Rhonda Phillips, Ph.D., AICP, is Dean of Purdue University's Honors College, USA, and a Professor in the Agricultural Economics Department. Previously, at Arizona State University, USA, she served as Professor in the School of Community Resources and Development; Senior Sustainability Scientist at the Global Institute of Sustainability; and Affiliate Faculty in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. Rhonda is author or editor of 18 books, including Sustainable Communities: Creating a Durable Local Economy (Routledge Earthscan, 2013, co-editor). She is editor of the book series Community Development Research and Practice (Community Development Society and Routledge) and serves as the President of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (www.isqols.org).

Robert H. Pittman, Ph.D., PCED, is Founder and Executive Director of the Janus Institute and Janus Forum, USA, whose mission is to advance the community and economic development profession and help communities in new and innovative ways. Attendees include leading community and economic developers from around the country and overseas, state directors, corporate executives, and other stakeholders in community and economic development. Pittman has held a number of executive positions in the field of community and economic development, including Director of the Global Business Location and Economic Development Consulting Group at Lockwood Greene, USA, and Deputy Director of the International Development Research Council (now Corenet). He also served as Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas, USA. He is a widely published author and frequent speaker in the field of community and economic development, and a Honorary Life Member of the Southern Economic Development Council.