READ THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: PEER Academy Cohort Participants Announced

MEET THE COHORT: 

Rana Al-Igoe (she/her/hers)

Oakland80 Administrator
Oakland County
MICHIGAN

Rana has served as the Oakland80 Administrator for the past three years. Oakland80 is an initiative with an ambitious goal of having 80% of working-age Oakland County residents obtain a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030. In this role, Rana is responsible for developing strategies to implement the Oakland80 objectives, establishing performance measures, and managing the projects and budget. She is also responsible for building collaborative relationships with workforce development leaders, post-secondary and K-12 educators, businesses, and other partners to support the Oakland80 initiative.

Prior to this position, Rana spent over 20 years in workforce development, supporting employers and job seekers throughout Southeast Michigan. She began her career with Washtenaw County, eventually becoming the Workforce Development Policy and Operations Officer. In this role, Rana helped develop and oversee programs across Washtenaw County. Later, she worked at SEMCA as a Workforce Programs Manager and at the Workforce Intelligence Network of Southeast Michigan (WIN) as the Director of Work-Based Learning. At SEMCA, Rana oversaw numerous federal and state grants covering out-Wayne and Monroe Counties. At WIN, Rana managed two multi-million, multi-year regional grants from the Department of Labor. She has a degree in Architectural Engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology.

Gregory Anderson (he/him/his)

Director, Goodwill Flip the Script Empowerment Programs
Goodwill of Greater Detroit
MICHIGAN

Greg Anderson is a human services executive and contributor to the empowerment of residents impacted by generational poverty, the criminal justice system, unequitable access to resources and trauma leading to poor social determinants of health. His expertise is often sought after for programmatic solutions to community issues such as community safety, community-based crime reduction and connecting diverse populations to workforce development opportunities.

Greg has worked in various sectors, including corporate, government and non-profit human services. Prior to joining Goodwill of Greater Detroit in January 2023, Greg was the executive director of a City of Detroit, Mayor‚ Office initiative to assist vulnerable and disconnected residents with securing basic needs and improving their economic mobility and quality of life. He designed the Progressive Based Spending‚ model, a braided funding concept that leverages federal funding (restrictive) and philanthropic funding (unrestrictive) to move households from crisis to stability. In 2021, this model provided $1.2M in assistance, impacting 2,500 residents and is projected to assist another 14,250 residents over the next three years.

Greg previously worked for Goodwill's Flip the Script program as a project coordinator, during which time he assisted 100+ justice involved residents with gaining employment in the welding industry, resulting in $4.5M ($1.5 million annually) in earned wage revenue for graduating participants. He recently led the expansion of the Flip the Script program into Oakland County celebrating its grand opening in January of 2024.

Greg is a graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Employment and Labor Relations. He is excited to utilize his expertise to continue leading Flip the Script through regional expansion. Greg is a board member of the Michigan League of Public Policy, co-chair of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee and co-chair of the Aetna Communities Cares Team and Goodwill of Greater Detroit's Community Health Council for Justice Impacted Resident in Southeastern Michigan. His mission in life is to assist people of all ages and demographics with activating and achieving their full potential.

Jeremy Besch (he/him)

Managing Director
Per Scholas
NEW YORK

Jeremy Besch has spent his career facilitating movement through difficult challenges, and has developed a talent for building creative approaches to problems of both wide scale and minute detail. A Progressive educator, Servant Leader, and Agile problem solver, Jeremy is comfortable in environments that are hampered by obstacles and need change. Honest, accurate assessments, tough, direct conversations, and workable approaches to the way forward are all foundational to Jeremy's practice.

More than two decades of leadership in schools, state-wide, regional, and local collaboratives, and a master degree in Innovation and Change Leadership have all seasoned Jeremy's ability to provide guidance and direction across complicated landscapes. As founder of Stone Bench Consulting, Jeremy spent his recent years helping local non-profits and human services orgs discover new pathways around old obstacles, and build strategies that foster strength and growth. His long career in crisis management, and in organizational & family support, has provided Jeremy with experience in building solutions to a multitude of diverse, complex problems, all while honoring the unique needs of those he serves.

A passion for preserving and honoring the diversity that defines us and history drives Jeremy's work. He has experience across many of the cultural and institutional intersections that are woven through the rich fabric of our shared past, present, and future. Through them, and through robust networks of like-minded community members, Jeremy believes we can make the world a better version of its current self.

