On November 20, the Workcred Board of Directors convened for its inaugural meeting in Washington, DC, to set the strategic direction for Workcred, a new American National Standards Institute (ANSI) affiliate organization focused on workforce credentialing.

The board includes representatives of industry, nonprofit organizations, and ANSI senior staff, among others. The members of Workcred's board of directors are:

• S. Joe Bhatia, President and CEO, ANSI
• Keith Bird, Ph.D., Senior Policy Fellow for Workforce and Postsecondary Education, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
• Beth Carlson, Vice President, Global Talent Development, Raytheon Company
• Stephen Crawford, Ph.D., Research Professor at the George Washington University's George Washington Institute of Public Policy (GWIPP)
• Ron Dearing Jr., Manager, Worldwide Program Development and Technology, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
• Peggy Jensen, CPA, Vice President of Finance, Administration, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), ANSI
• Fran Schrotter, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), ANSI
• Roger Tadajewski, Executive Director, NC3 - National Coalition of Certification Centers
• Cynthia Woodley, Ed.D., COO and Psychometrician, Professional Testing, Inc.

At the inaugural meeting, the Board discussed the strategic groundwork upon which Workcred will grow its business, as well as Workcred's governance structure and business priorities, and formally approved legal and administrative documents relating to the creation and activities of Workcred.

"Workcred exemplifies ANSI's commitment to addressing key issues impacting the standardization community and the nation, and when it comes to growing our national economy, there is perhaps no more pressing concern than workforce development," said Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO and chairman of the Workcred Board of Directors.

"Workcred will be an important part of the solution to improve the quality, productivity, and performance of the workforce. The strong expertise and background that each of Workcred's Board members bring to the table is unique, yet synergistic," Mr. Bhatia continued. "We are pleased and honored to have this distinguished group at the helm to guide Workcred's direction and help it to achieve its goals."

Workcred was established by ANSI in May 2014 [see related story] and is tasked with increasing awareness of competency-based, industry-recognized workforce credentials and supporting efforts to improve the quality, transparency, portability, and market value of these important tools.

Workcred is led by Roy Swift, Ph.D., as the organization's executive director. Dr. Swift, retired U.S. Army colonel, previously served as ANSI's chief workforce development officer and senior director of personnel credentialing accreditation programs, executive director of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), and chief of the Army Medical Specialist Corps in the Army Surgeon General's Office, among other positions.

For more information about Workcred and its various initiatives and activities, follow Workcred on Twitter and Facebook.

About Workcred
Workcred is private organization working to bolster understanding and awareness of workforce credentials and assisting efforts to increase industry recognition, transparency, and portability of these important tools. Workcred, a new American National Standards Institute (ANSI) affiliate, maintains a separation from and respects the impartiality of ANSI's accreditation services.