Phenomenal Woman Magazine

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SHANA MARBURY SHANA MARBURY

EXECUTIVE VP OF WORKFORCE, COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT TRI-C

EXECUTIVE VP OF WORKFORCE, COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT TRI-C

ANNE NELSON, SENIOR ASSISTANT DEAN FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY'S MONTE AHUJA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Beletu

Shelley M. Shockley

Writers

Shelley M. Shockley

Marsha Walker Eastwood

Brittany Garrett

Rhonda Crowder

Creative

Belé Wondwossen

Jason Garrett

Cover

Story: Shelley Shockley

Photos: Tia McKnight

The Blush Gallery

Contributing

Rhonda Crowder

Michelle Phillips

Marianna Marron

Letitia Nall

Stephanie Phelps Kimberly Smith-Woodford Advertising

PREPARATION IS KEY IN TRAVERSING LIFE

As the summer season approaches, we are preparing for an array of events and activities. We are letting our hair down and seeking to bask in the heat of the day, knowing the days are longer and our spirits are high.

As the graduation, wedding, and backyard party season gets underway, are you truly prepared? Have you planned for the gifts, the travel, and the long lazy days? Well, I can say that I haven't. Often as an adult, I find that the days, months, and years just seem to come without much thought and preparation put into how I will enjoy this time.

Yes, there are weddings I have on my calendar and at least one trip already set, but I have not planned truly fun and new adventures to make this time memorable. As I write this column, I have two other significant projects looming in the back of my mind that must get completed within the next day or so, yet nowhere in that foggy brain is a planned activity that I must partake in.

My encouragement to you our beloved readers is that you take a little advice from this writer and plan out a few adventures this summer. Do something you've never done before. Visit a friend you haven't seen in a long time – just make time live!

Now, don't think I haven't had some enjoyable moments and fun times, but as I reflect on the recent past, the scale leans heavily to the side of work, but I promise before the fall season rolls around, that will change. As I speak with the many women who have graced these pages a standard question I ask is how do you balance life, work, and

family? Many are quick to respond they have developed a system, many also note how their work life and family life sometimes coexist. Each of them does however make time to enjoy the fruits of their labor. If you find, as I have noticed recently that you are not, please prepare a plan to begin doing so before time has passed you by and you no longer have the desire.

If a change is what you're looking for and education is a part of that plan consider Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). Shana Marbury, the newly appointed Executive VP of Workforce, Community & Economic Development is excited about the collaborative work the College is doing to ensure the economic growth of our region. Marbury has a record of success with the Greater Cleveland Partnership and is excited to implement great things at Tri-C. She is our cover feature this month, so take a few minutes to get to know her and the work she is doing for us all.

Another dynamic woman creating opportunities is Anne Nelson, Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Academic Programs at Cleveland State University's Monte Ahuja College of Business. Nelson is passionate and energetic in her quest to help university students achieve their dreams and reach higher levels. Be sure to read her feature while absorbing some of her energy and passion.

As always, it is our intent to provide you with content that enlightens and informs, so please let us know if we are meeting our goal or if there is more information you seek.

Until we meet again, enjoy your summer!

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WOMAN WWOMAN Wphenomenal

ANNE NELSON

SHANA MARBURY

Shepherding the College into the future is Shana Marbury, newly appointed Executive Vice President, Workforce, Community & Economic Development. Marbury comes to the College after a successful tenure at the Greater Cleveland Partnership, where she served as general counsel and senior vice president for talent. Marbury's work at GCP included building education and workforce development solutions for youth and adults and creating a skilled talent pipeline for regional employers. Additionally, she led GCP's talent team in driving postsecondary credential/degree completion, work-based learning, and high-school career exposure strategies with an emphasis on tech talent development.

Raised by a single mom in the Glenville area of Cleveland, along with three sisters, and with serious financial constraints, Anne recalls a home filled with love and tenacity and said, “hard work and sacrifice was the focus, and that meant old clothing and only one TV and no car with a focus on learning around us from school projects, to reading books and participating in summer educational activities for underrepresentedstudents.”

