As Vice President of Operations and Strategy, Travis leads the strategic development of high-impact workforce initiatives and organization level operations. He works to ensure that people and processes are in place to effectively design and execute strategies that align with CSW’s mission and values.
Prior to joining CSW, Travis was the Strategy Lead for the Pathways and Skills Collaboratives, an effort funded by the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. In collaboration with industry, workforce, and education partners, he helped to develop fourteen pathways in four sectors, creating talent pipelines for businesses and economic mobility opportunities for residents. At the conclusion of a successful pilot, the state allocated $8.5m to grow and sustain the initiative, marking a significant return on investment. Travis also led the Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Collaborative, a million-dollar contract with the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development to facilitate statewide apprenticeship growth.
Travis is a consultant with the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at Rutgers University and has helped raise over $1M to support Black and Latino small businesses. Travis’ efforts have helped to expand access to capital for minority owned companies during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; connect MWBE’s to contracting opportunities with anchor institutions through the Ascend Newark initiative; and support the launch of the Black and Latino Angel Investment Fund of NJ.
Prior to these engagements, Travis lent his operational, strategy and data expertise to government, K-12 education, and non-profit organizations. He successfully led budgeting; strategic planning; and staff development processes, increasing the functionality of organizations by expanding core competencies in policy, performance measurement and talent acquisition.
During his tenure as Chief Operating Officer of the Newark Workforce Investment Board, Travis drove job-growth initiatives by implementing a strategic plan that aligned with state and municipal workforce development plans and employer-focused partnerships for in-demand jobs. At YouthBuild Newark, Travis cultivated key external partnerships and set long- and short-term financial goals to ensure organizational efficiency and sustainability for what has become the Newark Youth Opportunity Network. As Newark Public School’s Director of External Affairs, Travis oversaw a district-wide student enrollment audit process and strengthened relationships between the district’s advisory board and the administration. At the City of Newark, Travis played several key roles, including Policy Advisor to the Business Administrator, coordinating a diverse portfolio of federally funded projects totaling over $141m in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grants.
Travis earned his BA from Connecticut College and a MPA from Baruch College, where he was a National Urban Fellow. Travis also holds certificates in Public Performance Measurement and Non-Profit Executive Leadership from Rutgers University.