About This Episode
Season 2. Episode 5.
In this inspiring episode of Achieving the Vision, we’re joined by two national leaders driving large-scale change for youth and families: Jennifer Blatz, President and CEO of StriveTogether, and Josh Davis, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships. Facilitated by Dr. Ashish Vaidya, President and CEO of Growing Inland Achievement, this conversation dives deep into how communities across the country are transforming systems to create pathways to economic mobility, from cradle to career.
Jennifer and Josh share how StriveTogether’s Theory of Action™, a nationally recognized framework, is helping nearly 70 communities across the U.S. use data, collaboration, and equity-focused strategies to align efforts and improve outcomes for young people.
Throughout the episode, you’ll hear how:
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StriveTogether supports communities in building civic infrastructure to drive long-term change
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Data is being used as a powerful tool to illuminate barriers and accelerate progress
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Cross-sector partnerships—from education to housing to health care—are key to creating real, measurable impact
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Bold policy advocacy and strategic partnerships are advancing the goal of putting 4 million more young people on a path to economic mobility by 2030
This episode is a must-watch for anyone working to create equitable systems of opportunity. Whether you’re an educator, policymaker, or community leader, you’ll leave with new insights, proven strategies, and a renewed sense of what’s possible when we align action for change.
Watch the full episode now and join the movement to ensure that every child in every community has every opportunity to succeed.
Featured Guests
Jennifer Blatz
Biography
Jennifer is a nationally recognized leader and expert in building place-based partnerships to improve outcomes for children, cradle to career. For more than two decades, she has designed, developed and implemented strategies that drive large-scale community improvement through partnership with local leaders and organizations.
At StriveTogether, Jennifer was instrumental in launching the national Cradle to Career Network and creating the StriveTogether Theory of Action™. She led the development of the organization’s current strategic plan with a bold vision: to put 4 million more young people on a path to economic mobility by 2030. Under Jennifer’s leadership, StriveTogether was named a global Social Innovator of the Year by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, an honor she accepted at the 2024 World Economic Forum.
Before leading StriveTogether, Jennifer was a founding member of StrivePartnership, serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Through her contributions, StrivePartnership became one of the most notable collective impact initiatives in the country. Jennifer began her career in the education sector. As executive director of Ohio College Access Network, she led a network of community-based programs focused on improving access to and attainment of postsecondary education.
Jennifer’s work has been published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Social Innovations Journal, The Hechinger Report and The 74, among others. She serves as on the boards of Partners for Rural Impact and Raising A Reader, as a LEAP Ambassador and as a member of the Cincinnati Business Courier Leadership Trust.
Jennifer has been named a YWCA of Greater Cincinnati Rising Star and a Cincinnati Business Courier Forty Under 40. She is a graduate of United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Volunteer Leadership Development Program, the Billions Institute Skid Row School for Large-Scale Change and the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce Women Excel Leadership Program.
Josh Davis
Biography
Prior to StriveTogether, Josh was vice president of external affairs for the Delta Health Alliance (DHA), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting health and education initiatives across the 18-county Mississippi Delta region. His responsibilities included project implementation oversight, resource development, government relations, and external communications and partnerships. While pursuing governmental support sources, he assisted with grant and budget composition, briefed U.S. Congressional leaders and staff on efforts supported with public funds, and shared data and practices that helped inform policy. Josh joined DHA in 2010 with professional fundraising experience from higher education.
He also served as project director for the Indianola Promise Community and the Deer Creek Promise Community, federally funded Promise Neighborhoods with DHA as the backbone. These initiatives unite government, nonprofits, health care, education, community and faith-based services to create a pipeline of resources for children from prenatal care through high school graduation. Josh used a results-based accountability framework with staff, partners and local stakeholders focusing on reaching population-level goals for academic success and community well-being.
Josh uses results-based facilitation to moving groups from talk to action as they align efforts and reach consensus on shared goals, strategies and accountability. Previously, he held a number of roles at the University of Mississippi, including assistant director for the alumni association. Josh completed his bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Mississippi and earned his master’s of public administration from the University of Memphis. He is a 2017 Presidio Institute Fellow and was named one of Mississippi Business Journal’s Top 50 Under 40 Professionals in 2016.
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Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) created the Achieving the Vision video series to discuss important projects and initiatives that are driving regional educational transformation and student success in the Inland Empire region of Southern California–the 12th largest MSA in the U.S. with over 4.7 million residents and over one-million K-16 students. Learn more at https://inlandempiregia.org.