For decades, the Massachusetts economy has been driven by world-class innovation, a booming "eds and meds" sector, and unparalleled talent. Yet underneath the surface, a "five-alarm fire" is beginning to smolder. With domestic outmigration rising, federal policy shifts squeezing research and healthcare funding, and an ongoing housing crisis that continues to price out the next generation of workers, the Commonwealth is facing unprecedented headwinds.

Inspired by political analyst Jon Keller's poignant critique of the state's economic trajectory, this panel brings together key leaders across finance, academia, and governance to look past the "this is fine" rhetoric and confront the harsh realities facing the Bay State. Can Massachusetts leverage its unique strengths to course-correct, or are structural high costs and policy gridlock threatening to stall our historic engine of growth?

Moderator: Jon Keller, Journalist and Political Analyst, WBZ-TV Boston
Panelists: Robert Rivers, CEO of Eastern Bank; Eric Paley, Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development; and Lisa Alexander, Professor, Boston College Law School.