Searching In San Diego

This episode features an interview with Felicity Williams, the deputy chief of staff for the mayor's office of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As the first black woman to hold this position, Felicity shares her journey from law school to local politics, driven by her commitment to racial justice and community development. The conversation delves into Pittsburgh's transformation from a steel industry hub to a center for technology, healthcare, and clean energy, while addressing the challenges of creating inclusive economic growth. Tune in to hear about key initiatives including the city's innovative Workforce Equity Agreement, strategies for engaging young and disadvantaged workers, and the Pittsburgh Prosperity Project.

 In this episode of KRA's The Hub, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Cory Vojack, Project Director for KRA's operations in Summit and Medina Counties, Ohio. Recording on-site in Northern Akron, they discuss Cory's extensive background in workforce development and his current role leading KRA's innovative workforce initiatives in the region. Cory shares insights about KRA's approach to developing customized training pathways, building strategic partnerships with local employers and educational institutions, and providing comprehensive support services to job seekers. The conversation highlights KRA's commitment to data-driven decision making, technology-forward solutions, and addressing the evolving needs of both employers and job seekers in key industries like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and IT. 

In this fifth episode of a special series, recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Rick Record, an experienced workforce development consultant whose journey began as a youth program participant. Rick shares his remarkable career progression from working in retail management to overseeing statewide programs for California's Employment Development Department and Medicaid services. Drawing from his extensive background, Rick offers valuable insights into performance management, youth program development, and the importance of meeting young people where they are. He emphasizes the critical need to understand and address the dysfunctional environments many youth navigate while building positive reinforcement into program design. The conversation concludes with practical advice for workforce development professionals on creating successful youth programs that focus on individual strengths rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. 

In this fourth episode of a special series, recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona, host Jonathan Overall engages in two insightful conversations with innovators in workforce development technology. First, Geoff Crawford, Vice President of Virtual Reality at Vehicles for Change, discusses how their organization is revolutionizing automotive technician training through VR technology, making career pathways more accessible while addressing the critical shortage of skilled mechanics. The episode then features Andrew Kerr, Director of Solution Engineering at Fit First Technologies, who explains how their behavioral assessment platform is transforming career matching by focusing on fundamental behaviors rather than just skills and interests, leading to significantly improved job retention rates. Both conversations highlight innovative approaches to youth workforce development and the growing role of technology in creating more effective career pathways.

In this third episode of a special series, recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Darrell "Coach D" Andrews, a workforce development consultant and trainer. Drawing from his background as a former college football player, Coach D shares insights on engaging the "technology generation" and addressing mental health concerns in a post-pandemic world. The conversation explores the impact of social media addiction on young job seekers and the importance of intentional leadership in youth programs. Coach D also discusses current workforce development trends, including the need for evolved leadership approaches and better staff training in the post-pandemic era.

In this second episode of a series recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Kimberly Meadows, Training Director at NAWDP. Kimberly shares her personal journey into workforce development, beginning with her own experience as a job seeker, and discusses NAWDP's extensive training initiatives. The conversation explores current trends in youth workforce development, highlighting the importance of mental health support, innovative outreach strategies, and the growing need for digital engagement with young job seekers. Kimberly also emphasizes the value of professional certification and the importance of building collaborative partnerships within the workforce development community.  

In this first episode of a series recorded live at the 2024 NAWDP Youth Symposium, host Jonathan Overall sits down with Laurie Larrea, senior advisor with the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). Drawing from her impressive 46-year career in workforce development, Larrea shares insights about the Next Level Collaborative's technical assistance initiatives and reflects on the evolution of youth workforce programs. She discusses critical challenges in youth recruitment, the importance of early intervention for 14-15 year olds, and the changing landscape of workforce development in Texas and nationally. The conversation explores emerging trends like skills-based hiring, mobile career services, and the need for improved assessment tools. Laurie emphasizes the importance of restoring hope in young adults and advocates for increased funding and holistic approaches to youth workforce development, particularly for early teens.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with David Barch, Director of Vendor Relations and Special Projects with NAWDP, and Kara Fritz, Manager of Youth Programs and Talent Pipeline Development at Frederick County Workforce Services. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with Jody Mitchell, CEO of Directed Analytics: Foresight GPS, and Joseph Seymour, Owner of Manifest Maximum. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with Walter Simmons, President and CEO of Employ Prince George's and Executive Director of the Prince George's County Local Workforce Development Board, and Knowlton Atterbeary, President and CEO of KRA. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with influential leaders in workforce development. This episode features insightful conversations with John Hattery, Deputy Director of Career Education Service at Worksource Montgomery, Ernestine Chambers, Director of Performance and Compliance with Worksource Montgomery, and Olivia Wilson, Coordinator of Youth Career Connections with Employ Prince George's. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with influential leaders in workforce development. This episode features insightful conversations with Zack Shifflett, Director of Business Solutions with Career.io, Teni Akinwuntan, Founder of Women of Valor, and Aaron Leson, Director of Training and Development with TAD Grants. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this special series, hosts Jonathan Overall and Derrick Colbert take you to the heart of the Raising the Bar conference in Maryland, where they conducted live interviews with influential leaders in workforce development. This episode features insightful conversations with Alexis Franks, Director of Membership with NAWDP, Anthony Featherstone, Executive Director of WorkSource Montgomery, and Kirkland Murray, President of the Maryland Workforce Association. Join us as these experts share their experiences, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable perspectives on the future of workforce development, all recorded live from the bustling conference floor.

