021.
The inaugural program of the three-part webinar series will focus on finding new ways to bridge Kentucky’s urban-rural divide and feature a discussion of urban-rural health issues. Panelists will include state policymakers and Martin School graduates:
- Mark Birdwhistell, vice president for Health Services Administration and chief of staff for UK HealthCare;
- Larry Gray, president of Baptist Health Louisville and former president of Baptist Health, Corbin;
- State Sen. Ralph Alvarado, chair of the Kentucky Senate Health and Welfare Committee; and
- State Rep. Kim Moser, chair of the Kentucky House Health and Family Services Committee.
Charles Aull, Kentucky Chamber senior policy analyst, will moderate the discussion.
"We are very excited to partner with the Chamber on this important initiative" said Ron Zimmer, director of the Martin School. "We have an outstanding faculty and a network of distinguished alumni across the state and nation with unmatched expertise in important public policy areas affecting urban and rural issues."
“We look forward to not only engaging in these roundtable discussions but also serving as a resource for policymakers and other interested parties,” said Kate Shanks, vice president of public affairs at the Kentucky Chamber and Martin School graduate. “Our goal is that these sessions will lead to better understanding of these important issues and help develop Kentucky-specific solutions.”
Future programs planned as part of the series will focus on education (July 15) and economic development (Aug. 10). Register here for the webinar on June 8.
UK’s Martin School has been providing post-graduate studies in public policy and public administration since 1984. Starting with the fall semester of 2020, the school now offers an undergraduate public policy degree.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.