Working Ventures is a workforce development consultancy based in Omaha, NE, serving clients nationwide. Workforce development is our passion, and sustainable solutions are our specialty.

Actively engage businesses throughout the Omaha metro area to understand needs and opportunities, including ways to best connect career seekers with job openings to allow businesses to continue to grow. Build sustainable program services to support workforce development and economic development in the region. Coordinate industry/sector partnerships to support a model for career development, skills and credential attainment, and job placement for low-wage and/or high-demand workers, especially in high unemployment and poverty areas. Develop a business growth and entrepreneurial support ecosystem in the Omaha area in collaboration with multiple stakeholders and organizations throughout the area. Work closely with the local workforce development board and provide strategic planning and support for its committees, subcommittees, and task forces.

Leading a government, workforce, and grant consulting business aimed at designing technology and people solutions for businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits. The Odenthal Group has a team of partnering consultants with extensive experience and high-level knowledge in the areas of workforce development, education, information technology, and economic development. Additionally, the Odenthal Group owns and operates workforceKO (www.workforceKO.com), a website that offers on-demand classes, and connects workforce and economic development groups with the resources, news, and training tools they need to have a bigger impact in the work they do daily.

Responsible for the management, direction, organization and coordination of Nebraska's Employment and Training programs. Directs the Wagner-Peyser program and serves as State Administrator for the WIOA program. Responsible for administering the provision of reemployment services to unemployment claimants. Directs the development of goals, priorities, policies, reemployment strategies and programs in coordination with other programs within the agency. Responsible for budget and human resources activities. Collaborates with other State agencies to develop cooperative initiatives for economic development, labor market research, education, training, health and human services and other related activities. Manages and directs the efforts for competitive grant applications or proposals submitted for additional funding and related programs available from public and private sources.Oversight of 134 FTEs and 15 Employment and Training centers across Nebraska.

Oversee the administration, programs, and strategic plan of the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission. Establish and coordinate agency goals, objectives, and performance standards. Recommend areas of needed change as related to programming; work with staff to assure that a high level of quality is maintained within the services being provided. Direct the collection of data required to evaluate programs and to report on activities as mandated by the Commission or by law. Carry out the policies of the Commission, inform the Commissioners regarding policy changes, and recommend policy decisions. Maintain open and constructive communication with local human relations offices in the State of Nebraska and other organizations and advocacy groups, which have as their mission the promotion of civil rights. Represent the Commission at meetings, conferences, civic functions and other related activities. Organize and present testimony at the Nebraska legislature on issues related to the agency and interact with legislators and state and federal government officials on behalf of the agency. Develop agency budget on a biennial basis and work with the state budget division and the legislature as to pursue funding to secure the needs of the agency. Oversee the agency's public outreach and education activities. Review all discrimination cases and make appropriate rulings as authorized by statute. Oversight of 27 FTEs and 3 office locations in Nebraska.

Program management and oversight of employment and training programs and policies under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act for the State of Nebraska, which includes more than $6 million of annual funding from the federal government. Oversight of policy making, training preparation, and dissemination of program and policy information to agency staff throughout the state of Nebraska in additional to local, state, and federal representatives and community organizations. Training and advising other agency staff in program planning/implementation, policies, and guidelines to improve performance.Program management and oversight of the $9.2 million H-1B Ready to Work Partnership grant program in coordination with the University of Nebraska Omaha and Metropolitan Community College. Grant expenditure and fund oversight, budget monitoring, quarterly reporting, and ensuring compliance with federal and grant-specific regulations. Grant development, writing, and oversight, including acting as the lead writer on federal grant proposals totaling more than $13.5 million in awarded grant funds to the Nebraska Department of Labor.Organization and coordination of Nebraska Workforce Investment Board (NWIB), NWIB Performance Committee, and NWIB Executive Committee meetings. Ensuring compliance with both federal and state public meeting laws and requirements.

Coordination of the Employment & Training programs and policies under the Workforce Investment Act and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act for the Nebraska Department of Labor. Policy research and writing, including the dissemination of program and policy information to agency staff and partner organizations throughout Nebraska. Training and advising agency staff in program planning and policy implementation. Establishing guidelines and benchmarks to improve performance. Coordination of the programmatic and policy transition from the Workforce Investment Act to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.Organization and coordination of Nebraska Workforce Investment Board (NWIB), NWIB Performance Committee, and NWIB Executive Committee meetings, including preparation of speaking notes, agendas, presentations, and handouts. Ensuring compliance with both federal and state public meeting laws and requirements.Acting as the liaison for the State of Nebraska to the United States Department of Labor's regional office for the WIA and WIOA Youth programs. Ensuring department compliance with federal program requirements, and improving training and resources available to WIA and WIOA Youth case managers and program operators.Grant development, writing, and oversight, including acting as the lead writer on federal discretionary grant proposals totaling more than $13.5 million in awarded grant funds to the Nebraska Department of Labor.

The Wolzen Law Office has had the unique opportunity to represent clients in many areas of immigration law. We have successfully handled many types of administrative cases including 1) family-based filings for permanent residence via adjustment of status and through consular processing, 2) fiancé(e)/dependent cases (K-1/K-2) and spousal/dependent hybrid visas (K-3/K-4), 3) preference cases applying INA § 245(i), 4) filings for citizenship through naturalization, 5) petitions to remove conditions on permanent residence including all forms of joint-filing waivers, 6) I-601 waivers of inadmissibility for unlawful entry, unlawful presence, and misrepresentation, 7) J-1 hardship waivers (including hardship, and "no objection" waivers), 8) R-1 religious visas, 9) H-1Bs for professionals and H-4s for family members, 10) intra-company or "L" visas, 11) E-2 visas, 12) Conrad-30 waivers for physicians, 13) Diversity Lottery adjustments, 14) V-visas and subsequent adjustment, 15) Department of State advisory opinions, 16) labor certification (i.e., PERM) cases, 17) I-140 petitions, 18) I-212 requests for readmission, 19) National Interest Waivers, and 20) Writs of Mandamus and other litigation in Federal District Court and before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Worked directly with customers receiving benefits from governmental assistance programs, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Child Care Assistance. Monitored activities and progress of customers to ensure that they were working towards self-sufficiency in addition to meeting program participation requirements and policies as required by the state and federal governments. Worked with business and community partners to help benefit my customers through internship placement, contractual set up of on-the-job trainings, high school education, vocational education, higher education, and other supportive services.