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Aim Hire 2026
Breakout Session
Round 2
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Extending the Runway: Middle School Career Exploration
Discover practical tools and resources that help middle school students explore careers, identify strengths, and build meaningful plans for future education and employment.
Location: Kojo Kamau A, Floor 4
Speaker Biographies & Slides:
As Britebound’s Vice President and Managing Director of the Experiential Learning hub, Liz oversees Britebound’s Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Philanthropy functions and a cross-functional team dedicated to high school experiential learning, supporting the organization to accelerate career readiness for middle and high school students and transform education systems nationwide. Prior to joining Britebound, Liz was a policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education, overseeing the inter-agency Unlocking Career Success pathways initiative for the Biden-Harris administration. Previously, Liz served as the Director of College and Career Readiness for the Rhode Island Department of Education, leading statewide initiatives that expanded access to early college programs, career and technical education (CTE), and adult education. With expertise in strategic policy alignment, federal-state collaboration, and program execution, Liz has managed multimillion-dollar budgets, spearheaded national policy initiatives, and has held leadership roles in higher education, philanthropy, and nonprofit management. A former Teach for America corps member and award-winning educator, Liz is a graduate of Harvard College, SUNY Binghamton, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Hiring the Formerly Incarcerated: Unlocking Potential to Build a Strong Workforce
Explore how education, training, and workforce partnerships are helping justice-involved individuals successfully reenter the workforce while meeting Ohio employers' talent needs.
Location: Gina Knee, Floor 4
Speaker Biographies & Slides:
Roni Burkes-Trowsdell brings almost 26 years of dedicated service to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, holding various leadership roles, including Warden, Regional Director of Specialty Prisons, and currently serving as the Deputy Director of the Office of Reentry. Throughout her career, Roni has earned numerous accolades, including the 2019 Governor’s Award for Arts in Community Development & Participation and the 2017 Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Warden of the Year award. Roni also received the Director’s Coin for her work in reentry.
Roni holds a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Tiffin University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Akron. She is the Past President of the Ohio Wardens & Superintendents Association and a lifelong member of both the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she has actively served for over 36 years.
With a heart devoted to service, Roni firmly believes in the power of transformation, often saying, “We are in the business of saving lives.”
Roxanne is currently serving as Assistant Deputy Director within the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation’s Office of Reentry. Throughout her 26 years with ODRC, Roxanne has served in the capacity of Correction Officer, Case Manager, Program Coordinator, Victim Advocate, Warden’s Assistant and was the recipient of the 2006 ODRC Employee of the Year award. Roxanne also co-authored the gender-specific Victim Awareness program for female offenders. She earned her Bachelor and Master’s degree at Youngstown State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Antioch University. Roxanne’s doctoral dissertation was entitled “The Etiology of Intimate Partner Violence Among Incarcerated Men”, exploring partner violent men’s understandings of abuse, violence, and homicide against an intimate partner. Roxanne serves as a member of the Enhance Worldwide board of Directors, a non-profit organization that fights to end child marriage by educating girls in Ethiopia. Roxanne is also a member of the Huguenot Society of America.
Amanda Hall is an HR Business Partner, national speaker, and Fair Chance hiring strategist who combines professional expertise with lived experience to transform how employers identify, hire, and develop overlooked talent. At JBM Packaging, she helps lead workforce strategy and has played an instrumental role in building the company’s nationally recognized Fair Chance employment model. Her work has contributed to growing JBM’s workforce to 45 percent Fair Chance team members while reducing annual turnover from nearly 50 percent to approximately 20 percent.
Amanda also leads workforce development partnerships with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, including training and employment pathways that begin before release and continue through successful workplace integration. A SHRM Certified Professional and Certified Peer Recovery Supporter, she contributes nationally through speaking engagements, workforce collaborations, and policy advisory work focused on expanding access to meaningful employment.
Drawing from her own journey from incarceration to HR leadership, Amanda demonstrates what becomes possible when talent is recognized, opportunity is accessible, and people are given a genuine chance to succeed.
