FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: JT Spence, 2026 CNC Summit Chair
Email: cnc.hub.space@gmail.com
Covington Neighborhood Collaborative to Host CNC 2026 Community Summit: “Encouraging the Livable City”
Free public event May 16 at Life Learning Center will feature keynote, four panels, and community next steps
COVINGTON, Ky. — The Covington Neighborhood Collaborative (CNC), in partnership with the Center for Great Neighborhoods (CGN), will host the CNC 2026 Community Summit: “Encouraging the Livable City” on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Life Learning Center (20 W. 18th St., Covington, KY 41011). The free public event features a keynote, four resident-centered panels with audience Q&A, and clear next steps for ongoing Community Conversations. Registration is required and includes a free lunch for registered attendees.
Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for registration, coffee, and networking. Programming begins at 9:00 a.m. and concludes at 2:00 p.m.
“Covington is at its best when neighbors can show up, learn together, and help shape what comes next,” said John T. (JT) Spence, Chair of the CNC 2026 Community Summit. “This Summit is designed to be welcoming, practical, and resident-shaped—so ideas are captured clearly and the path to ongoing civic participation is visible.”
Keynote and Program
The morning will open with a keynote address from Mike Squire, Division Manager of Community Engagement for the City of Dayton and a Kettering Foundation Fellow, focused on civic engagement and what success looks like when residents help shape their city.
Following the keynote, attendees will join two rounds of concurrent panel sessions.
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Urban Gardening in the Livable City (9:45–11:00 AM)
Kymisha Montgomery, Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator, Civic Garden Center
Gertrude Lorenz, Owner, Wild Gardens
Moderator: Cate Douglas — Community Building Director, Center for Great Neighborhoods
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Moving About the Livable City (9:45–11:00 AM)
Melissa “Mel” McVay, Pedestrian Safety & Bike Program Manager, City of Cincinnati
Barbara Didrichsen, Community Safety Volunteer, Pleasant Ridge Traffic Committee
Moderator: Aaron Wolpert — Founder, COVstreets
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Affording to Live in the Livable City (11:10 AM–12:25 PM)
Te’Airea Powell, Coordinator, Faith & Government Relations, Habitat for Humanity
Tara Johnson-Noem, Executive Director, Northern Kentucky Area Development District
Katherine Keough-Jurs, Director, City Planning & Engagement, City of Cincinnati
Jeremy Wallace, Manager, Community Development, City of Covington
Moderator: JT Spence, PhD, AICP — Chair, CNC Community Summit
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Art & Aesthetics in the Livable City (11:10 AM–12:25 PM)
Rachael Parker, ArtsWave Director, Northern Kentucky Creative Placemaking
Sydney Fine, Senior Director of Advancement, ArtWorks
Jay Becker, Co-Founder, BLDG
Moderator: Cate Douglas — Community Building Director, Center for Great Neighborhoods
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Lunch and Synthesis
Lunch will be distributed at 12:30 p.m., followed by a “Lunch + Synthesis” session in the Main Room. Organizers will summarize what was heard across the panels, share how themes will be carried forward, and invite attendees to plug into ongoing, neighbor-led Community Conversations. Closing remarks begin at 1:15 p.m., followed by sign-ups and networking through 2:00 p.m.
Why This Summit, Why Now
The CNC 2026 Community Summit is built to do more than host a single event. CNC’s mission is to convene a welcoming, well-run Summit—and then carry ideas forward through ongoing, citizen-led Community Conversations.
On the day of the Summit, CNC will:
Create a warm, easy-to-navigate experience where residents feel represented
Help neighbors connect across neighborhoods and perspectives
Capture what is heard into clear themes and priorities
Make next steps simple and visible on-site, so residents can join what comes next right away
In the months that follow, CNC will:
Launch Community Conversations with a clear schedule, hosts, and participation steps
Maintain a consistent “front door” so residents always know where to show up and plug in
Grow participation in CNC and neighborhood associations by making involvement approachable
Share progress updates so residents can see what’s happening, what’s working, and what’s next
Panel Quotes (for press use)
Cate Douglas, Moderator (Urban Gardening; Art & Aesthetics):
“Covington’s aesthetic isn’t ‘extra’—it shapes how safe a street feels, creates walkability, promotes small business development, and how public spaces are activated. At the Summit, we’ll explore how public art, mobility and transit enhancements, façade improvements, and other urban planning initiatives can create a city that feels vibrant, welcoming, and livable in every neighborhood.”
Aaron Wolpert, Moderator (Moving Through the Livable City):
“Covington was built as a city where people moved on foot and by mass transit, and many of those networks still exist today—kids walking to school, neighbors making their way to shops, people commuting by bike. The Summit is a chance to map what’s possible and discuss street-tested designs—like traffic calming and safer intersections—that can make our streets welcoming and easy to navigate for everyone.”
Registration
Registration is free and open to the public, but seating is limited to 200 registrants. Registered attendees will receive speaker spotlights, agenda highlights, and a free lunch.
FREE EVENT REGISTRATION: https://cnc-summit.short.gy/May16
Learn more: covingtoncnc.org
Kick off your Maifest morning at the Covington Community Summit and join your neighbors in encouraging a livable city!
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