The 2005 Class of Academy Fellows
The participants in the 2005 inaugural Academy class were known as the Marano Fellows, in honor of the late Cindy Marano. Cindy Marano was a key leader in the field of sectoral workforce development and headed the National Network of Sector Partners until her death in April 2005. She played an integral role in the design of the Academy — envisioning its potential to make a significant contribution to the field's growth and development — and participated in the selection of the first class of fellows. It is our hope that the Academy will continue to reflect her wisdom and spirit.
The 2005 Marano Fellows came from organizations representing a variety of institutional types including: community- and faith-based organizations, business associations, labor-management partnerships, workforce development boards, community colleges and community development corporations. They are taking new knowledge and skills learned through the Academy back to enrich their local sectoral work in urban, suburban and rural locations across a range of sectors from health care to automobile manufacturing to biotechnology to the arts and more.
FELLOW |
ORGANIZATION |
SERVICE AREA |
SECTOR(S) |
| Kent Anderson |
North Central
Texas Workforce Development Board |
North Central
Texas |
Logistics |
| Colin Austin |
MDC, Inc.:
Latino Pathways Initiative |
Charlotte
and Greensboro, N.C. |
Health care,
retail, public service, construction |
| Thomas Belski |
Employment
Resources Inc. |
Cambridge,
Mass. |
Health care/long-term
care |
| Sylvia L.
Beville |
Metro South/West
Regional Employment Board |
Framingham,
Mass. |
Health care/acute
care |
| Andrew Brower |
The SOURCE |
Grand Rapids,
Mich. |
Manufacturing |
| Joan T. Cook |
PTDA Educational
Foundation |
National |
Industrial
distribution |
| Sunita Cooke |
North Harris
Montgomery Community College District |
North Houston
Texas |
Health care/acute
care |
| Susan Crandall |
The Women's
Union |
Boston, Mass. |
Health care/long-term
care |
| Sarah M.
Eisinger |
Seedco: ArtBusiness
Initiative |
New York,
N.Y. |
Arts |
| Alan K. Ferguson |
Urban League
of Greater Madison, Inc. |
Madison,
Wisc. |
Medical administration |
| Erin Flynn |
Jewish Vocational
Service |
Boston,
Mass. |
Health care,
financial services, hospitality |
| Heather
Fredericks |
Washington
State Workforce Training & Education Coordinating |
Washington
State |
Various |
| Shawna Smith
Gotreau |
Taller San
Jose |
Santa Ana,
Calif. |
Construction |
| Makini Hassan |
Rubicon Programs
Inc. |
Richmond,
Calif. |
Health care,
biotechnology/life science |
| Helena Hillinga
Haas |
Workforce
Development Council of Seattle-King County |
Seattle,
Wash. |
Life sciences |
| Linda Nelson |
Thomas Shortman
Training Fund/32BJ |
New York,
N.Y. |
Building
services, security |
| Enrique R.
Orozco |
Urban Children's
Coalition |
Denver, Colo. |
Manufacturing
(chocolate) |
| Inna Pavlova |
JVS |
San Francisco,
Calif. |
Health care,
bioscience, retail/hospitality, business services |
| Lyric Seymore |
Southern
Good Faith Fund |
Pine Bluff
and Helena, Ark. |
Health care,
manufacturing, business and education |
| Ted Stalnos |
Southeast
Chicago Development Commission |
Chicago,
Ill. |
Manufacturing |
| Mini Teli |
District
1199C Training & Upgrading Programs |
Philadelphia,
Pa. |
Health care |
| Becky Thofson |
Workforce
Development, Inc. |
Southeastern
Minnesota |
Health care/long-term
care |
| Daniel K.
Youhas |
Shipbuilders
Council of America |
Gulf Coast
(and national) |
Shipbuilding |
| Michele A.
Zieziula |
Regional
Center for Workforce Excellence |
Northwest
Pennsylvania |
Various |
Academy participants'
testimonials
One good way to get a sense of the Academy's value, is to hear from participants.
Below, some members of the Academy's first class describe their experiences.
Participating in the Sector Skills Academy was a real benchmark in my career. On a professional level, I came away with valuable tools and experiences that changed my way of thinking about workforce development. On a personal level, I enjoyed time to think and reflect on leadership. I also found many new heroes among the top-rate presenters and my class of Fellows.
Colin Austin
Senior Associate,
MDC, Inc.
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Through the year-long experience as a fellow in the Sector Skills
Academy, I have developed new insights, skills, relationships and tools.
The resources, speakers, exercises and case studies helped me to develop
best practices and apply them in my own initiative. Additionally, the relationships
I have developed with workforce professionals across the United States have
inspired me and enabled me to understand the significant impact that sector
initiatives can make when successful collaborations occur between a variety
of stakeholders.
Sunny Cooke
Associate Vice Chancellor, Workforce Development
North Harris Montgomery Community College District
The Woodlands, Texas
Our state community and technical college system has organized
Centers of Excellence targeting Washington's key sectors. For my work,
this means I must reach out to business, labor and education in order
to strategically implement training, products and services from our college
and with our partner schools across the state. The Sector Skills Academy
provides me with connections to national expertise, research, and best
practices. I'm now working with leaders across the country also responding
to the dynamic needs of their high-demand industries, and our exchange
of ideas and innovations has helped me launch an effective initiative.
Heather Fredericks
Director, Center of Excellence for Construction
Renton Technical College
Renton, WA
The Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative, the National
Network of Sector Partners, and Public/Private Ventures have designed a
successful program that utilizes the expertise of recognized professionals
to thoroughly and effectively design solutions to the most common employment
problems.
What impressed me the most was the sense of community formed in
the beginning of the first session. Getting labor, industry and education
professionals together in the same venue is a daunting task; getting them
to candidly discuss real employment concerns is even more difficult. These
open discussions and sensible solutions will undoubtedly provide value
to the shipbuilding and ship repair sector initiative currently underway.
Daniel Youhas
Manager, Government Affairs
Shipbuilders Council of America
Washington, D.C.
Through my experiences with the Sector Skills Academy I have developed
new skills, relationships and tools to drive systemic change in workforce
development for the people we serve. I have made connections with state
workforce development officials, higher education institutions, business
leaders, and industry organizations. The caliber of the Academy is top-notch.
The speakers, exercises, learning, and networking will make you stretch
yourself to achieve more than you thought possible. I highly recommend this
program.
Becky Thofson
Area Manager,
Workforce Development, Inc.
Albert Lea, Minn.
The Sector Skills Academy has given us an opportunity to learn
from sector programs that are facing similar challenges.
The SSA has helped me focus on the strategic issues
that are facing our initiative.
Joan T. Cook
Executive Director,
PTDA Foundation
Clinton, Ohio
The Sector Skills Academy has connected me with an
incredibly talented group of peers from across the country.
Linda Nelson
Director,
Thomas Shortman Training Fund/32BJ
New York, N.Y.
