Courtesy photo.
CAMARILLO — The WDB Awards were presented by the Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Ventura County at its February 28 Board Meeting at the Ventura County Office of Education. The annual awards recognize individuals, employers, organizations and partnerships for their extraordinary efforts to advance workforce development in the Ventura County region.
“No matter the situation, whether addressing a need in the workforce of coming to the aid of the community after a disaster, Ventura County organizations and individuals work together to find solutions,” says Gregory Liu, WDB board chair. “We see it again and again. It’s a testament to those who live and work in the county.”
WDB Collaborative Action Award recognized the successful collaboration under the leadership of Dr. Cheryl Lambing, Director for Professional and Community Education and Outreach at Ventura County Health Care Agency, to create the Health Occupations Pipeline Education (HOPE) program. HOPE is designed to introduce high school, community college and university students to the health care field and promote a pipeline for the future health care workforce.
The winners were the Health Care Foundation for Ventura County, Ventura County Innovates, Ventura County Health Care Agency, Ventura County Medical Center and Dr. Lambing. The award recognizes partnerships that help meet employer workforce needs, improve education/workforce training or support business expansion or retention in Ventura County.
The WDB Youth Opportunity Award is given to organizations that provide internships or employment opportunities to grow and strengthen Ventura County’s future workforce. The two winners were the Ventura County Civic Alliance and Oxnard Union High School District for their collaborative work on the “Summer at City Hall” program. The program provided youth internships at the city to Oxnard, County of Ventura and City of Camarillo, for high school students.
The WDB Leadership Award went to Emily Barany, owner of Visonality. After the Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides, her inspiration and vision led to the creation of an online platform, 805 Help, which connects resources with those impacted by disasters. After the 101 Freeway was closed because of the mudslides, Barany organized 60 volunteer pilots who made over 100 trips with more than 117 passengers who needed to evacuate.
“Each year, WDB is proud to recognize members of the community who do great things to make Ventura County a better place to live, learn, work and do business,” says Rebecca Evans, WDB executive director.
Members of the WDB are appointed by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and include leaders from business, economic development, education, labor, government and community-based organizations.
About the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County: The Workforce Development Board administers federal funds that help to support America’s Job Center of California locations and other free adult, youth, and employer programs and services in Ventura County. For more information, call 805-204-5186 or visit www.workforceventuracounty.org