NYEC Changemakers
Mimi Haley
Executive Director
Mary Ann (Mimi) Haley, PhD is the Executive Director of the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) , a 46-year-old membership organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people who need support to be connected to educational and employment opportunities. With her team and partners, NYEC launched the National Alliance of Youth and Young Adults Advocates, a policy hub created to promote policy alignment and strategies, improve national and local data systems, facilitate narrative change, and create sustainable youth leadership; created the Youth Champion Communities Framework: Mayor Challenge; launched the annual Youth Days event in DC; and initiated the monthly Department of Labor Office Hours and other learning opportunities for the field. Prior to joining NYEC, Haley served as Deputy Director/Interim CEO of the CT Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) and was the lead for the agency on ending youth homelessness. She spearheaded improving statewide systems to serve young people, which resulted in a 50% reduction in youth homelessness in two years and created a statewide reentry program in partnership with the CT Department of Correction.
She has developed and led statewide community impact teams and led projects in areas such as reentry, juvenile justice, foster care youth, flexible funding, childcare assistance, youth leadership, and housing interventions. In addition to her 20 years of non-profit management, she has taught courses in race and politics, comparative politics, development, and political theory. She’s a published author in economic and political development and taught at Fairfield University for many years. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and a doctorate from New York University. She also currently chairs the Governor’s Office of Workforce Strategies Taskforce in CT, DEIA Youth Subcommittee.
.
Dr. Mary Ann (Mimi) Haley
Executive Director
Nathan Hora
Senior Advisor for Federal Policy
Nathan Hora is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and education. As a Senior Policy Advisor, he brings years of experience in developing federal policy and advocacy strategies for national education and workforce organizations.
Prior to joining NYEC, Nathan was an Associate Director at Penn Hill Group, a government affairs firm that specializes in federal education and workforce policy and advocacy. In this role, Nathan worked with clients whose interest areas included youth workforce development, out-of-school time, adult education, higher education, library, computer science, cybersecurity, and STEM education and AI issues, to develop and execute their federal policy and advocacy priorities.
Nathan also brings experience from the offices of Michigan State Representative Lori Stone, U.S. Senator Gary Peters and California State Senator Steve Glazer, as well as the congressional campaign of Gretchen Driskell. He graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Law, Justice and Public Policy. In his free time, Nathan enjoys running, swimming, hiking and playing card games.
Nathan Hora
Senior Advisor for Federal Policy
Dr. Maya Williams
Senior Lead for Data and Research
Doctor Maya Angelica Williams was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and currently lives in San Luis Obispo, California with her partner. She is deeply passionate about eradicating inequalities and advocating for marginalized populations. Dr. Williams is a Social Worker who received her master’s from the University of Texas at Austin and her doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis. Throughout her academic journey, she has conducted extensive research on the school-to-prison-pipeline. Her research highlights the deleterious effects of punitive discipline, which target Black and Brown students excluding them from school and work. Using a mixed methods approach, her dissertation study emphasized the impact colorism had on African American girls’ academic achievement. Before working with NYEC, she volunteered with a non-profit in Colombia and was a Professor at the University of Washington. While at the University, she taught a course on Poverty and Inequality with a focus on policy, intersecting identities, and their ramifications on socioeconomic status.
Maya also obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in Spanish and International Studies. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring the world, and speaking in Spanish. In addition to Colombia, she has lived in Argentina, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic, and Spain. She has also traveled to 44+ countries and loves to learn about different cultures.
Dr. Maya Williams
Senior Lead for Data and Research
Julia Frohlich
Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications
Julia Frohlich, Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications, works to blend her public relations background with her graduate degree in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences with a nonprofit concentration. At NYEC, she builds a community through our membership and connects organizations across the country. She also oversees the broader communications and works alongside leadership in areas such as development, corporate partnerships, and relationship building with other key stakeholders. Julia has a fervent passion for mental health and ensuring resources for communities to be healthy and thrive. Her research background also includes coursework on theories of youth development, adolescent problematic behavior, adverse childhood experiences, and family theory.
