Chicago, IL - Skills for Chicagoland’s Future (Skills), a local non-profit organization dedicated to connecting unemployed and under-employed job seekers directly to its employer partners, announced today that Dr. Manika Turnbull has been elected as the new chair of its Board of Directors. The announcement was made at the organization’s Annual Employment Champions Breakfast, an event attended by over 600 leaders from the civic, corporate, and nonprofit sectors, at which over $1.4 million in support was raised for the organization’s mission.
“I met Manika over a decade ago when we collaborated to help connect veterans to jobs at Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC),” said Bridget Altenburg, Chief Executive Officer of Skills for Chicagoland’s Future. “Since then, I’ve had a chance to see how she has leaned into her work, making HCSC a leader in breaking down barriers to inclusion. She truly leads by example. I know she will help us take Skills and our partners to great new heights!”
Dr. Turnbull has been a dedicated member of Skills’ Board of Directors since 2020 and has served as Vice-Chair to outgoing Skills Board Chair Mark Hoplamazian, CEO of Hyatt Hotels. Manika is currently the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Health Care Service Corporation. She has been with HCSC for more than 18 years and has served in numerous leadership roles. Along with being recognized for her extensive experience in human resources, operations, and organizational development, her outstanding contributions at HCSC have earned her recognition as a top 25 Diversity Leader by Modern Healthcare, a Chicago United Business Leader of Color, and a Daniel Burnham Fellow at Leadership Greater Chicago.
Hoplamazian shared praise for Turnbull as she steps into this new role. “Manika has a superpower in that she focuses on efficiency and effectiveness while also practicing empathy and inclusive leadership. Her ability to have her heart and her mind working together will make her so successful in this work and I’m excited that she will be leading the way forward on the Board at Skills.”
With the leadership of Turnbull and Altenburg, Skills plans to scale its programs to connect even more unemployed and underemployed job seekers from Chicago’s south and west sides. By connecting job seekers directly with Skills’ employer partners, Skills hopes to achieve the ultimate goal of reducing unemployment in areas suffering from historic disinvestment.
Skills plans to accomplish these goals by working closely with employers to identify and remove barriers to hiring, so they can bring talented individuals who may otherwise go overlooked into their workforce. Skills will leverage technology to advance its mission while fortifying its partnerships with community-based organizations to expand economic growth, career paths, and equity.
These initiatives were highlighted during the Employment Champions Breakfast, where Skills presented the Champion for Equitable Hiring Award to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, an operating division of HCSC, for its exceptional work in bringing jobs to underserved communities and reducing hiring barriers. Additionally, PODER, a community partner of Skills, was honored with the Champion for Community Impact Award for its significant contributions to providing culturally relevant resources and creating employment pathways, particularly for Spanish-speaking immigrants in Gage Park.
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Through close relationships with employers and community-based organizations, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future (Skills) bridges the gap between untapped talent and employers offering opportunities that bring economic mobility to historically disinvested communities. Skills influences change in long-standing hiring practices to eliminate barriers for job seekers and connect qualified candidates to roles that empower them to thrive. Since its founding in 2012, Skills has partnered with over 12,000 unemployed and underemployed job seekers on their journey to employment and improved socioeconomic standing. To learn more, visit www.skillsforchicagoland.com
