To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Katie Greaves (707) 565-8501
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Recommended Action:
Title
A) Approve the appointment of Ethan Brown, Audra Verrier, Michael Pickens, and Erin Carlson to the Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board for a one-year term beginning September 10, 2019, and ending September 10, 2020.
B) Approve the reappointment of Ed Barr, Judy Coffey, Nancy Emanuele, Kristina Holloway, Roy Hurd, Stephen Jackson, David Tam, and Pedro Toledo to the Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board for a two-year term beginning September 10, 2019, and ending September 10, 2021.
End
Executive Summary:
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Workforce Act) is a federal law designed to prepare youth and adults for entry into the labor force. The Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and its career center, Job Link, provide support to Sonoma County job seekers and business by providing services such as workshops and job fairs to connect those looking for work with businesses in need of workers.
The Workforce Act requires all local regions to create a board comprised of local business and community members to oversee and implement the Workforce Act. The Workforce Act requires the appointment of a policy oversight body, and the Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board serves in this capacity for Sonoma County. As required by the Workforce Act, this board item seeks the appointment and reappointment of Workforce Investment Board members.
Discussion:
Membership Criteria and Process for Recommending Members for Appointment
The Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) serves as the policy oversight body for Sonoma County employment and training programs. In accordance with the written agreement between the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the WIB, the WIB reviews and approves candidates’ applications for membership and forwards its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for final approval and appointment.
The WIB consists of member categories in compliance with Workforce Act regulation. Business seats, which must make up the majority of the WIB, are comprised of:
- Representatives of business in the Local Area who are either owners, chief executives, or operating officers
- Those who represent businesses that provide employment opportunities that include high-quality, work-relevant training and development in in-demand industry sectors or occupations
- Those who are appointed from among individuals nominated by local business organizations and business trade associations
With the approval of Erin Carlson, there will be 16 Business Seats on the WIB representing 55% of the Board.
Not less than 20% of the members of each Local Board must be representatives of the Workforce within the Local Area, including:
- Representatives of labor organizations, apprenticeships, community based organizations that have experience and expertise in addressing the employment needs of individuals with barriers to employment
- Representatives of organizations that have demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the employment, training, or education needs of youth
Within the Workforce Representative category, a minimum of 15% of the seats must represent labor organizations. There are currently 7 Workforce Representative Member Seats on the WIB, constituting 21% of the Board. Four of these seats represent Labor, constituting 13% of the Board. The WIB received two Labor resignations in the last quarter and is actively recruiting new Labor members.
Each Local Board must include representatives of entities administering education and training activities, including:
- Those administering adult education and literacy activities
- Representatives of institutions of higher education, including community colleges
- Representatives of local educational agencies and community-based organizations addressing the education or training needs of individuals with barriers to employment
With the approval of Audra Verrier, there will be 2 Education and Training Seats on the WIB.
Each Local Board must include representatives of governmental and economic and community development entities, including:
- A representative of economic and community development entities
- An appropriate representative from the State employment service office
- An appropriate representative of the programs carried out under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Representatives of agencies administering transportation, housing, and public assistance programs
- Representatives of philanthropic organizations serving the Local Area
There are currently 2 Governmental and Economic and Community Development Seats on the WIB. The appointment of Ethan Brown will bring this up to 3.
The WIB seeks Business members who have expertise in Sonoma County’s important or emerging employment sectors such as health care, hospitality, and the building and trades. Applications are reviewed by the WIB’s Executive Committee and are then recommended to the Board of Supervisors for appointment. Current members in good standing are recommended for reappointment at the end of their term.
Efforts to fill the WIB seats are ongoing through referrals from current members and outreach to businesses, public, workforce, and private nonprofit organizations. The Human Services Department also works closely with the Economic Development Board to identify business members appropriate for the business seats on the WIB.
New Member Appointments
The WIB Executive Committee recommends the following appointments: Erin Carlson to fill a Business Seat; Audra Verrier to fill an Education Seat; Michael Pickens to fill a Labor/Workforce Representative Seat; and Ethan Brown to fill a Governmental, Economic, and Community Development Seat.
Erin Carlson is the Executive Director of Sunrise Senior Living of Petaluma. She is responsible for the day- to-day operations as well as assisting the company with ideas to resolve the workforce issues it is facing in Sonoma County, which include housing, transportation, and child care. Erin thrives on problem solving and was inspired to join the WIB to offer innovative ideas.
Audra Verrier is the Career Center Coordinator at Sonoma State University. She supports the future workforce in our county and local region. She has almost 15 years of experience in administration of programs and services that support adult learning and development to increase education, skills, and knowledge to enhance professional lives. She is also an advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity.
