2022 Economic Development Panel: Workforce Strategies

Description

Economic Development Panel: Workforce Strategies

• Dawn Creighton, Partners for Community

• Kristin Cole, Director of Workforce Training Programs at Greenfield Community College
• Maura Geary, Executive Director of the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center
• Lynn Gray, General Manager of the Holyoke Mall & Interim GM of Hampshire Mall
• Kishore Parmar, Vice President of Pioneer Valley Hotel Group

Speaker Bios

Dawn Creighton

Partners for Community

Dawn has supported Economic Development in the Pioneer Valley through her work with Masslive, Employment Specialist, Associated Industries of MA, Western Ma Director and Greenfield Community College, Chief Workforce Development Officer. These roles have allowed her to serve on many boards supporting the community, whether seat on various chambers, Western MA Human Resource Management, Tech Foundry, World Affairs Council and Past President of Western MA Dress for Success

Her passion for improving the community stems from wanting a better community for her three children and three grandchildren. She strides herself in bringing people together for the common good. Earning her a well-known title ?networking queen?. She is known for thinking outside the box with an entrepreneurial spirit.
 

Kristin Cole

Director of Workforce Training Programs at Greenfield Community College

Kristin Cole is the Director of Workforce Training Programs for Greenfield Community College where she oversees the creation and implementation of GCC's non-credit workforce training programs. In this role, she works closely with area businesses to ensure GCC's training programs are in alignment with their current workforce needs including developing customized training solutions for employers throughout Franklin and Hampshire Counties. Prior to her role at GCC, Kristin worked in non-profit management and fundraising, including serving for nearly 17 years as the Director of Operations for the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce.

Kristin is a Board member of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. She also sits on several regional committees addressing Economic Development and Workforce issues including the Western MA Economic Development Council and the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center Performance Oversight Committee. She currently serves as chair of the Youth Career Connections Council, a program of the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board. She also serves as a member of the GCC Senior Leadership Team and President's Staff.

Kristin is a graduate of the University of TN, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. She and her wife, Kerry, have resided in Williamsburg, MA since 1999.

Maura Geary

Executive Director of the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center

As the new Executive Director of the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center (MHFHCC), Maura Geary leads a dynamic team of workforce professionals who improve employment outcomes for job seekers and employers in our region. She has been part of the MassHire system for 13 years, as a collaborative leader and strategic project manager at the Hampden County Workforce Board.

Following a successful rowing career at the University of Washington, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in English literature, Maura coached community rowing in Seattle, then relocated to western Massachusetts where she taught GED classes to young parents in Springfield. Her passion for increasing access to education and employment opportunities for disadvantaged populations led her to pursue a Master's degree at the School of Public Policy, UMass, Amherst. She believes in the importance of data-driven policy and program design and is dedicated to creating positive organizational cultures, strong relationships between stakeholders, and inclusive, collaborative processes. 

The power of the MassHire system to improve outcomes for individuals, organizations, and communities has never been stronger or more vital. Maura looks forward to leading the MHFHCC team to continue to build toward a prosperous future for people and businesses in our vibrant region.
 

Lynn Gray

General Manager, Holyoke Mall & Interim General Manager, Hampshire Mall at Pyramid Group

Lynn Gray is the General Manager of Holyoke Mall and the interim General Manager for Hampshire Mall, owned and operated by Pyramid Management Group. Over the last 25 years, has held roles within the shopping center industry-leading marketing and management teams as well as leasing and operations with both Pyramid Management Group and General Growth Properties (now Brookfield Properties). Lynn is an ICSC Maxi Award Recipient for initiatives in sales and branding. She is actively involved with the community including serving on the boards of directors with the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and Amherst Boys and Girls Club, and is the Massachusetts State Ambassador for the International Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Organization? CHERUBS and a lifelong resident of the Western Mass area where she lives with her 19-year-old son.    

Kishore Parmar

Vice President of Pioneer Valley Hotel Group

Kishore Parmar is Vice President of Pioneer Valley Hotel Group, a family-owned hospitality company that has been operating in the Pioneer Valley since 1988. As vice president of PVHG he assisted in hotel operations, new property development, and renovations.

Kishore began in the hospitality at a young age working alongside his brother and parents as they started the family business.  After earning his degree in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University he worked in the IT industry for several years working towards his MBA from Babson College.

Since returning to the family business in 2010, Kishore helped oversee the expansion of the company's hotel and real estate portfolio.  The business also expanded from having 60 employees to 120 in the course of 10 years.