Vernise Robinson serves as the Workforce Development Administrator for the Ohio Central School System within the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Ms. Robinson’s responsibilities are establishing partnerships with employers, working with incarcerated individuals and the creation of their resumes, creating workforce opportunity, participation in meetings, trainings, and conferences. Reviews and responds both verbally and in writing to inquiries received from incarcerated individuals, department staff, other government agencies, and community partners. Ms. Robinson’s career in public service began when she accepted the position of Juvenile Correction Officer with the Ohio Department of Youth Services in 1999. In 2000, Ms. Robinson wanted to seek out other challenges, so she accepted a position with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction at the newly built Toledo Correctional Institution. During her employment at ToCI, Ms. Robinson was always willing to learn and accept new challenges. Ms. Robinson held the positions of Corrections Officer and Correctional Program Specialist. Ms. Robinson was also the institutional Victim Coordinator, through her work with victims of crime at the institutional level she was offered and accepted the position of Victim Advocate within the Office of Victim Services. Ms. Robinson then accepted a position with the Ohio Parole Board, as a Parole Program Specialist and later served as the Court and Community Coordinator for the Division of Parole and Community Services.
Implementing Ohio's New Work-Based Learning Requirements
Hear directly from state leaders about Ohio's new higher education work-based learning requirements, implementation guidance, and strategies for building strong employer partnerships.
Location: Kojo Kamau C, Floor 4
Speaker Biographies & Slides:
Alex Penrod serves as Special Assistant to the Chancellor for External Affairs at the Ohio Department of Higher Education, overseeing legislative and external affairs as well as Chancellor-directed special projects. Previously, she served as the Principal of Penrod Consulting, LLC, managing high-level campaign finance and strategic advocacy. She began her public service career as a Legislative Aide in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Steve Russell serves as Chief Partnership Officer and Senior Associate Vice President for CareerOutcomes at Bowling Green State University. In his role, he leads efforts to connect higher educationand industry through immersive partnerships that strengthen workforce pipelines, advance regionaleconomic growth, and create meaningful applied learning experiences for students.
A strategist and relationship builder at heart, Steve is helping BGSU reimagine how universities engagewith industry – bridging the worlds of talent acquisition, talent development, research collaboration,and corporate innovation to drive shared value. His leadership has been instrumental in developing theuniversity’s emerging framework for industry and economic engagement, integrating new offices andspecific initiatives to support key industry sectors within the region.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Wyoming, a Master of Science inConsumer Behavior from Purdue University, and a Doctor of Business Administration from CreightonUniversity. Known for his creative approach, Steve often says that great partnerships are designed, not discovered – a philosophy that continues to shape his work at the intersection of business and higher education.
Sri Vidya Uppalapati serves as a Senior Program Manager for the Department of Higher Education, Workforce Alignment team. She helps manage the RAPIDS and Super RAPIDS programs and the credential review for TechCred. She supports the Office of the Lt. Governor, managing internal partnerships and program metrics for WorkOhio. Sri Vidya also leads work on the Ohio Reach Postsecondary Designation to increase educational access for foster-connected students, credential transparency with Credential Engine, and developing ODHE's network of relationships with postsecondary institutions' career services, supporting the implementation of stronger work-based learning opportunities statewide. She has been with the agency since 2021.
Building Regional Talent Pipelines
Learn how WorkOhio and Ohio's Career Pathway Support Networks are connecting schools, employers, and community partners to expand career-connected learning through regional collaboration.
Location: Kojo Kamau B, Floor 4
Speaker Biographies & Slides:
Dr. Cassie B. Barlow is the President of the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education. Dr. Barlow is focused on collaboration among SOCHE’s 32 College and University members as well as professional development of faculty and staff and workforce needs of students. Dr. Barlow was the 88th Air Base Wing Commander, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH. She commanded one of the largest wings in the Air Force with more than 5,000 military, civilian, and contractor employees. Dr. Barlow retired from active duty in 2014. Dr. Barlow was a graduate of Georgetown University. Following graduation, she was assigned to her first of 13 assignments.
