Local Board Members

The Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board (PBWDB) a local workforce development board, approved by the State of Arizona and charged with providing strategic guidance and direction for federal, state, and local workforce development funds and programs. The PBWDB oversees a network of public and private partners, to coordinate a cohesive strategy for talent development within the city.

Audrey Bohanan, Chair

Chief People Officer, Adelante Healthcare

Ms. Bohanan was privileged to join the Workforce Development Board in January of 2015. She is currently the Chief People Officer Adelante Healthcare a Federally Qualified Community Health Center with 9 Health Centers serving patients in Maricopa County. In this role she oversees all human resources functions for the organization. Her areas of responsibility include recruitment , benefits, compensation, employee relations, training and employee development. Mrs. Bohanan received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI and a Masters of Human Resources from Keller Graduate School of Management in Phoenix, AZ. She is a results-oriented Human Resource professional with extensive experience in the Employee Benefits Health Care industry. Prior to joining Adelante Healthcare she held leadership roles at Go Daddy and CIGNA Healthcare. Ms. Bohanan served in a variety of Director level roles from National Accounts, Quality, Customer Advocacy and Employee Benefits. These roles have strengthened her commitment to the health and wellness, recruitment, retention development of the workforce in the community we serve.

Michael Hale, Vice-Chair

EVP & Chief Strategy Officer, Arizona Federal Credit Union

Michael Hale has been with the Arizona Federal Credit Union for 10 years. In his current capacity, as the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, he is no stranger to strategizing the credit union advance as he previously served in various leadership capacities since 1975, including President and CEO of Andrews Federal Credit Union for over 12 years. Mr. Hale’s hard work has been recognized numerous times in the industry as he has received many accolades and recognition in the community including a Bronze Star while serving in the U.S. Army. Mr. Hale has a degree in Business Management and serves on many community organizations and professional boards and commissions. He has been honored with a Scholarship in his name “The Michael Hale Scholarship- Leader, Mentor, & Friend” by the 100 Black Men of Phoenix and the Arizona Federal Credit Union. “It is an honor to be a member of the PBWD Board in service to the community that I live and work in. I aspire to add to the Valley’s destiny of becoming a mecca for attracting, enhancing and retaining an increasingly productive workforce. This will in turn attract more new business to the Valley and increase the commitment of our current businesses. I’m confident that we can do this ethically, timely in a mutually beneficial way for our local constituencies (workforce, families business and government).” –Michael Hale

Daniel Barajas

Director, Industry Partnerships, Maricopa County Community Colleges

Daniel Barajas comes to the Maricopa County Community Colleges District from Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona where he was most recently the Dean of Career and Technical Education for his last seven years there - leading occupational academic programming, continuing education & workforce development, and academic support services. Daniel spent nearly fourteen years at AWC during which time he was also an Associate Dean for Community and Educational Partnership, marrying educational opportunity to business and workforce need. Daniel also spent nearly ten years in the Pima Community College system where he worked for the Center for Training and Development, along with other roles in the Student Services area. In total Daniel brings twenty four years of post-secondary experience to job, collaborating with secondary, university, business and industry partners - in addition to economic development and one-stop systems. Daniel's formal education consists of an undergraduate degree in Business Management and Master's degree in post-secondary Educational Administration. Daniel also brings State leadership experience through a diversity of roles, and has formerly served as the President of the Arizona Occupational Administrators Council (AOAC). Since joining the Maricopa County Community Colleges District as the District Director for Community Partnership and Workforce Development in April of 2016, he has enjoyed affiliation with regional education and business and industry partners, with a recent appointment as Board Member for the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board.

Nick Bielinski

Direct Placement Services Manager, TEKsystems

Nicholas Bielinski currently serves as the Direct Placement Service Manager and Veteran Lead for the West Region for TEKsystems. Prior to TEKsystems, he served in the United States Air Force as an Information Security Analyst within the National Security Agency. After the service he completed his Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University, which he also served as the President of the Student Veterans Association. As of 2019, was elected as the Chairmen of the Pre-9/11 Military Family Relief Fund and inducted into the 2019 Arizona Industry Fellowship Program. Now with TEKsystems he partners with companies in the Phoenix Market focused on Workforce Development in Technology Delivery, Services and Training. In addition, he focus’ on Inclusion & Diversity for TEKsystems with various veteran programs like the Pat Tillman Foundation, Arizona Corporate Council on Veteran Careers, VetsInTech & TEKletics here in Arizona for TEKsystems.

