Media contact(s):
Mary Louise Madigan: (216) 698-2521; mlmadigan@cuyahogacounty.us

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH - Laura Chalker has been appointed by County Executive Armond Budish to serve as the new Deputy Director for Ohio Means Jobs Cleveland | Cuyahoga County (OMJCC).

OMJCC, run jointly by Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland, is the public workforce system responsible for implementing federal workforce dollars and providing strategic direction for workforce training and employer activities throughout the county.

In this role, Ms. Chalker will act as the Chief Financial Officer with a portfolio that includes strategic planning, budgeting, operations, and compliance. Ms. Chalker has served as the Executive Director of the Bond Accountability Commission, the Chief Program Officer at the Centers for Families and Children, and as a consultant to non-profits in the community.

“OMJCC helps train job seekers and works to connect them to good quality, high-paying jobs,” said County Executive Armond Budish. “Laura understands the importance of reaching out to students, workers, and families in Northeast Ohio to help them to get a job that leads to a successful career.”

Ms. Chalker’s appointment complements Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb’s appointment of Executive Director Michelle Rose, following a years-long period of interim leadership at OMJCC. With a permanent Executive Director and Deputy Director in place, OMJCC will expand their visibility and services throughout the county at a time when Cuyahoga County employers are eager to fill job openings with qualified candidates.

Budish’s appointment of Ms. Chalker accompanies years of work to strengthen workforce development in Cuyahoga County. This includes leadership in the formation of the Workforce Connect Sector Partnerships in healthcare, manufacturing, and tech; a $9 million investment of one-time American Rescue Plan funding to expand critical work in manufacturing sector talent acquisition, post-secondary internships, and student career exploration in public schools countywide; and the creation of SkillUp 2.0 to assist employers. Budish has also appointed or jointly appointed the majority of the current Workforce Development Board, comprised of business, labor, community, and educational leaders.