June 2023 Roundtable Call: Smart Justice

Description

Nearly five million – that’s the gap between open jobs and workers to fill them in the United States. As chambers tackle workforce challenges in their communities, the ACCE Foundation recently published case studies of four chamber-led smart justice initiatives that are helping to close that gap. Join us for a discussion to learn how they are advocating, educating and implementing smart justice practices to develop impactful workforce solutions. Bring your questions and share what’s happening at your chamber.

After you register for this event, a button to join will appear on this page 30 minutes before the start time. You will also receive an email confirmation with a link to this page that you can add to your calendar. Information necessary to access audio by phone will be included in the confirmation. A full list of Zoom dial-in options is here.

Contributors

Donny Jones, IOM, AACE

Donny has been with the Chamber since March 1998. He is responsible for the daily operations of the Chamber, including financial management and information technology, and manages the contractual relationships with vendors and professional service providers. Donny also leads all workforce development efforts of the Chamber, serving as Executive Director of the Region 3 Workforce Development Council / West Alabama Works. He is involved with various strategic initiatives of the Chamber and works directly with the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Finance Committee and West Alabama Chamber Foundation. Donny is also instrumental in ensuring that the West Alabama Works Steering Committee leverages resources to develop and grow the necessary K-12 pipeline and utilize Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) funding in the region.

Donny is a member of many local, state and national organizations such as the University of Alabama Alumni Association, The American Chamber of Commerce Executives, and International Council of Shopping Centers. Donny serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, Tuscaloosa Education Foundation, Tuscaloosa Character Council, and the Northport Advisory Council. He is an active member of the Tuscaloosa Rotary Club, and served as the 2002-03 President of the Morning Rotary Club where he was named a Paul Harris Fellow. Donny also serves as Chairman of the Heritage Healthcare Board, which supports funding for local healthcare organizations. He is a former appointed member of the Alabama Workforce Development Board and currently chairs the State Innovation Committee. He is currently an appointed member of the state WIOA Board. Donny serves on the ACT State Organization and on the Work Ready Community National Advisory Board. He is also an Education Attainment Fellow with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Donny developed and implemented the Business Solutions & Resource Center and the One Stop Business License and Permitting Center at the Chamber, which was named a State model for business development by the Governor’s office. He was also instrumental in the Tide Fi wireless internet initiative for the UA Strip and downtown Tuscaloosa areas, which was named a state model by Connecting Alabama. He has been very involved in the creation and implementation of many entrepreneurial projects in the region and was appointed to the Governor’s Council for Small Business in 2014.

Prior to employment at the Chamber, Donny was a regional manager with American Home Patient. He is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management, the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and has earned the professional designation of Alabama Accredited Chamber Executive from the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama. Donny graduated with honors from The University of Alabama with a degree in Management Information Systems and Computer Science. He also holds an Associate degree in Business Administration. Donny is a 2001 graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa. He completed a four year Economic Development Institute program at the University of Oklahoma.

Donny retired after 25 years of bi-vocational youth ministry. His last tenure was at Northridge Baptist Church, where he spent 23 years as youth pastor. Donny and his wife, Carla, live in Northport, Alabama with their two sons. They are currently members of Five Points Baptist Church in Northport, where Donny is a deacon and teaches Sunday School and mid-week adult classes.
Crystal Griffith

Crystal Griffith is the Director of Workforce Development. She joins The Business Council with diverse experience in social welfare, non-profit community programs, education, and professional development.

Before joining The Business Council, Crystal contracted with the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Early Intervention. She has spent five years in elementary education and five years in Higher Education— providing professional development in both entities. She also has experience working with community programs throughout New York State on program development and grant securement.
Crystal was raised in Brooklyn, NY, and moved to Albany, NY, to attend the University at Albany (SUNY). She graduated from the university with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Education and later earned her Master’s degree in Social Welfare. Crystal also holds certificates in Non-Profit Management, Trauma and Crisis Management, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She currently resides in the Capital Region.
Megan Stretavski

In her role she develops strategic relationships and connects the dots from employer to community provider to employee. Megan is the convener of the Northwest Ohio Manufacturing Alliance. She participates in seven local school district Business Advisory Committees and holds a seat on the Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio Board of Directors. In her role at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, Megan leads the Reentry Development Initiative (REDI) where she invests in working with businesses and community partners to move the needle in a positive direction for fair chance hiring. Megan’s passion has always been to assist individuals in overcoming barriers to become self-sufficient.

Prior to working at the Chamber, Megan started her career in security at Northwest Community Corrections Center. Shortly thereafter, she was promoted to a Vocational Education Specialist where Megan created lesson plans, taught job readiness skills to adult male felons in a classroom setting, assisted residents in the job search prior to release, and took residents on furloughs to apply for employment. For the next fifteen years, Megan continued to assist individuals with finding employment, connecting to support services, issuing cash, food and medical assistance and funding for training for jobs in demand at Harbor Behavioral Healthcare, Job and Family Services, and Ohio Means Jobs.
Ryan Bowman

Ryan Bowman is the Program Manager of the Workforce Recovery Program at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. He works with the business community to help show how being a transformational employer can mutually benefit everyone involved.

Ryan is a combat veteran, serving two tours in Iraq. He received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Morehead State and his MPA from Murray State University. Ryan is excited to have a hand in sculpting the business landscape of Kentucky through his continued efforts to reduce the stigma of addiction, addressing criminal justice reform, and assisting employers and organizations in those areas through programs offered by the Kentucky Chamber Foundation.

Description

Contributors

Donny Jones, IOM, AACE

Crystal Griffith

Megan Stretavski

Ryan Bowman