USA sihtturu (Georgia) seminar nutika liikuvuse ja targa linna valdkonna ettevõtetele

Vanessa is the Founder and Impact Facilitator of TheSharedWorld, a glocal (global and local) strategic advisory firm dedicated to uniting local and international stakeholders to advance the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. With over 15 years of experience in global partnerships, economic development, community engagement, and smart city convenings, she is a trusted advisor within Atlanta’s business and civic landscape, known for fostering cross-sector collaborations that drive meaningful impact.

Over the course of her career, Vanessa has welcomed more than 1,000 delegations from over 150 countries and led more than 10 international economic missions. As the former Executive Director of the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, she served and advised three mayors while shaping the city’s global strategy in economic diplomacy, education, culture, and innovation. She was part of the City’s Smart Cities Governance team where she contributed through international collaboration and strategic engagement. Through TheSharedWorld, Vanessa has served as a senior advisor to Smart City Expo USA and was invited to speak at the Smart City Expo World Congress. She currently serves on several boards and advisory groups, including the Congress for the New Urbanism Atlanta Chapter and the Technology Association of Georgia’s Smart Communities and Sustainability Society.

Her leadership has earned international recognition, including the French National Order of Merit (Knight) awarded by President Emmanuel Macron, Georgia State University’s 40 Under 40 distinction, and inclusion in the “50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia” list for three consecutive years

After obtaining his BS and MBA degrees from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and serving as a supply officer in the US Navy, Aadu learned and practiced all aspects of business management over a 30 year career with The Coca-Cola Company, both in the US and abroad. His last assignment was as President of a subsidiary operating in 5 Eastern European countries, based in Vienna Austria. He understands cultural and background differences in people and speaks 3 languages.

Aadu sincerely enjoys helping people, and divides his time serving as Past President and current Board member of the Rotary Club of Buckhead, Director of the Georgia Rotary Student Program, and as member of the Atlanta Symphony’s Advisory Council. He is active in several international organizations in Atlanta, including the International Club and ACIR. Born in Estonia, Aadu came to the US at a young age, after five years in displaced persons camps in Germany, and truly appreciates the opportunities and freedoms this great country offers. He and his wife Kristi, also Estonian, travel to Estonia frequently, and have funded seven Rotary scholarships to Georgia universities for Estonian students. Having supported Estonian – US relations and promoted knowledge of Estonian history and culture all his life, Aadu was appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Estonia in the State of Georgia in 2011. He has developed good working relationships with local economic development organizations and research universities, and has actively promoted Estonian culture and tourism. In 2018, Aadu was awarded the Third Class of the Order of the White Star by the President of Estonia.

Coryn Marsik is the Director of International Investment at the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). In this role, she is responsible for overseeing FDI business development strategies for the state’s international offices and serves to support the state’s robust international business community. Prior to her current role, she served as Senior International Relations Manager with the Department focusing on Georgia’s relationships with international governments and organizations. In this capacity she worked to support and expand the state’s key global relationships.

Coryn has led international initiatives that included welcoming delegations on behalf of the State, planning & executing gubernatorial economic development missions abroad, and fostering vital relationships worldwide. She has driven collaboration across GDEcD divisions, its international offices & other state agencies to support programs, investment, and strategic international endeavors. 

Coryn has additional background directing programming and partnership engagement for internationally-focused nonprofits based throughout Metro Atlanta. She holds a master’s degree in international policy management and a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from Kennesaw State University.

Dylan serves as a Project Manager for the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s (MAC) Economic Development team. He is responsible for recruiting new companies to the 29-county metro Atlanta region as well as supporting existing companies to grow and expand their operations within metro Atlanta.Dylan joined MAC in 2019 and works alongside state and local partners and the real estate community to bring growth to the region in the form of jobs and investment across MAC’s industry clusters of Supply Chain / Advanced Manufacturing, FinTech, CleanTech, Life Sciences, Digital Media, and Aerospace. Previously, Dylan served in multiple roles on MAC’s Economic Development and Public Policy teams, leading workforce development, board and partner engagement, and other cross-chamber initiatives. Prior to his tenure at MAC, he worked at the Office of the Secretary of the Senate at the Georgia General Assembly. Dylan is a graduate of the University of Georgia where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Minor in Music. He serves in leadership roles of several community and economic development industries. He currently resides in Midtown Atlanta.

Katie O’Connor, AICP, is the Community Research Manager with the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (PIN). In this role, she is responsible for advancing community research through meaningful engagement between municipalities and researchers, utilizing the Georgia Smart Communities Challenge and similar programs as a vehicle to improve the human condition. These projects are initiated at the local level and carried out by those who can practically apply the research, with a focus on inclusivity for access to technology and innovation across the state and beyond. Before joining the Partnership and Georgia Tech, Katie served as Deputy Director of Community Development and Senior City Planner for the City of Woodstock. Working in Woodstock for over a decade, Katie’s local government and planning experience helps her to facilitate the research/government relationships that are crucial to the success of community research projects. Katie earned both her Master of Design for Sustainability and Bachelor of Fine Art in Sculpture from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She earned the AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) credential in 2017 and is an active member of the Georgia Planning Association. Katie serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for Woodstock Arts, a nonprofit arts organization doing amazing things. An Augusta, Georgia, native, Katie is passionate about all aspects of local success for communities and is grateful to continue to serve the public, widening her scope across the state of Georgia and beyond.

Michael Alexander is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta region. With over two decades of public sector experience, he specializes in strategic leadership, systems planning, and policy implementation aimed at enhancing regional development and livability.In his role as COO, Michael oversees the operations and performance of eight ARC departments: Aging and Independence Services, Community Development, Homeland Security (UASI), Mobility Services, Natural Resources, Research and Analytics, Transportation Planning, and Workforce Development. His leadership ensures the effective delivery of complex projects and programs that improve the quality of life, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability of the Atlanta region. Prior to becoming COO in June 2022, Michael served as the Director of ARC’s Center for Livable Communities from March 2016 to June 2022. In this capacity, he led multidisciplinary teams in transportation planning, environmental planning, community development, and economic and demographic forecasting. Before that, he was the Research Division Chief at ARC from April 2001 to March 2016, managing a team that provided demographic, economic, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to support long-range planning efforts.

As Senior Vice President of Economic Development at Invest Atlanta, Laurie Prickett leads with a bold and inclusive vision to shape Atlanta’s economic future. Her work spans transformative initiatives focused on food access, legacy business preservation, FIFA World Cup 2026 economic engagement, and small business support—while reinforcing Atlanta’s position as a premier global destination for international investment.

Laurie brings more than a decade of international trade and economic diplomacy experience to her role. Prior to joining Invest Atlanta, she served as the Trade & Investment Manager for the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT), based at the British Consulate-General in Atlanta. In this role, she represented the UK across the Southeastern United States with a portfolio spanning consumer goods, creative industries, and sports, and led trade missions, B2B and B2C engagements, and international policy outreach.

Earlier in her career, Laurie served as a Consular Officer at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., managing complex citizen services and crisis response. She was a member of the UK’s Rapid Deployment Team, providing emergency support to British nationals during humanitarian crises in Haiti (2010) and Japan (2011). Laurie holds a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in International Affairs from Georgia State University and an M.A. in Contemporary European Studies from the University of Bath (UK) and Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Laurie is deeply committed to giving back to the city that laid the foundation for her journey Laurie is most inspired by her role as ‘mum’ to her 11-year-old son, Logan and supporting her beloved Liverpool Football Club.