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MassHire Awards
2022 MassHire Awards
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Thursday, September 15, 2022
DCU Center - Worcester, MA
The MassHire Awards recognize and affirm exceptional, forward-thinking behaviors in service of the MassHire Mission. Individuals and partnerships will be honored for living the MassHire Values. One award will be conferred for each category.
COLLABORATION AWARD The Collaboration Award recognizes the individuals who believe in the power of partnership and streamlined integration of services to achieve effective and timely results for those who we serve.
RELIABILITY AWARD
The Reliability Award recognizes individuals who build trust by constantly delivering high quality professional services at each location, in every interaction.
INGENUITY AWARD
The Ingenuity Award recognizes individuals who leverage flexibility, expertize and knowledge to successfully meet our mission regardless of new challenges and circumstances.
RESPECT AWARD
The Respect Award recognizes individuals who are committed to understanding and valuing the diverse, unique requirements and professional goals of the businesses and people we serve.
LIVING MASSHIRE AWARD
The Living MassHire Award recognizes partnerships that create and sustain powerful connections between businesses and job seekers through a statewide network of employment professionals.
MASSHIRE CHAMPION
The MassHire Award recognizes and honors an individual who has made significant contribution to the MassHire system. MassHire Champions are individuals who are not employed by Masshire but also exemplify the MassHire values through sustained support and partnership with the MassHire system.
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COLLABORATION FINALISTS
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John Nesti
John Nesti, Employer Services Manager with MassHire Greater Brockton Workforce Board (MHGBWB), is recognized for leading a project to convert a former Brockton Area Transit Authority passenger bus into a mobile learning lab, to expand and deliver services to people within the Southeastern community who may face challenges getting to the MHGBWB Brockton office.
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Daphne Nichols
Daphne Nichols, Career Advisor with MassHire Lowell Career Center, is recognized for creating a Career Readiness curriculum or ESL students, and simplifying concepts typically taught to native English speakers. She worked in group and individual settings to provide tools and resources for ESL students to be successful in their job search.
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Lisa Chakalos Ryan
Lisa Chakalos Ryan, Business Service Representative with MassHire Metro North Career Center (Operated by Action for Boston Community Development), is recognized for helping the Connecting Activities youth team develop a sustainable employer relationship. Through her work in the Career Center, Lisa has made it possible for employers and high school students to see what is offered outside of their cities and gain a long-lasting impression of new opportunities.
RELIABILITY FINALISTS
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Phylis Gedeon
Phylis Gedeon, Youth Program Coordinator with MassHire Springfield One-Stop Career Center, is being recognized for her work under a Mass Save grant to train young people in an innovative pilot weatherization training program. Phylis is a “fierce advocate” for young people, and has recruited 28 people ages 18 to 25 for the program and successfully placed 18 participants, which was the highest in the state.
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Melanie Herzig
Melanie Herzig, Business Services Representative with MassHire Berkshire Career Center, is recognized for her positive and energetic attitude, her wealth of knowledge, and always being willing to go above and beyond to assist customers, staff, and the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board. Between July and December 2021, she worked with 696 companies, and she is described as the “go-to” person at the Career Center, exceeding the expectations of her manager year after year.
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Debbie Lipton
Debbie Lipton, Career Advisor with MassHire Metro North Career Center is recognized for her reliable work and dedication to the Career Technical Initiative Grant. Debbie has enrolled 19 out of 24 participants and earned the trust of her peers by sharing her knowledge and experience from day one by communicating positively and keeping her team up to date whenever challenges arose.
INGENUITY FINALISTS
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Samantha Fonseca
Samantha Fonseca, Data and Program Manager with the MassHire Cape & Islands Workforce Board, is recognized for providing her wealth of experience and knowledge with technology to her team and community. Her contributions increased visibility and made it easier for board members, educators, students, and parents, to access important resources on the MassHire Cape & Islands website.
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Bruce R. Mendelsohn
Bruce R. Mendelsohn, Resource Development Coordinator with the MassHire Central Region Workforce Board is recognized for his innovative and creative approaches, which have resulted in expanding the pipeline of qualified, trained individuals and raised internal and external awareness of, funding for, and participation in high-priority tech and IT-adjacent apprenticeships in Central Massachusetts.
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Jeff Cahill
Jeff Cahill, Business Services Representative with the MassHire Greater Brockton Career Center is recognized for his idea to host “Hot Jobs Live”, a weekly Zoom event where to highlight specific jobs on behalf of employers and answer questions regarding those positions for the job seeker. In 2021, Jeff held 48 “Hot Jobs Live” sessions which included 677 participants and 19 employers who co-hosted to showcase their openings
RESPECT FINALISTS
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Madeline Colon Rivera
Madeline Colon Rivera, Career Advisor with the MassHire Lowell Career Center, is recognized for assessing JobsPLUS residents’ barriers, needs, skills, and potential. For many residents who have long been in public housing, her willingness to let them know where they stand may be their first time receiving positive feedback.
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Team from the MassHire Holyoke Career Center
A team from the MassHire Holyoke Career Center is recognized for its involvement with the Mass Internet Connect (MIC) program by supplying Chromebooks to 1,229 individuals and providing access to financial and basic digital literacy support. Team members: Ashley Bonilla, Norma Cabral, Yaritza Colon-Baez, Bud Delphin, Rodney Evans, Melinda Fitzsimmons, Kevin Lamson, Anira Moreno, Kristy Reillo-Rosado, David Serrano, Kate Smith, and Tom Thacher.
LIVING MASSHIRE FINALISTS
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Edward L. Gagne
Edward L. Gagne, Director of Youth Services and Adult Literacy Programs with MassHire Central Region Workforce Board is recognized for his successful and nationally recognized workforce development initiatives geared towards at-risk and underserved youth. Five (5) youth-oriented workshops designed by Ed have become a national mandate under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA).
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Heather Shogry-Williams
Heather Shogry-Williams, Youth Director and Kat Toomey, Youth Program Specialist as MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board’s Youth Team, are recognized for their commitment to the philosophy of youth being 100% of our future workforce, and creating sustainable partnerships to ensure opportunities for youth in their region.
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Kat Toomey
Heather Shogry-Williams, Youth Director and Kat Toomey, Youth Program Specialist as MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board’s Youth Team, are recognized for their commitment to the philosophy of youth being 100% of our future workforce, and creating sustainable partnerships to ensure opportunities for youth in their region.