Julia Frohlich
Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications
Cailee Fitzgerald
Associate Director of Operations and Learning
Cailee has a wealth of direct-service experience and working with young people. Some of her past endeavors include coaching basketball, working with systems-impacted youth, case management for homeless and low-income individuals, and health education and promotion. Seeking to combine her passions for serving under-resourced communities and health & wellness, Cailee earned a Master of Public Health degree.
At NYEC, Cailee has tackled various projects including fortifying our youth leadership initiatives, developing organizational procedures, and implementing new tools to improve internal communications, data management, and member learning opportunities. She also assists with event planning, IT, and copyediting. New projects and challenges excite her, and she is always looking for ways to increase our efficiency and amplify our impact.
Outside of work, Cailee spends time enjoying the beautiful landscape of northern Idaho with her husband, daughter, and their two rescue pitbulls.
Cailee Fitzgerald
Associate Director of Operations and Learning
Bobby Brown
Program Manager
Bobby is a Program Coordinator at NYEC. In his role, he brings together local organizations and politicians to identify and tackle community challenges. Previously, Bobby has worked in dropout prevention and re-engagement. Prior to NYEC, he worked with the Boston Private Industry Council, where he helped lead an opportunity youth initiative, Launch, dedicated to helping young adults living in affordable housing obtain living wage jobs or enroll in school/training
Bobby Brown
Program Manager
Mo Burke
Learning and Events Coordinator
Margaret Burke, known to many as “Mo,” is a first-generation college graduate who is passionate about supporting youth and helping them find academic and labor-related resources and opportunities. After graduating from the Ohio State University, Mo completed a Fulbright grant as an English Teaching Assistant in Costa Rica. During her time as a Fulbrighter, Mo supported the U.S. Embassy’s Microscholarship Access program, which provided free English education to high school students coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
Shortly after, Mo transitioned into her role as Senior Adviser for EducationUSA Costa Rica, a program funded by the U.S. Department of State that provides free educational advising to Costa Rican youth during their journey to apply to accredited U.S. higher education institutions. Mo supported the Opportunity Funds program, which provided incredibly talented students the economic support and one-on-one guidance needed to apply to highly selective U.S. universities, with the hopes of acquiring full funding for their education. She also worked hand-in-hand with the U.S. Embassy and CRUSA, a local non-profit organization, on different grants, initiatives, and scholarship programs. Additionally, Mo planned in-person and virtual university fairs, student camps, and international education conferences while in this role.
Mo returned to her home state of Ohio in 2022 with her husband and their dog, Pinto. She then worked at the University of Dayton, where she supported globally-focused student programming, coaching peer-to-peer social justice efforts, and supporting dialogic efforts on campus. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Interdisciplinary Educational Studies at UD, with hopes to graduate in December 2024.
At NYEC, Mo currently serves as the Learning and Events Coordinator, working to plan and organize monthly workshops and annual convenings. Additionally, Mo will tap into her background and experience as an educator to support the development of a learning management system in pursuit of centralizing a place for all of NYEC’s best practices, all aimed at supporting opportunity youth across the country.
Mo Burke
Learning and Events Coordinator
Jennifer Ables
Administrative Assitant
Jennifer Ables serves as the Administrative Assistant for NYEC and ensures that tasks are completed with precision and care. Her role keeps the organization running smoothly, and her dedication shines through in everyday projects.
Before stepping into her current role, Jennifer was the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director at NYEC, where she managed high-level administrative tasks and supported the leadership team and Board of Directors. Her passion for the nonprofit and service industry is evident in her meticulous attention to detail and her commitment to the organization’s mission.
Jennifer’s professional journey also includes her recent position as an Office Manager for a mental health corporation. In this role, she handled all general administrative duties, showcasing her ability to manage complex tasks and support a dynamic team.
Outside of her professional life, Jennifer is deeply invested in holistic health and spirituality. She dedicates her spare time to helping clients achieve natural wellness, drawing on her extensive knowledge of healthy living. Residing in the beautiful city of Colorado Springs, CO, Jennifer enjoys the balance of a fulfilling career and a holistic lifestyle.
Her multifaceted experience and genuine care for others make Jennifer an asset to NYEC.
