Experience

Economic Development Collaborative
• United States
• Information Services
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Workforce and Economic Strategy Director

  • Jul 2022 - Present


The Aspen Institute

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Director, UpSkill America

  • Jun 2015 - Jul 2022

  UpSkill America is an initiative to expand economic opportunity for frontline and entry level workers by partnering with employers to create, expand and improve education, training and development programs for their workers and communities so they acquire the skills and knowledge they need to advance in their careers. Key Accomplishment: In seven years, UpSkill America has worked with employers, education providers, and workforce development organizations, who together, have largely created a new pathway for millions of Americans to obtain certifications and college degrees at no cost, expanded access to college for those who couldn’t afford it (or who choose not to take on debt), gave power to individuals to choose their college, made college more worker friendly and flexible, linked learning to employment so graduates can complete school with valuable work experience, rewrote the rules around which workers are eligible for employer-funded tuition, when they are eligible, how tuition is paid so workers no longer need to carry the upfront costs, eliminated repayment contract clauses, and added critical support services for students including career counseling, success coaching, and job placement assistance. Additional accomplishments include: • Increasing business participation in the UpSkill America initiative, growing the size of the UpSkill America network of businesses and organizations from 150 to over 7,000, while the number of companies investing in upskilling tripled. • Authoring the UpSkilling Playbook for Employers, one of the most viewed Aspen Institute publications. • Developing tools to help employers modernize their tuition assistance programs, move away from tuition reimbursement models which hamper uptake, and create a culture of learning in the workplace. • Establishing a reputation as a popular speaker and subject matter expert in education and training programs and the technologies that enable them. Show less



HR Policy Foundation

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations

• Vice President, Workforce and Talent Sustainability

  • Jan 2014 - Jan 2016

  HR Policy Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to getting America educated, qualified and hired through the development of research, services and resources to better inform students, jobseekers, workers, educators and policy makers about the skills needed by large employers in today's rapidly changing workplaces. On behalf of Chief Human Resource Officers of America's largest companies, HR Policy Foundation develops and maintains practical tools to broaden access to quality employment information and opportunities through jobipedia.org and WeHireAmerica.jobs; improve the skills of the current and emerging workforce through skills conferences; and, the Talent Sustainability Report. Show less



HR Policy Association

• United States
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President for Workforce and Talent Development Policy

  • Jan 2011 - Jan 2014

  Established and led the talent sustainability public affairs and public policy initiatives for the organization representing Chief Human Resource Officers of more than 360 of America’s largest and most successful companies. Established the Association as a thought leader with Congress, the Administration and stakeholders on talent sustainability efforts to prepare current and future workers with the skills they need to be successful in the rapidly changing workplaces of today. Established and led the talent sustainability public affairs and public policy initiatives for the organization representing Chief Human Resource Officers of more than 360 of America’s largest and most successful companies. Established the Association as a thought leader with Congress, the Administration and stakeholders on talent sustainability efforts to prepare current and future workers with the skills they need to be successful in the rapidly changing workplaces of today.



California Labor and Workforce Development Agency

• Deputy Secretary, Employment and Workforce Development

  • Apr 2004 - Jan 2011

  Appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and confirmed unanimously by the California Senate to oversee the state’s workforce development efforts and the nearly 9,000 employees that administer the $10 billion formula and grant programs. Also responsible for outreach and relationship building with legislators, employers, service providers, labor unions, foundations and other stakeholders including local workforce investment boards, the U.S. Department of Labor, state and local elected officials and their staffs, foreign delegations and the Governor’s Office. Responsibilities included acting as a spokesperson on workforce development issues, serving as the agency’s economic development and international trade liaison, and providing oversight to the Employment Training Panel, the California Workforce Investment Board, and the California Business Investment Services office that helped businesses maintain, expand, or locate operations in California. Also appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the highly visible American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Task Force to oversee the State’s ARRA funds for workforce programs. Show less



U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration

• Communications Director

  • Aug 2002 - Aug 2003

  Led internal and external communications for the $12 billion ETA, including crafting speeches, news releases, policy positions, press packets and announcements and managing $11 million in funds for outreach to educate the public about jobs available in high growth industries. The objectives of the position were to articulate how ETA’s initiatives were assisting workers affected by the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and recession; driving transformational and cultural change in the workforce system to become “demand driven” by understanding and meeting the needs of employers; and, institutionalizing the Business Relations Group within ETA. Also participated in the agency’s grant making process. Show less



Fall Communications

• United States
• Technology, Information and Internet

• Director of Marketing and Messaging

  • Jul 2000 - Aug 2002

  Co-founded a communications and marketing consulting company providing subject matter expertise in workforce development. Responsibilities included: content management of the website of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies to ensure it included the latest information about the successes of state workforce agencies and activities of the U.S. Department of Labor and Congress; creating illustrations and charts to explain complex workforce programs and processes in simple terms for USDOL to share with stakeholders; serving as staff to the joint USDOL/NASWA Public Electronic Labor Exchange Board grappling with complex issues involving USDOL funded electronic tools such as America’s Job Bank; and, developing training tools for front line staff. Show less



National Association of State Workforce Agencies

• United States
• Government Relations Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Information Technology and Communications Director

  • Nov 1995 - Jul 2000

  Directed all communications, marketing and information technology activities for the national association representing state workforce development agencies (labor departments) and guided the association’s three related committees. Responsibilities also included: Educating state IT professionals about workforce investment policies and initiatives in Washington and how they affected IT operations in the states; providing policy guidance to state workforce agencies on customer service issues related to e-government/e-service tools such as America's Job Bank and America's Career InfoNet; and, advising the USDOL and consultants on state workforce agency IT initiatives and activities. Show less


Kansas Department of Human Resources
• Communications Director

  • Mar 1995 - Nov 1995