Brianna Brazell (she/her)

Senior Director of Strategy and Operations
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan - Detroit Regional Workforce Partnership
MICHIGAN

Brianna Brazell is a workforce development professional with a decade of experience dedicated to supporting equitable and sustainable employment opportunities. Her diverse career spans the private sector, government, nonprofit organizations, and consultancy, providing her with a deep understanding of the complex and multifaceted challenges in workforce development. Brianna is deeply committed to harnessing the power of meaningful employment to drive positive change for families.

She holds an MBA and an MS from the University of Michigan, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Vassar College. Outside of her professional life, Brianna spends her time running a small animal sanctuary with her partner, two step-sons, and their beloved mini-menagerie.

Charisma DuBois (she/her/hers)

Director, Adult Workforce Program
The Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology
NEW YORK

Charisma DuBois is the Adult Workforce Director at the Buffalo Center for Arts & Technology (BCAT), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to "To provide opportunities for careers through the arts, technology and workforce development". BCAT offers cost-free programs designed to engage, build skills, and highlight new opportunities so that high school and adult students have the tools to build stable, hopeful, and financially secure futures.
DuBois oversees all aspects of the organization’s eight workforce development programs and classes including those in Allied Health, IT and Landscaping. She is be responsible for the strategic direction of the Adult Workforce Program, managing compliance requirements to meet state standards, building curriculum for new programs, and developing strategies for job placement pipelines for our students.

DuBois brings extensive background in Program Development and Management, Education, Teaching and in Leadership Development. Previous to joining BCAT Dubois was with Teach for America serving as Director of Alumni Leadership where she developed and managed alumni engagement and outreach as well as developed a number of programs designed to create and fill a leadership pipeline in the education sector. She also built significant coaching and leadership development experiences while at Teach for America. DuBois has teaching experience as an adjunct professor at Canisius College (now Canisius University), as well as teaching high school science at the Bushwick (now Brooklyn) School for Social Justice and The New York City Teaching Collaborative, both in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dubois holds a Master's in Education from St. John's University in New York City and a BA in Biology from Alfred University.

Britney Faulkner (she/her)

Senior Manager, Admissions and Site Operations
Per Scholas (Detroit)
MICHIGAN

Britney Faulkner is a life long Detroiter and graduate of The University of Michigan. A solutions-driven professional, who currently serves as the Senior Manager of Admissions and Site Operations for Per Scholas Detroit. Britney has a wealth of knowledge in education and workforce development. She is passionate about empowering her local community through education, resources; providing pathways to life-changing careers.

Karyn Goven (she/her/hers)

Sr. Director Workforce Development
MiSide formally Southwest Economic Solutions
MICHIGAN

Karyn Goven is the Director of Workforce Development at MiSide, located in Detroit, Michigan. She operates multiple programs that include Earn and Learn- job training, adult education WIOA Title II Learning Lab, Youth training programs including Youthbuild, and DOL Young Adult Reentry Bridge to Career Opportunities, an American Job Center, Detroit at Work Career Center and the Center for Working Families financial education, Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). Karyn is active in many community, state and national organizations and boards. Karyn is the VP for the state association, MACAE, Region 3 Representative as well as the Workforce Committee Chair for COABE, the Coalition of Adult and Basic Education, and the SIG leader for Adult Education for MiTESOL and is an alumni with the Aspen Center, Detroit Workforce Leadership Academy. She has experience in early education, alternative education and opened 9 learning labs in Detroit to help individuals upskill and move into education, training and employment opportunities.

Monique Martin-Johnson (she/her)

Project Manager
Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency
MICHIGAN

Monique Martin-Johnson is a native Detroiter with over 14 years of experience educating adults in the field of early childhood education and working with families in multicultural and multilingual environments.

She over sees the LEAP to Teach Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program as Project Manager at Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, a 2022 Crain's Best Managed Non-profit award winner in Wayne County MI.

Monique holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa and brings with her a well-rounded perspective as a counselor, facilitator, and advocator for access to resources and opportunities.

When Monique is not busy being an essential player in making system changes, she enjoys cycling, volleyball, and spending time with her six adult children.

Adrianne N. Morton (she/her)

Founding Director
Blue Lotus Consulting, LLC.
NEW YORK

Adrianne Morton, a dedicated solopreneur and founder of Blue Lotus Consulting, LLC, brings a wealth of expertise in grant writing, workforce development, and afterschool programming to the nonprofit sector. With a doctoral degree in Sociology of Education from the University at Buffalo, alongside a master's degree in Student Personnel Administration from Buffalo State University and a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts/Sociology from D’Youville University, Adrianne is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of education and social equity.

