Tell us a little bit about your background and why you joined Workforce Matters.
I’ve held various roles in the workforce space and started my career as a strategic researcher and organizer for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the AFL-CIO, and the United Auto Workers (UAW). As a Detroit Revitalization Fellow from 2015-2017, I ran a skilled trades on-the-job training program at Reclaim Detroit, a social enterprise that created custom products, made in Detroit, from wood and other materials reclaimed from deconstructed blighted houses. I’ve been working in philanthropy since 2017, where I focus on pathways to economic mobility, and very quickly learned the value of connecting with and learning from other funders. I got hooked first on the plethora of information I got from the Workforce Matters newsletter, leading me to webinars, events, the learning labs, and the Steering Committee!
What is something people might not know about you?
Two things I am trying to learn but wish I had more time for – fly-fishing and letterpress printing. I am also a dual citizen of Ireland and the U.S.
What is something you are looking forward to this year?
I look forward to meeting grantees and seeing programs in action, going to more in-person events and convenings to learn and network, and seeing where we can take the WFM Community College Working Group this year.
