March 16, 2022 - The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has welcomed six new staff members and has promoted two others; these CWDC team members will help strengthen the team overall and enhance work.
“The expertise of these new team members will help us expedite our work, ensuring that the state and federal funds we’ve received result in good outcomes for both workers and employers,” said Lee Wheeler-Berliner, managing director of the CWDC.
New and promoted staff include:
OPERATIONS
Gwen Carter, Operations Manager: With her promotion, Carter serves as CWDC’s internal operations expert, overseeing the work unit’s budget by managing multiple complex funding sources; coordinating team and departmental projects resources and status; managing business and benchmark metrics; overseeing the CWDC grant management program, and acting as the CWDC’s liaison to the CDLE Human Resources and Payroll offices. Carter and her team, consisting of Amy Chambers, operations program specialist, Lilyeve Murphy-Bagliani, board liaison and project assistant, and Jasim Tellez, administrative assistant, provide support for the CWDC and BEL Commission, manage grant funding initiatives and opportunities, and provide the operational support needed to make sure that the CWDC staff have the tools and resources needed to perform at the highest level.
Lilyeve Murphy-Bagliani, Board Liaison, Operations Project Manager: To her new role Murphy-Bagliani brings her experience as an assistant with the Office of the Vice President of Administration and Finance of Metropolitan State University, as well as a college internship with Congresswoman Lois Frankel (H.D. 21, FL). She graduated in 2020 from Florida Atlantic University with a dual bachelor’s degree in history and a women, gender, and sexuality studies certificate. Murphy-Bagliani assists leadership and serves as the board liaison at CWDC to ensure it runs efficiently and effectively. She also coordinates and conducts meetings and logistics and serves as the first point of contact for governor-appointed boards, committees, and/or public and private stakeholders.
Jasmin Tellez, Administrative Assistant: In her role, Tellez provides support to the managing director and assists both with the implementation of CWDC’s goals and our team. Prior to joining CWDC, Jasmin interned with the Office of Economic Development and International Trade. There, she supported diplomacy efforts with logistical planning and preparation of two trade missions for Governor Polis and Lt. Governor Primavera. Jasmin holds two degrees from Colorado Mesa University, a bachelor’s of business administration in international business and a bachelor’s in political science.
COMMUNICATIONS & COLLABORATION
Susan Paulsen, Consultant for Digital Tools: Paulsen serves as a consultant for digital tools at CWDC, with a focus on the successful implementation of the My Colorado Journey platform. She works with a variety of stakeholders to advance the development of My Colorado Journey in support of talent development, career pathways, and expanded connections among employers, job seekers, and students. Paulsen previously worked in public education at the district and state levels in roles related to communications and information technology.
SYSTEMS INNOVATION
Tony Smith, Senior Consultant for Innovation and Effectiveness: Smith plays a critical role in the implementation of CWDC initiatives by providing oversight to the division’s project management functions and develops high-quality technical assistance opportunities to external partners. He serves as an internal coordinator and hub of information and resource generation who works to strengthen the team's capacity to effectively manage projects and ensures project teams have what they need to reach deliverables on time and in accordance with CWDC’s strategic vision. Before joining CWDC in 2022, Tony served as a higher education and career development administrator for 20 years, provided workforce research and consulting to the US Department of Energy at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; he also provided Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion consulting for Colorado Inclusive Economy. Tony holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of Northern Colorado.
Janae Hunderman, Education Consultant: As the education consultant in a shared role with the CWDC and the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), Hunderman serves as a connection point between business and education, supporting businesses, schools and communities as they work together to engage students in career-connected learning opportunities. Prior to joining the CWDC and CDE in 2022, Hunderman developed and launched the Business Education Connection in Durango, Colo., where she supported work-based learning programs and internships at three different high schools. Janae holds a master’s in education, a school career development advisor certification, and is an international coaching federation associate certified coach.
Jessica Maiorca, Innovative Financing Consultant: As the innovative financing consultant for the Colorado Workforce Development Council office, Jessica leads the implementation of Colorado’s Innovative Financing Roadmap. The Roadmap advances a collaborative approach to ensure that training and educational opportunities are affordable to all Coloradans, encourage service provider accountability, and advance sustainable funding streams through the use of financial tools like income share agreements,social impact bonds and pay-for-success contracts. Prior to joining CWDC in 2022, Jessica worked for OPEIU, a union of office workers, negotiating contracts and encouraging employers’ professional development systems. Jessica has supported programming focused on organizing garment workers in Bangladesh, recruited and developed employee training for businesses in Liberia, and implemented holistic programs aimed at increasing revenue for microenterprises in Ghana. Jessica holds a Master of Industrial and Labor Relations. A new Colorado resident, Jessica promises to learn to ski. You can find Jessica walking her dog or searching for the perfect cannoli.
Thomas Hartman, Senior Consultant for Career Pathways: Recently promoted to his current position, Hartman is the senior authority for the development and deployment of career pathways in in-demand industries. He works as a senior authority with other agencies and external partners to create and manage project plans for CWDC initiatives and career pathways tools and resources. He represents CWDC in stakeholder meetings relevant to career pathway development, equity, or supply-side strategies including the facilitation of the Education and Training Steering Committee and its subcommittees. Thomas also serves as a liaison between the CWDC and assigned local Workforce Development Boards. Before joining the CWDC in 2016, Thomas served as a college and university administrator, instructor, and curriculum designer. Thomas holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of Northern Colorado and is a Certified Project Management Professional.