Aim Hire 2024
Breakout Session
Round 2
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Simulated Work-Based Learning: Connecting Industry to Schools
Learn how simulated work-based learning bridges the gap between industry and education. Hear from professionals who have created successful models.
Location: Gina Knee, Floor 4
Speaker Biographies & Slides:
Opal M. Brant is a seasoned talent strategist with nearly two decades of experience in HR and workforce development. As Emerging Talent Manager at One Columbus, she leads the development of K-12 talent pipeline strategies, collaborating with industry leaders and educators to create inclusive talent pipelines that align with the region’s economic needs.
Courtney Falato is currently the Vice President for Global Philanthropy and Program Officer at JPMorgan Chase, responsible for setting the grant-making strategy in Ohio and Kentucky as a member of the firm’s Global Philanthropy team. Ms. Falato previously served as the Director of Smart Cities at The Ohio State University, as well as the Chief Innovation Officer for Dublin City schools and the Director of Innovation at Reynoldsburg City Schools. As a researcher for over a decade, Ms. Falato focused on the implementation, spread and sustainability of innovative school models and programs in K12. Ms. Falato served as Associate Project Director at the University of Chicago’s Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education, Associate Director of STEM Projects at the Battelle Center for Mathematics and Science Education Policy at The Ohio State University, and an education researcher at American Institutes for Research in Washington DC. Ms. Falato received her B.A. in Political Science from The Ohio State University and her M.Ed. from the University of Virginia.
Jennifer Meade has dedicated 27 years to Columbus City Schools, serving in various capacities such as teacher, Math Curriculum Coordinator, Leadership Intern, Assistant Principal, and Principal. In her current role as Director of Career-Tech Education, Jennifer is driven by a passion for creating opportunities for students to develop and practice technical skills that are critical for workforce development. Under her leadership, the CTE Office continually explores innovative ways to support students in gaining the skills necessary for success in their careers and the evolving job market.
Enhancing Career Readiness: Central Ohio ESC’s Career Readiness Audit Approach
Discover how schools are aligning offerings with industry needs and using state data on postsecondary preparation to implement effective career pathways.
Location: Phiores West B, Floor 3
Speaker Biographies & Materials:
Robb Gonda is the Director of College and Career Success at the Education Service Center of Central Ohio, where he supports work-based learning opportunities for students. With a 28-year career in education, Robb has served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He resides in New Albany with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children.
Preparing Students for Global Competition: What a Local District is Doing to Ensure Student Success
Explore how Dublin City Schools is preparing students for global competition through their innovative career programming, outreach to recent graduates, and partnerships through their Business Advisory Council.
Location: Charles Massey AB, Floor 3
Speaker Biographies:
Now in his twenty-second year at the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, Gordon serves as President and CEO. In this role, he is the point person for Ohio retail and wholesale issues in the Ohio Statehouse and Congress and manages the Council’s business operations. Gordon serves as Chairman of the Ohio Industrial Commission Nominating Council and is a member of the Ohio Governor’s Workforce Transformation Board.
Dr. John Marschhausen began his tenure with Dublin City Schools in May 2021. He has served as a Superintendent for twenty years and a school administrator for twenty-six years. Dr. Marschhausen currently serves on the Governor’s Executive Workforce Board. Dr. Marschhausen is the Novice G. Fawcett Leadership Fellow at The Ohio State University in the College of Education and Human Ecology.
If You Want to Be It, You Have to See It: Helping Students Achieve Their Career Goals with YouScience
Learn how to create a future-self vision and achieve career goals with YouScience, featuring experiences from educational leaders.
Location: Pheoris West C, Floor 3
Speaker Biographies & Materials:
Amy Bradley is the Eastern Division Lead and Ohio Senior Territory Manager for YouScience. Amy’s passion to help students develop their unique gifts led her to YouScience in 2013. Amy developed school mentoring programs, served as high school drug and alcohol counselor, and spent a decade in sales prior to joining YouScience.
