About · Leadership
The people who open doors.
WorkforceConnect is run by a small team and supported by an advisory board of education, industry and community leaders from across the San Diego region.
Leadership
Our team
The staff and leadership team who run programs, relationships and scholarship work day to day.
Debbie Barnum
Founder
Diane Byron
Women in Construction
Barry Jantz
Government and Community Relations
Jake Cloke
Community Affairs Specialist
Brad Barnum
Industry and Donor Relations
Rachel Murray
Scholarship & Events Director
Jeni Mendel
At-Risk Liaison
Jeff Anderson
Donor Relations
Advisory Board
Advisors who make the pathway real
Advisory board members volunteer expertise from construction, education, industry and the military community. They advise; they do not govern the organization.
Douglas Barnhart
ChairmanBarnhart-Reese Construction
Focus: Employers and contractors, veterans
Tom Brown
PresidentSierra Pacific West
Focus: Apprenticeship, veterans
Diane Byron
OwnerI.E. Pacific
Focus: Women in construction
Robert Collins
Retired SuperintendentLAUSD and Grossmont Union High School District
Focus: Parents and educators
Mike Furby
PresidentMarathon Construction
Focus: Employers and contractors
Bill Haithcock
PresidentCasper Company
Focus: Employers, apprenticeship
Robert Kiesling, P.E.
Retired Navy Captain; retired school district executiveSan Diego Unified and Grossmont Union High School District
Focus: Education systems
Michelle Reiner
Vice PresidentBalfour Beatty Construction
Mark Rowan
PrincipalRowan Electric
Lou Smith
Retired Navy Admiral; retired school district executiveSan Diego Unified School District
Focus: Education systems
Jim Summers
Chief Executive OfficerEC Constructors
Wes Wise
PresidentCass Arrieta
Vince Hundley
Chief Executive OfficerSmart Safety Group
Advisory participation at WorkforceConnect is never available for purchase and is not a benefit of any gift.
In Memoriam
Remembering those who built this work with us
Carmen Vann
Project Executive, BNBuilders
We remember Carmen’s contribution to expanding access to construction and skilled-trade careers in the San Diego region with gratitude.
Want to work with this team?
Partners, funders and programs are how access actually widens. Start a conversation, or see the organizations already in the network.