FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: CANDICE RUUD, 253.213.2960
TACOMA, Wash. – Some new faces have joined the team at WorkForce Central this summer, and we’d like to introduce them.
Hilliary Bryan-Benningfield is our Vice President for Special Projects, a new position at WorkForce Central. Hilliary comes from the Department of Social and Health Services, where she worked for 30 years and was most recently the Puyallup Community Service Office Administrator. She has spent 20 years in management, running large organizations with the goal of transforming lives by helping low-income customers meet their basic needs and achieve economic independence. Hilliary has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in human resources development.
Joshua Stovall is our new Research & Data Analyst. He came to WorkForce Central from the Foundation for Tacoma Students, where he worked as a data manager since October 2016. Joshua got his bachelor’s degree in social sciences at the University of Utah, and earned a Master of Public Health from the University of Washington. He did his graduate practicum in Zambia, and while there developed a database for patients with co-occurring HIV and renal disease at the University Teaching Hospital.
Kari Haugen is one of two new Directors of Workforce Services. Kari most recently worked at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, where she was a transition consultant who helped students with disabilities in Pre-Employment Transition Services in order to minimize the employment gap often experienced by that population. Kari earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, and had a professional internship at Mary Bridge Children’s Health Center Hematology/Oncology Outpatient Clinic as part of her graduate work.
Autumn Hughes is another new Director of Workforce Services who joined WorkForce Central this summer. Most recently, she worked as a housing supervisor at the Multi-Service Center in Kent, where among her responsibilities she supervised contract compliance for state and federally funded programs and provided individual and group case management supervision. Prior to that, she was the programs director at Courage360 in Tacoma. Autumn earned her bachelor’s degree in social justice/criminology from The Evergreen State College.
Candice Ruud is our new Communications Director. Most recently, Candice worked for two years as a reporter covering the city of Tacoma and transportation for The News Tribune. Before that, she worked as a reporter for Newsday in New York. She earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from Oregon State University.
WorkForce Central strengthens the Pierce County economy by identifying skill gaps between jobseekers and employment opportunities, fostering data-driven decision making, and connecting workforce development partners into a cohesive, collaborative and effective network.
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