Civic Engagement as a Building Block for Future Growth and Prosperity

At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Solves conference, business and civic leaders explored how civic engagement can strengthen democracy, rebuild trust, and drive growth. The discussion featured Ojala Naim, senior director of design operations at Travelers, and Whitney Harmel, executive vice president of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Maryland Chamber Foundation. 

Finding Purpose Through Civic Life 

For Ojala Naim, civic engagement has always been rooted in solving problems close to home. “I was seeing a bunch of problems in my community and said, ‘I want to figure out how to solve these,’” she said. That instinct to act led her to serve on her town’s Economic Development Commission and later as a town counselor in Windsor, Conn. Supported by Travelers’ Citizen Travelers program, which empowers employees to become more civically educated and engaged, she found space to serve her community.  

Whitney Harmel discovered civic engagement through the power of connection. After attending a United Way of Central Maryland event for young professionals, she realized how collaboration could drive meaningful change. “I was in a room with people who understood what our community needed and were willing to come together to make some change," she said. Now at the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, she helps cultivate that same spirit of community involvement within her organization. 

How Civic Skills Strengthen the Workplace 

Both leaders emphasized that civic engagement cultivates patience, collaboration, empathy, and communication, which are essential in the workplace. Naim explained that her work as an elected official centers on bringing people together and building consensus. She noted that those same skills drive success in the corporate environment:  “I’ve learned over time that that is how you get things done.”  

For Harmel, volunteering and community leadership have deepened her empathy and built her public-speaking confidence. “When you are volunteering in the way that I have volunteered, empathy is probably at the top of the list,” she said. “Had I not walked in that room and jumped all in, there’s no way I’d be sitting here today.” 

Creating a Culture of Engagement 

Both organizations are embedding civic education into their cultures to inspire participation and strengthen communities. The Maryland Chamber Foundation piloted the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s National Civics Bee® in their community, encouraging middle schoolers to identify and solve real community problems. “Kids want to be a part of the solution. They want their voice to be heard,” said Harmel. The initiative not only engages students but also motivates the Maryland Chamber’s own team to be more civically active. 

Travelers’ Citizen Travelers program similarly promotes civic education and action. By educating employees on the fundamentals of civic engagement, such as voting, volunteering, and understanding local issues, Travelers helps counter polarization and rebuild connections to institutions. “It's making individuals not only better employees, but it's helping the communities that they're living in,” Naim said. 

Both organizations also partnered with the U.S. Chamber Foundation to pilot the Civics Academy, a workplace-based “Civics 101” course that ends with a Civic Day of Action, where employees volunteer in their local communities.  

Leaning In 

Both speakers closed with a shared call to action: start small, but start. “Look at what drives your passions,” Naim said, and find an avenue to act on them. Harmel echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that civic participation is a lifelong opportunity. “Lean in and remember that civics is an investment in your people and business.”  

Hilary Crow, vice president of civics at the U.S. Chamber Foundation, concluded with a message that captured the spirit of the session: “civics is how we can build our future together.”