Staff

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    Gabriel Van Fyk

    Executive Director

    Gabriel brings over a decade of experience in workforce development strategy, organizational development, and grant writing to his role as Executive Director of the Maryland Workforce Alliance. As a consultant, he has helped nonprofits and workforce programs secure funding, strengthen operations, and expand their impact in workforce development and apprenticeship programming. Gabriel has deep expertise in building partnerships across sectors, having coordinated strategic agreements between workforce organizations and positioned them for federal and state funding opportunities. He also brings a multi-perspective understanding of how workforce systems can better serve diverse populations. Gabriel's strategic approach combines stakeholder engagement, policy knowledge, and operational excellence to advance MWA's mission of expanding apprenticeship and workforce development opportunities across Maryland.

    Contact Gabriel here

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    Len Lucchi

    Senior Advisor

    Our Legislative Consultant is Leonard Lucchi Esq., with O’Malley, Miles, Nylen, & Gilmore Attorneys at Law. Mr. Lucchi has over 30 years of experience in advocacy, lobbying, and policy work. He is an accomplished advocate for business owners, manufacturers, unions, and City & County governments. His work benefits both employers & manufacturers and people alike.

    Contact Len here

Officers

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    Jennifer Dewees

    Board Chair

    Jennifer Sproul is the president of the Maryland Center for Construction Education & Innovation (MCCEI), a workforce intermediary whose mission is to develop, promote, and connect career opportunities in the built environment. With 21 years of experience in the construction industry, she recently served on the national board of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) as the Northeast Region Director. She is a passionate advocate for women in the AEC industry and for promoting careers in the built environment to our youth.

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    Erin Finnegan-Smith

    Board Member

    Erin Finnegan-Smith is the Director of Workforce Development for Associated Catholic Charities of Maryland. She oversees workforce development initiatives and programming across the agency's 80 programs, as well as career pathing and upskilling internally. She believes strongly in the power of non-traditional pathways to careers and opening doors to opportunities that were previously closed. She is a subject matter expert in the area of nontraditional apprenticeships and has experience on a local and national level, operating an apprenticeship intermediary.

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    Grant Shmelzer

    Board Member

    Grant is the Executive Director of the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Chesapeake Chapter, a nationally recognized non-profit employer association representing merit-based electrical contractors in Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.   He is a well-respected advocate for the expansion of apprenticeships both as a benefit to employers as well as to youth seeking skills toward a rewarding career.  In addition to overseeing the day to day operations of IEC Chesapeake and IEC Chesapeake Apprenticeship and Training, Inc., Grant serves on the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council, the Maryland Task Force to Study Economic Development and Apprenticeships, and the advisory board to the Maryland Clean Energy Center.

    Grant is a graduate of University of Maryland College Park.