Southern Indiana Business Report
BLOOMINGTON – Nineteen individuals serving across the Indiana Uplands as school counselors, career coaches, work-based and internship coordinators, teachers, adult educators and an HR administrator have been selected by Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) as the first cohort of its Career Coaching Fellowship. According to a July 21 announcement, the ROI Career Coaching Fellows will begin a 10-month fellowship focused on growing leadership and expertise while developing regionally relevant career connections that will equip them to provide guidance and support to individuals preparing for high-opportunity and high-wage jobs.
“The Career Coaching Fellowship was developed as the next essential step in a maturing strategy for supporting both individuals and industry through focused talent pathways and workforce pipeline strategies,” said ROI President and CEO Tina Peterson.
Response to the opportunity exceeded expectations, she said, which highlighting the significance of focused career coaching strategies.
“ROI’s inaugural cohort represents an impressive group of educators and career development professionals within our region,” Peterson commented. “We are pleased that participants will bring diversity of experience to the cohort and feel confident that this group of professionals will grow their capacity to positively impact thousands of K-12 students and adult learners in the Indiana Uplands region.”
Members are:
- Courtney Uland, Artisan Electronics (Odon), human resources administrator.
- Andrea Huff, Barr-Reeve Community Schools, Career/STEM Academy director.
- Ryan Crenshaw, Brown County Schools, business teacher.
- Jay Myers, Brown County Schools, Career Connected Learning teacher.
- Apryl Kidd, Collaboration of Shoals, Mitchell, Orleans Schools, director of initiatives.
- Dana Kunz, Hub 19/Greater Jasper Schools, leader of Dubois County Career Coaches and Greater Jasper career coach.
- Shelley Christmas, Loogootee Community Schools, director of curriculum and technology.
- Erica Fair, Loogootee Community Schools, high school counselor.
- Amy Eslinger, Linton-Stockton School Corporation, career connections coach.
- Jeri Brown, Mitchell Community Schools, Preparing for College and Careers teacher.
- Joann Novak, Monroe County Consolidated School Corporation/Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship, business teacher.
- Andrea Smith, Monroe County Consolidated School Corporation/Hoosier Hills Career Center, Pathways and Remediation coordinator.
- Mary Priester-Hanks, Monroe County Consolidated School Corporation, Post-Secondary Readiness coordinator.
- Brad Zellner, Orleans Community Schools, internship coordinator.
- Dennis Foust, Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation, high school counselor.
- Jaime Miller, Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation, Ready Schools coordinator.
- Stacia Myers, Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation, business teacher.
- Jennifer Martin, Salem Community Schools, director of counseling.
- Raychel Geiser, Vincennes University, career coach for Daviess, Dubois, Lawrence, Martin and Orange counties.
ROI’s Career Coaching Fellowship is designed to strengthen the skills of individuals serving in career coaching roles throughout the Indiana Uplands and complement recently developed career pathways in all schools. The initiative is one way ROI is addressing its most recent Occupational Needs Assessment, which indicates that key sector employers in the Indiana Uplands region will add thousands of new jobs in the coming years. Many, if not most, of these jobs will require some form of post-secondary degree or credential.
“Our region’s long-term growth and prosperity will depend on a skilled workforce ready to meet the future demands of employers,” Peterson said. “There is no better time than now to build a new network of career coaches that can incorporate research-based innovative practices within their organizations. We are excited by the possibility of this program and its potential to increase the number of students/adults pursuing and completing relevant pathways that lead to successful postsecondary opportunities, continued education, or high opportunity employment.”
ROI’s Career Coaching Fellows will participate in monthly professional development programs and connect with regional and statewide career partners and resources. The inaugural cohort will form an active regional career coaching network, build relationships with employer and community partners, and model delivery of successful evidence-based career coaching within their organizations.