Jennifer Ables
Administrative Assistant
Jaime Jimenez
Youth Leadership Associate
Jaime Jimenez is a 21-year-old advocate, public speaker, and space fanatic who attends the University of California Los Angeles in pursuit of his bachelor's in business economics. Throughout his college career, he has always been an advocate for his community, starting as a Peer Mentor for incoming freshmen at his community college, and starting an Environmental Biology club to address the severe water pollution of Imperial Beach. He started his leadership journey at the Annie E. Cassie LEAP fellowship where he was later exposed to NYEC’s Youth Advisory Council where he was able to share his idea of Equality of Vision. Jaime was invited to the Apollo to Artemis: Celebrating our History and Charting our Future Forum which was hosted by the White House National Space Council. There, he was able to learn from top leaders in space as well as gain better insight into what the future of space holds for our youth. Jaime was also the host and speaker at NYEC’s Youth Days where he interviewed Dr. Reginald Hicks, Director of Facility Workforce in the CHIPS Program Office. Their conversation garnered knowledge on how the CHIPS Act can support Opportunity Youth, provide more opportunities for practitioners in workforce development, and support the growing apprenticeship culture. Jaime’s dream is to become a space lawyer, a head-turning title that he is convinced will become a staple profession in space, and it is this creative mixture of disciplines that he hopes to inspire in other youth.
Jaime Jimenez
Youth Leadership Associate
Lia Waller
Team Organizer
Lia Waller
Team Organizer
Lindsey Smith
Policy Coordinator
Lindsey Smith is an experienced coalition builder, youth organization leader, and advocate for youth development. She has a deep passion for creating infrastructure and pipelines for young people into the workforce through policy, rooted in her working-class upbringing. She has been leading statewide and national youth groups for over two years, an experience that deepened her dedication to sharing the resilience and potential of opportunity youth.
A proud Oklahoman and citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Lindsey is from Tulsa, but now calls Washington, DC home. Lindsey is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a triple minor in Sociology, Law and Legal Studies, and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies. During her undergraduate career, she interned with the Democratic National Committee, Oklahoma State Senate, Domestic Violence Intervention Services, and the George Kaiser Family Foundation. She also served as an undergraduate researcher, studying statewide and national mental health policies and connecting impact to students on the ground. In her free time, Lindsey enjoys running, exploring DC’s public libraries, fishing, and traveling back to Oklahoma as much as possible
Lindsey Smith
Policy Coordinator
Marie Davis
Strategic Advisor
Marie Davis is a nationally recognized expert in workforce development, talent recruitment, and youth employment strategy. With over 30 years of experience across higher education, national nonprofits, and the private sector, she brings deep expertise in building education-to-career pipelines that connect young adults to meaningful employment. As a strategic advisor to the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC), Marie leads efforts to expand employer engagement and launch the POWER Private Sector Council, a cross-sector initiative focused on bridging employment gaps and increasing access to quality jobs for opportunity youth. Her career includes senior leadership roles at Jobs for the Future, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Johnson & Wales University, where she has consistently designed and scaled innovative programs at the intersection of education, workforce, and equity.
Marie Davis
Strategic Advisor
Tashima Bryant
Consultant
Tashmia is a dedicated systems transformation leader who started her career working in youth employment at Our Piece of the Pie in Hartford, CT. During that time, she recognized the high need for housing stability and supportive services among the youth she worked with, and this led to her nearly 10 year career in housing and homelessness. Tashmia has worked at the local, statewide, national, and federal levels supporting communities, programs, and initiatives across the country to improve housing outcomes. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hartford. She serves on the executive committees of two organization’s Board of Directors and is a proud Howard University Alum and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Tashmia Bryant
Consultant
Elijah Mercer
Data Consultant
Elijah Mercer is originally from Newark, New Jersey, but now resides in San Francisco, California. He has a passion for social and juvenile justice. He is most passionate about using data analytics & research to drive results across multiple industries and for many stakeholders. Elijah got his start in research as a research assistant intern for the Investigative Reporting Workshop and working on issues related to the Digital Divide. After undergrad, he spent two years teaching in Baltimore as part of Teach for America. In both positions, he used research and data to drive tangible research and data results for marginalized populations. Then he transitioned to working for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud as their research associate where he once again brought his passion for juvenile justice to his work. Elijah also worked for both the New York Police Department and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office as a crime analyst. He assisted in using data to help decrease crime and violence while advocating for marginalized groups. He also worked at Facebook on their legal team in the India market. Elijah is currently the Founder and CEO of Data For JustUS, a nonprofit and government consulting business that uses data to drive results for marginalized communities. He holds a degree in Criminology with a minor in communication studies from American University in Washington, D.C. He is currently pursuing a Master’s of Information and Data Science at the University of California in Berkeley.