Michael Pickens is the District Representative for Operating Engineers Local 3, having been a member for over 20 years. He is a heavy equipment mechanic/welder by trade and a graduate of the Operating Engineers Local 3 apprenticeship program. He has been a Union representative for over a decade. Michael will apply his wealth of knowledge from his experience working at the Local 3 training center as an instructor and apprentice coordinator to workforce issues.
Ethan Brown is a Program Manager for the Sonoma County Economic Development Board. As a primary point of contact for local government, business, and community partners, he manages community economic development and redevelopment programs including business attraction and retention programs, nonprofit grants management, contract administration, business technical assistance services, microenterprise development, economic development finance, revolving loan fund administration, improvement programs, project management, budgeting and analysis, public policy development, and workforce development training programs.
Member Reappointments
Staff recommends reappointment of Ed Barr, Judy Coffey, Nancy Emanuele, Kristina Holloway, Roy Hurd, Stephen Jackson, David Tam, and Pedro Toledo to the WIB:
Ed Barr is President of P & L Specialties and the Tom Beard Company which produce, respectively, wine making equipment and wine barrel cleansing equipment. He has been an active member of the WIB since 2002. He was chair of the WIB for two terms from 2003-2004 and 2008-2010. He fills a Business seat.
Judy Coffey is the former Senior Vice President/Area Manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Marin-Sonoma service area. She was the chief executive responsible for the operations of both the Santa Rosa and San Rafael Medical Centers with nearly 250,000 members. An active member of the community, Judy has been involved at all levels with the American Heart Association and is currently a member of their National Emergency Cardiovascular Care Board. She also serves as a member of the North Bay Hospital Council, Workforce Investment, Empire College, United Way of the Wine Country, and Rebuild North Bay boards. Judy has served on the WIB since 2000. She was chair of the WIB from 2004-2006 and she fills a Community Member seat.
Nancy Emanuele is the Principal for the Petaluma Adult School. As a One-Stop Partner, she is a member of the Adult Education Consortium created under AB 86. Petaluma Adult School provides education and training to 1,500 individuals annually with programs ranging from high school diploma completion and family literacy to computer skills and apprenticeship training. Their mission is to provide high quality instruction to our diverse community of adult learners to achieve family, workforce, and personal goals. Nancy has served on the WIB since 2018 and fills an Education and Training seat.
Kristina Holloway is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Healdsburg District Hospital. She has been with Healdsburg District Hospital since 2012 and has over 26 years of experience in strategic, tactical, and operational Human Resources management. Kristina earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and an M.S. in Organizational Development from the University of San Francisco. She has been certified as a Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) since 2000. She has served on the WIB since 2010 and fills a Business seat.
Roy Hurd has been involved in private education and school administration for more than 40 years, the past 30 years as President of Empire College in Santa Rosa. Roy is past Chairman of the Board of the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, Business Education Round Table, and was chair of the WIB from 2006-2008. In 2007, Roy was the recipient of the Sonoma County Spirit of Sonoma Award, which recognized his contributions to the WIB. In 2011, Roy was inducted into the Hall of Fame awarded by the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools. He has served on the WIB since 2000 and fills a Business seat.
Stephen Jackson is the Director Career Technical Education (CTE) Partnerships for the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE). He oversees all aspects of the county-level effort to support districts and schools to develop and provide high quality CTE programs for high school students in Sonoma County. Stephen has worked in education for 27 years, including 12 years as a business and technology instructor at Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa. He has served on the WIB since 2005 and fills a Workforce Representative/Education seat.
David Tam is the North Bay Workforce Services Cluster Manager for Sonoma, Marin, Napa, and Solano Counties for the California Employment Development Department. He is on the Workforce Investment Boards for all four counties as a representative from the State employment services office, as required under the Wagner-Peyser Act. David has served on the WIB since 2018 and fills a required Governmental, Economic, and Community Development seat on the Board.
Pedro Toledo is the Chief Administrative Officer for Petaluma Health Center. He also serves on the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Heath Committee of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, and the Santa Rosa Junior College Health Workforce Roundtable. His involvement with health-related interests in the community contributes to the WIB’s connection with this important sector of Sonoma County’s economy. Pedro has served on the WIB since 2010 and fills a Business seat.
Prior Board Actions:
March 12, 2019: Reappointed nine members to the Workforce Investment Board.
October 23, 2018: Appointed two new members and reappointed two members to the Workforce Investment Board.
September 11, 2018: Reappointed four members to the Workforce Investment Board.
May 22, 2018: Appointed three new members to the Workforce Investment Board, and reappointed four members to the Workforce Investment Board.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
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Attachments:
Proposed Workforce Investment Board Membership Roster
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Member Contract Info