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DELICIOUS RECIPES

SENIOR ASSISTANT DEAN FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AT CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY

NAMES RENEE TRAMBLE RICHARD CORPORATE COLLEGE® PRESIDENT AND CEO

TRI-C NAMES RENEE TRAMBLE RICHARD CORPORATE COLLEGE® PRESIDENT AND CEO

TRI-C'S VP AND GENERAL COUNSEL WILL ALSO ACT AS SENIOR ADVISOR AND COUNSEL TO PRESIDENT

® Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C ) announced that Renee Tramble Richard will lead Tri-C's Corporate College® division, which offers professional training and development along with corporate meeting and conference space. She has been the division's interim president since September 2022, in addition to her role as vice president and general counsel for the College.

She will continue to provide strategic advice and legal counsel to Tri-C President Michael A. Baston, Ed.D , and the Cuyahoga Community College Board of Trustees and act as interim general counsel until a successor is found.

As Corporate College CEO, Richard will continue her work to strengthen the division's offerings in leadership and organizational development, quality and continuous improvement and professional development through open enrollment classes and training for organizations.

“Renee is a purposeful leader and strategic thinker with extensive legal, finance and business experience in a broad range of industries,” said Baston. “This background and insight uniquely qualify her to lead Corporate College and drive the advanced, flexible upskilling solutions needed for today's workforce.”

Since becoming interim president of Corporate College, Richard has:

· Launched a market analysis to align programs and services with market and business needs

· Initiated a business model analysis to streamline methodologies and approaches

· Established an advisory council to help scope and implement an Entrepreneurship Center, with programming beginning Fall 2023

“Given the rapid pace of change in every occupation, individuals will require some continuing education or training to advance in their careers,” said Richard. “Ongoing professional development is critical to success

for employees, businesses a n d a l l s t a g e s o f e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p Corporate College will be the premier provider of these services in Northeast Ohio and beyond.”

Richard has served as general counsel and vice president of Legal Services since 2012

Under her leadership, t h e d e p a r t m e n t expanded to include Risk Management, Audit and Advisory Services and Institutional Equity, in addition to Legal Services and Records Management. Her professional experience spans a broad spectrum of organizations and industries, including banking, water and sewer authorities, airport authorities, municipal and state governments, nonprofit organizations, housing finance agencies and community development corporations.

Renee holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Kent State University, an MBA from Cleveland State University and a Juris Doctor from the Cleveland State University College of Law.

She serves on numerous corporate, not-for-profit and community advisory boards and is the recipient of many professional and civic awards. She is a 2023 inductee into the Cleveland State University College of Law Hall of Fame, the 2022 Black Professional of the Year, a YWCA 2022 Woman of Achievement, one of Crain's 2021 Notable General Counsels, a 2021 Smart Business Women Award Honoree and the 2018 Women of Color Foundation Woman of the Year

Source: Tri-C News and events

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URSULINE COLLEGE HOSTED 25 SCHOLARS FOR NEH-SPONSORED INSTITUTE “READING, WRITING & TEACHING THE RUST BELT”

economic revival of the Rust Belt. Discussions were rooted in an extensive reading list featuring works including local-based Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winners as well as pieces from Belt Magazine, Great Lakes Now, and Chicago Magazine to name a few.

There were also be hands-on learning experiences and special field trips to Cleveland neighborhoods, the West Side Market, Heinen's downtown in the Cleveland Trust Building, the Cleveland Public Library, and EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute as well as Farmer Jones and Rid-all Green Ghetto Farms.

Recently Ursuline College welcomed 25 faculty scholars from across the country to campus for two weeks for a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Summer Institute: “Reading, Writing, and Teaching the Rust Belt: Co-creating Regional HumanitiesEcosystems.”

This program, part of the Rust Belt Humanities Lab, is made possible by a $173,680 NEH grant to Ursuline College to help faculty discover the best teaching practices for sharing the story of the Rust Belt.

From Sunday, June 4 through Sunday, June 18, participants were immersed in Cleveland's history and culture. They explored topics such as the importance of community-based storytelling, race and place, environmental justice and community health, and ways in which the humanities can contribute to the social and

The schedule also included a presentation that was open to the public. Comics creator, Derf Backderf discussed comics as documentation and acts of witness. Copies of his work is available for purchase by Mac's Backs Books on Coventry.

Grant recipient and institute organizer Katharine Trostel, PhD, explains, “Cleveland is an exemplary model for the Rust Belt's challenges and opportunities. For too long, the Rust Belt narrative has been one of emptiness, decay, decline, and vacancy. Our stories are often neglected in the national sphere or controlled by cultural outsiders.”

