The Rural Youth Apprenticeship Development Project Advisory Council


Ann Outlaw

Ann Outlaw

  • Title: Technical Assistant Consultant
  • Organization: American Institutes for Research

Ms. Ann Williams Outlaw has spent the last 10 years developing expertise in knowledge translation with an emphasis on improving the lives of people with disabilities. A core component of Ms. Outlaw’s work includes an emphasis on meaningful stakeholder engagement to ensure that research is useful. Ms. Outlaw brings together, listens, and holds space for all who are interested, particularly those whose voices are less heard, to form evidence-based and beneficial solutions to today’s social ills.


Jie Dong

Jie Dong

  • Title: Director of Community & Social Innovation
  • Organization: BCT Partners

Jie Dong is the Director of Community and Social Innovation at BCT Partners L.L.C., a national consulting firm in Newark, New Jersey. He oversees the firm’s Housing and Community Economic Development practices. His current portfolio entails leading a team of subject matter experts to provide technical assistance to federal and private sector grantees across the country. His expertise lies in qualitative methods, evaluation, strategic partnership building, and project management that advance social equity on local and national initiatives, as well as in the non- profit and philanthropic sectors. Jie has extensive experience working in the property management and affordable housing sector.


Manny Lamarre

Manny Lamarre

  • Title: Senior Program Associate – Workforce & Education
  • Organization: WestEd

At WestEd, Manny Lamarre leads and supports research and technical assistance for workforce and education initiatives that lead to economic mobility for youth and adults. Manny formerly served as the Founding Executive Director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation and the Governor’s Designee on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board where he led and supported the implementation of the state’s workforce vision and policies from 2015-2019, including restructuring of the state’s apprenticeship and work-based learning system. Manny holds a B.A. in Political Science with honors from Wittenberg University and a Master’s in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.


Peter Diplock

Peter Diplock

  • Title: Assistant Director
  • Organization: Maine Department of Labor, Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Peter has worked at the Maine Department of Labor for nearly 20 years in both the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) and the Bureau of Employment Services.  He is the BRS lead in apprenticeship and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.


Sierra Royster

Sierra Royster

  • Title-Youth Programs Coordinator
  • Organization -Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)

She works nationally to create bridges for gaps in the disability community and develop training tools and programs that will assist youth and young adults with disabilities to be included not only in their local community, but to the disability community at large. Sierra, with her experience as a person with a systemic disability and education in Recreational Therapy has worked with people of all ages and abilities assisting with transitions to the community to live an independent and fulfilling life.


Tara Loew

Tara Loew

  • Title: Director of the Apprenticeship and Training Office
  • Organization: PA Department of Labor and Industry

Tara Loew was appointed as the Director of the Apprenticeship and Training Office for the PA Department of Labor and Industry in early November 2020. She comes to the position with a wealth of experience in and passion for workforce program development targeting underrepresented populations and building partnerships for collective impact. Prior to this position she had most recently served as the Director of Operations at PA CareerLink Lancaster County where she oversaw program operations and staff, worked closely with the instructor team, grew Youth Programming, and also led the development of the Re-Entry Services Department, one of the only of its kind located in a CareerLink/American Job Center. Prior to her time in Workforce Development, Tara has worked in the non-profit sector and as an educator.


Theresa Cracuin

Theresa Cracuin

  • Title: Director of Vocational Training
  • Organization: Arkansas Career Development Center

Over 25 years of serving people with disabilities and participating on various committees in NJ, FL and AR. Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Henderson University in 2010. Employed at Arkansas Career Development Center, formally ACTI, since 2011 as a certified teacher and currently as Director of Vocational Training.


Vanessa Bennett

Vanessa Bennett

  • Title: Associate Director, Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning
  • Organization: JFF 

Vanessa Bennett is an associate director at JFF with over a decade of experience in youth and workforce development. Her work focuses on building equitable pathways to careers and education for young people through place-based strategies, apprenticeship, and work-based learning. Vanessa earned her Master's of Public Administration from Northeastern University in 2013 and hails from the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

 

 

 

 

 

Not Pictured: 

Jonathan Bibb, Arkansas Career Development Center

Tom Hooper, Jobs for the Future

Barbara Cline, Prairie Hills Transit

Wayne Dagel, Northern Arizona University

Hugh Bradshaw, Vermont Department of Labor

Jeanne Miller, Insitute for Community Inclusion