Brian Bontempo brings a wealth of leadership and educational expertise to his role as Executive Director of Career Pathway Support Networks (CPSN). With a career spanning classroom teaching, district administration, and statewide leadership, Brian has consistently worked to advance opportunities for students and educators across Ohio. His experience includes serving as a middle school IT teacher and administrator, high school business and accounting teacher, assistant principal, and principal in a compact school district. He went on to serve as Director of Technology, Assistant Superintendent overseeing HR, operations, and program building, and later Superintendent of an Educational Service Center (ESC), where he also held the position of President of the Ohio ESC Association. Brian served as Superintendent of Auburn Career Center and President of Ohio ACTE. In addition, he has earned a treasurer’s license, contributed to the Kent State Geauga Regional Campus advisory board, and instructed in higher education administrator programs. A former high school wrestling and football coach, Brian has always been committed to building pathways for growth, teamwork, and success.
In his current role as Executive Director of the CPSNs, Brian will guide the implementation of a statewide initiative designed to expand access to career-technical education (CTE) and prepare Ohio students for in-demand careers. Backed by a two-year, $7.1 million investment from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, CPSN will serve as a vital support system for local districts, community schools, STEM schools, career centers, and higher education partners. Under Brian’s leadership, the program will provide mentoring, professional exposure, and expanded career pathway opportunities for students across Ohio’s JobsOhio regions. With his vision and experience, CPSN will play a transformative role in strengthening regional CTE infrastructure and ensuring every student has the guidance, direction, and opportunities needed to succeed in today’s workforce.
The Power of Proactive Student Support
Explore how two proactive student support models are improving student persistence and completion
through comprehensive wraparound supports and intentional coaching.
Location: Ema Spencer, Floor 5
Speaker Biographies & Slides:
Matthew Mercado is a higher education leader with more than a decade of experience developing innovative strategies that improve student success and institutional effectiveness. As Manager of Student Success Programs at Lorain County Community College, Matthew leads multiple advising teams and high-impact initiatives, including SAIL, Fast-Track, and NSF S-STEM, focused on increasing student retention, engagement, and completion. His work spans program development, operational leadership, budgeting, and data-informed strategy, and he has contributed to the advancement of student success practices through national consulting and collaboration. Matthew holds an MBA in Project Management from Capella University and a BA in Business from Bowling Green State University.
Laura Rittner serves as Vice President of Operations and Student Success at the Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC). In this role she supports overall association management and oversees the OACC’s student success and workforce initiatives including Ohio’s guided pathways project for community colleges, the Student Success Leadership Institute, and the Leadership Academy for Student Success. The Success Center for Ohio Community Colleges' portfolio of grants has grown to include over $25 million in state, federal, and private foundation investments under Laura’s leadership. She engages in numerous state and national post-secondary policy networks and has coached colleges in the American Association of Community Colleges' Pathways Project and Talent Strong Texas Pathways. Her current engagements include serving as a Complete College America Fellow, member of ACUE's Advisory Council, and coach for NCII’s Rural Pathways Project.Laura has over 20 years of experience in community college leadership. She joined the OACC in 2013 as Director of Research and Data Analysis after working for seven years at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, OH as Director for Institutional Research. Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology from Miami University in Oxford, OH and a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Management in community college policy and administration at the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Nina Wiley serves as the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at Clark StateCollege. Nina earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ashland University and her Master of Science in Education from the University of Dayton. In her 20 years at Clark State College, she has experienced professional growth, advancing from Admissions Specialist to Director of Retention Services and Student Life, Dean of Enrollment Services, Dean of Student Engagement and Support Services and her current role.
Driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference, Nina is passionate about improvingthe student experience and reducing barriers to student success. In her role, she oversees several areas within Student Affairs, with a focus on maximizing resources, strengthening student advocacy and creating a culture of care. Nina also provides leadership in areas focusedon student safety, advocacy and well-being. She helped advance the integration of trauma-informed practices across the College and establish a sustainable framework to support student well-being and mental health. She serves as Clark State’s Title IX Coordinator and Primary Designated School Official and chairs the Behavioral Intervention Team, CARE (Concern, Assessment, Respond, Evaluation) Team and Sexual Violence Prevention Team. Through these roles, Nina works to promote a safe, welcoming and inclusive learning and work environment for students and employees.
A strong believer in the power of student engagement, Nina is passionate aboutcreating meaningful opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, build connectionsand contribute to the College community. Since 2018, she has served as an advisor for ClarkState’s Alpha Nu Lambda chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.
Nina is committed to leading through a trauma-informed lens and believes that studentsthrive when they feel supported, valued and have a sense of belonging.
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