Elijah Mercer
Data Consultant
NYEC Board of Directors
Kevin serves as the Chief Program Officer at New Door Ventures. Kevin’s career is built on helping youth and families achieve self-sufficiency and build healthy communities. Before joining New Door Ventures, Kevin served as Director of High School and Bridge Programs at Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) where he led efforts to secure job placements and postsecondary education for young people throughout San Francisco. He also holds faculty appointments at the University of San Francisco and San Francisco State University. Kevin loves growing spicy peppers! He is a proud veteran of the United States Navy.
Kevin Hickey
NYEC Board Chair
New Door Ventures
Caroline Brown-Williamson
NYEC Board of Directors
Caroline Brown-Williamson has over 20 years experience in working with underserved, marginalized youth living in the rural communities of Appalachia through dropout prevention efforts in local school systems and community college entities in North Carolina. Currently, Caroline serves as Workforce Development and Education Director with HIGHTS Youth Organization located in Cullowhee, NC. HIGHTS(Helping Inspire Gifts, Hope, Trust, Service) is a contracted WIOA youth provider serving youth. HIGHTS' mission is to transform youth by inspiring trust in their own abilities. Caroline also serves as a Project Manager for myFUTURENC which advocates for 2milion to achieve a high quality credential by 2030.
Caroline Brown Williamson
HIGHTS
NYEC Board of Directors
Liz Jackson-Simpson
Success Centers
NYEC Board of Directors
Ed DeJesus
Social Capital Builders
NYEC Board of Directors
Lori Godorov
NYEC Board of Directors
Lori Godorov is the Executive Director of The Work Group, a progressive community-based organization serving youth in Camden County, NJ.
Lori began TWG in 1996, in 2003, she took the helm as Executive Director.
Drawing on her inherent ability to understand social systems and her drive for excellence in program delivery, Lori continues to make TWG a think tank atmosphere, constantly creating new strategies to meet the ever-changing needs of underserved youth populations.
Lori serves on numerous national, local, community, civic, and business committees and boards. She holds a Master’s Degree in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University.
Lori Godorov
The Work Group
NYEC Board of Directors
Rodney T. Francis
NYEC Board of Directors
As the Executive Vice President, Workforce Solutions, Rev. Rodney T. Francis reports directly to the President & CEO and serves as a member of the key leadership team as well as provides strategic leadership support to four vice presidents, and a team of roughly twenty K-12 education and workforce development professionals. Rodney is responsible for policies, procedures and services governing academic, workforce readiness, industry credentialing, employment programs and services to youth and adults across the Greater Indianapolis region to meet the talent needs of high demand industries.
He joined the organization in 2016 as the Senior Director of Opportunity Youth responsible for developing comprehensive strategies to offer workforce services to the youth of Indianapolis. He was awarded the Innovator of the Year award by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) for creative programing in support of Young Adult Services. Rodney serves as a committee member to the Governor’s Cabinet on Youth Workforce Readiness for the State of Indiana and Advisory Committee to the Nina Mason Pulliam Scholars Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Rodney came to Indianapolis from St. Louis, MO, in 2016 where he served 8 years as executive director of The Youth and Family Center, a 125 year old neighborhood settlement house. During the 2014 Ferguson protests, Rodney’s youth development work with the 16 – 24 year old population proved instrumental in helping the community chart a path forward toward one of healing, wholeness and equity. An ordained clergy in the Baptist tradition, Rodney has served as senior pastor to churches in Boonton, New Jersey and St. Louis, MO.
Rodney holds a Master’s degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, and a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the College of New Rochelle, New York City. He is also a 2009 graduate of The Ohio State University Executive Leadership and Management Program, Columbus, OH, a 2012 graduate of Focus Leadership St. Louis and 2014 graduate of the Olin School of Business, Nonprofit Executive Management Program, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.
