Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Carrie Rosingana, CEO CAMW! Capital Area Michigan Works!, Lansing MI, but serving Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton Counties.

THEME: Capital Area Michigan Works! CEO Carrie Rosingana highlights the CAMW! staff and board members who received award recognition at the December 2024 board meeting.

• Leonard Peters served on the Capital Area Michigan Works! Administrative Board from 1985 to 2008 as an Eaton County Commissioner, a commitment spanning over two decades of board service. 
  • During that time, he provided invaluable leadership, counsel and support to the organization. Leonard served as an officer 12 times during his tenure on the board, including five separate year-long terms as board chair.
  • In 2008, the Leonard Peters Lifetime Achievement Award was established in recognition of those who have given a lifetime of outstanding service to Capital Area Michigan Works!.
  • We don’t recognize someone with the Leonard Peters Award every year; rather, we wait until it feels right to recognize someone truly deserving. This is one of those years, and we have recognized two individuals with this award.
• The first recipient of the Leonard Peters Award is our former CEO, Edythe Copeland. 
  • Edee began her tenure with CAMW! in 1997, bringing a vast knowledge of service and programming from her prior career experience. Edee continued to expand her role within the agency until becoming CEO in 2013; she held this role until 2020.
  • Edee was, and is, a truly visionary leader for workforce development in Michigan.  She was the first woman CEO at Capital Area Michigan Works! and the first woman CEO of color in the statewide Michigan Works! system.  
  • Edee used her voice, expertise and passion to shape the workforce system around her and make it better, leaving a deeply rooted legacy that continues to be felt today. Edee didn’t take no for an answer, and her innovative approach to leadership made those around her stronger.
  • She exemplified the meaning of this award day in and day out. I can only hope that I continue to honor her legacy and that I can also lead a life of service as CEO of this organization in a way that comes close to what she accomplished. 
• The second recipient of the Leonard Peters Award was David Pohl. 
  • Dave has been on CAMW!’s Administrative Board since 2013, serving on behalf of Clinton County as a commissioner.
  • In addition to serving on our CAMW! Administrative Board, Dave also has served on the T3 Career Education Advisory Council for the past several years, lending his voice, time and input to represent not only his role as a commissioner but also his deeply rooted background in agriculture. 
  • Dave’s ability to listen, collaborate and support consensus building has strengthened the cohesion of our board and fostered an environment of trust and respect. 
  • When we look at the tenants of why the Leonard Peters Award was created, Dave has consistently provided invaluable leadership, counsel and support to CAMW! and our staff. He has provided time, energy and experience to help lift this agency up, and we will continue to be grateful for this impact. 
  • Dave was also recognized this year as a Workforce Champion. 

• We created the Workforce Champion Award many years ago to celebrate board members and partners who have showcased outstanding leadership, dedication and unwavering commitment to the success of Capital Area Michigan Works!. 
  • The recipients of this award have demonstrated exceptional vision and stewardship in guiding our board and organization toward greater impact, growth and success.
  • Whether through their guidance in key decision-making, their unwavering support of our staff and programs, or their tireless support for the vision and mission of our agency, they have played an instrumental role in shaping the future of Capital Area Michigan Works! during their years of service.
• This year, we recognized two individuals with this award in addition to David Pohl.  The first was Joseph Brehler.
  • Joe has been a member of our Administrative Board since 2006, serving on behalf of Eaton County as a commissioner for District 8 while also serving as a member of the Workforce Development Board. He has been the only board member who has served on both boards simultaneously during my tenure with our administrative team.  Before retirement, Joe served as a criminal defense attorney for decades in the capital region. 
  • He is passionate about helping ALL people and has always spoken up not only for our agency but on behalf of our staff members. He has not been afraid to ask the hard questions. His insight, wisdom and strategic thinking have consistently shaped key decisions that have propelled CAMW! forward. 
  • Joe has never hesitated to lend his time, energy and expertise, always going above and beyond to ensure that our goals are met and our mission is advanced as an agency that serves the people of our communities.
• Our next recipient was Rebecca Bahar-Cook. 
  • Rebecca has been a member of CAMW! boards for years, first serving on the Administrative Board when she was an Ingham County Commissioner, and then joining our Workforce Development Board. CAMW! has been fortunate to have Rebecca serve as our chair for the past several years.  
  •  In her position as the chair of our CAMW! Workforce Development Board, Rebecca also served on the Michigan Works! Association Board of Directors representing CAMW! alongside myself.
  • Rebecca is deeply respected by many in our region, including myself. She has continually supported CAMW!, its staff members and the boards she has served on, and we are continually grateful for her service.  

• We had several CAMW! staff members recognized for their years of service to our region’s workforce. 
• The first was Kayla Schultz, our Employment Specialist, who was recognized for five years of service. 
  • Kayla is an employment specialist at our Eaton County American Job Center. 
  • She first began working with CAMW! as an intern and has continued to grow with CAMW! as her role has expanded. We are fortunate to have her serving our Eaton County AJC.
• Lastly, Erin McKenzie, our Special Projects Liaison, celebrated five years at CAMW!.
  • Erin has been a part of our CAMW! team for five years but began working with CAMW! as a volunteer with our business services team.
  • Throughout Erin’s tenure, she has served on the business services team, business resource network team, and now as our CAMW! special project liaison.
  • Erin’s professionalism, team-centered approach to work, and willingness to dive into any project she’s working on are to be commended, and we are lucky to have her on our team. 

• The CAMW! Administrative Board is the governing board comprised of 12 local elected officials from the cities of Lansing and East Lansing, and the counties of Clinton, Eaton & Ingham.
• The Workforce Development Board includes representatives of the business community, vocational rehabilitation services, community-based organizations, and higher education, adult education, literacy, labor, economic & community development institutions.
• CAMW! also has a Career Education Advisory Council, which is Teach. Talent. Thrive. (T3). The T3 Council serves as the education arm of the Workforce Development Board. 
• These boards and T3 provide connections to key community partners, educators and industry leaders to help ensure the mission and vision of CAMW! aligns to meet the region’s needs and supports partnerships in the communities that CAMW! serves.
• For more information on our Administrative Board, Workforce Development Board or T3 council, people can visit camw.org/community-partners/camw-boards