Our dynamic and dedicated team works hard to advance economic mobility and enjoys serving communities in Metro Atlanta.
CareerRise President & CEO
With a Kennesaw State University public and social services degree fresh in hand, a very green John Helton began his career as a DFCS child protective services investigator, ultimately learning the ins and outs of human services by serving in progressive roles managing childcare, volunteer, and community development programs before being appointed deputy director of Cobb County Department of Family and Children Services. Discovering his passion for helping create opportunities for people, John then spent 19 years as the founding president and CEO of CobbWorks, Inc. and WorkSource Cobb, the local workforce development board, until assuming leadership of CareerRise, Inc. in June 2019. John has served on boards of numerous workforce development and civic organizations at the local, state, and national levels including president of the Southeastern Employment & Training Association (SETA). John currently serves as chair of the Metro Atlanta eXchange (MAX) for Workforce Solutions as well as president of his neighborhood association in the historic Summerhill neighborhood of Atlanta. John is an avid traveler, but when home, he enjoys cooking a good meal for family and friends and caretaking his often neurotic and frequently aggressive rescue poodle, Duncan.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was a creative writer of anything other than policy memos.”
Industry Partnerships Manager
Keren Cadet started her educational track at the University of Florida in 2000 completing her undergraduate degree in Sociology. In 2005, Keren’s career in social service started as the Children’s Advocate for Partnership Against Domestic Violence and continued working with families as a constant community advocate. Prior to joining the CareerRise team, Keren worked with opportunity youth in Metro Atlanta but also supported adults with skill development through program development/implementation with a 2Gen perspective. Keren holds her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Georgia and continues to develop her passion to advocate and empower the underrepresented community.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was a famous artist like Basquiat, Van Ghoh, or even in words, like Maya Angelou.”
Communications Manager
Allison serves as the Communications Manager at CareerRise. In this position, she oversees the organization’s internal and external communications as well as coordinates overall operations including providing support for meetings, events, programs, and staff to further the vision for workforce development. She brings a wealth of experience in program and event management, operations management, and administrative functions. Prior to joining CareerRise in December 2019, she worked in various operations positions at charter schools in New York and Georgia with a focus on providing quality education to all children. Allison holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Georgia State University.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was an R&B singer selling out arenas worldwide.”
Program Manager, Westside Works
Chanell Davis serves as a workforce development professional with over 15 years of human services and workforce development experience. Chanell has dedicated the last 6 years of her work to managing grant funded programs that served adults and youth with overcoming barriers to employment through training, up-skilling and professional development. Equipped with the ability to motivate and inspire, her primary focus is to continue to serve her community by ensuring they have access to the necessary resources to enhance their overall quality of life. As a natural born leader, one of her major accomplishments has been serving as one of the leads that designed and implemented a regional process that has aligned the intake process for residents to apply & enroll in WIOA services. Using the human-centered design approach, her goal in this role is to manage & recruit partner services that offer quality workforce solutions to the residents of Westside Atlanta. As a change agent, she is committed to building a culture where underserved communities have full access to services and resources that assist them with successfully re-entering the workforce. Her “staying power” and ability to connect has created an impressive imprint as a valuable contributor to improving the disparities in our community.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was a Superwoman trying to save the world from itself!”
Industry Partnerships Director
Nate Futrell graduated from Murray State University with a Bachelor’s of Social Work and a concentration in public child welfare. While living in Cincinnati for 10 years, Nate’s professional experience included working with opportunity youth, promoting health education and access for senior citizens, and leading teams in healthcare workforce management. Nate served as the Workforce Initiatives Manager for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, leading initiatives to develop sector strategies and build synergistic relationships between the K-12 education system and the business community. As CareerRise’s Industry Partnerships Director, Nate oversees the Industry Partnerships team’s work in facilitating Metro Atlanta’s workforce ecosystem alignment, stakeholder engagement, and equitable access to high-quality jobs for the region’s residents.
“In another life, I was the owner, head chef, and mixologist of a really cool restaurant.”
Industry Partnerships Manager
Brittany Jenkins-Morrow graduated from Brenau University with a Bachelor’s in Human Resource Management and Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Arizona. Brittany is originally from South Georgia and started her professional career in Southeast Georgia. She began in workforce development with WIOA at Worksource Coastal as a Career Development Specialist. She later went on to work at the State Office of Workforce Development. Currently at Atlanta CareerRise, she focuses on leveraging her experience in workforce development to engage the industry and workforce network with developmental sustainable regional workforce strategies.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was an actress. I think I do well with improvising and showing a range of emotions.”
Director of Operations
Jacque Joyce earned a master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Louisville and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Kennesaw State University. Since 2014, she has worked in the workforce development sector as a Data Analyst, Program Manager and Director. Her work focuses on supporting regional workforce development strategies by cultivating relationships across sectors, building leadership skills, and creating innovative strategies to support the operations of the CareerRise team!
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was a cookie taste tester.”
Operations Manager, Westside Works
Daniel Kolawole is an experienced operations executive and technologist who has managed all aspects of strategizing, implementing systems, and project lifecycle. Daniel has spent the last 15+ years developing his servant leadership, project management, and cross-functioning lead. He is a lifelong learner and has a genuine interest in others. Outgoing and friendly, Daniel enjoys working with others and volunteering at local community events.
“In another life, I am pretty sure I was a drummer touring the world.”
Industry Partnerships Manager
Dhakiyya has worked serving the community since 2006 and in youth workforce development since 2010. That work afforded her the opportunity to assist communities in Georgia in strengthening their footprint on the path of workforce development. Along her journey, Dhakiyya obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Alabama State University and a Masters of Community Counseling from Argosy University; it’s easy to see that she truly works to understand people and their needs. This understanding supports the work of CareerRise as they continue to serve the specific needs of employers and strengthen the economic mobility of Georgia’s communities.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was a world traveler making a living from monies earned from the manufacturing of a world changing invention.”
Westside Works Director
Quasandria “Q” Turner is responsible for the management of operations at Westside Works; leading a network of partners committed to offering high-quality workforce, education, and employment services within Atlanta’s westside neighborhoods. She has extensive experience as a Workforce and Counseling professional supporting individuals with barriers to navigate community resources and training pathways to successful careers. Q acquired a master’s degree in Community Counseling from Argosy University and earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Albany State University. Q’s breadth of experience includes working with the following populations: alcohol and drugs, HIV/Aids, diversion programs, and youth in residential treatment.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was rich!”
Industry Partnerships Manager
Karlisha Vice serves as an Industry Partnerships Manager with a focus on regional collaboration. Karlisha has dedicated the last 5 years of her work to supporting communities of disadvantaged youth and adults with improving their economic opportunities through professional development training. She obtained a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and plans to combine her educational background with her workforce development expertise to impact change within the Metro Atlanta area.
“In another life, I’m pretty sure I was a Broadway star for the show Chicago!”