Susan Cardillo

Corporate Director of Community Outreach, Ultrasound Institute Medical Group and West Coast Ultrasound Institute

Susan Ciardullo is Corporate Director of Community Outreach for the Ultrasound Institute Medical Group and West Coast Ultrasound Institute. Between the two organizations she represents three college campuses and three low cost community clinics in California and Arizona, offering degrees in medical imaging and nursing and medical imaging services to the community. She is proud to represent small business as a member of the City of Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board. In addition to her work on the PWBDB Business Engagement committee, Susan represents the healthcare industry and the postsecondary education industry in several capacities. She is a Commissioner and Chair of the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education. She represents Veteran Supportive Campuses on the Advisory Board to the Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans Services. She participates in the Phoenix Health Care Sector Partnership. Finally she serves on the planning committee for the WIOA Training EXPO as President of the Arizona Private School Association's Board of Directors. Susan has a Masters in Business Administration from Marquette University.

Latasha Causey

Head of Recruiting, U-Haul

Latasha Causey is the Head of Recruiting for all U-Haul international locations in both the United States and Canada. Latasha leads a team of recruiters who focus on finding the right talent to work in multiple areas of the U-Haul organization; to include Information Technology, Call Center, Manufacturing and various roles within the Arizona Corporate Headquarters. Latasha has over 20 years’ experience in Recruiting and Human Resources. Prior to joining U-Haul Latasha worked for 12 years at USAA’s North Phoenix Campus. Holding various leadership roles, responsible for strengthening USAA's brand in the Phoenix market and leading corporate social responsibility. During her tenure she was also part of the HR Talent Acquisition team, supporting and leading recruitment efforts across all USAA locations. Latasha has also worked for Charles Schwab and Wells Fargo in various Human Resource leadership roles, having a vast knowledge of the HR and Recruiting fields. Latasha holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Arizona State University, Master of Arts Degree with a concentration in Organizational Management and Professional Human Resources certification (PHR). Latasha is married to her wonderful husband Sullivan; they have two beautiful boys, Sullivan III and Maysn. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and enjoying the Arizona sun. Latasha is very active in the Phoenix community, she serves on the Teach for America of Arizona, Florence Crittenton, Children’s Museum of Phoenix and Charter 100 Board of Directors. She is also the co-chair of the Valley of the Sun United Way, Women United leadership group.

Steven Cramer

Vice President of Operations and Client Services, Newbridge Technology Solutions, LLC

Steven has been a leader in the contact center industry for over 25 years, leading both domestic and international sites increasing productivity and quality through streamlined processes, procedures, and technology. His ability to successfully lead and manage a customer-centric organization reflects his comprehensive understanding of the Contact Center industry including Workforce Management, Billing Services, Client Retentions, Account Management, IT Support Services and Global Site Management. Through his organizations and industry leadership, he advocates for the advanced development of the contact center industry through effective training and education within local communities. These efforts reflect in his leadership in national, state, and local organizations. Steven’s leadership positions include: Sr. VP Global Operations: Newbridge Technology Solutions President: North American Customer Service Management Assn. (NACSMA) Board Member: International Customer Service Association (ICSA) Board Member: Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board Advisory Board Member: Gateway Community College Co-Chair: City of Phoenix Advanced Business Service Committee (ABS) Mentor, Business Professional: W.P. Carey School of Business Advisory Board Member: Maricopa Community College Committee Member: Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED)

Jan Davis

Assistant Program Manager, AZ Dept. of Economic Security Dept. of Employment and Rehabilitation

Jan Davis is the Title IV, Vocational Rehabilitation, Core Partner Board Member. Jan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, concentration in deviance and statistical inference, from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and also completed her Master’s in Education, Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling with a focus on employment, business and industry, at the same institution. Jan has almost 10 years in employment and training programs in Rhode Island and Michigan, and then focused her employment on employment and training for special needs populations after completing her Master’s Degree. She has been a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Missouri, Iowa and Arizona, and moved into supervision in Iowa for almost 20 years, before relocating to Arizona where she is currently Region 1 Program Manager for Arizona Rehabilitation Services. Jan served as a charter member to the Regional Workforce Board in Iowa, and is honored to now serve the City of Phoenix Workforce Development Board.

