229: How Monterey Bay Became an Advanced Air Mobility Hub with Lavera Alexander

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Lavera Alexander about how the Monterey Bay region is positioning itself at the forefront of advanced air mobility.

Lavera explains how four public-use airports, aircraft manufacturers, research institutions, workforce partners, and community leaders are being brought together into a coordinated flight network designed to accelerate testing and commercialization.

The conversation explores the importance of airport infrastructure, public-private partnerships, community participation, and certification-based career pathways that can lead to high-paying jobs without requiring a four-year degree.

For economic developers, the Monterey Bay story demonstrates how smaller and rural regions can compete in emerging industries by recognizing their existing assets, convening the right partners, preparing before funding becomes available, and making public benefit central to the strategy.

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Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

Inventory what is already happening. Identify existing employers, airports, research institutions, training programs, infrastructure, and geographic advantages before trying to create a new industry cluster.

Connect isolated activities into a regional strategy. Separate companies, airports, and institutions become more competitive when their work is coordinated around a shared goal.

Prepare before funding becomes available. Use regional planning processes to develop relationships, document opportunities, and create an implementation plan so the region can move quickly when state or federal funding opens.

Lead with your region’s distinct advantages. Smaller regions do not need to imitate major technology hubs. They can compete by offering specialized assets, terrain, facilities, partnerships, or capabilities that larger metros cannot easily reproduce.

Explain the public benefit early. Do not focus solely on how impressive a new technology is. Show residents how it could improve transportation, healthcare access, logistics, employment, or quality of life.

Bring the community into the process before commercialization. Give residents opportunities to ask questions, influence priorities, and understand how they can participate instead of expecting them to catch up later.