Since 2005, September has been recognized as National Workforce Development Month (NWDM), raising awareness of the workforce-services field and celebrating the exceptional professionals, programs, and partnerships that connect people with meaningful careers, help businesses develop talent, and strengthen communities. In fact, September is a prolific month for workforce-development events around the country.
Several prominent 2026 gatherings include the National Association of State Workforce Agencies Summit in Milwaukee, the Florida Workforce Development Summit in Orlando, the NY Economic & Workforce Development Summit in New York City, and the Shift Work Forward Conference in Albuquerque—to name a few.
KRA realizes these gatherings, and others, would benefit the organization, expanding our knowledge, building high-value connections, and discovering emerging industry trends. However, our overarching goal this year is to support national, regional, and local events whose venues provide opportunities for interacting with our clients, community and business partners, and local operations teams, i.e., in or near cities where KRA manages WIOA- or TANF-funded programs.
Those attending one or more events include, Knowlton R. Atterbeary, President & CEO; Patrick Boxall, EVP, Corporate Initiatives; Zaskia Ruiz, EVP & COO; Nicole Ganier, EVP, Strategic Initiatives; Heather Leach, VP, Operations and Jonathan Overall, Director, Communications & Innovation.
The 2026 CWA Meeting of the Minds (MMM) was first on the itinerary, convened September 8–10 in Monterey. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen KRA’s presence and engagement across the state, particularly Southern California where operating the LA County Rancho Dominguez American Job Center of California and Center of Excellence since 2024, has reinforced our commitment to California’s workforce-development system.
Next on the agenda is the 4th Annual OWA/IAWP Training Conference, September 17-18, in Columbus, OH, driving distance from KRA’s OhioMeansJobs (OMJ) Career Centers in Akron/Summit County and Medina/Medina County, operated since 2024.
A highlight of this event is the Closing Keynote “Stronger Together: Aligning Workforce and Economic-Development for Lasting Economic Impact” presented by Jonathan Overall; Thomas Thornton, OMJ Business Services Manager; and Bethany Dentler, Executive Director, Medina County Economic Development Corporation & Summit/Medina Workforce Board Member.
The 2026 MWA Raising the Bar will convene September 21-23, in Baltimore, where since 2017, KRA has served as the Baltimore County One-Stop Operator, as well as the Operator for the Baltimore City FLEX Program since 2025.
September 28-30 represents the last leg of our 2026 conference circuit at the NAWB Workforce Impact Summit in DC, where since 2012, KRA has supported the Department of Human Services as a TANF Employment Program operator, offering Education, Occupation, and Training and Job Placement Services.
In summary, NWDM reflects the work KRA has advanced for 45 years: connecting people to meaningful careers, helping employers cultivate talent, and strengthening local economies. Through strategic participation in conferences near the communities we serve, KRA continues to exchange ideas, deepen partnerships, and bring emerging workforce practices home to our programs. As the world of work evolves, we remain committed to building responsive workforce systems and creating pathways to lasting prosperity.