Rodney T. Francis
Indiana University Health
NYEC Board of Directors
Robert Sainz
NYEC Board of Directors
With an unwavering commitment to advocating for vulnerable populations, Robert Sainz serves as the President and Executive Director of New Ways to Work, a nonprofit focusing on advocacy and technical assistance to improve workforce and education programs and systems. Serving young adults who often live in the shadows, the agency has an intense focus on those from foster, probation, and homeless systems. Having recently concluded a 30-year public sector career in the City and County of Los Angeles, Robert previously served as Assistant General Manager for the City of Los Angeles Economic Development Department where he managed over $70 million annually in public agency grant funds, resulting in programs and services for thousands of Angelenos.
Behind the glitz and glam that have become synonymous with the LA brand, Robert has a proven history of digging beyond the surface—tackling the most devastating social problems that face residents living in communities with diminished resources. Whether addressing juvenile delinquency, youth and adult unemployment, or youth disconnection from education and work, the LA native specializes in building coalitions and partnerships that maximize resources to produce quantifiable results.
Thanks to a clear vision for how to reengage young people, Robert established the City of Los Angeles YouthSource System, Los Angeles Performance Partnership Pilot (LAP3) and is a founding member of LA:RISE - an innovative model serving homeless and re-entry populations. He also established HIRE LA, one of the nation’s largest public-private youth employment initiatives that combined the visibility of corporate America with solutions designed by policy experts. As part of his extensive tenure with the second largest city in the nation, Robert also served as the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Youth Opportunity Movement and worked as the Assistant and Interim Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Commission for Children, Youth and Their Families.
Never straying from a challenge, Robert began his career in the Los Angeles County Management Trainee Program in 1990 and later assumed the role of Probation Director leading the department’s Office of Community Relations and Office of Prevention Services. As a national voice on workforce development, Robert served as past President and Trustee in the US Conference of Mayor’s Workforce Development Council and as an advisory member for the National Dropout Prevention Council. He is also a board member of School & Main; Alliance for a Better Community; and cofounder of the Reconnecting LA’s Youth (RELAY) Institute at California State University, Northridge. Robert is married; father of three children, and grandfather of two.
Robert Sainz
New Ways to Work
NYEC Board of Directors
Sharlet Barnett has been the CEO of Arizona Center for Youth Resources since 2014. She has worked directly with young people, youth professionals, and community groups since 1996. Since graduating University of Alaska Fairbanks her primary focus has been education and youth development. Sharlet team provide opportunities and support to over 1,500 youth annually in the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County.
She is currently a board member of the Opportunities for Youth Leadership Council, and the National Youth Employment Coalition.
Sharlet Barnett
Arizona Center for Youth Resources (ACYR)
NYEC Board of Directors
Donnice E. Brown
NYEC Board of Directors
Donnice E. Brown is a seasoned youth workforce development professional who serves as the Assistant Director, Chief of Youth Services for the Mayor’s Office Employment Development in Baltimore, MD. In this position, she oversees multiple workforce development initiatives responsive to the needs of Baltimore City youth and young adults 14-24 years old. She is passionate about helping individuals and organizations achieve their full potential through collaborative work. Donnice holds a master’s degree in human resource development and a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Towson State University. She has served on the following boards: Towson University Alumni Association, Towson University Black Alumni Alliance, Elizabeth City State University Foundation Board, Baltimore Workforce Development Board and The CHOICE Program.
Donnice E. Brown
Baltimore Mayor's Office of Employment Development
NYEC Board of Directors
Mike Davie
Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council
NYEC Board of Directors
Mukta Ghorpadey
NYEC Board of Directors
Mukta is the Director of National College and Career Services for Urban Alliance and has been working with young people for years, helping them succeed after high school by connecting them to employment, training, academic, and social service opportunities. She started working with youth as a program coordinator for UA, then as its DC Alumni Director. She went on to be the Associate Director of Post-Secondary Success at DC Prep, where she specialized in youth employment programs and strategic development, working to transform the way DC charter schools view post-secondary success and youth employment.