Dr Trostel, associate professor and chair of Ursuline's English department continues, “Our hope is to find ways for academics to connect with and serve Rust Belt neighborhoods and identify how the humanities can contribute to the social and economic revival of the Rust Belt"

COLLEGE LEADERS SHARE SKILLS TO SUCCEED CAMPAIGN IMPACT WITH IDEASTREAM

MICHAEL BASTON AND MEGAN O'BRYAN DISCUSS HOW $50 MILLION RAISED SUPPORTS STUDENTS

The largest fundraising campaign in Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) history is helping the College meet workforce needs in the region. The Skills to Succeed campaign aims to educate and train under- or unemployed populations — including communities of color and women — to fill in-demand jobs that provide life-sustainingwages.

Tri-C President Michael A. Baston and Cuyahoga Community College Foundation President Megan O'Bryan spoke about the campaign and its impact on Ideastream's The Sound of Ideas program.

“We have to think about the rapid pace of technology in today's workforce, and folks who have been outside of those opportunities need to be trained for it,” Baston said. “There is a need for talent and participation in this community”

The Tri-C Foundation silently launched Skills to Succeed in 2019 and announced in April that it had surpassed its $50 million goal. The Foundation has put 90% of the funds to immediate use with the remainder supporting long-term strategies.

“The support enables us to assist students in ways we haven't been able to before,” O'Bryan said. “Since 2019 we've provided $16 million in scholarships to 14,000 students for short-term programs, we built three responsive food pantries on our campuses that were visited 5,000 times, and we've reached almost 80,000 youth in K-12 programs.”

Listen to the interview on Ideastream's website and learn more about the Skills to Succeed campaign. Though the campaign has reached its goal, donations are still urgently needed.

By Senior Chief James Thorson, Navy Office of Community Outreach

Harrison joined the Navy one year ago. Today, Harrison serves as a gas turbine systems technician aboard USS Shoup.

“I joined the Navy for a new experience and for the educational opportunities,” said Harrison.

Growing up in Cleveland, Harrison attended Lakewood High School and graduated in 2018.

Today, Harrison relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Cleveland to succeed in the military

“I played sports in high school, worked in restaurants and in customer service,” said Harrison. “These experiences gave me team building skills and patience ”

Modern U.S Navy surface ships provide a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments.

A Navy surface ship is capable of operating independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups or expeditionarystrike groups.

Jobs aboard a U.S. Navy ship are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill, according to Navy officials. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times.

Cleveland native CAITLYN HARRISON serves aboard forward-deployed Navy warship in Japan

As a member of the Navy, Harrison is part of a world-class organization focused on maintaining maritime dominance, strengthening partnerships, increasing competitive warfighting capabilities and sustaining combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“The Navy is all around the world, and defends our freedom on the seas,” said Harrison.

Harrison serves in Japan as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces. These naval forces operate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Service members in this region are part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which has the largest area of responsibility in the world.

“As the largest force in our nation's front line against revisionist actors, U.S Pacific Fleet meets this great responsibility with strength, resolve and confidence," said Adm. Samuel Paparo, U.S Pacific Fleet Commander "Together with our joint and combined partner operations, we are positioned to defend - across all domains - any attempts to threaten our nation, our allies and partner's security, freedom and well-being.”

Harrison and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.

“I am most proud that I have made it this far in the Navy,” said Harrison.

As Harrison and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.

“Serving in the Navy makes my family proud,” said Harrison.

Harrison is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I would like to thank my family, especially my parents, for supporting me,” added Harrison.

Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Jacob Joy

By Cmdr. Anthony Falvo, Navy Office of Community Outreach

Submariners make up only 10 percent of the U.S Navy's personnel, but they play a critical role in carrying out one of the Defense Department's most important missions: strategic deterrence. Petty Officer 2nd Class Briana Simon, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the sailors supporting a 123-year tradition of service under the sea to help ensure Americans'safety

Simon joined the Navy six years ago and today serves as a personnel specialist with Commander, Submarine Group 10.

“The Navy allowed me an opportunity to travel and go to school,” said Simon. “It has allowed me to create a better future for myself.”

Growing up in Cleveland, Simon attended Cleveland Heights High School and graduated in 2016.

