Meet Our 2023 Better Off in Billings Keynote Speaker:
Patience Fairbrother is Vice President, Talent Attraction at Development Counsellors International (DCI), where she oversees the place-marketing agency’s Talent Attraction practice area and thought leadership.

Previously at DCI, Patience served as Vice President, Brand & Digital Strategy, overseeing a team of strategists, designers and content experts to bring destination brands to life in digital spaces. She has spearheaded more than a dozen talent attraction, economic development and tourism brands and websites designed to drive leads, visitation and relocation.

In 2023, Patience switched gears to focus exclusively on the exciting, evolving world of talent attraction marketing to help communities attract the workforce of the future. Patience also serves as co-chair of DCI's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) initiative.

Patience’s work has been recognized in the Summit Creative Awards, AVA Digital Awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Excellence in Economic Development Awards, and MarCom Awards. She has been a featured speaker on place marketing research and best practices at conferences including Young, Smart & Local, Destinations International, ECONOMIX, and the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Annual Conference, and in communities from Buffalo to Birmingham. 
More About the Event...

Increased opportunities, mobility, and technology have changed the rules of talent attraction and retention. In a game where many can choose place first, it is more important than ever for communities, especially those with a wealth of job opportunities, to provide a strong quality of place. Join us to examine ideas to Engage with, Advocate for, and Invest in our community to strengthen our quality of place.

We will explore the importance of quality of place and the factors most relevant to today’s workforce. Attendees will hear from a panel of local leaders about attractions & amenities; parks, recreation, & trails; housing; arts & culture; and networking & belonging and the role they all play in creating a great place to call home.

BillingsWorks will announce enhancements to the Better Off in Billings campaign to further strengthen talent attraction & retention efforts and illustrate what it means to be Montana’s City. BSED will also announce the 2023 Space2Place Placemaking Projects for Yellowstone County.

Join us for a full day of learning about the importance of quality of place, collaborating on new ideas, and celebrating what Billings has to offer today and the opportunities that lie ahead tomorrow!

Lunch will be provided, one drink ticket per attendee will be provided for the reception following the announcement of the 2023 Space2Place projects.
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