The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) is the premier membership organization for those businesses and individuals that have chosen to devote their operations and careers to the workforce development industry. KRA Corporation, a nationally-recognized leader in workforce development services, is a long-standing member and supporter of NAWDP’s stated mission, “to be the national voice for the profession and meet the individual professional development needs of the membership.”
Held annually, this year’s national Conference, Putting America to Work, May 19 – 22, in Minneapolis, featured more than 50 workshops ranging in topics from program-service delivery best practices and innovations in program design, to leveraging technology across the various aspects of workforce development. Two very different, but incredibly dynamic and motivational speakers, Lieutenant Colonel Patricia Murray of the California Air National Guard and Tyrone Flowers, Founder and President of Higher M-Pact, served as the opening and closing Keynote Speakers, respectively.
KRA Corporation, the only Gold-Level Sponsor, was extremely active in Conference activities, with the largest representation from any one single organization: more than 25 Corporate Officials, Senior-Executive Staff, Program Managers, and Staff from six states…from California to Connecticut.
Don Scott, KRA Senior Vice President for Workforce Operations, and Chair of the NAWDP Board of Directors, presented Opening Remarks to welcome Conference attendees, and Joseph Seymour, Trainer & Subject Matter Expert, KRA/CTWorks One-Stop Centers in Hartford, produced the video that opened the Conference. Prior to the showing of the video, Scott introduced the NAWDP Board members, which included the Connecticut State Director, Kimberly Staley, KRA Vice President and Director of Client Services.
At the Advancing the Profession Awards Ceremony, two of the four annual NAWDP honors were presented to KRA employees. Beth McCabe, CWDP, Coordinator of Staff Development and Core Services, KRA/CTWorks, accepted the Professional Development Award, and Tiffany Haynes, Instructor, KRA/VIEW Program, Norfolk, VA, received the Jodi Spiegel Enhancement of Customer Service Award.
On May 20th, Seymour conducted a workshop, Presentation Skills for Workforce Development Professionals, that provided valuable tips and techniques for putting the “power” back into PowerPoint presentations. And, on the 21st, Juliana Castillo, Social Media Coordinator & Trainer, and Diane Wong, Training Account Coordinator, both from the KRA/San Diego Metro One Stop Centers, presented Case Management: Staff, Clients and LinkedIn? Oh My!, an innovative approach to case management using the number one social-media networking Internet site for businesses and professionals.
On May 22, McCabe, with Julie Watson, Director of Program Operations, Capital Workforce Partners…North Central CT WIB and KRA/CTWorks client…and Kellie O’Donnell, Senior Public Service Librarian and Manager of Job and Career Services, Hartford Public Library…KRA/CTWorks partner…co-presented Location, Location, Location: Meet Customers Where They Are, representing a new cutting-edge, national model on delivering workforce services in collaborative relationships with local library systems. On a lighter note, Wong and Maxine Suka, Program Manager, KRA/San Diego, won prizes for the 2nd and 3rd most “tweets” published during the Conference.
Charles K. Botts, III, CWDP, CPRW, KRA/CTWorks Business Services Consultant, who attended the Conference and contributed significantly to this article, had these closing comments: “To say that KRA Corporation made a splash at the 2013 NAWDP Conference would be an understatement! We believe that KRA continues to raise the bar of professionalism, customer-service excellence, and industry-leading innovation. It is a real testament to the commitment of Mr. Atterbeary and the Corporate Executive team that they continue to invest in our people. Electing to send 26 corporate- and program-level staff members from across the country to represent the company, to experience the opportunity for further professional development, and to network with industry colleagues is a real honor and privilege. KRA is leading the way on a national level, and it ‘drills down’ to our programs in the field. KRA is making great strides in workforce development because of the great people that care about the work we do and the customers we serve.”
Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
