THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
The Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board (SVWDB) was established in 2000 to provide oversight and administration of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in the Shenandoah Valley. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act guides the delivery of workforce development programs for adults, dislocated workers and youth throughout the United States, with the intent of establishing and maintaining an effective network of resources for businesses, workers and career seekers.
Our regional board is one of 15 workforce boards throughout Virginia serving the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro and Winchester, and the counties of Augusta, Bath, Clarke, Frederick, Highland, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Warren.
Five Pillars
The SVWDB acts as a catalyst to provide seamless services among various workforce programs and provides community leadership around workforce issues. In this capacity, the SVWDB assumes five strategic roles:
Convener to bring together business, education, economic development, organized labor, and community and faith-based organizations to focus on regional workforce issues.
Workforce Analyst to research, disseminate, understand and act as the repository for current labor market and economic information and trends.
Broker to bring together systems to solve problems or broker new relationships with businesses and workers.
Community Voice to advocate for the importance of workforce policy, providing perspective about the need for skilled workers.
Capacity Builder to enhance the region’s ability to meet workforce needs of local employers, develop workers and build a stronger community.
Our Mission
Collaboration is at the core of the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board’s (SVWDB) mission, working with a wide-range of regional and state partners to offer a variety of services such as employment information, career development training opportunities, easy access to support programs, and self-directed job search/job posting options, on the job training, work experiences, worker training and other business services.
Fast Facts
The SVWDB is an incorporated 501c (3) non-profit organization serving 10 counties and 6 cities.
The SVWDB and related workforce initiatives are overseen by a Board of Directors and operates under the direction of a Chief Elected Officials Consortium.
The SVWDB is funded through the U.S. Department of Labor and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), discretionary grants, community block grants, and leveraged resources. SVWDB has written over $19,000,000 in proposals which have been awarded for additional workforce initiative funding.
MEET OUR TEAM
The Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board is made up of a strong team of local elected officials, seasoned workforce, economic development and business professionals.
Sharon Johnson, Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (540) 442-7134 Ext. 110
Email: sjohnson@vcwvalley.com
Tristan Meadows, Workforce Services Director
Phone: (540) 442-7134 Ext. 106
Email: tmeadows@vcwvalley.com
Debbie Berry, Program Coordinator
Phone: (540) 442-7134 Ext. 101
Email: dberry@vcwvalley.com
Debby Hopkins, Chief Workforce Officer and Program Director
Phone: (540) 442-7134 Ext. 105
Email: dhopkins@vcwvalley.com
Joan Hollen, Data and Communications Specialist
Phone: (540) 442-7134 Ext. 100
Email: jhollen@vcwvalley.com
Vanessa Robinson, Programs Coordinator
Phone: (540) 442-7134 Ext. 111
Email: vrobison@vcwvalley.com
Heidi King, Grant Technician
Phone: (540) 442-7134 Ext. 107
Email: hking@vcwvalley.com