In 2020, Mukta was elected as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Single Member District 1A07 in Washington, DC. In her role, Mukta is a community advocate, amplifying the voices of her constituents and connecting them to the resources they need. Her focus is on affordable housing, employment, education, and violence prevention through youth empowerment. She serves as her commission’s secretary and chairs the Employment and Training Committee. Mukta is also a current board member for the National Youth Employment Coalition, a membership organization of practitioners across the country focused on improving employment outcomes for opportunity youth. Outside of her work with her community, Mukta spends time with her grumpy cat, boxes, and swims, and dabbles in stand-up comedy and storytelling.
Mukta Ghorpadey
Urban Alliance Foundation
NYEC Board of Directors
Lori Godorov
NYEC Board of Directors
Lori Godorov is the Executive Director of The Work Group, a progressive community-based organization serving youth in Camden County, NJ.
Lori began TWG in 1996, in 2003, she took the helm as Executive Director.
Drawing on her inherent ability to understand social systems and her drive for excellence in program delivery, Lori continues to make TWG a think tank atmosphere, constantly creating new strategies to meet the ever-changing needs of underserved youth populations.
Lori serves on numerous national, local, community, civic, and business committees and boards. She holds a Master’s Degree in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University.
Antonia Rangel-Caril
NYEC Board of Directors
In part due to her own life experiences, Antonia Rangel-Caril is passionate about positive youth development. Her passion has led her around the world from Oregon, leading statewide youth advocacy efforts – to Guyana through her service as a Peace Corps volunteer. She is currently the Reengagement Sr. Program Specialist in the Institute of Youth, Education, and Families at the National League of Cities where she supports cities to expand their Opportunity Youth work. Antonia graduated with a degree in Community Health Education from Portland State University and is currently earning her Master's in Youth Development at Clemson University.
Antonia Rangel-Caril
Boys & Girls Club of America
NYEC Board of Directors
NYEC Board of Directors
Lisa Johnson
NYEC Board of Directors
Lisa Johnson is the Director of FHI 360's National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL) in Washington, DC. She has over two decades of experience in designing and implementing workforce development, college and career readiness, youth developmnet, and justice programs. She is skilled at effectively managing government, foundation, and private sector grants. Before becoming Director at NIWL, Ms. Johnson led U.S. Department of Labor re-entry programs providing access to an support for education and employment opportunities for youth and young adults previously involved with the justice system. Prior to joining FHI 360, she led several juvenile justice initiatives in the state of Massachusetts which provided thousands of youth and young adults a second chance in their college and career journeys. She holds a Master of Publc Administration from Bridgewater State University and a business degree from Northeastern University.
Lisa Johnson
National Institute for Work & Learning
NYEC Board of Directors
Catherine N. Awwad
NYEC Board of Directors
Catherine N. Awwad is President and CEO of the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board (NRWIB) which serves 41 cities and towns in Connecticut. Taking on the role in January of 2001, Cathy has led the Board’s administration of local, state and federal job training programs. Through strategic planning, the agency develops, and implements programming to meet the needs of employers and jobseekers in the Northwest Region of the state. Youth employment and the development of ‘tomorrow’s workforce’ are of the highest priority for the agency.
Cathy oversees procurement and coordination of service-providers to ensure seamless delivery of workforce programs. Cathy leverages her work at NRWIB by serving in leadership roles on several other boards. As Chair of the Waterbury Development Corporation, she participates in the on-the-ground economic development projects in and around Waterbury. She also serves on the Naugatuck Valley Regional Development Corp. Cathy is President of 698 South Main, a nonprofit board established to oversee the redevelopment of a 17-acre industrial site. Between 1993 and 2000, she served on the Board of Aldermen in Waterbury, and later became Chief of Staff of the Mayor’s Office. Cathy served two “appointed” terms on the Waterbury Board of Education. She graduated from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston and studied at UConn, Waterbury. Her professional and community activities include: member of the Holy Land Waterbury Board of Directors, the Naugatuck Valley Community College Regional Advisory Committee, and the Connecticut Pharmacist’s Association.
Catherine Awwad
Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board
NYEC Board of Directors
Mary Jo Ramirez
NYEC Board of Directors
Mary Jo Ramirez is the Executive Director of California Family Life Center (CFLC) and has served at CFLC for 30 years. She is a graduate of La Sierra University and advocates concerning issues affecting vulnerable children, youth, and families. Her experience includes being actively involved in creating opportunities for economic, social, and community development.
