Welcome, Pittsburgh Expat Network!

Burgh Diaspora blogger, professional geographer, and Pittsburgh evangelist Jim Russell has co-founded the new Pittsburgh Expat Network. Its mission and activities have yet to take specific shape, it appears, but the idea is excellent: converting the emotional capital associated with the Pittsburgh Diaspora into tangible human and financial capital. From the PEN site: "Part alumni network, part social venture, part economic development engine, we're hoping that PEN offers an alternative to traditional thinking about talent attraction and retention." I think of it as social entrepreneurship on a massive scale. Take a look at the PEN site.


Jim is also part of the next CityLive! event: November 3 2010 at the New Hazlett Theater.

Here's a copy of the announcement for that event:

Choose Pittsburgh!
6:30PM @ New Hazlett Theater

CLICK TO RSVP [click "Events"]

In Spring 2010, the Huffington Post listed Pittsburgh as their #2 pick on their 'Best Cities for the Newly Graduated' list. “Pittsburgh seems an unlikely place for a renaissance but the city escaped the recession relatively unscathed and is moving forward in many areas," the Huffington Post noted. “Besides having bustling education and health care sectors, the city is also generous with arts initiatives.”

What is it that motivates young people to choose a city? Is it employment opportunity, cultural diversity, cost of living or quality of life? What is it that Pittsburgh does well, and what could we be doing better? How do we become everyone’s #1 pick?

Join cityLIVE! as a panel of local experts discuss why we need to be picked, what criteria young (or old) people use when selecting a city to live in, and how Pittsburgh might become more competitive in attracting and retaining young and talented professionals in our region.

Our panelists include Jim Russell, co-founder and chief strategist of the Pittsburgh Expatriate Network (PEN), Regina Koetters, an urban redevelopment consultant who chose to relocate to Pittsburgh, and Luis von Ahn, a professor in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University. Jessie Schell, CEO and founder of Schell Games will moderate the anticipated lively discussion.

Don’t be square. Be there.

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CITYLIVE! IS A NO WALL PRODUCTIONS, HEINZ FAMILY FOUNDATION, NEW HAZLETT THEATER COLLABORATION

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and is sponsored by: The Fine Foundation, The Grable Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, The Heinz Family Philanthropies, The Benedum Foundation, R.K. Mellon Foundation and Anonymous