On Tuesday, March 11, 2025 the SoVa Taskforce hosted their third annual Workforce Solutions Summit at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.
The event aimed to provide solutions to regional employers and address the challenges faced by local employers. With over 100 attendees representing various industries and sectors from around the region, the event served as a platform for meaningful discussions and brainstorming sessions.
The Workforce Solutions Summit featured 18 exhibitors who showcased their innovative solutions and strategies for addressing workforce needs. Exhibitors included
- Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM)
- AmeriStaff
- Danville Community College
- Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce
- Danville Public Schools
- EBI
- GENEDGE
- Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
- Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce
- Pittsylvania County Community Action Agency
- Southside Virginia SHRM
- Southern Virginia Higher Education Center
- Southern Virginia Regional Alliance (SVRA)
- The Arc Southside
- Tri-County Community Action Agency
- Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP)
- Virginia Career Works – South Central
- Virginia Career Works – West Piedmont
The event offered two keynote speakers: Elizabeth Veliz, Chief People Officer, Cayuga Health System and Christine Kennedy, Leadership & Life Purpose Coach. Veliz presented on “The Retention Revolution: The Blueprint for Keeping Top Talent.” Her session highlighted the foundations of retention, identifying leadership competencies that drive retention, and actionable strategies to strengthen retention efforts. Kennedy presented on “Assessing Today’s Leadership & Workforce: How WELL are we?” Through her presentation, she walked through key factors to assess for a thriving workplace and how to help shape organizational culture through presence.
A panel discussion featuring organizational leaders further added to the valuable discussions at the summit. Angela Wimberly, Chief of Human Resources, Danville Public Schools, Monica Karavanic, Director, The Arc Southside, Addie Lyle, Human Resources Manager, EBI, Amelia Cheek, Human Resources Generalist, IperionX, and Angel Brim, Re-Entry Case Manager, Pittsylvania County Community Action shared their experiences and best practices in addressing the workforce challenges specific to their industries. This interactive session allowed attendees to engage directly with panelists and hear related success stories in workforce development from across the region.
The summit also included several updates from across the region. Dr. Julie Brown, Vice President of Advanced Learning, IALR, provided an update on the TPI Academy. Shirley Dodson, Regional Talent Solutions & Business Outreach Manager, VEDP, discussed the state incentives and opportunities that are available to employers within our region. Linda Green, Executive Director, SVRA, concluded the summit with an update on the regional wage and benefits survey that was launched at last year’s summit.
About the SOVA Taskforce:
The Southern Virginia Taskforce was created In March of 2020, at the start of the pandemic, by local economic development teams, planning districts, regional economic development offices, and the areas Chambers of Commerce to form a regional collaborative taskforce to address the needs of companies in the region. Together the SoVa Taskforce applied for economic recovery and resilience funds to support solutions for businesses impacted by the pandemic from Go Virginia. The SOVA Taskforce continues to meet regularly to find solutions for regional challenges and to seize opportunities for collaboration. Members include Southern Virginia Regional Alliance, Halifax County Chamber of Commerce, Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce, Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, Patrick County Chamber of Commerce, Halifax County Industrial Development Authority, City of Danville Office of Economic Development, Patrick County Office of Economic Development, and Pittsylvania County Office of Economic Development.