Skills and values similar to those found in Cleveland are similar to those required to succeed in the military

“Cleveland taught me to represent myself very well,” said Simon. “It helped to make me who I am today and to create a positive image for myself” These lessons have helped Simon while serving in the Navy.

Cleveland native BRIANA SIMON continues a 123-year tradition of service under the sea

"Our mission remains timeless - to provide our fellow citizens with nothing less than the very best Navy: fully combat ready at all times, focused on warfighting excellence, and committed to superior leadership at every single level," said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. "This is our calling. And I cannot imagine a calling more worthy.”

Strategic deterrence is the Nation's ultimate insurance program, according to Navy officials. As a member of the submarine force, Simon is part of a rich history of the U.S Navy's most versatile weapons platform, capable of taking the fight to the enemy in the defense of America and its allies.

Serving in the Navy means Simon is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America's focus on strengthening alliances, modernizing capabilities, increasing capacities and maintaining military readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy

“For me the Navy is about protecting people and leading others,” said Simon. “Being able to protect and support the country is important because we love and care about our citizensand we all want the best for our country.”

With 90 percent of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.

Simon and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.

“I'm most proud of not giving up,” said Simon. “Staying in the Navy has allowed me to be where I am today, to earn my degree and it's given me opportunities to serve.”

As Simon and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.

“Helping my fellow military members and civilians has been very important to me,” said Simon. “To me, serving alongside and being able to lean on my fellow sailors has been important to me during my time in the Navy.”

Simon is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I am most grateful for my siblings,” added Simon. “I will always appreciate them for their support, for always being available,and for guiding me and giving me advice.

Photo by: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class JosiahTrombley

Anne Nelson

Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Academic Programs at CSU uses her passion for education to guide future leaders

Anne said. “My mom made sure we had pride in who we were no matter our financial status, race, gender, or lack of a father figure in the home. She said we were going to college, and I had no clue how since we were so poor.”

After completing high school, Anne graduated from Notre Dame College of Ohio with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and a minor in Business. She then worked hard and earned a Master of Education degree in Adult Learning and Development from Cleveland State University.

For Anne Nelson, Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Academic Programs at Cleveland State University's (CSU) Monte Ahuja College of Business, creating practical programs that help students excel in their academic careers and subsequent lives is paramount.

Raised by a single mom in the Glenville area of Cleveland, along with three sisters, and with serious financial constraints, Anne recalls a home filled with love and tenacity and said, “hard work and sacrifice was the focus, and that meant old clothing and only one TV and no car with a focus on learning around us from school projects, to reading books and participating in summer educational activities for underrepresentedstudents.”

Growing up, her mom instilled in her the importance of education as the great equalizer and a key to opening the door to a better life and the path to success. Her mother always stressed the importance of education for one's advancement.

“My mother believed that education and helping others would allow people to judge us on the content of our character rather than our social standing or skin color,”

Today, she continues that mission as she leads the charge to help university students achieve their dreams and reach higher levels. But how did she get here? Nelson says, “I wanted to teach because of the importance of education, but I was disinterested in teaching in the classroom after a volunteering experience during my sophomore year. So, I began working with a career counselor who opened my world to higher education, student affairs, and administration.”

Asked about how her previous work experience supported her current role, she said, “My first position as an academic advisor helped me to explore higher education professional experiences beyond the academic advisor role. My experiences in customer service positions before completing college helped me with my resolution and problem-solving skills to help students resolve problems or speak with parents.”

With a strong desire to work in a diverse environment, Nelson joined CSU in 2001, acknowledging service provision in educational institutions requires patience and determination.

Nelson vividly recalls how her mother shaped her upbringing and inspired her to reach whatever she wanted in life. She said, “My mother set the stage for me to understand women are strong people who happen to be born female because daily I witnessed this strong person who cried, got up and fought for her family and supported her four daughters to work toward an independent life of love, exploration, and education.”

Thanks to her mother's unparalleled work ethic and efforts, all four sisters obtained their college degrees and achieved their career goals. Sadly, Nelson lost her mom in 2005 at seventy years of age but continues to make her proud as she shares her mom's wisdom with students, colleagues, and friends. She said, “I know my mom died early from working so hard for her four daughters, but she would not have it any other way.”

