The 2026 E2E Summit Explores AI, Nuclear, Aviation & Entrepreneurship

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The 9th Annual Education to Employment (E2E) Summit brought the region’s education and workforce communities together on August 26 at the historic Bristol Train Station for a day filled with big ideas, meaningful conversations, and connections focused on preparing for the future of work.

Educators, business and industry leaders, workforce professionals, economic developers, students, and community partners gathered to explore the changing workforce landscape and consider an important question: How do we prepare today’s students and workers for the opportunities of tomorrow? The answer, as this year’s summit demonstrated, starts with collaboration.

Preparing for What’s Next

This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Flora W. Tydings, Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), shared her perspective on the future of education and workforce development and the critical role strong partnerships play in preparing Tennessee’s students, workers, and communities for a rapidly changing economy.

That theme carried throughout the day as attendees explored four industries and areas of innovation shaping the region’s workforce: artificial intelligence, nuclear economy, aviation, and entrepreneurship.

Artificial Intelligence: Preparing for a Changing Workplace

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we learn, work, and do business—and the summit’s AI panel offered perspectives from both industry and the next generation of workers.

Brooke Ball, University of Tennessee student; Dr. Katie Cahill, University of Tennessee; Danny Norman, UT Center for Industrial Services; Joe McKenna, CloudWise Academy; and Zayden Poole, Tennessee High School student, shared their experiences and insights into the opportunities and challenges AI presents. The discussion was moderated by Becca Powers with the Bristol Chamber.

Nuclear Economy: Building the Talent Pipeline

With the nuclear industry continuing to play an important role in the region’s economic and workforce landscape, attendees heard firsthand about the career opportunities ahead and the skills needed to build a strong talent pipeline. Jamie Choate with TVA, Jazmyne Gunn, a student in the TCAT Elizabethton Welding Program, and Al Oxney with BWXT brought perspectives from across the industry. Bob Cantler with the Johnson City Chamber moderated the conversation.

Aviation: Opportunities Taking Flight

From the runway to the classroom, the Aviation Industry panel gave attendees a glimpse into an industry full of possibilities. The conversation explored the future of aviation and the wide range of career pathways available throughout the region. Gene Cossey with Tri-Cities Airport, Zack Greene with Aviation New Generation, and Dr. Jeff McCord with Northeast State shared insights into the industry’s future and the skills needed to keep it soaring. John Rose with BRIDGE moderated the discussion.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Turning Ideas Into Opportunity

Great ideas can become great opportunities when people have the tools, resources, and support to bring them to life. The Entrepreneurship and Innovation panel explored that process while highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit driving innovation across the region. Tim Fore-Siglin with Help Me Stream Research Foundation, David Hite from Tusculum University, Dave Nelson with Founders Forge, and Wynne Tyree with Smarty Pants brought a variety of perspectives to the conversation, expertly guided by Lottie Ryans, who served as moderator.

Connecting Education to Opportunity

While the topics ranged from artificial intelligence to nuclear energy, aviation, and entrepreneurship, one common thread connected every conversation: the importance of creating strong connections between education and employment. Whether preparing students for future careers, developing a skilled workforce, supporting entrepreneurship, or staying ahead of emerging industry trends, attendees left with valuable insights, new connections, and fresh ideas to take back to their classrooms, businesses, and communities.

At its heart, E2E is about bringing the right people to the same table and creating opportunities for education and industry to learn from one another and building stronger pathways from the classroom to meaningful careers.

Passing the E2E Torch

The 2026 summit also marked an exciting new chapter for E2E as Lottie Ryans passed the E2E torch to Leslie Thompson, FTDD’s current TOPI Grant Manager. Lottie has played a pivotal role in shaping E2E and building the strong foundation of partnerships, programs, and connections that have helped make the summit a success. As Leslie steps into this new role, we’re excited to see her build on that foundation and bring her own ideas, energy, and vision to E2E and other initiatives connecting education, workforce development, and economic opportunity across the region.

With nine successful summits now in the books, the countdown is officially on to the 10th Annual E2E Summit in 2027. We can’t wait to see what’s next! Be on the lookout for more about Leslie Thompson and the future of E2E and other programs as we continue building on the momentum Lottie helped create.