Ann Arbor, Michigan, September 29, 2026: Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW), with support from Truist Foundation, has selected 24 workforce practitioners from 18 organizations across ten states to participate in its first Rural Workforce Academy (RWA).
The RWA is a 15-month long learning experience that builds on the knowledge, relationships, and resources that already exist within rural communities. The Rural Workforce Academy creates a dedicated space for workforce practitioners to learn from one another, share strategies and approaches from their communities, develop new skills and tools, and apply learning to their work.
The cohort includes a diverse mix of workforce development organizations, community-based organizations, education and training providers and other organizations working to connect people in rural communities to employment, education, training, and economic opportunity.
The 2026-2027 Rural Workforce Academy participants are:
Alabama
- Bessemer Housing Authority, Tomeka Robinson
- Pickens County Community Action, Darlene Edwards
- South Central Alabama Broadband Cooperative District, Aaron McCall
Arkansas
- Doula Alliance of Arkansas, Liyah Wasson
- Pope County Library, Morgan Frazier
Florida
- Persevere Now, Stephanie Hamilton
Georgia
- GA Department of Veteran Services, Women Veteran Advisory Board, Connie Baptiste
- Southern Georgia Regional Commission, Ashley Smith
Kentucky
- West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Joshua Wall
Mississippi
- Meridian Housing Authority, Gretchen Luvene
- Pearl River Valley Opportunity, Keshia Clark and Zycreuna Merrill
North Carolina
- Franklin Vance Warren Opportunity, Heddie Somerville and Latonia Oakley
- Goodwill Industries of Southern Piedmont, Carola Cardenas
- NC Rural Center, Hamid Kamara
South Carolina
- Persevere Now, Miyesha Bates
Tennessee
- Tennessee Wesleyan University, Christina Sjoberg
- United Way of Greater Nashville, Cassandra McNair-Brown and Lydia Bennett-Carnes
- University of Memphis/ GROWTH Grant, Jasmine Lewis and Stephanie Godwin-Chu
West Virginia
- Randolph County Housing Authority/ YouthBuild NCWV, Charity Daniels and David Messer
Throughout the cohort, learning will be centered on four key principles: (1) trauma-informed and resilience-centered practices, (2) data for learning and decision making, (3) continuous improvement to test and strengthen programs and practices over time, and (4) incorporating change management principles to sustain and lead change. These principles will set the foundation for peer forums centered around strengthening rural networks and collaboration, expanding career pathways and increasing quality employment opportunities, and strengthening organizational capacity. Participants in RWA will have an opportunity to apply the learning and concepts to a real, present opportunity area within their community.
To learn more about the Rural Workforce Academy or develop future cohorts, please contact Jessica Carr at jcarr@skilledwork.org.
About Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW): Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) is a national workforce policy non-profit that partners with government, business, education, and community leaders to cultivate good jobs and the skilled workers to fill them. Since 1991, CSW has catalyzed change in educational and labor market systems, focusing on scalable improvements in worker skills, job quality, and access to opportunity. CSW provides services across five strategy areas: Competencies & Credentials; Improving Practices & Outcomes; Federal, State, & Local Systems Change; Research & Evaluation; and Trauma & Resilience at Work. CSW advances policies and practices which increase economic mobility, particularly for people of color and others historically excluded from success.
About Truist Foundation: Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The Foundation, an endowed private foundation established in 2020 whose operating budget is independent of Truist Financial Corporation, makes strategic investments in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an opportunity to thrive. Embodying these focus areas are the Foundation’s leading initiatives – the Inspire Awards and Where It Starts. Learn more at TruistFoundation.org.
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