To honor and celebrate her mother's love of education, Nelson purchased a bench in her mom's name on the CSU campus. “I selected the location of this bench on Euclid Ave. near E. 22 because Euclid is special to me. My mother and I would take the #6 bus down Euclid Ave. from E 105th to shop at the downtown stores, and she would often talk about her daughters going to college as we sailed by CSU on Euclid Ave.”

As Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Academic Programs at the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University, she is responsible for “managing academic programs, developing and implementing strategies for generating and maintaining enrollment for all college graduate and undergraduate academic programs (over 2,400 students) and working with faculty to enhance the business education curriculum.” She also manages “the College's student engagement services from leading the Student Services/Advising Office, to enrollment and retention initiatives, to career developmentexploration programs, and manage the operations of the College's undergraduate and graduate business scholarship programs and strategic corporate partnerships.”

In addition, she manages a unique program that supports first-generation college students studying business education entitled 'The Glasscock Scholars Experience Program', which includes extracurricular activities that provide full scholarship and on-campus living for four years for selected students. The program will celebrate its tenth year in fall 2024.

Nelson has been credited with establishing several initiatives and student engagement programs aimed at increasing student retention and graduation rates. These include the fall 2021 undergraduate Business Studies, Bachelor of Arts Degree Program; developed the new Bachelor of Science, Healthcare Management program; and created the undergraduate business senior exit evaluation course. She oversees and manages 90 percent of the business scholarship programs and various scholarship committees. Annually, Monte Ahuja College of Business students have received over $800,000 in scholarships. Nelson also created the Business Career & Internship Expo and KeyBank Day with support from KeyBank.

While education is an important foundation for success, most inner-city students and women of color disproportionately fall behind in joining colleges and universities. To alleviate these problems, Nelson suggests that the representation of people of color in higher education be given emphasis and long-term strategic programs with specific mental or social support, academic support, career exploration support, and mentorship be developed with extreme priority.

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Astudent speaking with an employer at a Business Career ExpoAnne Nelson created

Nelson’s mother bench on the CSU campus

Over the years, Nelson has put in a lot of hard work and effort to achieve her goals. Nonetheless, she concedes that she couldn't have achieved this level of success without the support and inspiration of her mom, who has been the rock star of the family “My mother worked the 11:00 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift to help us (four daughters) off to school and be home for homework and dinner time. Her work ethic was so strong, but she was just as strong when it came to helping others; she was the neighborhood mother and mother to many of my nieces and nephews.” She continued, “My mom always focused on creating a loving, safe, open, and strong home that allowed her daughters to grow into unique, strong individuals with a focus on dreams fueled byeducation and hard work.”

With so many interests and responsibilities, the natural question is how does she balance her career with her personal life? Nelson said, “I need to do a better job at this because I love what I do. However, I do like to read fiction, and write poetry, and sew, and of course, my NFL fandom. I have attended three Super Bowls with the Steelers, and my first Super Bowl was the year my mother died. I was in Detroit crying with my mother's photo in my hand as the Steelers won Super Bowl 40 standing in Ford Field.”

Nelson is a huge football fan. She fell in love with the NFL when she was 12 and was taught the game by her cousin, as she had no boys or father in the home. “I now realize that the NFL provided me with the opportunity to be a part of a team other than my family, and the experience was free, and you were a community” She continued, “Also, loving the NFL allowed me to accept my inner voice and strength, and as I have told friends, loving the NFL and my Steelers helped me to think and then speak like a man with a female voice. My mother also supported this new strange

hobby and never told me it was wrong to follow the Steelers or the NFL.”

Asked about some of the lessons learned along the way, Nelson said, “Never stop learning, and learning takes place outside of the classroom and beyond a degree; do not place limitations on your abilities if you are willing to work hard and look inside for acceptance. I have never sought position titles; I have always worked toward solving problems or serving needs not being met with a strong focus on using creative skills and dreaming while working with the resources I have and the thought of helping others achieve their goals.”

In addition to her day-to-day job, Nelson finds time to volunteer She serves as a Member of the Board of Directors for 'The New Bridge Cleveland' and 'The Center for Health Affairs.' She also mentors young professionals interested in higher education administration.

In 2016, Anne was honored by the university twice as one of the 10 Women of Influence by the CSU Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement and again during Homecoming Week as one of the recipients of the Golden Apple Awards (award by young alumni). Recently, she was selected as one of Crain's Cleveland Business 30 Notables in Education Leadership, which honors educators and administrators dedicated to teaching, learning, researching, and studying.

