Youth Leadership Program Students Invited to AI Roundtable with Governor Josh Shapiro
|
On Wednesday, March 19th, four students from the Chester County Chamber Foundation's Youth Leadership Program were invited to attend an exclusive roundtable discussion with Governor Josh Shapiro and Attorney General Dave Sunday, centered around the recent steps the Commonwealth has taken to "protect Pennsylvanians from predatory artificial intelligence (AI) practices while ensuring they have the tools needed to safely and responsibly use the latest technology."
Alongside fellow legislators, educators, experts and parents, our YLP representatives provided real-life experiences with this emerging technology, both positive and negative, leading to further insight into Governor Shapiro's new AI safety initiatives, including the launch of the AI Literacy Toolkit.
“As artificial intelligence advances, we must recognize that AI brings new risks to Pennsylvanians – and we cannot sit back as bad actors exploit our kids, mislead seniors, or impersonate licensed professionals,” said Governor Shapiro. “My Administration is working to address these risks and provide real protections for both our kids and the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians. The Commonwealth should be a leader in holding bad accountable and creating guardrails that allow Pennsylvanians to use new technology responsibly.”
As our youth, parents, educators and legislators move forward, collaboration remains key, as exemplified by the partnership between the Shapiro Administration and the Attorney General's Office.
“While we all have our lanes of duty, as specified by statute, those lanes often overlap and intertwine, and my office will continue to embrace an all-hands-on-deck approach to defeating harmful tech,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Sunday. “Protecting children and their families from fast-evolving technology is not the duty of any one elected official — rather, it is a mission we all share and zealously pursue every day.”
One of our students, Evangeline J. shared her feedback on this unique invitation made possible by her involvement with YLP. "What made this experience especially meaningful was the opportunity to listen, learn, and contribute to an interdisciplinary conversation on issues that directly affect students and communities. Opportunities like this are exceptionally rare, and I am deeply grateful to have been included."
We are immensely proud of our four YLP students who not only participated, but truly contributed to this meaningful and timely discussion! The Chester County Chamber Foundation is grateful for the invitation extended to our next generation of leaders by Governor Shapiro, Attorney General Sunday and their fellow legislators, including Representative Chris Pielli.
|
Celebrating Women's History Month
|
CCCBI is proud to recognize some of the amazing women and woman-owned businesses that shine in our Membership throughout Women's History Month! Stay tuned this March to learn about and celebrate the women of our Chamber.
This week, we'd like to honor Jenn Marion, Professional EOS Implementer with EOS Worldwide and Veronica Fitzgerald, Owner of V Empanadas!
|
Jenn is a seasoned entrepreneur and leadership coach who helps business owners gain clarity, accountability, and traction using the proven EOS® process.
Drawing from two decades of building and running her own successful restaurants, she brings hands-on experience, heart, and a genuine passion for helping teams succeed.
|
"What drew me to the Chamber, and specifically the Women Influencing Business Network, was learning about a community that truly understands the journey of women in business. My passion is helping women entrepreneurs get everything they want from their business while also living a better life. I was reminded of that at the WCU Women’s Entrepreneurship Conference, where Laura moderated a panel with entrepreneurs including Madi Coble and Sydney Grims. Their stories took me right back to the long days and nights, the extreme satisfaction of succeeding, and the disappointment when you’ve poured in your blood, sweat, cash, and tears, and it’s not yet what you envisioned. You’re all in, completely exhausted, and you keep going anyway. That perseverance and grit is what I saw in Madi and Sydney, and it’s what continues to inspire me."
|
Veronica Fitzgerald is a woman-owned small business entrepreneur, community advocate, and mother of three who has built her business through determination, resilience, and a passion for meaningful connection. As a hands-on business leader balancing entrepreneurship and family life, she is deeply committed to empowering other women, fostering collaboration, and strengthening the local business community.
|
“I love being part of CCCBI’s Women Influencing Business Network because it brings together strong, supportive women who genuinely want to see each other succeed. As a small business owner, having a community that shares ideas, encouragement, and opportunities is incredibly empowering.”
Special thanks to Jenn and Veronica for their continued support and involvement with CCCBI!
|
Tickets Available Early for Members at the Business Excellence Awards Luncheon
|
Join us to celebrate the Business Excellence Awards, Presented by Constellation!
CCCBI is honoring nine inspiring businesses and individuals at our second annual luncheon, and tickets are available early to Members only for a limited time.
Join us for some pre-event networking, an impactful awards ceremony and a highly-anticipated Fireside Chat with Brad Ingelsby, the writer, producer and showrunner of HBO's TASK & Mare of Easttown!
|
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to pass House Bill 2189, which would increase the Pennsylvania minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029. The phases implementation the bill creates would raise minimum wage to $11 on January 1, 2027, then to $13 on January 1, 2028, then to $15 at the beginning of 2029, with the option for municipalities to raise quicker if they chose. Bill sponsor and House Labor and Industry Chair Jason Dawkins (D-Philadelphia) said “This may be the time that we get serious about having a minimum wage that makes more sense, especially in the climate of folks losing their jobs or having to take on secondary work. So, our hope is that if we can raise the weight for the folks who are making the least, we can raise the wage for all folks across Pennsylvania.”
Republicans fear that the raise is unnecessary and would strain both businesses and consumers. Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) said “I think the market is already showing that if you want to have quality employees, if you want to keep your employees, you're going to have to pay them more than minimum wage, and that's already occurring across this commonwealth.” A 2019 Independent Fiscal Office found that, with regard to the then-proposed raise to $12, the income gain to workers would be funded 65% by increased prices to consumers and 20% by reduced business profits. The same report found that a minimum raise increase would impact smaller businesses more and result in fewer employment opportunities.
The chamber is always looking for feedback from our members - especially small businesses - on this issue and we welcome any comments, concerns, etc.
|
CCRES is a responsive and mission‑driven nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high quality educational and behavioral support services to school districts, intermediate units, and community organizations.
|
We support students, families, and adults with behavioral health needs, autism, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and physical disabilities.
With more than 1,600 skilled professionals, CCRES delivers a wide range of services tailored to the needs of our partners. Our team includes personal care assistants, paraprofessionals, registered behavior technicians, behavioral health technicians, behavior analysts, mobile therapists, and additional specialized staff who help ensure students receive consistent, individualized support. We also provide experienced administrators who serve as educational consultants to assist with temporary placements and leadership needs within local educational agencies.
|
For more than twenty-two years, CCRES has built strong, collaborative partnerships grounded in reliability, professionalism, and high-quality service delivery. Our service region spans Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Perry, and Philadelphia Counties, as well as northern Delaware.
CCRES is also deeply committed to strengthening the communities we serve. Each year, we award hundreds of grants and scholarships to nonprofit organizations and local students, reinforcing our belief in giving back and investing in future success.
At CCRES, we are proud to support educational and behavioral health teams across the region from our new headquarters in the Eagleview Corporate Center at 690 Stockton Drive in Exton, PA, and we remain dedicated to making a meaningful difference every day!
|
We’d love to hear from and highlight your business! We are seeking member spotlight stories to include in our weekly newsletter!
Email your news to abby@chescochamber.org
|
|
