President of Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) Named Board Chair of the NYC Employment and Training Coalition

New York, NY (July 17, 2020) – Today, the NYC Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) announced that Kathleen Culhane, President of Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) has been elected Chair of it’s Board of Directors. In this capacity, Kathleen will play a key role in NYCETC’s mission to advance inclusive and skills-based workforce development initiatives across New York City. Kathleen succeeds Co-Chairs Julie Shapiro, former Executive Director at The Door and newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Fund for Public Schools; and Kelly Richardson, former Managing Director of Newark and New York at Per Scholas.

Founded in 1997 by leaders in the workforce community, NYCETC has emerged as a citywide and national leader in workforce and economic development. Recently, NYCETC Executive Director Jose Ortiz, Jr. was appointed to NYC Mayor de Blasio’s Labor and Workforce Sector Advisory Council to inform the Administration’s efforts to restart the economy and city life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kathleen Culhane has been President of Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) since November 2104 and with NEW since 2007. Founded in 1978, NEW prepares, trains, and places women in careers in the skilled construction, utility, and maintenance trades. NEW graduates start their careers earning over $18/hour and by their third year they are earning $30/hour. NEW provides a pipeline of qualified workers to the industries that build, move, power, green, and maintain New York. NEW has placed thousands of women in careers in the construction, energy, transportation, and facilities maintenance industries. Kathleen leads the organization to meet ambitious programmatic and fundraising goals and is instrumental in the creation of many innovative programs. Most recently, under Kathleen’s direction, NEW worked with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York to increase the number of reserved slots in apprentice classes for NEW graduates by 50 percent. Prior to joining NEW, Kathleen Culhane spent numerous years immersed in housing and homelessness issues with community-based organizations in New York City. In addition to her recent appointment as Board Chair of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition, Kathleen is a New York Building Congress Council of Industry Women Co-Chair and a member of the Human Services Council of New York’s Priority and Strategy Council. Kathleen was a WorldTeach volunteer in Namibia, holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from The College of Wooster.

“On behalf of our Board of Directors, our team and membership of more than 170 workforce and economic development organizations, I thank our Vice Chair Jennifer Mitchell for her support during this period of transition”, said Jose Ortiz, Jr., Executive Director of NYCETC. “I am thrilled to welcome and work beside an exceptional leader and advocate for workers and our city. Kathleen’s skill, record of achievement, and leadership put NYCETC in an incredible position to continue to fulfill our priorities. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our work could not be more important. I look forward to working alongside Kathleen as we strive to increase the value of talent development regardless of socioeconomic status or cultural background for every New Yorker, and make development in our city inclusive of all communities.”

“I am thrilled to serve as Board Chair of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition”, said Kathleen Culhane, President of Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW). “The community of workforce development and human service providers represented by the Coalition has never been more vital to support the most vulnerable New Yorkers – ​especially Black and Brown New Yorkers who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Our community is on the front line, and NYCETC members are training and supporting the workforce that is powering essential services needed right now. It is our collective responsibility to sustain and support our communities during these acutely difficult times. Together we will ensure that the needs and talents of New York City’s diverse current and future workforce are incorporated to meet the shifting demands and opportunities of the coming recovery. I look forward to working with our Vice Chair Jennifer Mitchell, and all of the incredible and accomplished leaders on NYCETC’s Board of Directors, to ensure NYCETC continues to be at the forefront of workforce and economic development initiatives that provide equitable futures and economic independence for all New Yorkers as we build back our great City. I know we are the right group to do so.”

Kathleen Culhane, President of Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW), has over 20 years of experience developing, implementing, and expanding successful programmatic efforts for low-income New Yorkers, said Pat A. Di Filippo, an Executive Vice President of Turner Construction Company.” “Through her leadership, Kathleen has propelled NEW as the national model for advancing women in the building and construction trades. Kathleen’s efforts as NEW’s President have played a key role in the expansion of opportunities for women in New York City to access economic independence, pursue meaningful careers, and achieve their own potential. I am proud to work with Kathleen as NEW’s Board Chair, and I applaud the New York City Employment and Training Coalition and its Board for voting in a proven creative and thoughtful voice to continue its advocacy to build a more equitable and inclusive workforce in New York City.”

About NYCETC
The NYC Employment and Training Coalition supports the workforce and economic development community to ensure that every New Yorker has access to the skills, training and education needed to thrive in the local economy, and that every business is able to maintain a highly skilled workforce. Founded in 1997 as the membership organization for New York City workforce development service providers, NYCETC has played a vital role in the workforce community by advancing policy priorities and convening the sector to build capacity by sharing information and best practices.

Visit www.nycetc.org to learn more about NYCETC.

Contact:
Annie Garneva
Director, Communications and Member Services
agarneva@nycetc.org
908.578.6013