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Dr. Lee, Vice President for Education and Training at the Institute for Diversity Certification, to explore the critical realm of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the business world. Dr. Lee shares his expertise on the practical applications of DEI, its tangible benefits for companies, and strategies for attracting diverse talent. Drawing from his extensive experience, he discusses how diverse teams enhance decision-making, offers insights into effective DEI implementation, and provides a forward-looking perspective on the challenges and opportunities in this evolving field.

This episode features a conversation with DeVone Holt, a prominent figure in workforce development and organizational culture. DeVone shares his unique career journey, detailing his path from journalism to various roles in public relations, economic development, and education. The discussion focuses on DeVone's experiences at Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, where he worked with hard-to-serve job seekers and his perspectives on workforce culture. He also introduces his concept of the "Trinity of workforce culture" and offers valuable advice for leaders on building positive workplace environments. The conversation concludes with DeVone's tips for emerging workforce leaders, emphasizing the importance of connecting with employees and understanding their motivations and challenges.

Joining us for this episode is Rochele Burnette, Chief Consultant for Be Wellness Consulting, as she discusses the critical topic of mental health in the workplace. Rochele shares her extensive background in criminal justice and community mental health, and how she became involved in mental health first aid training. The conversation delves into the definition of mental health, the financial costs to businesses when employee mental health issues go untreated, and strategies for reducing the stigma surrounding mental health discussions at work. Rochele also offers practical tips for managers to support employees facing mental health challenges, coping with work-related stress, and promoting work-life harmony. 

Tune in for another episode of KRA's The Hub as Derrick Colbert, Director of Strategic Partnerships at KRA, joins us. Derrick shares his background and journey into workforce development, stemming from a family dedicated to service. He discusses his role at KRA, focusing on growth strategies, client acquisition, and partnership development. Derrick emphasizes KRA's unique approach to workforce development, which involves understanding the specific needs of the communities they serve and helping individuals gain stackable credentials and occupational skills training. He also highlights some of his most impactful initiatives, including a comprehensive fatherhood program and KRA's work with TANF recipients in Louisiana. Finally, Derrick shares his excitement for the future of workforce development and offers advice for those interested in pursuing a career in the field. 

Welcome back for part 2 of KRA's The Hub special series recorded live at the 2024 NAWB Forum in Washington, D.C. In this episode, host Jonathan Overall continues the engaging discussions started in part 1, sitting down with influential workforce development leaders. Guests include Anthony Featherstone, Executive Director at WorkSource Montgomery, Jaime Cruz, Executive Director for Workforce Connections in Southern Nevada, Mike Fazio, Co-President of Workforce180 and Metrix Learning, and Melissa Robbins, CEO of NAWDP. Building on insights from the previous episode, they dive deeper into key takeaways from the conference around this year's theme of "Forging Tomorrow's Workforce Today", share strategies for proactively preparing for the future of work, and emphasize the crucial role of continuous innovation and professional development in the evolving workforce development landscape. Be sure to listen to part 1 if you missed it!

In this special two-part series from KRA's The Hub podcast, host Jonathan Overall sits down with influential leaders in the workforce development space at the 2024 NAWB Forum conference in Washington, D.C. Hear insightful conversations with George Wright, CEO of the Chicago Cook County Workforce Development Board, Drew Hubbard, Executive Director of the D.C. Workforce Investment Council, and Deb Giordano, NAWB Board Member. They discuss the conference theme of "Forging Tomorrow's Workforce Today", sharing their perspectives on embracing generational change, breaking down barriers through partnerships, and the importance of intentional skilling, credentialing, and inclusion initiatives. Tune in for thoughtful reflections on the challenges, innovative solutions, and future of workforce development.

Our special guest for this episode of KRA's The Hub is Kyla Guyette, Director of Strategic Partnerships at KRA. Kyla shares her journey in the workforce development field, from her early experiences helping Hurricane Katrina victims, to her current role at KRA and on the board of the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). She discusses the challenges facing the workforce development sector, the importance of aligning ecosystems, and the need for organizations to adapt to the changing landscape. As a woman in leadership, Kyla reflects on the challenges she has faced throughout her career, and her commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders in workforce development.