This field report is the seventh in a series produced by the Center on Innovations in Learning's League of Innovators. The series describes, discusses, and analyzes policies and practices that enable personalization in education. This report introduces sessions from the "Conversations with Innovators" event held at Temple University, June 22-23, 2016. In each of three sessions, pairs of experts (each of whom had written a chapter in the "Handbook on Personalized Learning for States, Districts, and Schools") made brief 5-7 minute presentations on the designated topic, after which the floor was then opened for participants' questions and discussion. This issue of "Connect", presents Session 1 of the forum: "Personal Competencies as Propellants of All Learning". Sam Redding and T. V. "Joe" Layng were the presenters and respondents. The eighth and ninth "Connect" issues will present, respectively, questions arising from Session 2, "Personalizing Instruction: Student Voice and Choice" with Melinda S. Sota and Karen Mahon and Session 3, "Information Technologies to Advance Teaching and Learning" with Janet S. Twyman and Ryan Baker. [For the "Handbook on Personalized Learning for States, Districts, and Schools," see ED568173; for the eighth issue of "Connect," see ED568180; and for the ninth issue of "Connect," see ED568181.]