To the next young girl growing up, Nelson encourages her by stating, “Being different is hard, but good and will make you a better person. Embrace you, take pride in you, and find your purpose and your passion while helping others, and you will help yourself” <

Nelson pictured in her office helping a student .

PHOTOS: Tia McKnight: The Blush Gallery

SHANA MARBURY

BY SHELLEY SHOCKLEY PWM MANAGING EDITOR

For sixty years, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) has provided a high-quality, affordable education to students in northeast Ohio. During this time, the college has also amassed a reputation as a leader in workforce development, dating back to the construction and opening of the Unified Technologies Center in 1986. The Center was considered a leading workforce training facility and has evolved and grown due to advancements in manufacturingand technology.

Shepherding the College into the future is Shana Marbury, newly appointed Executive Vice President, Workforce, Community & Economic Development. Marbury comes to the College after a successful tenure at the Greater Cleveland Partnership, where she served as general counsel and senior vice president for talent. Marbury's work at GCP included building education and workforce development solutions for youth and adults and creating a skilled talent pipeline for regional employers. Additionally, she led GCP's talent team in driving postsecondary credential/degree completion, work-based learning, and high-school career exposure strategies with an emphasis on tech talent development.

Early in her career at GCP, Marbury led a multi-stakeholder education coalition on behalf of Cleveland's business community, successfully lobbying the Ohio Legislature to pass “The Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools,” the City's blueprint for improving PreK-12 educational outcomes for all public and partnering charter school students. Over the last several years at GCP, her team secured $8.8 million dollars in philanthropic funding to support multiple workforce initiatives, including $5.8 million to create an equitable apprenticeship hub and $1.5 million to seed sector partnerships in manufacturing and IT In her new role at Tri-C, she is leading a division that has secured over $7 million in grants since January of this year

Phenomenal Woman recently sat down with Marbury to discuss her new position, the journey she traveled to get here, and Tri-C's role in advancing the regional economy In describing her new career path, she explained, “I am one of four executive vice presidents of the college. My division is the Workforce Community and Economic Development Division, which encompasses much of the training we do around workforce development.”

The primary training areas are manufacturing, information technology (IT), healthcare, construction & transportation and public safety. Tri-C offers both traditional two-year associate degree programs as well as certificationprograms.

The correlation between a community college and workforce development is clear - provide courses that help prepare members of the community to obtain the skills needed to become productive members of society

Tri-C has a strong reputation of successfully educating northeast Ohioans after more than half a century of operation, but community outreach is a staple of Marbury's plans for continued growth. This outreach entails raising awareness around the career paths and providing the necessary training while “making folks aware of Tri-C as an asset in the community.”

EconomicDevelopment

Northeast Ohio has a rich history in manufacturing as a force in the steel and automotive industries, as well as the smaller supplementary industries associated with both of these products. This changed in the late 1970s when industrial work declined in the region and many steel mills and automotive manufacturingplants closed.

The encyclopedia of Cleveland History describes the role of the Community College in workforce development as a means of economic revitalization in the 1980s. “Following the recession of 1980, with its many layoffs in heavy industry, CCC entered the retraining field for the unemployed and the skills-obsolescent. In 1986 the college opened a state-funded Unified Technologies Ctr. adjacent to the Metropolitan Campus that was to provide modern training facilities for business, industry, government, and labor.” The center served as a vital component of the work to revitalize the northeast Ohio community for more than twenty years, and continues to prepare residents for the workforce.

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“

Executive VP of Workforce, Community & Economic Development at Tri-C

Tri-C’s role as an asset and anchor institution in the community is to stay at the table to help determine how we continue to build a strong region and economy in northeast Ohio. “

Tri-C opened the 50,000-square-foot Advanced Technology Training Center (ATTC), featuring high-bay labs, multi-purpose training areas and an energy-efficient and naturally lighted environment for learning, in October 2012. The ATTC links workforce education to the latest technology The ATTC, combined with the College's Unified Technologies Center (UTC), is the largest technology training complex in Ohio The ATTC was designed and constructed to achieve LEED Gold Certification.

These facilities coupled with other course work entrenches the College's commitment to advancing the region and its workforce.

