Heartland Summit 2025
Meet in the Middle
2025 Heartland Summit Highlights
$500 million by 2030
Heartland Forward set a bold goal to drive $500 million in economic impact in the heartland by 2030. As policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, philanthropists and thought leaders from across the country gathered in Bentonville, we announced the initiatives to make this goal a reality. These groundbreaking announcements included the launch of the Maternal and Child Health Center of Policy and Practice, a first-of-its-kind AI ed tech platform with Stemuli, the first publication of Pulse of the Heartland, the creation of a STEM-focused university and more.
Harnessing the power of AI in the Heartland
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping industry and communities across the globe. By elevating the conversation around AI at the 2025 Heartland Summit we took concrete action to prepare the heartland to fully harness the power of artificial intelligence for economic transformation.
2025 Secret Sauce communities unveiled
Moderated by Axios Co-Founder Mike Allen, this session focused on our 2025 Secret Sauce Communities— Chattanooga, Fargo and Wichita. Alongside Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, Co-Founder and CEO of Emerging Prairie Greg Tehven and Wichita Mayor Lily Wu, we showcased each city’s innovative approaches to economic growth, community development and cultural vitality, the recognition highlighted these communities for having the right ingredients to thrive.
Meaningful conversations driving action
At the 2025 Heartland Summit, highly curated dinners fostered in-depth discussions on the drivers of economic growth in the heartland. By bringing together global leaders and innovators, the dinners sparked insights that translated into actionable strategies for community transformation.
Speakers
Adebayo Ogunlesi
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Global Infrastructure Partners
Alice Walton
Founder
Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Heartland Whole Health Institute
Ali Jeffrey
Director of rootEd Arkansas
Arianna Huffington
Founder & CEO of Thrive Global
Dr. Becky Kennedy
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Good Inside
Carrie Walton Penner
Walton Family Foundation Board of Directors and Chair of the
Education Committee
Connor Schell
CEO and Founder
Words + Pictures
Greg Tehven
Co-Founder and CEO
Emerging Prairie
Co-Founder and Board Chair
Grand Farm
Secretary Hugh McDonald
Secretary of Commerce of AR
Ivanka Trump
Co-Founder of Planet Harvest
Jeff Dean
Director of Education
Walton Personal Philanthropy Group
Jen Koss
Investor and Advisor
Jenny Just
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
PEAK6 Investments
Jessica Berman
Commissioner
National Women's Soccer League
John Doerr
Chairman
Kleiner Perkins
Kelly Corrigan
Best-selling author, Host of "Kelly Corrigan Wonders"
Kendra Scott
Founder & Executive Chairwoman
Kendra Scott, LLC
Larry Miller
Chairman of the Jordan Brand at Nike
Founder of JUMP
Mayor Lily Wu
Mayor Lily Wu of Wichita, Kansas
Lisa Woods
Vice President
Benefits & Wellbeing for Walmart Inc.
Lukas Walton
Founder and CEO
Builders Vision
Mike Allen
Co-founder, Axios
Nadia Rawlinson
Co-Owner, Operating Chairman and League Governor
WNBA Chicago Sky
Dr. Neel Shah
Chief Medical Officer
Maven Clinic
Noa Meyer
Partner & Chief Impact Officer
BDT & MSD
Olivia Walton
Co-Founder
Heartland Summit
Orlando Bravo
Founder and Managing Partner
Thoma Bravo
Penny Pennington
Managing Partner
Edward Jones
Peter Alexander
Co-Anchor
Saturday TODAY
NBC News
Chief White House Correspondent
Rebecca Pittillo
President
Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas
Romy Drucker
Walton Family Foundation Education Program Director
Sarah M. London
Chief Executive Officer
Centene Corporation
Steuart Walton
Co-Founder
Heartland Summit
Steve Nelson
Co-Founder, Carbon, Inc
& Co-Founder, Re-Inc
First Lady Tammy Murphy
Tammy Snyder Murphy, First Lady of New Jersey
Mayor Tim Kelly
Mayor Tim Kelly; City of Chattanooga
Tom Walton
Co-Founder and CEO
Runway Group
Thank you, 2025 Heartland Summit Donors!
- BDT & MSD PARTNERS
- JPMORGAN CHASE
- MCKENNA FAMILY FOUNDATION
- THE JUST TRUST
- ARVEST
- COX COMMUNICATIONS
- MCKINSEY & COMPANY
- NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION
- NEA
- NORTHERN TRUST
- ARKANSAS BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD
- EDWARD JONES
- GENERAL ATLANTIC
- ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION
- TYSON FOODS
- SUPERIOR AUTOMOTIVE GROUP
- BLACKROCK
- CENTURIA VENTURES
- KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION
- MERCY HEALTH
- MORGRIDGE FOUNDATION
- SMITH-HURST
- STATE AND FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS INC.
- WALKER FAMILY FOUNDATION
- WALMART
- PEOPLEFORBIKES
- WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION
- CORETZ FAMILY
- GOLDMAN SACHS
In Kind
- BONITA BONITA
- WHETSTONE WINE CELLARS
- FLOURA