KRA Corporation was honored to participate in the 2026 Workforce Impact Summit hosted by the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) in Washington, D.C., joining workforce leaders, employers, educators, and policymakers committed to strengthening the nation’s workforce system.
As part of NAWB’s Advocacy Day efforts, KRA representatives worked alongside NAWB and workforce board leaders from across the country to advance a shared legislative agenda focused on protecting and strengthening the public workforce system. Together, we advocated for Congress to fully fund WIOA Title I programs, reauthorize WIOA while preserving local flexibility and innovation, and reject proposed Uniform Guidance changes that would increase administrative burden.
KRA’s EVP & COO, Zaskia Ruiz, who was recently appointed to the NAWB Board of Directors, and Ryan Rand, Manager, Communications, Innovation and Learning, participated in meetings with staff from the offices of Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Ami Bera (CA-06), and Mark Amodei (NV-02), as well as Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland
During these discussions, congressional staff expressed particular interest in the challenges job seekers face in accessing workforce services due to technology barriers. KRA shared how we work to bridge those gaps by meeting individuals where they are, providing personalized support, tailored resources, and customized coaching that helps job seekers navigate challenges and successfully connect to employment opportunities. We emphasized that, while technology can improve efficiency and access, human-centered services remain essential to ensuring no one is left behind.
Staff were also impressed by KRA’s commitment to capturing and sharing impact stories through our KRA in Action initiative, including articles, newsletters, and podcasts. These stories provide important qualitative insights that often do not appear in traditional performance reports, highlighting the personal journeys, barriers overcome, and life-changing outcomes experienced by the individuals and businesses we serve. By pairing data with real stories from the field, KRA helps policymakers better understand the tangible impact of workforce investments on workers, employers, and communities.
The Summit also featured Patrick Boxall, KRA’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Initiatives, as a panelist for “From Service Delivery to National Capability,” a discussion exploring how the workforce system can evolve beyond a network of service providers into a strategic national asset that supports economic growth and workforce readiness.
For more than 45 years, KRA has served as the connection point where workforce policy becomes real-world impact, helping workers access opportunity and supporting employers’ talent needs, contributing to a stronger workforce development system. Our participation in the Summit reinforced our commitment to collaborating with NAWB and our partners nationwide to turn advocacy into action and ensure the workforce system remains responsive to the people, businesses, and communities it serves.