Events This Month

** Registration for this year's event has reached it's capacity. We will not accept walk-in/ drop-in.**

HEC and Midtown Church are hosting the 2nd Workforce Development Symposium to tackle the most pressing issues related to drivers of health. This includes employment and workplace readiness from a neighborhood and data driven solutions focus. We’ll be joined by national and local experts to share their successes and pivots in implementing workforce initiatives that lead to community transformation.

Target audience - Leaders in the business, non-profit, government, and faith communities.

Event Agenda

8:00 Breakfast & Registration

8:40 Welcome
Martin Ross, MBA, Deputy Director of External Affairs, Partnerships & Workforce
Development, Health Education Council (HEC)

8:45 The Health Wealth Connection
Debra Oto-Kent, MPH, Founder & Executive Director, Health Education Council (HEC)

8:55 Workforce Development Impact through Faith Communities
Christa Armstead, Care Pastor, Midtown Church

9:05 Bridging the Gap - A Data Informed Approach to Solutions
Erica Manuel, CEO & Executive Director, Institute for Local Government (ILG)

9:25 Earn While You Learn - Discovering Careers Through Apprenticeships
Moderator: Dr. Jeffrey Mrizek, Ed.D., MBA, Principal of Mrizek Global, LLC
Panelists: 
Dr. Arrickia McDaniel, EdD, LCSW, MSW, Clinical Director, STRIVE Community Health
Josef Preciado, MPPA, Economic & Small Business Development Representative, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD); Susan Yates, Northern/Central California Operations Lead, California Transit Works; Laura Thompson, Deputy Regional Director of Strategic Partnerships, California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Apprenticeship Standards; Yuhi Aizawa Combatti, Director of Workforce Development, Associated General Contractors (AGC) of California

10:10 Geo Mapping for Workforce Accessibility
Matthew Newsome, Director, Workforce Development and Education, Building Careers Foundation (BCF)

10:40 Cultivating Successful Training Partnerships
Ira Ayers, Workforce Development Planner I, Sacramento Employment Training Agency (SETA)

11:00 From Adversity to Achievement-Overcomers that Inspire
Moderator: Crystal Sheffield, MA, CEO, Crystal Yvonne Consulting, LLC & Director & Founder of the Sacramento Area Reentry Collaborative (SARC)
Panelists: 
Michael Love, Outreach Coordinator, SSP II - Project Rebound, Sacramento State; Christi Martin, Business Account Manager II, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO); Yki Vallery, Hope and Redemption Team (HART) Life Coach, Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC); Rome Rodriguez, Student, Build Strong Academy

11:35 Break & Lunch

12:00 Keynote Presentation - Fair Chance Hiring 101: Leveraging Justice-Impacted
Talent in Your Hiring Strategy
Damany Fisher, Ph.D., One Flight Up Consulting

12:40 From Intent to Impact: Executive Views on Removing Workplace Barriers
Moderator: Gordon Fowler, Founder & CEO, 3fold Communications 
Dr. Fozia Ferozali, Ed.D, System Director, Academic Partnerships and Accredited Continuing Education, Sutter Health; Anette Smith, Founder & Principal Consultant, Impact Group Enterprises LLC; Kelly Bennet, Founder & CEO, Community HealthWorks

1:30 Closing Remarks