Her Story
About Andrea
I have been working in the workforce development field for well over 20 years, and I currently serve as the Campus Community Director for Homefront, a position I've held since November 2024. Homefront is an organization that provides housing stability resources and tools for individuals in Mercer County, and we're able to house up to 38 families at our shelter. In my role, I work in the workforce development space as well as health and wellness. I provide education and employment opportunities to individuals who wouldn't necessarily have access to these tools and resources. We also provide GED tutoring and testing on-site. Our health and wellness department is a three-fold space where we provide support in mental health, physical health, and we have an art and sewing space where we provide therapeutic support as well. I oversee those departments, as well as the transportation for the families, and I handle a portion of the operations at the campus. My most notable professional achievement is being able to place individuals into sustainable employment and help them reach levels of self-sufficiency. I started my career in healthcare, where I began as a medical assistant and worked my way up in that space before transitioning to my current field. I am currently a doctoral candidate at Cambridge College, where I am seeking my doctorate degree in business administration with a concentration in quality systems and improvement management, which I expect to complete in 2030. I earned my MBA in 2023. This concentration will allow me to support organizations in their quality assurance and quality control, but more importantly for me, I believe it starts with pouring into your employees and pouring into yourself. Being able to provide that layer and level of support allows individuals to serve the families or any individual that they are looking to serve and support.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Andrea
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to having the mindset of supporting and helping others. That's what I wake up to. For me, at the end of the day, my reward is knowing that I've helped someone reach their goal, and so for me, that is enough.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was knowing that giving your all is enough. Continue to work, to learn, and to strive to be your best.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Just like I said, be yourself. Prioritize health, as that's wealth for me. And not being afraid to support those in need, when in need. And I guess, finally, never giving up.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would say the biggest challenges right now are the economy, the funding, and the many restrictions that are being placed on those that support individuals that are underserved being pulled away. So we're having to make pivots and figure out and be creative in ways of still being able to provide support without an interruption in the continuity of support and services. As for opportunities, it could fall under just having the ability to collaborate with other organizations that are experiencing similar challenges. For me, collaboration over siloed work always wins.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Support, collaboration, respect, and not having a fear of exceeding and excelling.
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