Santa Cruz County’s economic future depends not just on attracting talent, but on employers’ ability to develop, support, and retain the young professionals who want to build their lives and careers here. In this talk, Candice Elliott, Vice President of People and Culture at Unraid and Founder at Fortress and Flourish HR Strategy, draws on her experience advising innovative organizations to explore why recruiting local talent is a smart business strategy, what young professionals actually need to succeed at work, and where employers often unintentionally create barriers to retention. Designed for CEOs and senior leaders, the session offers practical, realistic insights on how to cultivate work environments where both employers and employees thrive while strengthening the local workforce and economy. Also learn about how Santa Cruz Works, Digital NEST, and the City of Santa Cruz are providing local Santa Cruz businesses with fully paid internships.