Melissa Goldberg

Melissa Goldberg is the Director of Competencies & Credentials leading CSW’s portfolio of work focused on dramatically expanding the use of competencies and non-degree credentials within learning and talent management systems to increase economic mobility for low-wage workers and address racial disparities. Melissa strives to position CSW as a leader in a growing national movement to advance the use of competencies as essential currency within education and labor markets using by building systems of incremental credentials, and ensuring competencies and nondegree credentials increase equity and worker advancement.

For more than 20 years, Melissa has advised state policy makers, industry executives and college leaders on leveraging the strengths of these sectors to improve outcomes for students, workers, and businesses. She has counseled community college workforce leaders on improving student outcomes, facilitated state and regional strategic planning efforts, authored studies of effective workforce development practices, and provided technical assistance to foundations, federal agencies, businesses, and community colleges across the country.

Prior to joining CSW, Melissa’s work has taken her to national consulting organizations as well as higher educational institutions. At Southern New Hampshire University she leveraged her research to inform the development of College for America, a set of online, competency-based certificate and degree programs targeted to working adults. She also spent eight years leading workforce development and business outreach at community colleges in the New York metropolitan region. Melissa received her master’s degree in public policy analysis from New York University’s Wagner School for Public Service and her bachelor’s degree in international affairs and Spanish from the University of Maine.