Career Education and Workforce Development Professional I've been fortunate to create successful and scalable models for students, educators, school systems, and organizations to build connections between education and the world of work. My journey has taken me from leading global talent strategies in corporate settings to designing systemic, teacher-led career development models in K-12 education.With my colleagues at Educators Cooperative, we work with school districts and workforce boards to build sustainable career development programs. My focus is on advancing career conversations by developing a common career language using the RIASEC typology and dialogic methods. Our five benchmarks for #CareerConnectedSchools empower teachers, counselors, parents, and community partners to support students as they develop an academic and career identity. Our research-based approach offers districts a low-cost, high-yield, and low-drag solution for integrating career development into teaching methods.Before my current work, I served as the Chief Innovation and Engagement Officer at Cajon Valley Union School District. There, I led the implementation of a groundbreaking, system-wide career development model driven by teachers. This approach, rooted in the RIASEC framework, gained national recognition for introducing career exploration in the early grades.Earlier in my career, I led the World of Work Initiative at the Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education at the University of San Diego. Collaborating with professors, researchers, and educators, I worked on the theory of change for the World of Work initiative for Cajon Valley Schools and helped secure multiple NSF grants.My first major career chapter was in staffing and human resources, where I spent 18 years at organizations like Qualcomm and Manpower. During this time, I gained experience in global talent management, executive search, career coaching, STEM education, and community outreach. These roles taught me the value of innovation, adaptability, and creating pathways for people to thrive in their work.Throughout my career, my mission has remained the same: to help people discover their strengths, identify their interests, and build toward their hoped-for futures (#PossibleSelves).If you’re interested in advancing career development in your district, schools, or workforce organization—and are frustrated by traditional methods or software-dominated solutions—invite us to collaborate with your students to model how we can establish a common career language for all.