Shannon currently serves as the 12th Montgomery County Educational Service Center Superintendent in the organization’s history and is its first female superintendent. Her role includes working directly with and advocating for all 16 public school districts in Montgomery County. As the educational leader for the county, she works with other various leaders across city/county government and the other public sectors. Shannon was featured as a TEDxDayton speaker, where she gave her TED Talk on “Future Self.” Shannon has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton, where she taught various workshop classes and Educational Leadership courses. Ms. Cox has worked with many other communities in different roles within the MCESC, which has allowed her to build relationships with districts throughout the region and state. In addition, she co-leads the MCESC Business Advisory Council while taking a great interest in overall state policy and law to be able to provide guidance and consultation to districts.
Shannon was named the 2021 Justus A. Prentice Awardee by the national Association of Educational Service Agencies. This top national award acknowledges contributions through executive leadership in advancing regional educational service agency programs at the regional, state, and national levels. She was also a finalist for WDTN’s Remarkable Woman 2021 and was chosen as a Blue Angels’ Key Influencer in 2022. Shannon was also honored as one of the Top 50 Business Women by the Dayton Business Journal in 2023. Shannon serves on the Board for ThinkTV/CET and Montgomery County’s Workforce Investment Board. Additionally, she serves on other boards including Learn to Earn Dayton, Air Camp USA, Montgomery County Overdose Action Team, Family and Children First Council, Dayton Region Manufacturer Association, Dayton Metro Library Foundation, and is Past President of the Historical Society of Germantown’s Board of Trustees.
Prior to her current position, she spent time in her career as a classroom teacher at the intermediate and junior high levels, a building principal, an athletic coach, a K-12 Curriculum Director, and MCESC’s Associate Superintendent. Her experience has been in multiple counties and different types of districts giving her a variety of educational experiences at the Pk-12 level. Outside of education, Shannon is a community activist. She is a vibrant participant in her community and has led many grass-root initiatives including those focusing on volunteerism, fundraising, political campaigns, and health awareness, and most recently has co-founded a Community Drug-Free Coalition. Shannon believes there has never been a more important time in education to advocate for our profession, our schools, and most importantly our students.
Philip Hardin is the co-founder, chairman, and chief financial officer of YouScience. He helped create the revolutionary YouScience Aptitude & Career Discovery product that empowers students in middle school, high school, and beyond to take control of their postsecondary education, confidently set a career direction, and improve their outcomes in credential attainment, job readiness, and overall satisfaction.
Andrea Smith is the Superintendent for North Point Educational Service Center, serving school districts in Erie, Huron, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties. She began her career at Fremont City Schools, where she worked as an elementary teacher, Director of State & Federal Projects, and Principal of Atkinson Elementary. In 2008, she joined North Point as Director of Curriculum & Instruction for Benton-Carroll-Salem Local School District and later became Assistant Superintendent. Andrea holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in reading from Bowling Green State University, along with administrative coursework from the University of Findlay.
High School CTE German-American Apprenticeship Exchange: Upper Valley Career Center’s Innovative Approach to Work-Based Learning
Explore the future of agriculture-based education and the technology and talent needs of one of Ohio’s largest industries.
Location: Roman Johnson, Floor 3
Speaker Biographies & Materials:
After graduating from University of Goettingen, Lower Saxony, Germany with a diploma in business and economics and a diploma in vocational training in 1986. Mathias has been working as an instructor for three major vocational colleges in Hannover, Germany as of 1987. This has given him much experience in the German system of dual vocational training. In 1993/1994, he worked as an instructor at Lakeland Union Highschool in Minocqua, WI on a Fulbright grant.
After his return to Germany, he started several student exchanges with Dominican Highschool in Whitefish Bay, WI. In 2015, he was assigned the position of Chair of International Affairs at Vocational College for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in Hannover, Germany to develop collaborations with international educational institutions. This has led to cooperations with Houston Community College in Texas and Finvedens Gymnasium in Sweden, a technical high school, as part of a larger EU-program. In 2016 an ongoing cooperation with Upper Valley Career Center in Piqua, OH has been launched. All exchange programs promote work-based learning in different educational systems. In the future, he will assist other colleges in Lower Saxony in setting up successful exchanges.
