Top horizontal narrow-cropped photo banner of four panelists sit on stage, including 蜜桃视频 President Harrison Keller (on the far left), sit in leather chairs on a stage with blue curtains during a panel discussion at the Texas Talent Accelerator Workforce Leadership Summit 2026. A woman in a navy blazer gestures as she speaks, while a projection screen with speaker headshots and a Texas Talent Accelerator sign stand beside the stage. Audience members are visible in the foreground.

FRISCO (蜜桃视频), Texas 鈥� brought together North Texas business, education and workforce leaders Oct. 26 for an inaugural Workforce Leadership Summit examining how artificial intelligence, evolving skill demands, and regional collaborations are shaping the future of work.

, the Texas Talent Accelerator is designed to strengthen the North Texas talent pipeline by bringing together the region鈥檚 stakeholders to drive continued growth and keep the region 鈥� and the state of Texas 鈥� competitive.

鈥淎s I travel across Texas and across the country, so many people have told me they wish they had what we have here in North Texas,鈥� said 蜜桃视频 President Harrison Keller, Ph.D., pointing to the North Texas region鈥檚 growing population, economy and network of colleges, universities and workforce partners. 鈥淲e have a thriving, diversified economy and a strong network of community and technical colleges, universities, and workforce partners. But we also know that too many people across our region still lack clear paths to the good jobs we're attracting and creating here in North Texas.鈥�

The image shows a panel discussion at the inaugural Workforce Leadership Summit hosted by the Texas Talent Accelerator in North Texas. A woman in focus sits on a panel smiling. A man on the left looks at the speaker who is on the right with their back to the camera.

The Workforce Leadership Summit examined how different factors are shaping the future of work.

The Texas Talent Accelerator is helping change that, Keller said. He emphasized the importance of preparing students with durable skills, including communication, critical thinking and the ability to evaluate information. As technology and the economy change, meaningful work experiences before graduation help students learn to apply those skills in different settings, he said.

The summit brought together employers including , , , , , and , as well as the , leaders from economic development corporations, and nonprofits such as , , the , and . Higher education institutions included , , , , , , the , the and others.

AI鈥檚 Impact on Talent
The summit鈥檚 morning keynote panel, 鈥淎I鈥檚 Next Move: What It Means for the Talent Pipeline and Regional Growth,鈥� explored how artificial intelligence is changing job responsibilities, entry-level opportunities and skills employers need.

Another photo from the Workforce Leadership Summit hosted by the Texas Talent Accelerator in North Texas conference reception taken in a large ballroom, a woman with dark curly hair, glasses, and a green blazer holds a few printed pages and smiles as she looks down at them. Beside her, a woman with long brown hair, a dark blazer, and a gold name badge points at the papers while holding a folder marked with the Texas Talent Accelerator name. Attendees, round tables, and chairs are blurred in the background.

Panels discussed artificial intelligence, work-integrated learning and graduate outcomes.

Discussions throughout the day addressed how employers can develop talent internally as AI reshapes roles, what labor market data can reveal about job risk in North Texas, and how education and workforce partners can respond to emerging skills needs.

Jarrad Toussant, senior vice president of education, talent and workforce at the Dallas Regional Chamber, led a session on internal mobility and reskilling as employers adapt to AI. While technology is changing how work gets done, human judgement and decision-making remain important, he said. 

Elizabeth Nieto, senior vice president and global head of talent and culture at American Airlines, highlighted the need for employers and education providers to work together to prepare workers with relevant skills. She noted opportunities for institutions to respond to employer needs through curriculum, credentials and upskilling.

Simona Spelman, U.S. human capital leader at Deloitte, discussed the pace of AI-driven change and the need to help students develop good judgment and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Internships and other practical experiences can help students understand how professionals approach complex decisions, she said.

Experiences to Build Talent

Photo of the Workforce Leadership Summit hosted by the Texas Talent Accelerator, from a conference panel session, showing a woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, wearing a blue-and-white patterned blouse and navy pants, speaks into a handheld microphone and raises one finger to make a point. To her left, a woman with long dark hair, glasses, and a red top holds a microphone and looks down at papers. To her right, a man in glasses and a blue suit with a green plaid tie smiles as he looks down at papers in his hand. Two empty cushioned chairs sit between them, and the backs of several audience members鈥� heads are blurred in the foreground.

Participants also looked at how to expand economic mobility for working adults.

Work-integrated learning was another focus of the summit. David Saenz, Ed.D., president and CEO of the Tarrant To and Through (T3) Partnership, discussed how structured, career-aligned experiences give students practical skills, coaching and feedback while helping employers introduce future workers to their industries and workplace cultures.

鈥淎s AI reshapes entry-level work, what students do before graduation matters more than ever,鈥� Saenz said.

Additional sessions addressed credentials and graduate outcomes, skills-first hiring, emerging career pathways and regional economic competitiveness. Participants also explored ways to expand economic opportunities for adults who have some college credit but no credential and make education and training more accessible to working adults.

North Texas鈥� Next Chapter
Uncropped full photo of four panelists sit on stage in front of blue curtains and a Workforce Leadership Summit 2026 sign, with an audience in the foregroundThe summit concluded with 鈥淔rom Ideas to Action: Shaping North Texas鈥� Next Chapter Together,鈥� a collaborative session focused on the region鈥檚 future workforce needs and opportunities for continued partnership.

Michelle Singh, 蜜桃视频 vice president for strategic educational alliances and executive lead for the Texas Talent Accelerator, spoke of the value of coordinating efforts across employers, educators and economic development organizations.

鈥淲hen a region coordinates talent development as a system, employers and people connect to opportunity faster than they do in regions with scattered programs,鈥� Singh said.

For more information about the Texas Talent Accelerator, visit .

 


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