Nick DePorter

Sr. U.S. Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager, LinkedIn

Nick DePorter’s professional experience includes government affairs, higher education leadership and community development. Nick is the Sr. U.S. Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager at LinkedIn. He is responsible for partnering with policymakers and community stakeholders to create economic opportunity for every member of the workforce. Nick served as an elected Councilmember for the Town of Fountain Hills, AZ from 2014-2018. He currently serves on the Arizona State University - Career and Professional Development Services Advisory Board and as Chair of the City of Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board. Nick holds a BA in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Arizona State University.

Ali Gamero-Hernandez

Phoenix Area Manager, AZ Dept. of Economic Security Dept. of Employment and Rehabilitation

Ali Gamero-Hernandez serves as Program Manager with the Department of Economic Security, Reemployment Assistance Administration. Ali has oversight of the Title III Employment Service program supporting a variety of employment related activities including Veteran services and reemployment services to unemployment insurance claimants. In addition to serving the workforce and business community, she stays busy enjoying time with her husband and two children. Ali earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Grand Canyon University.

Kaaren-Lyn Graves

Senior Business Consultant, Phoenix MBDA Business Center

Kaaren-Lyn Graves, is a Senior Business Consultant with the Phoenix MBDA Business Center, and also serves as a technical/proposal writer for the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Kaaren has proudly served the public and private sectors for twenty five (25) years. During this time, she held leadership positions which leveraged her technical and business writing expertise, project management skills, and overall operations management. Kaaren has numerous achievements and career highlights. While working for the Phoenix MBDA Business Center, she was a contributor to the office being named one of the top performing offices in the United States out of 44 centers nationwide. She has also been able to work on a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure and expansion project in California which will impact multiple communities. While working for the State of Arizona (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)), she developed financial forecasting documents resulting in awarded grants, general funds, and monetary awards ranging from $935 thousand dollars to $4 million dollars. She has also created numerous documents consisting of resumes, capability statements, business plans, and marketing documents for her clients worldwide. Kaaren has earned degrees in research and development (“R&D”) and communications with an emphasis in technical writing. She was also certified in biomedical research investigators, Native American research, and social & behavioral research investigations.

Travis Hardin

Communications Consultant, Wells Fargo

Travis Hardin is a native of Columbia, TN., and a Communications Consultant /Assistant Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank & Co. With more than 15 years of leadership experience, learning and sales development Travis continues to implement and execute initiatives which meet the needs of the community. Travis believes he is best served by not sitting back and counting his blessings but by sharing them. Travis lives in Laveen with his wife Sharkea and their daughter Nia. He received a BA from Aquinas College. Travis was elected to the Board in 2013.

Brenda Schmidt

Founder and Executive Chairman, Solera Health Founder and CEO, AVALx

Ms. Schmidt joined the Workforce Development Board in January 2020. She is a social entrepreneur, educator, advisor and board member focused on using technology to drive healthcare transformation. Ms. Schmidt is the founder & Executive Chairman of Solera Health, a technology platform that helps people holistically manage their health by matching them to a curated network of community organizations paid for outcomes through medical claims. She is also the co-founder and CEO of AVALx, a healthcare mutual membership market exchange that aligns payors to invest in interventions with long return horizons, including social determinants of health. She has received numerous awards, including the MedTech Breakthrough Award for “Best MedTech CEO” in 2018, a 2019 finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and was named by Becker’s Hospital Review as a “Woman Health IT Leaders to Know” in 2019. She serves on the boards of the AZ Bioindustry Association, the StartUpAZ Foundation, and teaches entrepreneurship at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service and is an Entrepreneur in Residence for the Arizona Commerce Authority. Ms. Schmidt received her Bachelors of Science from Indiana University, her Masters of Science from the University of Wisconsin, and her MBA from the Arizona State University WP Carey School of Business.

Michelle Jameson

U.S. Vets - Phoenix - Director

Michelle is the Executive Director for U.S.VETS-Phoenix, a national leader in providing housing, employment and other critical services to veterans, in this position, she oversees the agency’s fiscal and program operations. As a daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, Michelle understands the need and importance to provide a variety of supportive programs for veterans to ensure a successful and supportive integration into civilian life. Michelle has extensive experience in executive-level management, non-profits and education. She has served on a numerous boards working in support of homelessness, education, advocacy and employment. Michelle holds a Master’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, and obtains an Arizona Principal Certification. In her career she has worked as an Education Division Social Services Manager, a School Administrator where she was responsible for development, design and oversight of multiple school programs. Her other positions held include being a Biology & Physical Science Teacher, an Adult Basic Education Instructor and a Training Facilitator for the Family Literacy Network. Michelle currently is a Board Member on the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board and is an active member of the following committees: Maricopa Continuum of Care Committee, Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness Legislative Advocacy and the Unified Arizona Veterans.