Adrianne’s extensive experience spans higher education and the nonprofit realm, positioning her as a sought-after grant consultant, compliance officer, capacity builder, and life coach. She has successfully engaged in the recruitment and retention of underserved student populations, grant writing and administration, as well as transitional leadership coaching.

In her work within the nonprofit sector, she has held various pivotal roles, including development officer and compliance officer, while also serving as a liaison to community groups. Her commitment extends to coaching new managers in capacity-building and program management, ensuring that organizational practices align with intended outcomes and community needs.

Adrianne is passionate about fostering collaboration and building partnerships across sectors. She works closely with her clients to identify and create opportunities that enhance services, particularly in the realms of workforce development, youth and senior services as well as community-based programming. Her goal is to empower nonprofits to maximize their impact and strengthen the communities they serve.

Jake Moskal (he/him)

Director of Employment
Journey’s End Refugee Services
NEW YORK

Jake Moskal is an experienced workforce development professional who is driven to make positive changes in the community he serves. He currently is the Director of Employment Services at Journey’s End Refugee Services. He oversees the department which is responsible for helping the refugee population in Buffalo become self-sufficient through gainful employment, job development, and job placement services. The department also provides extended case management services to refugees in the WNY area.

Prior to becoming the Director of Employment Services, he was the Career Services Manager at Jewish Family Services of Western New York managing a department that provided career development services for both refugees and individuals with disabilities.

He also has experience working as a Job Coach at Community Services for Every1 where he helped individuals with disabilities enter the workforce and maintain their positions. He is also a regular volunteer at the Little Portion Friary Shelter, and a board member for Mental Health Association of Niagara County. In his free time, he is a drummer in a local blues/rock band called Blues on Weck and is an avid fitness enthusiast.

Mr. Moskal graduated Magna Cum Laude from SUNY Albany with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Philosophy.

Lynisha Oliver (she/her)

Director Employer Engagement & Workforce Strategy
Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) - Detroit at Work (DAW)
MICHIGAN

Currently the Director Employee Engagement and Workforce Strategy for Detroit Employment Solutions (DESC), Lynisha directs the strategic and operational projects and alignment between Detroit area employers, specialized industry groups and collaboratives

Lynisha oversees the entire business services unit of the Detroit at Work system, inclusive of 9 business service centers which primary purpose is to connect Detroit job seekers with career coaching, supportive services and employment help, which reduces or removes barriers to sustainable employment and careers.

Aside from her core functions, Lynisha leads several efforts and partnerships to expand DESC’s branding, community reach, to attract and hire minority talent (POC, People with Disabilities, Justice Involved citizens).

With 20+ years of progressive HR experience, she's held significant roles and attained notable career achievements for change management, improving company culture, broadening diversity strategies for talent planning, attracting and retaining minority talent, and development programs which resulted in an increase in upward mobility for minorities, people with disabilities and women.

Lynisha serves on the Detroit Mayors Workforce Development Board (MWDB), which is comprised of private, public, education and philanthropic partners, who set the strategy for the workforce system and necessary policy changes, in addition to supporting industry partnerships and consulting employers on talent strategy.

Lynisha is passionate about philanthropy and community involvement. She currently serves on the executive board, of the Detroit Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she has for 12 years and is responsible for creating a strategic framework of social-economic programs and special initiatives which expressively benefits the residents in the cities of Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and Gross Pointe, Michigan.

Lynisha enjoys volunteering in the community, mentoring, traveling and sampling various cuisines. Loves to partake in thrilling excursions! She Resides in Detroit with her two sons Rashaad, a Wayne State University graduate and Ryan, a current Wayne State University engineering student.

Lynisha holds an MBA in Human Resources Management from Davenport University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration – Employment Law, from Baker College. She also holds a Lean Six Sigma- Yellow Belt certification.

Prior to joining DESC, Lynisha served as a Manager DEI for Consumers Energy, HR Expert DEI & HR Consultant for DTE Energy and served in various HR roles at Chrysler LLC: Talent Acquisition, Labor Relations, Employee Relations and Union Leadership in a manufacturing environment.

Kevonte Payton (he/Him)

Business Analytics and Reporting Analyst II
M&T Bank
NEW YORK

I am a young professional whose interest and job supports understanding business trends as it relates to labor and hiring needs with a deep passion and advocate for job mobility and economic security to those whose been historically overlooked before.  

Mary Ruelle (she/her/hers)

Higher Education Program Lead
TechBuffalo
NEW YORK

Mary Ruelle is the Higher Education Program Lead at TechBuffalo, a non-profit organization working to create an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable tech ecosystem in Western New York. Mary earned her BS in Marketing from Canisius University in 2014 and her MA in Higher Education Administration from Boston College in 2018. She has over 10 years of education and non-profit experience, and has worked at secondary schools, higher education institutions, and non-profits in Buffalo, Chicago, Boston, and Detroit.

Mary is the creator of the PowerUpTech program, Western New York’s only internship program focused on tech talent retention. This initiative is designed to augment local organization’s internship experience by elevating WNY as a premier place to live, work, and play through placed-based, community-oriented programming and collaborations with local employers. In only its second year, the 2024 PowerUpTech program has already scaled to 35 employer partners and 177 interns from 57 colleges and universities. Over the course of three signature events, we help summer interns discover Buffalo as a place to live, work, and play, develop their professional skills, and build a community and network that leads to opportunity.

Mary is a Buffalo, NY native and enjoys traveling, baking, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and cat.

Ken Toll (he/him/his)

Training Director
Michigan Workforce Development Institute (WDI), a nonprofit arm of Michigan AFL-CIO
MICHIGAN

Ken Toll joined the United Way of Jackson County staff in 2000, left in 2004 to lead the Development Department and Foundation of Jackson College, and returned as President & CEO of United Way in 2006. After a successful merger with two other United Ways in 2022, Toll left the United Way and joined the Workforce Development Institute as Director of Training.

His focus on collaboration and innovation has led to several significant United Way developments, including founding Central Michigan 2-1-1, Drug Free Jackson, the United Way Campus, and the JobSTAR Business Resource Network. He and his team developed a utility assistance program which provides low-income households across the state with access to financial support and programs to build financial stability. Ken also works to bring the benefits of technology to bear on human services; he served on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Advisory Board that guided development of the award-winning MI Bridges platform, was a founding member of the National 2-1-1 Leadership Group, and co-led the workgroup that developed the Jackson CARE Hub screening and referral tool.

Ken has served on the National 2-1-1 Leadership Board, was an active founder of Cradle 2 Career, the Financial Stability Network and Jackson Collaborative Networks, was featured as a United Way Worldwide Innovator, and co-chaired the Human Service Coordinating Alliance. His proudest achievement is winning the community’s Harold White Diversity Award in 2021.

A native of Jackson and proud Viking, Ken graduated from Kalamazoo College and spent time in Maine, Chicago and the Washington DC area before returning to Jackson to marry and raise his family. Working for Greenpeace, the state Special Needs Adoption Exchange, and a substance abuse treatment provider helped prepare Ken for the diverse challenges of leading a local United Way. While at Jackson College, Ken initiated two million-dollar endowed chairs, believed to be the first two ever developed at the community college level.

Ken is an appreciative husband to his wife Betty, with whom he raised three fantastic children. Jane works as a health educator for MSU Extension, Grace is pursuing an editorial career in Chicago, and Max will soon finish his Bachelor’s degree at MSU with a focus on environmental conservation. He is especially proud of his commitment to justice and diversity, and its growing efforts to ensure that WDI’s work builds equity and opportunity throughout communities across the state of Michigan.

Kelsey Wu (she/her/hers)

Director, Market Development
Opportunity@Work 
NEW YORK

As Director of Market Development, Kelsey Wu helps contextualize Opportunity@Work's national insights on STARs (workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes) for regions across the United States. Her partnership with local stakeholders equips leaders to craft and implement skills-first talent strategies that both advance economic mobility for local STARs and improve regional economic competitiveness.

Kelsey brings 15 years of experience scaling social enterprises and building partnerships that establish local, sustainable solutions that strengthen workplaces and move people toward better economic opportunities. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Kelly Zaky (she/her/hers)

Data Manager
Goodwill Industries of WNY
NEW YORK

As a data manager at Goodwill of Western New York, Kelly Zaky seeks to leverage data and research to support workforce initiatives across the WNY region. Since joining Goodwill in October 2022, Kelly has become an integral part of the workforce development team, supporting them in ensuring that their efforts are meticulously recorded and effectively communicated.

Kelly received her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work from the University at Buffalo, and has since been working among the intersection of these fields, finding herself in an organization who exemplifies the social innovation model. Her past experiences with nonprofits and direct client work has enabled her to gain the experience and insight needed to bring into her data work.

Kelly believes that the true power of data lies in uncovering the stories it tells. By weaving together insights from her diverse background, she is committed to driving positive change and supporting Goodwill's mission through strategic data management and analysis.