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Meet the people that make up the leadership of Career T.E.A.M. 

Each member of the team brings a very different perspective and “real world experience” to the company. This is what makes Career T.E.A.M. so unique and compelling in workforce development. There are a number of great ideas and good programs out there to help people enter or re-enter the job market.  Career T.E.A.M. takes these ideas and programs and adds the perspective and experience to make them “come alive.”  Job retention substantially increases and clients go from getting just enough to get by for a time to being able to grow skills and a long and beneficial career.

What follows is a bit of information about each team member, in his or her own words. These are REAL people with REAL lives!

Job: As the Director of Core Services at CTWorks of Hartford, Stephanie is charged with overseeing 15 staff members at the 6 Hartford, CT area One-Stop locations as well as the creation and implementation of policies company-wide.

In her time with CTL Stephanie has held many roles from assistant to instructor to recruiter to advisor to director to contributing editor. She has been instrumental in a large number of projects from policy to procurement of funds to gathering to making use of the information about CTL clients.

Stephanie also helps provide Human Resources and Operational Support for some the company’s other project areas including operations in Washington, DC, Baltimore, and Delaware.

Name: Stephanie Frisch

Title: Director of Operations

In her words...
The best way to building a successful company is by fostering the skills and strengths of employees - no matter what their position in the company
Name: Bill Gerlach

Title: Director of Employment Services

Job: Bill is a seasoned veteran in workforce development programs. At the CTWorks centers in the Hartford, CT area, Bill helps hundreds of displaced workers through the W.I.A. programs, as well as the disadvantaged in the T.A.N.F. and Welfare-to-Work programs. He not only helps clients find permanent employment, but a better lifestyle as well. He places clients from entry-level workers to executive professionals.

Bill organized some of the Hartford areas first job fairs in1996,introduced the Jobs First Initiative to over 150 Hartford area businesses. His job development activities have led to over 1,000 placements during the last 7 years alone. He has coordinated many highly successful employment seminars, and other employment outreach programs throughout Connecticut.

Bill has helped CTL get projects "off the ground" in FL, DC, MD, DE and CT in a number of both intrem Director roles and permanent Specialist roles .

In his words...
Helping displaced individuals get back into the mainstream of employability is probably the most rewarding aspect of this journey for me. Its not that they always say Thank-you, its that you were able to help someone because you care.
Name: Kent Klopfenstein

Title: Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic Region – Baltimore, MD

Job: Now based in Baltimore, Kent joined CTL to start up and manage the Welfare-to-Work operation in Wilmington DE. He has six years of experience managing a large performance-based program in Baltimore that helped more than 4,000 people find employment and reach retention goals of at least six months. Prior to that, he ran venture-backed, early stage companies and spent ten years in operations management at Mobil Oil.

Kent believes a successful program is more than people and process, but also about culture and compassion. Our customers must feel that they have come to a safe place: where they are supported and treated with dignity. In our work, we have an opportunity to help people achieve a different quality of life for themselves and their children.

In his words...
If we are really going to help these people... we have a responsibility to bring our “A” game every day.

Name: Angela Johnston

Title: Program Director – Washington, DC

Job: Angela started with CTL as a motivational speaker/trainer, providing the necessary tools to empower clients to take control of their lives by returning to the workforce with a new outlook on giving back to society by becoming great role models for their children.

Angela has recently become the Program Director. She continues to provide life skills training to each client, but has since merged into the leadership role in the DC office. Using her management and leadership skills, she has provided a new direction for the success of the program. In her multi-roles Angela also acts in the case management position to effectively assist each client with the support that he/she needs to overcome barriers that may prevent him/her from going to work.

Believing strongly that healthy parents make healthy children, Angela strives to assist the parents of our future to do the very best that they can to build a better tomorrow for everyone.

Name: Nicole Lord

Title: Program Director – Wilmington, DE

Job: As Project Director for Delaware, Nicole likes the term "beacon of light"to describe what she does. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge having worked with the T.A.N.F. recipients in Baltimore, Maryland. "A woman of many talents" she is in dual roles as a Case Manager and Program Director responsible for a case load that includes over 250 clients to help in providing resources, such as; training, housing, clothing and emotional support necessary to direct clients onto a path that leads to a better future for themselves and, as she likes to say, "generations to come."

Being a people-person she continually strives to make a difference in the lives of many. A single mom herself, she can relate to the challenges and difficulties that face most of clients. Compassionate and respectful, she lives by the golden rule; “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”.

In her words...
Your life is what you make it. No one else can solve your problems or make you happy. It’s your responsibility to make things happen in your life.
In her words...
It is Our Responsibility to Make History
Name: Steven Lockwood

Title: Managing Director – Workforce Consulting Division

Job: Steven has recently joined CTL to manage the Workforce Consulting Division and works out of the Washington, DC area. He has over 12 years experience in the Workforce Services field serving in such roles as Workshop Facilitator, National Trainer, Director of a national Learning Institute, Project Director for projects located in NY, NJ, PA, DE, and DC, Regional Director, and Assistant Vice President. During these years, he has been face-to-face with the challenges organizations and governments face implementing small and large workforce initiatives.

Steven’s extensive experience makes him not only a theorist, but also a practitioner of the concepts and best practices that enable workforce development organizations to overcome the challenges they face. He uses his role at CTL to continue his passion for helping others reach success in implementing and running effective programs that help people grow and progress in their lives.
In his words...
There are three types of people: People that make things happen, people that watch things happen, and people that wonder what happened. If we watch things happen or wonder what happened, we’re part of the problem. We have a responsibility to the people we serve to make things happen.
Name: Joy Berg

Title: Strategic Development / Center Director

Job: Joy is part of the Manchester, CT CTWorks center. There she oversees the Core Services and works with clients and their job placement needs including providing instruction in job search, resumes, interviewing, and career balance.

Joy also acts as the “eyes and ears” of CTL. Whether it be planning trade-show participation, gathering materials for presentations, or searching for proposals Joy is always combing the internet for workforce related information.

Joy draws on her years of experience in training, managing, and recruiting personnel in CT & PA for industries ranging from Information Technology, Engineering, Manufacturing, Accounting, Science Technology, Bio Technology, Management and Fitness. Joy is not just involved with business but the psychology of business and organizations as well. She has done studies on the principles and concepts within the workplace.

In her words...
Life is a “do it yourself project.”. If you don’t get yourself started,you’ll just collect dust.
Marketing and Media Services
Name: Ricky Jaros

Title: Media and Technology / Regional Instructor

Offering 9 two hour classes per week on more then 20 subjects throughout the Hartford, CT region for CTWorks, Ricky not only offers re-employment training but extensive one on one career counciling for the skilled labor force with unique skillsets and higher salaries.

Ricky has extensive experience in business start-up, management, customer service, and sales that brings a business savvy rarely seen even in the largest corporations. Through him, learning takes on whole new scope as a result of combining business needs with media and instruction.

In his words...
First, one must always think of themself as a business. Next, only those that "have fun" each day look forward to the challenge of a new day. So,why not get a chance to play as hard as you work?

As a part-time facilitator, instructional designer, media producer, and technical advisor Ricky really does “wear many hats.” Though most of his time is spent as a facilitator in the Hartford Region, he does bring some of his unusual broadcast and media talents into play. As an accomplished radio broadcaster, live and interactive Internet presenter, and media design and producer Ricky has been able to combine some very old disciplines in a new and exciting way.