As the Executive Director, she oversees the CFLC’s Foster Family, Short Term Residential Treatment and Mental Health program, Kin Care, Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act Youth Programs, Riverside County YouthBuild program, and CFLC’s parenting education for Safe Care and Strengthening Families. She is a board member for the Riverside County Workforce Development Board and serves on the WDB Executive Committee. She serves on the Riverside County Transportation Commission – Citizens Advisory Council for Specialized Transportation, and the Riverside County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.
Mary Jo Ramirez
California Family Life Center
NYEC Board of Directors
Mary Ellen Sprenkel
NYEC Board of Directors
Mary Ellen Sprenkel has been a long-time champion for youth. Mary Ellen came to The Corps Network in March of 2008 as Director of Government Relations. She was promoted to Vice President of External Affairs in 2011 and then appointed Interim CEO in May of 2012, prior to being selected as the CEO in October of 2012. During her tenure, Service and Conservation Corps have become better known programs to lawmakers and policymakers throughout the federal government. Legislation that would expand and bolster youth programs including Service and Conservation Corps has been routinely introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Under Mary Ellen’s leadership, in 2010 more than $63 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects were granted to Service and Conservation Corps throughout the country by 15 federal agencies. These projects provided youth with jobs and service opportunities while connecting them to public lands including national parks and forests. More recently, Mary Ellen has served as a member of the Federal Advisory Committee tasked with providing recommendations to federal land management agencies on how to implement a 21st Century Conservation Service Corps.
In addition to her productive time at The Corps Network, she has ten years of Capitol Hill experience, including two years on the House Committee on Education and Labor handling postsecondary education, training, and life-long learning programs. She also worked for Representatives Matthew G. Martinez (D-CA) and Nydia Velazquez (D-NY). Before joining The Corps Network, Mary Ellen was Vice President of Government Relations at the Education Finance Council, the national trade association for nonprofit and state-based student loan providers. Prior to that, she spent two years as the Assistant to the President of the University of Montana.
Mary Ellen Sprenkel
The Corps Network
NYEC Board of Directors
Liz Hoagland
NYEC Board of Directors
Liz Hoagland serves as Director of Education and Workforce Development at Fairfield County's Community Foundation where she focuses on the foundation's work dedicated to youth and young adults in education and workforce result areas. Prior to joining the foundation, Liz has over 15 years of experience in the direct-service nonprofit sector serving youth and young adults.
She received her Master of Public Administration from New York University's Rober F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Bates College, and is a graduate of Columbia University's Developing Leaders Program.
Liz Hoagland
Fairfield County's Community
NYEC Board of Directors
Tiffany Osborne
NYEC Board of Directors
Tiffany Osborne, Director, National & Strategic Partnerships for Equus Workforce Solutions is an innovative, driven, and accomplished workforce development leader, with over a decade of experience leading local and national workforce initiatives. One of the Top 50 Women Leaders of DC for 2023 & 2024, Women We Admire. Tiffany published her debut book, a memoir, Unstoppable: A Story of Resilience this year. Tiffany is passionate about empowering others to find their power.
Tiffany Osborne
Equus Workforce Solutions
NYEC Board of Directors
Franco Vega
NYEC Board of Directors
Franco Vega founded The RightWay Foundation in 2011 in recognition of the unresolved trauma and barriers negatively impacting job retention for foster youth.
Franco began his career in employment services 28 years ago teaching ‘Rites of Passage’ to transition age foster youth (TAY) with the Department of Children & Family Services. He also created an employment center on Skid Row at the Midnight Mission, working with recovering addicts and the homeless population. From providing case management and supervision for 5-12 year olds to creating a Job Development Component for the Youth Opportunity Movement in Watts and Boyle Heights with the Community Development Department for the City of Los Angeles (funded by the Department of Labor), Franco had years of experience working with struggling foster youth, helping him recognize that it was time to develop a program that combines mental health services and job readiness training for transition-age foster youth in Los Angeles County.