Tony has been at Upper Valley Career Center (UVCC) since 2002 with several roles since his start. In 2012, Tony transitioned to the district Pre-Apprenticeship Coordinator where he now focuses on engaging business partners with the career center programs, instructors and students. Tony is excited to serve on the REGION 1 of the Association of Career and Technical Education Work-Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeship Policy Committee. After 15 years as an educator in the HVAC program, Tony Trapp was named the Work-Based Learning/Apprenticeship Coordinator for Upper Valley Career Center in Piqua, OH, a position he has held for the past 13 years. As a result of his dynamic leadership, the program has grown exponentially and now serves nearly 200 students each year.
Tony has built strong partnerships with business and industry. He hosts an outstanding and active advisory committee, composed of employers from a six-county area. As Work-Based Learning/Apprenticeship coordinator, Tony works with these and other employers to hire students who have met stringent criteria during their junior year in a career and technical program. He oversees the students in their school-to-work placements, allowing them to “earn while they learn”. In addition, he works continually with the industry mentors, lab instructors, legislators, parents and students to ensure student-employer opportunities and success.
Tony’s efforts to establish and increase state recognized pre-apprenticeship programs has led to opportunities to present at numerous national, state, and regional meetings. He is in demand for his knowledge and expertise. In 2017, he was one of eight national programs selected by the USDOE Office of Career Technical Education to highlight best practices in connecting CTE and apprenticeship opportunities. Tony was recently awarded the 2022 Association for Career Technical Education (ACTE) Seamless Work-Based Learning Professional of the Year.
Empowering Students with Earn & Learn: Miami University’s Work+ Program
Explore how Miami University is preparing students for successful careers through hands-on experience and skill-building – and learn how you can implement similar strategies!
Location: Pheoris West A, Floor 3
Speaker Biographies & Slides:
Ande Durojaiye, Miami’s Vice President and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science, joined the university in July 2021. He led the creation of the Early College Academy, a partnership with a growing number of high schools that enables students to simultaneously graduate high school and earn a Miami associate’s degree debt free. He led the expansion of Miami’s Work+ program, as well as Miami’s efforts to create the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce and Innovation Hub, a cutting-edge partnership between Miami University, Butler Technology and Career Development Schools, Butler County, the City of Hamilton, and regional manufacturers. When open in 2026 the Hub will develop an educated workforce and will serve as a catalyst for community economic growth. Students will have access to a variety of distinctive pathways to meet all levels of need in the manufacturing sector — from associate degrees, industry-recognized credentials and Microcredentials, to degrees in robotics, electro-mechanical engineering, and more. Prior to joining Miami he served with the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education in Atlanta, and held leadership positions at Florida Atlantic University, and Northern Kentucky University. He is actively involved in various boards, including the Chamber Serving Middletown, Monroe, and Trenton, the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, and Duke Energy Ohio Kentucky.
Nicole Hoyer serves as the Director of State Relations for Miami University, where she works in the Office of ASPIRE to develop advocacy strategies and represent the university’s interests at the state level. She engages students, faculty, and staff in the legislative process and leads the university’s Government Relations Network. Nicole collaborates with the Inter-University Council of Ohio and has played a significant role in promoting Work+, developing the Hometown Talent Initiative, and supporting workforce development programs throughout Ohio. An alumna of Miami University, Nicole earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Legislative Aide and Senior Legislative Aide for the former President Pro Tempore of the Ohio Senate and began her career through the Ohio Legislative Service Commission’s Fellowship Program.
Mentorship Networking Sessions
Personalized 15-minute sessions with experts. Pre-registration was required for this session. Please see your emailed personalized mentoring schedule if you registered.
Location: Alfred Tibor, Floor 3
Aim Hire 2024 hosted by:
Lunch Sponor:
