RFA's Workforce Fellowship
Since 2014, RFA has supported the evidence-driven transformation of the public and social services sector through fellowship programs for state and local workforce leaders, state education leaders, city/county government leaders, and nonprofit chief executives.
In 2019 RFA launched a State and Local Workforce Fellowship to help data- and evidence-driven state and local government leaders make tangible progress in improving employment outcomes. Despite tremendous pressure and unprecedented need, Fellowship teams have made incredible progress throughout the pandemic, and the need for an equitable recovery, driven by data and evidence, continues. Fellowship teams’ accomplishments include advancing equitable outcomes-based procurement and grantmaking, implementing job quality initiatives, and achieving cultural change shifts toward evidence within government agencies and provider communities
In 2022 RFA launched two new, 12-month cohorts of the State and Local Workforce Fellowship, working on projects advancing job quality or implementing evidence-based workforce spending. This is the largest cohort in the fellowship's history, with representation from 60+ fellows across 11 states and the District of Columbia.
Learn more about our fellows below!
Workforce Fellows
Ricardo Duran
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Data and Innovation Manager, Office of Innovation, City Manager's Office, Phoenix AZ
Ricardo Duran
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Deb Furlong
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Workforce Development Supervisor, Admin, Research & Marketing Division, Workforce Development, Community Economic Development Department
Deb Furlong
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Jovanna Parkhouse
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Workforce Development Supervisor of Special Populations, Business and Workforce Development Division, Human Services Department, City of Phoenix
Jovanna Parkhouse
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Vanessa Ramirez
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Contract Specialist II, Management Services Division, Human Services Department, Phoenix AZ
Vanessa Ramirez
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Timothy Tucker
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Deputy Workforce Administrator, Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services (DERS)/ Workforce Development Administration (WDA)
Timothy Tucker
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Kweilin Waller
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Deputy Director, Business and Workforce Development Division, Human Services Department, City of Phoenix
Kweilin Waller
Arizona
Workforce Fellow
Daniel Enemark
California
Workforce Fellow
Chief Economist, San Diego Workforce Partnership
Daniel Enemark
California
Workforce Fellow
Daniel Garcia
California
Workforce Fellow
Data Analyst, Pikes Peak Workforce Center
Daniel Garcia
California
Workforce Fellow
Tanya Pineda
California
Workforce Fellow
Office of Workplace Equity, Personnel Department, Office of Mayor Garcetti, Los Angeles CA
Tanya Pineda
California
Workforce Fellow
Tony Anderson
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Director, Denver Workforce Services
Tony Anderson
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Joe M Barela
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Executive Director, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Joe M Barela
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Clarke Becker
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Director, Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium
Clarke Becker
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Diana Esquibel
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Workforce Director for the Pueblo and Upper Arkansas Region, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Diana Esquibel
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Kelly Folks
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Director, Employment and Training Division, Colorado Department of Employment and Labor
Kelly Folks
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Christy Gonzales
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Manager, Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Christy Gonzales
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Sami Mooney
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Business Specialist, Pikes Peak Workforce Center
Sami Mooney
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Dawn Robards
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Operations Manager, Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Dawn Robards
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Bret Walker
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Assistant Director Denver Workforce Services, Denver CO
Bret Walker
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Erin Young
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Employer Coach, Colorado Workforce Development Council
Erin Young
Colorado
Workforce Fellow
Heather McGowan
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Performance Manager, Office of Labor Market Research and Performance, District of Columbia Department of Employment Services
Heather McGowan
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Rebati Mendali
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Chief Economist, Office of Labor Market Research and Performance, District of Columbia Department of Employment Services
Rebati Mendali
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Jonathan Toye
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Program Analyst, Workforce and Federal Programs, District of Columbia Department of Employment Services
Jonathan Toye
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Pablo Venturino
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Associate Director, District of Columbia Department of Employment Services
Pablo Venturino
District of Columbia
Workforce Fellow
Brandon Castleberry
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Project Manager, Department of Family and Support Services, Chicago IL
Brandon Castleberry
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Kylin Fisher
