REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Appoint Ms. Monica Alvarado and Ms. Cindy Springsteel to the NOVA Workforce Board
Report
BACKGROUND
The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 stipulates the composition, roles and responsibilities of the local workforce board. The local chief elected official appoints the local workforce board; the Sunnyvale City Council serves as the Local Chief Elected Official for the NOVA consortium. The local workforce board (NOVA Board) determines how many seats are on the board, and is required to have a majority of representatives from business and representation from at least the following stakeholders:
• Business Executives (majority and chair)
• Education providers from adult education and higher education
• Labor and community-based organizations representing the workforce
• Economic and community development agencies
• State agencies representing employment development and vocational rehabilitation programs
The roles and responsibilities of NOVA Board members include (but are not limited to):
• Take a leadership role in forging a strong and vital partnership between business and the workforce development community, resulting in an entrepreneurial, market-driven, accountable and exceptional workforce development system;
• Contribute specific expertise from key industries and articulate evolving industries’ needs, critical to aligning the workforce with the jobs of the 21st Century;
• Develop and approve policy for workforce initiatives in the NOVA service-delivery area;
• Help create and provide oversight of a local strategic plan and participate in the development of a regional plan;
• Evaluate and monitor program performance according to specified outcomes and measures; and,
• Promote the NOVA Board and workforce through collaboration and relationship building with other businesses, local workforce boards, organizations and groups.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 5.1.1: Socio-Economic - Goals and Policies: Education and Training Goal 5.1F: Provide job training and employment services, within constraints of operative Federal regulations and available Federal funding, to address the locally-determined employment and training needs of economically disadvantaged residents and others with special needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental, organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
DISCUSSION
The NOVA Board Nominating Committee is comprised of Sunnyvale City Councilmember Gustav Larsson, NOVA Board Co-Chair Jennifer Morrill and Board member Bruce Knopf. The committee is charged with the responsibility of recommending candidates for appointment to the NOVA Board, for consideration by the Sunnyvale City Council. The Nominating Committee is recommending the appointment of Ms. Monica Alvarado and Ms. Cindy Springsteel because of the individual strengths and assets they can bring to the NOVA Board. In addition, their appointments will fill WIOA-mandated seats representing Labor and business, respectively.
About the Candidates:
Ms. Monica Alvarado
Secretary-Treasurer, Communications Workers of America, Local 9423
The Communications Workers of America (CWA), founded in 1938, today represents 700,000 workers in private and public sector employment through 1,200-chartered local unions throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. CWA members are employed in a wide range of industries and occupations that include telecommunications, information technology, the airline industry, news media, broadcast and cable television, education, health care, public service, law enforcement, manufacturing and other fields. As Secretary-Treasurer, Ms. Alvarado oversees the overall operations of the local union that serves 2,000 members, which includes budgeting and financial management. In addition, she is responsible for the local membership’s representation in the workplace and is active on CWA’s community services and women’s equity committees. Ms. Alvarado brings to the Board a twenty-year career in the communications industry and life experiences that have led to a deep understanding of the challenges workers face and the importance of working collectively to achieve success. Her contributions will be invaluable to the Board as it seeks to prepare all workers for sustainable employment, so they may live and work in this region.
Ms. Cindy Springsteel
Vice President, Adobe Inc.
Adobe Inc., founded in 1982, produces a portfolio of cloud-based products that make paper-based processes and documents digital; connect creative desktop tools, mobile applications and other services so they function seamlessly across all devices; and provide an end-to-end customer management platform. Adobe employs over 20,000 employees worldwide, with more than 6,000 employees in the Bay Area. As Vice President of the Regional Employee Experience team, Ms. Springsteel heads up the organization responsible for providing strategic consultation and day-to-day advice and support for over 5,000 Worldwide Field Operations employees. Her leadership role encompasses organizational design, talent management planning of employees and teams as they grow, and strategic executive counsel. She is also active in and was the executive sponsor for the Adobe and Women internal network. Ms. Springsteel brings to the Board over thirty years of experience in the high-tech human resources field and a passion for providing mentoring, guidance and coaching that will benefit worker training in this region. Her contributions will be invaluable to the Board as it seeks new partnerships to facilitate job seekers entrée into the tech industry.
These appointments comply with the requirements of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Appoint Ms. Monica Alvarado and Ms. Cindy Springsteel to the NOVA Workforce Board.
Staff
Prepared by: Eileen Stanly, Analyst, NOVA Workforce Services
Reviewed by: Kris Stadelman, Director, NOVA Workforce Services
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager