April Tech Talent Denver Meeting

Description

Join us at the Aurora Satellite Workforce Center as we examine sector partnerships and collective action as well as share what we've been up to with our Tech Talent Denver Resource Hub.  

AGENDA 

11:00am Registration & Networking

11:30am Opening Remarks

11:40am Tech Talent Denver Updates

11:50am Sector Partnership & Collective Impact Panel Discussion 

12:40p    Closing Remarks 

12:45p    Networking 

1:00p      Meeting Concludes

Arapahoe/Douglas Works -Workforce Center|14980 East Alameda Dr. Aurora, CO 80012 

Tech Talent Denver strives to create a space where industry leaders and community partners can come together to address and begin solving some of our tech industry’s most pressing challenges. With a focus on addressing talent needs in the Denver Metro Region, we will support a thriving information and technology industry by generating discussion and action amongst industry leaders. We will also collaborate with community and regional partners to support, educate, develop, and train a viable tech workforce. 

Tech Talent Denver is led by co-chairs Rolf Kramer, Senior Market Director of Colorado and Arizona at Akkodis, and Sarah Herzog, Senior Director of Strategy & Collaboration at Ardent Mills. Tech Talent Denver is co-convened with Denver Economic Development & Opportunity, and Arapahoe/Douglas Works!  Thank you to our sponsor, Western Governors University!

Tech Talent Denver Action Group Updates: 

              Julia Costin, Co-Founder & COO, Cyber Qubits; Tech Talent Denver Resource Action Group Leader

Martín Mutilva, VP of Technology, Globant; Tech Talent Denver Technology Action Group Leader 

Examining Sector Partnerships and Collective Action

Moderator:

Ismar Vallecillos, NW Director of Operations,Western Governors University

Ismar Vallecillos is the WGU Director of operations in the NW region. He is a seasoned operations leader devoted to creating pathways to opportunity through education. He spent over eight years leading international operations for an online university in 25 countries, helping thousands of students break the cycle of poverty and advance socially and economically. As an immigrant from El Salvador, who grew up working in his father’s landscaping business, he believes that education, based on his own experience, is the great equalizer in society. 

Ismar received a master’s in educational leadership for higher education and community colleges from Northern Arizona State University. He also holds a bachelor's degree in multicultural/multilingual education from Arizona State University. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian, and proficient in Portuguese.

Panelists:

Diana Armstrong, Convener of the South Central Sector Partnerships; Fremont Economic Development Corporation

Diana Armstrong serves as the Convener of the South Central Sector Partnerships, supporting the technology, health & wellness, and early childhood education industries across four rural Colorado counties. These partnerships are administered by the Fremont Economic Development Corporation (FEDC), where Diana also leads the award-winning “START” initiatives—FEDC TechSTART, WellSTART, AgSTART, and TradeSTART—focused on job creation and business startups. Her leadership has been pivotal in securing more than $15 million in economic development grants, fueling transformative projects that drive growth and innovation throughout the region.  Beyond her work with FEDC, Diana is an entrepreneur at heart. She owns Business with a Smile, LLC, which provides business administrative services, and co-owns Westward Machine and Tool, Inc., a company specializing in industrial CNC machining services for both local and national clients.

Andrew Bercich, CEO, SummitWorX Solutions  

Andrew Bercich is a nationally recognized workforce leader and CEO of SummitWorX Solutions, with over 20 years of expertise in corporate talent acquisition and HR management consulting. He has shaped talent strategies for Fortune 500 companies while volunteering to serve the community on workforce development boards at local, state, and national levels, including as Chair of the National Association of Workforce Boards and Treasurer of the Colorado Workforce Development Council. Andrew partners with businesses, policymakers, and educators to develop strategic workforce solutions that streamline operations, future-proof hiring practices, and close critical skill gaps in today’s rapidly evolving labor market. A sought-after speaker, he delivers forward-thinking insights on workforce innovation, the future of work, and the evolving talent landscape.

Chris Koehn, Founder, Second-61 and Partner, Emergent Campus 

Chris Koehn is the founder of Second-61 and founding partner of Abacus Solutions Group, LLC and many other companies within the Abacus family. Chris has more than 25 years in business creation, development and leadership, with more than 20 years directly focused on Federal and Defense Services. Chris loves building and inspiring expert teams, as well as launching and growing successful businesses. His projects have been listed on Inc Magazine Fast 50 with many successful exits.

From his office in Florence’s Emergent Campus, Chris is focused on building elastic economies in rural communities and providing opportunities for current and future generations to operate, own, and prosper. His most recent project, Second-61, delivers high-impact technology services support to global U.S. military missions from rural Colorado. His mission is to develop community workforce and inspire innovation in rural communities to serve the national and global markets. Employee ownership, community investment, and prudent stewardship are enduring foundations of his projects. “When me turns to we, communities thrive.” Chris is the architect of Rural Reshoring, Economic Homesteading, and the Rural Reboot Dojo.

Matt Wiggins, Sr. Director of Economic Vitality & Special Projects, Boulder Chamber of Commerce 

As the Senior Director of Economic Vitality, Matt doggedly pursues ways to create and connect opportunities between businesses, job seekers, and developers of Boulder and its surrounding communities. Matt has over 12 years of experience in marketing and communications related to business development and K-12 education. 

Over the past three years, Matt has assumed leadership roles with several chambers, economic development, workforce, and sector partnership boards. He takes a hands-on approach with this work and looks for ways to simplify systems, share impactful stories, and build relationships that improve the economic vitality of our local community. 

Bobbie Wolfe, Sr. Consultant - Sector Partnerships & Industry, Colorado Workforce Development Council 

Bobbie is the senior consultant for sector partnerships & industry for the Colorado Workforce Development Council Office. In this role, Bobbie is responsible for implementing the guidance of the Sectors Steering Committee and ensuring that deep and meaningful industry engagement is occurring through regional sector partnerships and industry-led talent development efforts across Colorado. She joined the CWDC Office Staff in 2019 and has worked on the Stimulus funding for Regional Sector Staffing, working alongside Trade Association's implementing innovative workforce training, and project managing the Lives Empowered initiative. She is passionate about listening to the needs of Colorado communities and testing solutions together. Bobbie graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and a minor in Business Administration and grew her interest in collaboration between individuals, education, workforce, and business as a Workforce Vitality Specialist with the Boulder Chamber. Outside of work, Bobbie can be found running around local trail systems, snowboarding, and exploring Colorado's many local breweries. 

Thank you to our sponsor, Western Governors University