This month the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation (Foundation) welcomes two new members to the ElevateEdAZ Team, a Director of ElevateEdAZ, and a new Business Partnership Coordinator. These two new roles will have a big impact in the expansion of ElevateEdAZ, helping bridge the gap between business and education.
Director of ElevateEdAZ
Brittany Holmes is the new Director of ElevateEdAZ. Previously, Brittany was the Senior Community Relations Manager at the Foundation where she oversaw marketing and grants. Before taking on that role, Brittany led the Financial Services Workforce Collaborative and the Arizona Talent Pipeline Network as a Workforce Development Manager. In her experience prior to the Foundation, Brittany led a multi-faceted client service center for a community action agency in the Seattle area, providing low-income individuals and families with financial assistance, case management, and food assistance.
As the first Director of ElevateEdAZ, Brittany will serve as the liaison to current and future ElevateEdAZ partner school districts, working with appropriate departments to facilitate change and implement ElevateEdAZ’s Strategic Action Plan. In addition, Brittany will oversee the College and Career Coaches and Business Partnership Coordinator. In her free time, Brittany enjoys hiking, making pottery, motorcycling, and spending time with her family.
“As a workforce professional and as a parent, I see great opportunity in bridging the gap between business and education to better prepare students for success. I look forward to partnering with the amazing educators in our local schools to provide students with the information and opportunities they need to thrive in life beyond high school.” – Brittany Holmes
Business Partnership Coordinator
Lauren Wissmann will also be joining the ElevateEdAZ team as a Business Partnership Coordinator. Lauren previously served as a Special Events Content Manager at R Entertainment where she collaborated with event producers, marketing, public relations, and sponsorship teams to produce large-scale events and festivals. In this role, Lauren worked closely with celebrity chefs, top-rated restaurants, and clients from across the country, engaging them in interactive programming experiences. Lauren is a graduate of Arizona State University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in organizational leadership with an emphasis in project management from Northern Arizona University. In her free time, Lauren enjoys traveling, experiencing the Arizona dining scene, and playing pickleball.
As the Business Partnership Coordinator Lauren will be conducting outreach and organizing ways for employers to pursue their workforce development and civic engagement objectives by engaging them in ElevateEdAZ. Lauren will also oversee ElevateEdAZ’s use of the CommunityShare platform, which provides the virtual framework for businesses to engage with educators to create work-based learning opportunities for students. The Elevate Your Network series and Virtual Educator Externships will also be coordinated by Lauren, where she will build relationships with businesses to engage them within the work of ElevateEdAZ.
“I have a passion for connecting and building strong relationships with people. As a Business Partnership Coordinator, I am excited to be making an impact in the community by creating mutually beneficial experiences where businesses and students will connect to engage in new learning opportunities.”– Lauren Wissmann