Powering the Future: Workforce, Innovation, and Manufacturing Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries, prompting a critical need for inclusive strategies around upskilling and workforce development. On June 13, Veronica Manlow, professor of management, marketing, and entrepreneurship, addressed these pressing issues as part of a panel discussion titled “Bridging the AI Workforce Gap: Co-Creating Pathways for an Inclusive Future.” The panel was featured at the Powering the Future: Workforce, Innovation, and Manufacturing Conference, held at Newlab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Organized by Women in Manufacturing New York in partnership with Community Architects, the event brought together a diverse group of leaders—from manufacturers and educators to public officials and students—to explore cross-sector solutions for building equitable, career-connected learning ecosystems. Manlow was joined by Brooklyn College Koppelman School of Business students Jimmy Pamphil and recent alumna Kristin Yip ’24 at the event. Pamphil and Yip supported critical logistics and coordination, ensuring that industry leaders, academic institutions, and government representatives were able to engage meaningfully and benefit from the event. Shamone Rumble served as the event’s marketing manager and helped bring the event’s vision to life through beautifully designed PowerPoint presentations, pamphlets, and promotional materials. Brooklyn College students were in attendance at the event as were students from other universities and high schools. Watch this video to learn more about the Powering the Future: Workforce, Innovation, and Manufacturing Conference. Veronica Manlow, Bijou Abiola ’07, Present at In Pursuit of Luxury Conference in London Just a week later, on June 19, Manlow took the international stage in London, where she continued her involvement with In Pursuit of Luxury which staged the 8th International In Pursuit of Luxury Conference, entitled Honest Luxury, at Ravensbourne University. Among the distinguished speakers was alumna Bijou Abiola ’07, now vice president and chief of staff to the CEO at Cartier. Her presence underscored the growing influence of Brooklyn College alumni in global business leadership. Gathering leading voices from academia and industry, the conference challenged conventional definitions of luxury and called for a transformation rooted in transparency, ethics, and sustainability. The event sparked bold dialogue and visionary ideas, pushing for meaningful reform within an industry often resistant to change. On June 20, Manlow also gave a master class at Lusiada University in Porto, Portugal, and then led a colloquium at Lusiada’s campus in Famalicão, continuing themes discussed at the luxury conference with administrators, faculty, and students.
