Laura Ward, Nashville New Skills Ready and the Future of Homegrown Talent

Bio: Laura Ward is the Senior Vice President of Talent Development at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce where she is focused on helping employers build internal and external talent pipelines and eliminating barriers to education and employment. After spending three decades working in human resources and postsecondary education, Laura knows the value of education and unhindered access to opportunities. She leads work for the New Skills Ready Initiative, an investment by JP Morgan Chase Foundation to create a seamless pipeline of talent from k-12, through postsecondary in the workforce. She also leads the Nashville Talent Hub, serves on the guiding teams of multiple initiatives working to transform the workforce, and leads TN-Business Leaders United-SkillSPAN, a statewide collective focused on identifying and eliminating policy barriers for employees and employers. Laura earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management and a Master of Science in Counseling, both from Missouri State University.