Alejandra Castillo Steps Down as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
On August 28, Alejandra Castillo stepped down as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Since 2021, Assistant Secretary Castillo has overseen nearly $8 billion in economic development support throughout the United States, including several awards throughout the Atlanta region. Her tenure saw a generation of nearly $80 billion in private investments and the creation of nearly 800,000 jobs nationwide. She also helped to usher in new funding programs, including Tech Hubs, Recompete, and those authorized by the American Rescue Plan, leaving a legacy that will continue for years to come.
We thank Alejandra for her commitment to helping communities in the Atlanta region and throughout the United States secure the resources and opportunities they need for economic success.
In early September, Cristina Killingsworth was named as her successor.
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Cristina Killingsworth (left, center) was joined by Atlanta Regional personnel for a tour of the Georgia-AIM Mobile Studio (right), made possible through EDA funding.
EDA Supports Artificial Intelligence at Georgia-AIM Week Event
On September 30, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Cristina Killingsworth visited the Georgia Institute of Technology in support of Georgia AIM Week. Before delivering remarks, Killingsworth toured the new Georgia AIM mobile studio, made possible through EDA funding. The studio will help demystify artificial intelligence (AI) and bring its promise to underserved rural areas as well as to women, people of color, veterans, and others.
In 2022, EDA provided more than $65 million in funding through the Build Back Better Regional Challenge to accelerate the integration of AI technologies in industry. Killingsworth’s address was in furtherance of this goal, as it kicked off Georgia AIM Week, which highlights the use of AI in manufacturing and how it can transform communities and jobs.
“This grant is a true testament of the incredible collaboration and teamwork that takes place as you work together to protect and strengthen your community,” Page said. “By providing the infrastructure needed to increase water service at the Coal Fields Regional Industrial Park, this investment increases Hazards capacity to attract and grow businesses.”
To read a media account of this visit, please click here.
EDA's Good Jobs Challenge Helps Miami Students Design New Careers
Kathleen Finch has always had a knack for design and enjoyed creating clothing and home good items for public consumption. This led her to many years as a textile designer with a major department store chain. As technology continued to evolve, so too did Kathleen’s interest in applying emerging tech to her creative skills.
It wasn’t long before Kathleen discovered BrainStation, a tech career accelerator based in her native Miami. BrainStation offers a series of bootcamps designed to help students gain the skills they need to succeed in the digital age. One such bootcamp, UX Design, put Kathleen on the path to a new career.
To read how EDA is supporting this initiative, please visit eda.gov.
EDA Supports Aviation and Aerospace Education on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Pearl River is just a short drive from the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi. Operated by NASA, it is America’s largest and most productive test site for rocket propulsion systems, serving both the nation and the commercial sector. As early as 2005, school officials saw the need to develop a steady pipeline of skilled workers capable of supporting the growing aviation and aerospace fields on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
One of Mississippi’s historic institutions is now playing a critical role in shaping its economic future. Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi, was founded in 1909 with an emphasis on agriculture. It soon became the state’s first junior college in 1921, eventually expanding its curriculum to include the sciences and technology.
To read how EDA is supporting this endeavor, please visit eda.gov.
Manufacturing Booms Thanks to Biden-Harris Administration Investments
EDA, in conjunction with other U.S. Department of Commerce bureaus, recently published a joint blog outlining departmental work and investments in the manufacturing sector, which remains an EDA investment priority. Entitled Manufacturing Booms Thanks to Biden-Harris Administration Investments, the blog highlights the critical role that manufacturing plays in America’s economic competitiveness, which is demonstrated in EDA’s section, Investing in America’s People, Places, and Potential.
To read the blog, please visit commerce.gov. Additional information is also available on our social media channels, via LinkedIn and X (Twitter).
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