Pasadena as a tech and design hub had long been a well-kept secret, but in 2012, the City of Pasadena wanted to change that. With nearly 1 in 6 jobs in Pasadena in the creative and professional fields; the home of best-in-class institutions like Caltech, JPL, and ArtCenter; and a location that receives more federal R&D funding than any other U.S. innovation hub, Pasadena City leaders embarked on a strategy to bring together business, academia and the broader community with a singular goal of attracting people, companies and capital to our region. Michelle Garrett, Special Projects Manager for the City of Pasadena and Board Member of Innovate Pasadena, will share how the City helped Innovate Pasadena to grow and how collectively, they’re changing the conversation about Pasadena as an epicenter for discovery and innovation.
Speaker: Michelle Garrett is a Special Projects Manager for the City of Pasadena. Michelle has managed a variety of projects on behalf of the city including a recent marketing effort for business and talent attraction. Other notable projects include management of the Tournament of Roses Parade and Amgen Tour of California, marketing of the city’s on-location filming program, and the One Arroyo effort to bring new investment for improvements in the Arroyo Seco. Michelle was instrumental in guiding Innovate Pasadena’s launch and championed various initiatives and programming to connect people and resources within the innovation ecosystem. Michelle studied Politics at Princeton University and earned her MPA with distinction from CSUN. She is a member of the Leadership Pasadena Alumni Network and resides in Altadena.