Like many of the youth he now serves, Franco had a traumatic upbringing, suffering a great deal of mental/physical abuse and neglect from the one person who should have protected him the most, his mother. Franco’s father unfortunately passed away from a terrible disease, alcoholism, early on. Five years later, Franco’s mother passed away from cancer. At the age of 15, he was now well-acquainted with juvenile hall and remained on probation until the age of 18 years old. He bounced around to more than ten different schools and graduated from a continuation high school before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He received an honorable discharge in 1995. In 2000, he crossed the stage from California State University of Dominguez Hills with a degree in Human Services and has been hard at work with projects related to job development for underserved communities.
Along with the youth RightWay serves, Franco is busy raising a family of his own with 4 beautiful children, still managing to find time to coach little league baseball. Franco serves on several boards and was appointed County Commissioner for LA County Commission For Children & Families, District 2. Currently, he is in the process of going back to school to earn his MSW to become a licensed clinical social worker. Franco and The RightWay Foundation continue to provide support in a family atmosphere, and are building new foundations the right way, one foster youth at a time.
Franco Vega
The RightWay Foundation
NYEC Board of Directors
Elizabeth Senn-Alvey
NYEC Board of Directors
Elizabeth Senn-Alvey has worked at the intersection of youth development and workforce development for nearly 30 years, assisting young people with disabilities, court-involved youth, and other youth have experienced educational disruptions to prepare for success in school, employment and adulthood. In 2009, Ms. Senn-Alvey founded The Book Works (formerly Emerging Workforce Initiative), a nonprofit organization committed to promoting equitable access to education and employment for youth who experience educational disruptions, childhood trauma, racial or social discrimination, or economic hardship through network building, programs, and research. Ms. Senn-Alvey holds a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in Non-Profit Management from the University of Louisville.
Elizabeth Senn-Alvey
The BookWorks
NYEC Board of Directors
Bernadette Tavares
NYEC Board of Directors
Bernadette Tavares is an experienced non-profit professional with a program development and child welfare background. Bernadette began working for Foster Forward in 2012 as a Youth Support Specialist, working to connect youth in out of home placement to nonpaid, natural supports that would assist them in achieving social, emotional, and physical permanency. Bernadette was promoted in 2016 to become the Coordinator for Foster Forward’s evidence supported Works Wonders® Program and again in 2021 to become the Director of Career Pathways. She oversees the day-to-day operations and is responsible for employer and partner cultivation, as well as national program replication. She works with senior management to continue to enhance the agency’s programming and processes and aims to achieve vocational and educational success for youth affected by foster care. Bernadette has 10+ years of experience in the child welfare system ranging from mentoring and direct support to program management. Additionally, she has provided adjunct educational support to students entering the University of Rhode Island through the Talent Development Program and has been an active member of the Mount Hope Community Center Board of Directors, the Ocean State Employment Support Network, and the Providence Juvenile Hearing Board. She has a great passion for working with youth and aiding them in the successful transition into adulthood. Bernadette earned bachelor’s degrees in English and Journalism at the University of Rhode Island.
Bernadette Tavares
Foster Forward
NYEC Board of Directors
Trinh Nguyen
NYEC Board of Directors
Trinh Nguyen serves as Mayor Wu’s Chief of Worker Empowerment. The newly
formed Worker Empowerment Cabinet was created to advance the well-being of all
working Bostonians in both the public and private sectors through skills and career
development for youth and adults, advanced training in post-secondary education, and the
promotion of progressive labor standards and worker protection. Since 2014, she has also
been the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD). As OWD
Director, she has launched such initiatives as the Tuition-Free Community College
Program, the Greater Boston American Apprenticeships, and career pathways leading to living wage jobs in the healthcare, clean energy, and construction sectors. She also createdBoston Saves, the City’s children’s savings account program. Prior to her role at OWD,Nguyen was the Chief of Staff at the Boston Housing Authority.
Nguyen has nearly 25 years of leadership in operations, programs, strategic
planning, and budget management. She has worked in executive management for various
community nonprofits and public sector agencies. She is currently Chair of the
Neighborhood Jobs Trust, a Trustee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce
Development Council, and a Trustee of Bunker Hill Community College. Nguyen earned
two Master’s degrees as well as an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and was a
community fellow at MIT's Department of Urban Planning. She is a resident of Boston.
