Donna James-Harvey, Regional Director – North Texas, Holloway Family Foundation
Tell us a little bit about your background and why you joined Workforce Matters.
I began my career in the nonprofit sector 15 years ago, with workforce development becoming an area of special interest about 5 years ago. Up until then, most of my work was in education, particularly in College and Career preparation. I worked with high school students, most of whom planned to go to college post high school. In the last three years, certifications and “credentials of value” attainment post high school became a bigger focus in the College & Career space in Texas. I then began to shift my focus to workforce development and now even more so in my current role as Regional Director for the Holloway Family Foundation, where workforce development and training are one of our key tenets. Joining Workforce Matters is a great way for me to connect and learn alongside others about the sector and the importance of our grantmaking in the workforce ecosystem.
What do you love about workforce development?
What I enjoy most about workforce development is that it addresses an integral part of every person’s life. It further validates the importance of a skilled, well-compensated, and socially supported workforce that benefits communities and society as a whole. I also love seeing firsthand the evolution of workforce development, including how things like AI are helping us rethink how we view the workforce training space.
What is something people might not know about you?
I think most people don’t know that my career started in Fashion and Merchandising, which further validates that there is always room and time to pivot.
What is something you are looking forward to this year?
I look forward to getting to know members of Workforce Matters, learning more about the changing landscape of workforce training, and how we can continue to keep equity at the forefront of the work and ensure that workers are fairly compensated and supported.
