Panelists at the Pittsburgh Tomorrow Intersection discuss their “why” and what the future holds
Last night, we hosted the fourth production of The Pittsburgh Tomorrow Intersection, our event series designed to facilitate cross-sector conversation, make meaningful connections, and catalyze action in the region. We hosted three powerhouse speakers in conversation about why they chose Pittsburgh and why they’re placing big bets on our future.
Dr. José-Alain Sahel, a world-renowned ophthalmologist and a pioneer of restoring vision loss to patients with macular degeneration, discussed his decision to move from Paris to the United States and his somewhat unexpected choice to move to Pittsburgh. He noted that a key factor in his decision was that the leadership and staff at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh always said yes. When they saw the vision institute that Dr. Sahel had established in Paris, they said yes to opening one in Pittsburgh. When he had ideas or suggestions, they supported him. He notes that this spirit of “yes” was a phenomenon he didn’t encounter as much in other cities, and it was a deciding factor for choosing Pittsburgh.
Jocelyn S. Lai, an industry-leading talent professional and the Global Head of Talent Brand at Duolingo, talked about how she recruits some of the world’s most sought after talent to come work at the tech company’s Pittsburgh headquarters. She mentioned the importance of curating a newcomer’s experience, comparing it to staging a home so that potential buyers can picture a life in it. She also shared her own journey of culture shock – having lived in some of the world’s largest cities like New York, Austin, Singapore, and Chicago –and what she has come to love and appreciate about Pittsburgh.
Mike Williams, the SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer of United States Steel, talked about his own journey boomeranging back to Pittsburgh from Chicago, and how he’s working to welcome 50 families to Pittsburgh from Nippon Steel’s headquarters in Tokyo. One of the keys to success? A “buddy system” where U.S. Steel pairs an employee family with a newcomer family to help create a sense of welcoming as the Nippon employees adjust to life in a new culture.
The panel discussion was followed by a lively reception at The Assembly on Centre Ave, where the momentum continued to build. We host these events because we see real inspiration, action, and partnerships coming out of each one. In a city as fragmented as Pittsburgh, creating intentional opportunities for connection and collaboration is vital. Over our four events in 2025, The Pittsburgh Tomorrow Intersection had 762 registrants at our sold out events, and welcomed 15 prominent city leaders as featured speakers. We look forward to continuing this initiative in 2026.
This event series was generously sponsored by United States Steel.
If you or your organization is interested in sponsoring a future event series, please contact us at hello@pittsburghtomorrow.org.
