Joe Bonora is the founder and president of Catalyst Asset Management and Catalyst Community Capital, Inc. The nonprofit works to provide investment for small businesses and project development with a concentration on multifamily properties. This includes mentorship, coaching, and technical assistance for developers to operate independently. He explains how he acquired knowledge through his entrepreneurial upbringing as a self-learner, despite not receiving a formal education beyond high school. Joe also elaborates on educating more people of color to the development business. He emphasizes that people living within communities are more aware of their residents and neighbors than an outside developer. Joe dives into skill development for prospective job applicants. He explains how valuable earning a credential is in comparison to traditional college education.

In this episode we hear from Dakota Pawlicki, the Director of Talent Hubs at Civic Lab. He was also our guest in Season 2. Dakota believes that the greatest change happens at the local and regional level. This is significant when it comes to systems change for students who are disadvantaged. He discusses the launch of Talent Hubs at Civic Lab as a way of expanding civic collaboration with support to regions and cross-sector partnerships. The Talent Hub designation continues to strengthen collective work that is focused on educational attainment beyond high school. Dakota also shares his perspective on the value of local collaboratives in producing community change. Dakota takes us through the adversity he faced growing up. He talks about his experience as a recipient of a caring network of individuals, which motivates his continued work today.

Michael Swindle was our first guest in the first season of Talent Talk. He discusses his vision as the current Superintendent of Hendry County Schools with a workforce-oriented approach. Mike started his position during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which presented several unique challenges going forward. He shares the focus of closing the achievement gaps, building capacity, and creating sustainable efforts for educational attainment within Hendry County. This includes increasing third grade reading proficiency and working to increase graduation rates. It’s somewhat of a challenge working within a rural community with limited resources. He also shares progress from workforce initiatives to increase credentialed workers between the cities of LaBelle and Clewiston. Michael was previously a County Commissioner and Workforce Development Director for Hendry County Schools. This work involved initiating training programs to tackle the unemployment rates across the county. Looking ahead, he is shifting focus towards equity initiatives as a driving force to improving the education system.

Dr. Glenn Whitehouse is the Associate Dean of College of Arts & Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Director of the PAGES program. Glenn earned his Philosophy degree at the New College of Florida. He worked over the summer at a tech firm and completed a research report for the company to receive grant funding. He explains how his experience as a liberal arts student offered skills that translated into an entry level job. As Liberal Arts majors, students have many choices when it comes to choosing career pathways. The PAGES program at FGCU is designed to help students translate the skills they gain in their programs to start a career.

In this episode of Talent Talk, we hear from Jason Powella on his experience as an adult learner that returned to the classroom after stopping out. Many students in his situation were only a few credits short of earning their credential but faced uncontrollable life circumstances. Jason is the Senior Special Event Planner for the Lee Health Foundation and a member of Southwest Florida’s Talent Hub Advisory Board. He has worked in the healthcare industry for 15 years and is working currently working in fundraising. Jason earned his bachelor’s degree through the FGCU Complete program, which caters to students who previously earned college credits. He takes us through the unique factors that adult learners face, how they compare to traditional students, and the benefit of maintaining communication with students who stop out. He also keys in on the different funding opportunities available to students instead of taking on debt.

Shasta College is a community college that serves the three counties of Shasta, Tehama, and Trinity in Northern California. In this episode of Talent Talk, Kate Mahar discusses the significant role the college has had on the surrounding rural community it serves. Kate is the Dean of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives and explains her role in scaling best practices for degree seeking students. As a Talent Hub, Shasta College provides a notable example of the benefits of long-standing efforts to better-serve adults learners. Kate explains the piloting of the ACE (Accelerated College Education) and Credit for Prior Learning as two programs in their shift in accommodating returning adult learners.

Roberto Sanchez is the Director of Secondary Education in Hendry County Schools and serves a diverse school district. He was born in Mexico and immigrated with his family to the United States at the early age of two. Roberto grew up in Arcadia, FL and moved to Hendry County in 2005. He touches on how his father was the driving force in developing his work ethic and desire to gain an education as a pathway to a better life. He served as a teacher and principal during his tenure at Clewiston High School. Roberto talks about how many students in Hendry County come from a similar background as himself, which allows him to better-understand their circumstances. Roberto explains how Hendry County is working to equip students for college and career readiness. Many are first-generation students and need guidance as they work to enter the workforce. He discusses dual enrollment for students to earn an AA degree prior to graduating with the Collegiate Academy. This is a partnership with Florida South Western State College and provides students an opportunity to take college courses without leaving the classroom.

Growing up in Immokalee, home to many agricultural workers and their families, presents many challenges as students juggle life outside of the classroom. Noemi Perez is the President & CEO of the Immokalee Foundation and speaks on these circumstances. She discusses her personal journey growing up within a hard-working community that is built on trust, which inspired her to continue this work. The Immokalee Foundation is celebrating 30 years of operation and works to guide students towards academic and career success within a community that is driven by agriculture. The town of Immokalee is in Collier County and approximately 35 miles from Naples, Florida. There is a sharp contrast between this rural town and its neighboring counterpart being one of the wealthiest cities in the United States. The Immokalee Foundation serves approximately 14,000 students per year with a concentration on students ranging from kindergarten to post-secondary attainment. Noemi explains the implementation of the Career Pathways initiative to provide at-risk students with exploration of their desired career field.

Our guest this episode is Carlos Mendez, a first-generation college student in his third year at Florida Gulf Coast University. Carlos is a full-time student majoring in Anthropology, but he is also working full-time as a Graphic Designer. He shares with us what it is like to work full-time while attending college as well as his experience with online school and why he enjoys it. Carlos also explains the importance of employment flexibility for people who are attending school and how that has played a significant role in his journey to completing a degree. Listen to this Talent Talk episode to hear his very valuable advice to people working in higher education on how to better support students who are working full time.

From New York to Florida, Susan Block has always known she has had a passion for early childhood education. Susan is our guest on this episode of Talent Talk, and she is the CEO of Early Learning Coalition here in Southwest Florida. She shares her work history and the journey that led her to her current position at the Early Learning Coalition. She explains what this organization is and goes into detail about quality childcare and what it entails. Susan also shares with us why early childhood education is important, as well as how it affects peoples’ involvement in the workforce and the impact of childcare on the economy. Finally, from providing personal protective equipment to staying in touch with childcare providers, Susan shares how the Early Learning Coalition has been impacted by COVID-19 and the current demands for childcare right now in our region.