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Program Director, Employer-led Workforce Solutions, Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance
Kylin Fisher
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Adam Levine
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Director, Talent & Workforce Strategy, World Business Chicago
Adam Levine
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Jennifer McClain
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Senior Director of Economic Opportunity, Wealth Building and Leadership Development LISC
Jennifer McClain
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Julio Rodriguez
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Evidence-Based Workforce Spending
Julio Rodriguez
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Mark L. Sanders, II
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Deputy Commissioner, Department of Family and Support Services, Chicago IL
Mark L. Sanders, II
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Christina Warden
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Director of Policy, Women Employed
Christina Warden
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Jasmine Williams
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Senior Policy Analyst, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership
Jasmine Williams
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Dr. Jennifer Wilson
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Vice President, Indian Hills Community College
Dr. Jennifer Wilson
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Corey Young
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Executive Director, Economic and Workforce Innovation, City Colleges of Chicago
Corey Young
Illinois
Workforce Fellow
Kathy Anderson
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Workforce Advisor, Iowa Workforce Development
Kathy Anderson
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Kathy Leggett
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Future Ready Policy Advisor, Iowa Workforce Development
Kathy Leggett
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Liesl Seabert
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Rural Community Revitalization Program Manager, Center for Rural Revitalization
Liesl Seabert
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Krista Tedrow
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Executive Director, South Central Iowa LWDB
Krista Tedrow
Iowa
Workforce Fellow
Sarah Mostafa
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Deputy Director, Office of Performance and Data Analytics, City of Cincinnati
Sarah Mostafa
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Monica Pepple
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Research and Evaluation Manager, City of Cincinnati
Monica Pepple
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Kier Scott
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Policy and Performance Manager, Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio
Kier Scott
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Virginia Tallent
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Assistant City Manager, City of Cincinnati
Virginia Tallent
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Julie Wirt
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Julie Wirt
Ohio
Workforce Fellow
Wayne Fanno
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Education & Workforce Specialist, Higher Education Coordinating Commission, Office of Workforce Investments
Wayne Fanno
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Andrew McGough
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Executive Director, Worksystems
Andrew McGough
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Liza Morehead
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Research & Data Analyst, Worksystems
Liza Morehead
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Amy Oakley
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Senior Business Services Manager, Clackamas Workforce Partnership
Amy Oakley
Oregon
Workforce Fellow
Dillon Moore
Pennsylvania
Workforce Fellow
Director of Policy, Partner4Work
Dillon Moore
Pennsylvania
Workforce Fellow
Erica Mulberger
Pennsylvania
Workforce Fellow
Executive Director, Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation
Erica Mulberger
Pennsylvania
Workforce Fellow
Courtney Arbour
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Director, Workforce Division, Texas Workforce Commission
Courtney Arbour
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Tina Jackson
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Assistant Commissioner, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Tina Jackson
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Linda Natal
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Director, Grants and Contracts, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Linda Natal
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Lee Rector
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Director, Texas Workforce Investment Council
Lee Rector
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Diane Tackett
Texas
Workforce Fellow
COO, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area
Diane Tackett
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Sandra Williams
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Interim Director, Workforce Grants and Initiatives, Texas Workforce Commission
Sandra Williams
Texas
Workforce Fellow
Seema Jain
Virginia
Workforce Fellow
Vice President of Operations, SkillSource Group, Northern Virginia Workforce Development Board
Seema Jain
Virginia
Workforce Fellow
Kari Kollander
Washington
Workforce Fellow
Research & Data Analyst, Workforce Southwest Washington
Kari Kollander
Washington
Workforce Fellow
Emaan Abdel-Halim
Wisconsin
Workforce Fellow
Human Resources Services Manager, City of Madison, Human Resources
Emaan Abdel-Halim
Wisconsin
Workforce Fellow
Erin Hillson
Wisconsin
Workforce Fellow
Employee and Labor Relations Manager, City of Madison, Human Resources
Erin Hillson
Wisconsin
Workforce Fellow
Karalyn (Kara) Kratowicz
Wisconsin
Workforce Fellow
Performance Excellence Specialist Human Resources, Madison WI
Karalyn (Kara) Kratowicz
Wisconsin
Workforce Fellow