Jesus Love

Executive Director, Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa

Jesús Love is the Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County, a community based 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that provides free educational services to adults who desire to learn to read, obtain the High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma, or communicate in English. Upon graduating from Georgetown University, Jesús returned to Mexico where he worked for two large commercial banks, supervising emerging markets and managing international operations. At the advent of the .com boom, Jesús moved to Tucson where he co-founded an e-investment firm servicing foreign national clientele desiring to trade in the U.S. financial markets. He left this successful venture and moved to Phoenix and joined US Bank helping with the expansion from four to sixty-seven branches during his thirteen-year tenure. He lives in Phoenix with his wife Andrea and their teenagers Isabel and Ian. Jesús has always held a deep sense of community and has been involved in educational and philanthropic organizations which currently include Ss. Simon & Jude Cathedral, Phoenix Conservatory of Music, St. Mary’s High School, the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board, and the Georgetown University Alumni Admissions.

Jenna Kohl

Executive Director, DC Ranch Community Council

Jenna Kohl, Executive Director, DC Ranch Community Council Jenna Kohl has served as the Executive Director for DC Ranch Community Council since February 2018; prior to that, she was the Community Executive Officer for the Anthem Community Council. She also served as an Assistant Village Manager in Illinois, focusing on operations, economic development, and communications. In her current role, she engages with residents and local businesses to enhance a sense of community and high quality of life, through public advocacy and collaboration with municipal and state partners. Ms. Kohl oversees development of the commercial and corporate centers, community amenities (including two community centers, parks, and over 35 miles of paths and trails), events and programming, communications and marketing, and charitable activities. She was instrumental in forming the Anthem Youth Advisory Council and has served as a mentor for over fifteen years. Ms. Kohl has served on boards and advisory councils for educational institutions and as a volunteer for the City of Scottsdale, and is a graduate of the FBI Citizen’s Academy and the Scottsdale Water Citizen Academy. She strongly believes that workforce development is critical to sustaining the Phoenix area as a highly desirable place for businesses to invest. She is particularly devoted to supporting development of our future workforce – students and youth, and is excited to be part of the impactful work of the PBWD Board. Ms. Kohl has a masters in public administration from Northern Illinois University, and is a credentialed manager through the International City/County Management Association.

Janice Mrkonjic

Director of Corporate Partnerships with Maricopa Corporate College

Janice Mrkonjic is a Director of Corporate Partnerships with Maricopa Corporate College (MCOR) which was established by the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) to deliver high-impact training and development solutions for business, industry associations, and government. She is passionate about elevating workforce and economic development initiatives through education and professional development programs synchronized with recruiting, retaining, and retraining strategies led by HR professionals for business success. Drawing on leadership roles from her diverse career background with business, academia, and nonprofits, she helps others succeed as they embrace challenges, develop their strengths, and build resilience to achieve their potential. Her credentials include a M.Ed. in adult education and eLearning coupled with a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Janice is honored to represent Higher Education on the City of Phoenix Business and Workforce Development (PBWD) Board and will continue to serve on the Business Engagement Committee. She also serves on the SHRM Greater Phoenix Chapter Board as Chair of Community Partnership Committee.

Brandon Ramsey

Business Sales Specialist, Microsoft Store

Brandon Ramsey graduated from Kent State University in Kent, OH with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. Immediately after college he moved to Memphis, TN where he worked for the Memphis Redbirds, AAA affiliate to the St. Louis Cardinals, even though he is a Cincinnati Reds fan. Then with one message on AOL Instant Messenger, he made the move to Phoenix, AZ only knowing one person. Having a hard time finding a job, he walked into the YMCA to present them with his resume that included extensive experience in sports programming. This lead to being hired in their sports department. While at the YMCA he met the associate director for Mosaic, national non-profit supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, later became their Community Relations Manager. This experience changed his perspective and approach to connecting with people and community. After four years, Brandon transitioned to MidFirst Bank to manage their community programs and sponsorship activation before stepping into his current position at Microsoft as the Business Sales Specialist. He sits on the Microsoft Market Activation Initiative cabinet (formally CityNext) along with working throughout different Microsoft organizations including: Education, State and Local Government, Enterprise, SMB, and Data Center. During his career, he has sat on several non-profits boards, most recently, Homeless Youth Connection, and he is currently the president of the Kent State alumni chapter of Arizona. “I am truly humbled by the opportunity to sit on the City of Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board. My diverse career provided incredible experiences, allowed me to meet some amazing people, and to continue to impact the communities I live and work. Now my focus is to build on the amazing work this board has already accomplished.”

