Kengen champions equity and assists people in reducing implicit bias and creating a more inclusive culture without shame or guilt.

Responsible for operational planning, public relations, human resources, fiscal accountability, policy advocacy, community relations, fundraising, marketing, and risk management. Key Achievements• Hired to reimagine + relaunch this established nonprofit stripped of its funding and flagship program.• Responsible for the strategy and execution of the agency’s new vison, mission, and goals to address health equity, affordable housing, psychosocial support for youth, workforce training, and voter mobilization. • Provided oversight and direction of administrative and program operations, including human resources, finance, legal, IT, and facilities as well as provide a range of social services to over 10K residents annually. • Diversified agency’s funding sources and raised $4M in 18-months to increase sustainability, program quality, and scale.• Through a collective impact initiative, developed community partnerships with over 60 public + private organizations to enhance comprehensive programming and community support. • Directly deployed a comprehensive communications strategy, which consists of hosting a bi-weekly radio show, coding a website, daily social media posts on three platforms, a digital newsletter, as well as published reports, presentations, media interviews, webinars, and more. • Launched a STEM Center of Excellence, HUD EnVision Center & an Agricultural Center of Excellence.

Workforce Connections is the Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board serving 2.4 million people in Clark, Lincoln, Esmeralda and Nye counties. During my tenure, I served more than 600 employers in the State of Nevada helping them to navigate federally-funded employment and training services while addressing critical labor market issues and recruiting more than 20,000 candidates annually.Highlights of my role:• Responsible for working directly with over 600 businesses and various industries to address unique workforce employment and training needs.• Partnered with state and local economic development agencies to provide workforce services for new and expanding businesses. • Developed and executed plans in response to regional workforce needs of business and industry which included strategies for increasing the employment of significant population segments• Convened and facilitated the design of sector strategies for specific industries that represent significant employment in the local/regional workforce, in conjunction with state priorities and strategies.• Designed and executed a business engagement process to recruit, service, train and engage employers to support hiring needs, identify education requirements, inform skill gaps and educate on available programs and services. • Served as the primary spokesperson and key link to communicating with the board.• Instrumental in the development of an approved jobs bill supporting the civil rights of and providing enhanced job opportunities for former felons and successfully removed application check box requiring applicants to disclose criminal history. • Generated $5M+ in earned media through authoring of comprehensive and compelling press releases, speeches, presentations about employment and training. • Negotiated $320,000 in free airtime to publicize 10K+ job opportunities on a daily radio broadcast.

I managed the development of written content including bill summaries, fact sheets, policy briefs, action alerts, position statements, testimony, regulatory comments, and social media communications associated with policy issues. • Championed the establishment of the state’s first Business Compact consisting of 80+ members focused on fighting issues that impact employment and training opportunities resulting in streamlined On-the-Job Training contracting opportunities.• Effectively orchestrated one of the largest job fairs drawing 5K+ jobseekers gaining the attention of Tom Perez, US Secretary of Labor. • Spearheaded the development and execution of organizational communication strategies to drive Workforce Connection awareness.

I leveraged an opportunity to cultivate and manage key relationships with community influencers focused on enhanced understanding of the interdependencies of large nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve. Provided consultative services to various business leaders. • Salvaged a maxillofacial organization through the provision of access to capital and marketing. • Developed and executed a layoff aversion policy and program supporting Clark, Lincoln, Esmeralda and Nye counties while successfully aiding 36+ companies in averting workforce reduction. • Built the region’s pioneering DR. CEO Roundtable to enhance struggling physician’s practices comprised of 50+ participating physicians.

• Supported business development via the website, marketing, social media, and RFP campaigns• Led all proposal activities, both for corporate and federal opportunities• Coordinated RFP response schedules and input from various disciplines and arrange the formal response, including technical and pricing volumes.• Prepared project narratives, graphics, and resumes for inclusion in all aspects of professional service marketing submissions in alignment with business goals and branding.