Our business development managers are your one-stop resource, whether you need help recruiting qualified job candidates, disability awareness training, job accommodation solutions or information on Virginia's economic and workforce development.
Commonwealth Workforce Network groups meet at various locations throughout Virginia. The mission is to enhance partnerships between workforce development professionals and the business community to promote business, share job leads and enhance job development. Organizations can present at a meeting to showcase their business and share job openings.
Find your business development manager and/or Commonwealth Workforce Network contact by clicking on your region on the map or selecting your locality from the dropdown list.
Find your business development manager and/or Commonwealth Workforce Network contact by selecting your locality from the dropdown list.
Our business development managers are your one-stop resource, whether you need help recruiting qualified job candidates, disability awareness training, job accommodation solutions or information on Virginia's economic and workforce development.
Commonwealth Workforce Network groups meet at various locations throughout Virginia. The mission is to enhance partnerships between workforce development professionals and the business community to promote business, share job leads and enhance job development. Organizations can present at a meeting to showcase their business and share job openings.
Find your business development manager and/or Commonwealth Workforce Network contact by clicking on your region on the map or selecting your locality from the dropdown list.
Find your business development manager and/or Commonwealth Workforce Network contact by selecting your locality from the dropdown list.
David Leon is the Director of Workforce Programs and Ticket to Work Manager. He has worked for DARS since 2011 and has more than 20 years of experience in helping adults with disabilities go to work.
David is also the Projector Director for the 5-year, $9.2 million dollar RSA PATHWAYS to Careers Using Partnerships, Apprenticeships and Equity grant as well as the co-principal investigator for the NIDILRR ABLEnow research grant. David provides technical assistance on Ticket to Work and SSA work incentives statewide and nationally. He received the Corbett Reedy Award for Excellence for dramatically growing the Ticket to Work program in Virginia.
He also serves on the board of directors for the National Employment Network Association and has served as a subject matter expert for the Department of Labor.
Jackie Kanupp serves Northern Virginia including Leesburg, Fairfax, Alexandria, Manassas, and Culpeper areas. With a master’s degree in business administration and vocational rehabilitation, she is knowledgeable about individuals with disabilities in the workforce.
Jackie serves as the business liaison between the business and community partners and the diversified workforce. She is available to assist with pre-screening candidates, education of employers and potential candidates on disability etiquette and workplace expectations.
With over seven years of experience working with individuals with disabilities, she is used to thinking outside the box and coming up with creative solutions to workforce issues.
Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and City of Falls Church Areas
Greater Fredericksburg Workforce Network
Loudoun Information Network for Employment (LINE)
Northern Shenandoah Valley
Prince William Area
Sean Tibbetts serves the Winchester, Fishersville, Harrisonburg and Charlottesville areas. He brings a wealth of experience working with DARS as a vendor and business partner for many years. Sean’s experience enables him to support businesses with identifying and filling a variety of capability gaps while also supporting the needs and goals of businesses.
Sean has the ability to identify and address specific client needs while supporting business partners with access to a variety of tools and resources including client screening, accessible technology recommendations and strategies to build long-term, successful relationships. Sean is always willing and ready to discuss the benefits for businesses when working with DARS.
In his career, he has led teams in a myriad of federal, state and corporate environments both big and small. He has won several awards for his work improving the lives of the visually impaired community and supporting aging seniors with virtual reality from CTIA and AT&T.
Resource Access Network for Employers (RANE)
PD-9 Workforce Resource Network
Beth Sullivan serves the Roanoke, Martinsville, Danville and South Boston areas. She provides businesses with assistance in recruitment, meeting diversity initiatives and serves as a liaison with local workforce partners.
With more than 25 years of experience, Beth strives to learn the unique needs of individual businesses and educates job seekers on the demands of current work environments. She provides business services including recruiting qualified candidates, assisting with job retention and educating about workplace accommodations.
As a recipient of the 2016 State Rehabilitation Council Employee Leadership Award, Beth finds fulfillment in assisting people in achieving their own personal career goals and businesses achieve their recruitment and retention goals.
South Central Workforce Network
Matt Herron serves organizations in the Southwest region and works closely with the DARS offices in Abingdon, Christiansburg, Norton, Pounding Mill and Wytheville.
He brings over 20 years of professional experience to the Business Development Manager's team. Matt has served as a public school teacher, corporate trainer, director of supported employment services and a job placement counselor.
He is the business liaison between businesses and community partners to help them build a diversified workforce. Matt's role is a vital link connecting businesses with skilled workers with disabilities and he is dedicated to helping others develop and meet their goals.
Melissa Edmonds has over 30 years of workforce development experience and has cultivated excellent business partnerships in the Hampton Roads region. Known as Missie, she joined the DARS team in 2005.
Missie served as vice president and president on the Governor’s Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. Through that experience, she developed great collaborations with other state and community agencies.
Cari Fessler, Director of Human Resources and Administration at Professional Risk Associates said, “Melissa is caring, outgoing, knowledgeable member of the DARS team. This shines through her work through the Commonwealth Workforce Networks and Business Solutions Teams.”
Peninsula Workforce Network
(Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg)
Southside Workforce Network
(Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Isle of Wight)
Shannon Crooks serves the Central District/Capitol Region spanning 28 counties from metro Richmond to Stafford and the Northern Neck.
Through her long tenure with the Registered Apprenticeship program, Shannon served both the Richmond metro region and statewide supporting employers directly with the development of structured training, creation of sustainable and diversified workforce pipelines and sourcing valuable partner resources.
With nearly a decade of experience in workforce development, Shannon understands the importance of state and community partner engagement and collaboration to meet the needs of both employers and career seekers. Through her work with DARS, she hopes to connect businesses with talented career seekers actively pursuing employment through staffing and recruiting, workplace accommodations, disability awareness training, incumbent worker training, and financial tax incentives.
Commonwealth Workforce Network of Greater Richmond
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