Join ACEC Georgia for a virtual workshop on Engineering Georgia's Workforce to Support Economic Mobility, presented by the Atlanta Regional Commission's (ARC) Ann Carpenter, Chief Research & Innovation Officer, and Brett Lacy, Managing Director of Workforce Solutions.
Metro Atlanta's growth is outpacing the talent pipeline for infrastructure and engineering roles — and ARC is building pathways that open middle-class careers while helping firms close their own talent gaps. This session will cover:
Whether you manage hiring at your firm or want a clearer picture of how regional planning and workforce investment connect to economic opportunity across the region, you'll leave this session with a practical understanding of how ARC's work connects to growth in the region and beyond.
Presenters
Brett Lacy
Brett Lacy serves as the Managing Director of Workforce Solutions for the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), a role where he functions as a primary architect of the region’s economic and talent development strategy. In this capacity, Brett leads collaborative efforts to drive investment and sustainable job growth across the Metro Atlanta region by fostering key regional partnerships from a diverse range of stakeholders. His leadership ensures that the region’s highest-demand industries are supported by a reliable, skilled talent pipeline, effectively bridging the gap between industry needs and workforce readiness.
Brett’s role at the Atlanta Regional Commission includes serving as the director of the Atlanta Regional Workforce Development Board (ARWDB), where he provides direct oversight for the implementation and compliance of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) across a seven-county service area, including Cherokee, Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties. He is responsible for managing the WorkSource Atlanta Regional team, which operates a network of career resource centers that provide essential training and employment services to thousands of residents and businesses annually. His role involves the management of multi-million-dollar annual budgets and the execution of the region's four-year strategic plan, ensuring that federal and state resources are deployed with maximum impact and fiscal integrity.
Prior to joining ARC, Brett led workforce development programs in Fulton County and was part of the State’s workforce administration at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, creating innovative workforce solutions to keep Georgia the ‘No. 1 State for Business.’
Brett currently provides leadership to workforce development professionals serving as 2nd Vice-President to the Southeastern Employment and Training Association (SETA), chair of the Georgia Workforce Leadership Association (GWLA), and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Metro Atlanta Exchange for Workforce Solutions (MAX). Regionally, he provides leadership and guidance to promote Atlanta’s historic west-end neighborhoods as an Advisory Board Member for Westside Works and ensures a healthy pipeline of talent for employers in the South Metro strategic industries supporting Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport as Co-Chair of the Workforce Collective for Aerotropolis Atlanta.
A native of Snellville, Georgia, Brett is a proud Eagle Scout and 'Double Dawg', holding both a Masters of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Georgia.
Ann Carpenter
Ann Carpenter serves as Chief Research and Innovation Officer at the Atlanta Regional Commission. In this role, she leads the agency’s research and innovation team, guiding efforts to embed data-informed insights into regional planning and strategic decision-making. Carpenter has over two decades of experience in applied research and public policy. Prior to joining ARC, Carpenter was an assistant vice president and director of community development research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. There, she led a team of analysts and subject matter experts focused on critical issues such as affordable housing, workforce development, digital access, and community resilience. She also spent 12 years at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, where she contributed to a wide range of research focused on communities and regions. Carpenter holds a master’s and a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Architecture from the University of Michigan.
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