On the economic development side, Marbury noted, “TriC’s role as an asset and anchor institution in the community is to stay at the table to help determine how we continue to build a strong region and economy in northeast Ohio.”

When conversations are held about economic development, the pertinent parties you imagine at the table are developers and government officials developing strategies and courting businesses. While that is true: "People think about businesses and structures – physical development, but economic development also encompasses education and workforce development. You won't grow your economy if you don't have an educated workforce.”

When businesses look at northeast Ohio, whether it's to move their business here or they are already here and want to expand, one of the first things they ask is whether the workforce in our region has the skills that I might need

as a business owner to grow and innovate my business. In response to those concerns, Marbury said, “Part of what we do as far as fostering economic development is related to that workforce development piece. The community college is an anchor institution like many others in the community that can bring resources, ideas, and foster partnerships all around building a stronger and better northeast Ohio ”

ImprovementsinWorkforceDevelopment

The UTC and the ATCC have been pivotal in improving the workforce pool for business owners, but Marbury noted the region has about thousands of jobs that go unfilled each year On a positive note, there is a strong focus on indemand industries, which include - manufacturing, IT, and healthcare. She said, “As a community, we have rallied around that, not only the community college but other partners in the workforce ecosystem, whether that's the chamber, the foundations, or other non-profit partners in the community.”

The area is not short on people; instead, Marbury sees a skills mismatch; the people don't necessarily have the skills to enter our more skilled roles. Manufacturing has become very highly skilled. 2023 manufacturing is not the same as in 1973 - the old dank, dark, dirty manufacturing plant. She explained, “Now when you go into a manufacturer, most of what you see are computers, and you see high-tech machinery, you see things that take skills to run and to operate. So as we begin to focus on those industries, we are doing a better job of understanding where the needs are.”

Understanding where the needs are has changed in the last three years due to the COVID pandemic. It has been well-documented that many workers have chosen to leave or not return to traditional employment following the pandemic.

Marbury said, “COVID has changed the environment. We now have a pool of people who don't necessarily want to go through “workforce development” training to work for an employer They want to work for themselves, they're interested in the gig economy or entrepreneurship. That's a very different approach to workforce development, and here at the Community College, we are actively thinking about how to add value in that space. There are still skills and abilitiesthat folks need to own their businesses.”

To address the needs of this segment of the population, Marbury said the College is developing an entrepreneurship hub through its Corporate College. They currently offer a series on entrepreneurship with the support of Huntington Bank. She said the program has been well received, with participants seeking to “learn how to build capacity, make connections, and access the capital they need.”

The information technology (IT) field has growth potential in the region. Tri-C has many programs to increase the workforce, from Cleveland Codes, a coding boot camp, to non-credit and short-term certificationprograms.

Advancing the skillset of existing employees is another factor in developing a robust economy, and Tri-C's Corporate College is a resource for businesses. Marbury said, “We reach out to employers consistently around opportunities to upskill their employees. We do that a lot in the manufacturing area, several large manufacturers are working with us to upskill their staff and prepare them for that next level position.”

With less than nine months on the job, as she acclimates to the new environment, Marbury discussed the uniqueness of her job, noting “the mix of workforce development, community outreach, and economic development - bringing those three things together in one position - helps to bring a lot of strategies that the college is trying to advance in the community together.” Clarifying further, she said, “We're really about economic mobility How do we put residents on paths to family-sustaining wages and trajectories to career ladders where they can earn money that supports their family and keep advancing?”

The College is working on a holistic approach to economic development by combining education and training with wraparound services. She said, “It's not just the workforce development training, it's the community outreach; who are our partners in the community that can provide some support for folks with barriers”

Some barriers that hamper the learning and growth process include transportation, childcare, access to scholarships, and more.

Marbury said that in addition to partnering with other

organizations to aid in overcoming these barriers, Tri-C has an emergency pool of resources to help with some of the life essentials like emergency car repairs and gap payments when the scholarships don't entirely cover the cost of your classes.

To ensure the success of all facets of their work, Marbury explained, “Once you enroll at Tri-C, that's half the battle. You must also persist with your certificate or degree, so it is a holistic approach.”

The work on the academic side fosters growth in the economy As she and her team work to impact the economy, they seek to answer the question, “How does what Tri-C is helping to create in terms of a skilled pipeline help to promote economic development, and promote businesses coming here, and wanting to stay here?”

