State and Local Workforce Fellowship

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


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

Justin West

Arizona

Workforce Fellow

Data Manager Workforce Development, City of Phoenix

Justin West

Arizona

Workforce Fellow

Daniel Enemark

California

Workforce Fellow

Chief Economist, San Diego Workforce Partnership

Daniel Enemark

California

Workforce Fellow

Daniel Garcia

Colorado

Workforce Fellow

Data Analyst, Pikes Peak Workforce Center

Daniel Garcia

Colorado

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

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

Dawn Robards

Colorado

Workforce Fellow

Operations Manager, Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

Dawn Robards

Colorado

Workforce Fellow

Sami Mooney

Colorado

Workforce Fellow

Business Specialist, Pikes Peak Workforce Center

Sami Mooney

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

Adam Levine

Illinois

Workforce Fellow

Director, Talent & Workforce Strategy, World Business Chicago

Adam Levine

Illinois

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

Kylin Fisher

Illinois

Workforce Fellow

Program Director, Employer-led Workforce Solutions, Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance

Kylin Fisher

Illinois

Workforce Fellow

Brandon Castleberry

Illinois

Workforce Fellow

Project Manager, Department of Family and Support Services, Chicago IL

Brandon Castleberry

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

Iowa

Workforce Fellow

Vice President, Indian Hills Community College

Dr. Jennifer Wilson

Iowa

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

Liesl Seabert

Iowa

Workforce Fellow

Rural Community Revitalization Program Manager, Center for Rural Revitalization

Liesl Seabert

Iowa

Workforce Fellow

Kathy Leggett

Iowa

Workforce Fellow

Future Ready Policy Advisor, Iowa Workforce Development

Kathy Leggett

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

Virginia Tallent

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Assistant City Manager, City of Cincinnati

Virginia Tallent

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Kier Scott

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Policy and Performance Manager, Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio

Kier Scott

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Julie Wirt

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Julie Wirt

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Grace Glaubman

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Deputy Director, Summit & Medina Workforce Area Council of Governments

Grace Glaubman

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

John Trott

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Executive Director, Greater Ohio Workforce Board, Inc.

John Trott

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Janelle Comstock

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Area 15 Grants Coordinator, Ohio Workforce Board

Janelle Comstock

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Rebecca Safko

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Executive Director, Ohio Valley Employment Resource

Rebecca Safko

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

David Snipes

Ohio

Workforce Fellow

Grants Director, Greater Ohio Workforce Board, Inc.

David Snipes

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

Anne Nowak

Wisconsin

Workforce Fellow

Organizational Development Manager, Human Resources, Madison WI

Anne Nowak

Wisconsin

Workforce Fellow

Brad Wollmann

Wisconsin

Workforce Fellow

Budget and Data Analyst, City of Madison, Human Resources

Brad Wollmann

Wisconsin

Workforce Fellow