Melissa Trujillo

Co-founder and President/CEO, Be A Leader Foundation

Melissa Trujillo is Co-founder and President/CEO of the Be A Leader Foundation which she and her husband created in 2002. The Foundation is a platform for young aspiring students and serves as an incubator to develop academic and leadership skills required of elementary and high school students to become college bound, focused and prepared. Melissa has been a steward of education throughout her life and started focusing on helping underprivileged youth with her husband in 1991. As a couple, they committed themselves to helping provide much needed technology in the Roosevelt School District and ultimately created the Roosevelt Community Technology Center to provide free access to computers for all members of the Roosevelt Community. Melissa and her husband, Gary, focus primarily on creating and building the Be A Leader Foundation to support aspiring youth to obtain a college education. Be A Leader is focused on providing college-going programs for over 8,000 students in high need school districts within the Phoenix community. She is an avid supporter of promoting the need to obtain a college education and to provide the mentorship and guidance needed to those who, like herself, must achieve it on their own. Melissa received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, Magna Cum Laude, from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. She and her husband, Gary, reside in Central Phoenix and have two children, Alexander and Sophia.

Dean Van Kirk

Training Director and Apprenticeship Coordinator, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 469

Dean has been a member of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 469 for over 30 years is currently serving as the Training Director and Apprenticeship Coordinator. In this role he oversees the five-year apprenticeship program for 500 apprentices and upgrade training for more than 3000 journeyman members at Local 469’s state of the art Training Center, located near 29th Avenue and Thomas Rd. in Phoenix. Dean has a long history of mentoring and training young adults and believes that the apprenticeship program should not only train people for the workplace, but also provide them with life skills in areas such as time management, personal finance, and leadership. When Dean’s not at the Training Center, he is usually spending time with his wife Lisa, their 9 children, and 7 grandchildren.

Bethany Woodard

HR Consultant/Founder

Bethany Woodard has worked informally in partnership with the City of Phoenix in previous years and was honored to join the Workforce Development Board in late 2017. She is currently the Founder of The MADDOX Group, an independent consulting firm focused on HR, culture and corporate social responsibility as well as a full time Community Engagement Leader for Thrivent Financial. In both of these roles, she has the ability to bridge together community partners, nonprofit organizations and members of the public to align their personal and corporate visions to their social missions in order to create more thoughtful and intentional impact. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Arizona State University and has pursued graduate studies and professional development from The University of Phoenix and Stanford Center for Professional Development in the areas of Organizational Development, Innovation, Emotional Intelligence and Compassion Research. As a partner of the Global Charter for Compassion, founded by Karen Armstrong and awarded by TED, Bethany is a part of a global mission to create more awareness and education to the public on compassionate action in the community for the advancement of society. She has worked to develop relationships with several private corporations and public foundations to collaborate and advise on sustainable solutions to ending poverty and increasing workforce and educational opportunities to Arizona's most vulnerable populations.

Erick Garcia

Human Resources Program Manager, Banner Health

Erick Garcia currently serves as a Human Resources Program Manager for Diversity and Inclusion at Banner Health. In this role, he has oversight of initiatives that impact not only the enterprise, but the communities we serve. With a strong focus on diversified sourcing, consulting on inclusive hiring practices and policies, and engaging our workforce to tackle health disparities across the state, Erick is passionate about strengthening our workforce and community. Erick believes that the work he does at Banner Diversity and Inclusion is not just about the destination, but the journey. As an Arizona native, Erick received his B.S. in Kinesiology from Arizona State University and an M.S. in Health Care Administration from Grand Canyon University. Joining Banner through the Administrative Fellowship Program, Erick was able to develop educational programs for all team members, elevate recruitment and sourcing strategies for the fellowship program and engage our team with large scale events which led him to his current role. Erick is proud to represent Banner Health on the Phoenix Business Workforce Development board as a representative for healthcare.