While she understands the work ahead, Marbury said the first six months to one year of her new role is a learning process. Explaining, “I'm still on the learning curve. My day encompasses a lot of learning more about our programs and the staff administering and delivering the training classes There's also interaction with other partners in the community ” An example was a conversation with another community college to develop a strategy and a combined voice to present to their friends in government.

Internally there are a number of strategy conversations she said to “make sure we are doing three things - make sure our students have a good experience, so how do we redesign the student experience; how are we making sure we communicate the value proposition of Tri-C in the community; and how the goals of my division and the strategy of my division support the overall college mission.”

With this level of focus Marbury recalled a conversation evaluating the IT section, “What are the strategies, the courses, and the certificates that we should be focused on in our IT area? We want to make sure, as a college, that we don't fall behind. Business is constantly changing, industry is constantly changing, so we have to make sure our offerings are as up-to-date as possible. Even a few steps ahead, if possible. That takes a lot of time, conversations, research, and thought.”

She commends the staff noting, “We have forwardthinking folks and a lot of folks with connections to the industry who can have those conversations with employers to make sure we are integrating that into what we do ”

Summarizing her section, she said, “Our division is really about innovation moving forward, workforce innovation. Help employers fill their roles to maintain and grow their business and help our students get on that path to familysustaining wages and economic mobility Help our community - how do we, as Tri-C, help develop engaged citizens, engaged skilled residents who participate, love Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and want to make this a better place.”

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To ensure the above, Marbury said, “There are three key goals that we are working towards - leveraging real-time data, building deeper employer partnerships so we are becoming thought partners with our employers, and being innovative and centralizing or coordinating employee engagement within the college. We are creating a front door, so there is a known first stop for anyone interested in Tri-C's services.”

Marbury grew up in Twinsburg before venturing out to obtain her bachelor's degree from Tufts University in Massachusetts and her law degree from Tulane in New Orleans. After working in Detroit, she returned home to Cleveland. She practiced law at Squire Sanders Dempsey, now Squires Patton Boggs, so she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Tri-C.

In her spare time, Marbury enjoys dancing, specifically urban ballroom dancing and Chicago Stepping. She said, “I spend many weekends participating in that dance. It's a stress reliever and great exercise, and I work out daily” To incorporate self-care, she said, “My days can sometimes be long, so I don't get a lot of “me” time during the week; I make

PHENOMENAL FACTS:

Tulane University Law School

Doctor of Law – JD

Tufts University

Bachelor of Arts – BA, Political Science & Sociology

Board Chair

Greater Cleveland Career Consortium Leadership Council

Board Member

Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc.

Board Member

Ohio Governor's Executive Workforce Board

Vice Chair

Cleveland | Cuyahoga County Workforce Development Board

Board Member The City Club of Cleveland

Awarded Youth Opportunities

Unlimited's “George Voinovich Award” (2022)

Past member of Kaleidoscope magazine's “40/40 Club,”

sure that I spend at least a few moments every evening journaling what happened in my day, what went well. I'm big on gratitude, so I keep a gratitude journal. I find that helps ground me, even on my worst day If I can pick out three things that went well and three that I'm grateful for, I feel better after finishingthat exercise.”

Motown&MorewithNitebridge

Aug 11 Motown Favorites & Much More

Why you should see this show…

Venue: Supper Club

Showtime:8:00 pm, Doors open:6:00 pm

$12Advance, $15 Day of Show,AllAges, GeneralAdmission, Table Reservations Required

The best Motown Night in Cleveland features great classic hits from Motown and more. You’re going to love these awesome live performances. You’ll be dancing and groovin’ to the best classic hits from yesteryear and today! Nitebridge plays your favorite MOTOWN classics plus modern hits from Bruno Mars, Pharrell, & MORE!

SATURDAY 26 AUGUST

Honoring the Motown Great

Venue: Supper Club

Showtime:7:00 pm

Doors open:5:00 pm

$10Advance, $15 Day of Show,AllAges, GeneralAdmission,Table Reservations Required

Why you should see this show….

A jazz-orientated, R&B-type of sound underpinned by smooth vocals, The Reid Project takes on a variety of musical styles while still maintaining a sound that is uniquely their own. Tonight, they pay tribute to one of their major influences as well as one of the most successful performers of the 20th century.