UT System, State and Regional Partners Launch Free Pandemic Webinar Series

Knoxville – The University of Tennessee System, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Tennessee Manufacturers Association, and Alliance for Better Nonprofits have partnered to create a series of webinars for businesses and nonprofits geared toward tackling common issues faced during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The webinar series runs Oct. 27 through Nov. 19, with most sessions occurring on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. The webinar sessions are free, but registration is required in advance. Each webinar lasts between 60-90 minutes.

Speakers include UT experts and alumni as well as representatives of Tennessee businesses and nonprofit organizations across the state, such as AAA—The Auto Club Group, the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, C2 Labs, Lunchpool, McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects and Interior Designers, Waller law firm and Zoo Knoxville. The lineup also includes representatives of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Department of Human Resources.

“The University of Tennessee exists to serve the people of Tennessee,” UT System President Randy Boyd said. “By sharing best practices alongside the Tennessee Chamber, the Alliance for Better Nonprofits and numerous industry experts across the state, our small businesses and nonprofits will gain valuable knowledge and expertise for common problems we are all facing due to the pandemic.”

“The disruption and challenges the pandemic has caused cuts across all sectors in Tennesseans’ professional and personal lives, so we are proud to partner on this series to support industry and organizational leaders across the state,” said Jared Bigham, senior advisor on workforce & rural initiatives for the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

“ABN is proud to partner with the University, the Tennessee Chamber and the Manufacturers Association to assist our business and nonprofit communities address the issues that have arisen as a result of the pandemic,” said Jerry Askew, president of the Alliance for Better Nonprofits. “We believe Tennessee has an abundance of resources that can be brought to bear on our collective challenges, and we are grateful to be able help connect these resources with those who need them most.”

Webinar sessions include:

• Supporting employees’ mental health needs
• Managing and leading remote workers and teams
• Accessing technology for successful teleworking
• Reopening operations while ensuring safety, maintaining profitability and exceeding customer expectations
• Maximizing engagement with social media and storytelling strategies
• Communicating with employees and/or customers in a pandemic
• Creating impactful virtual experiences that enable networking and fundraising
• Rethinking business models with creativity and innovation
• Understanding the financial impact and forecasting the economic outlook

 
To learn more about the series and register for sessions, please visit webinars.tennessee.edu.