Latisha Bowman

I attribute my success to perseverance, strong organizational skills, and my outgoing nature. These qualities have helped me build meaningful relationships, stay focused on my goals, and navigate challenges along the way.

I have also embraced continued education, which has been especially meaningful to me. Pursuing growth and learning has played an important role in my journey, particularly after overcoming personal challenges. It has allowed me to keep moving forward, expand my opportunities, and remain committed to both personal and professional development.

The best professional advice I’ve received is: “Don’t be afraid to disrupt the norm.”

That advice has stayed with me because meaningful progress often requires challenging the way things have always been done. In many professional environments, people can become comfortable with established systems or routines, even when those systems are no longer effective.

Being willing to question processes, suggest new ideas, and approach challenges differently can lead to better outcomes and innovation. It also encourages growth, not just personally, but for teams and organizations as a whole.

For me, this advice is a reminder that positive change often begins when someone is brave enough to speak up, think differently, and push beyond the status quo.

My advice to young women entering the industry is to make sure the environment fits you, rather than feeling like you have to change yourself to fit the environment. Too often, especially for young women of color, entering corporate spaces, there can be pressure to tone down their voice, their power, or their intelligence in order to blend in.

You should never feel like you have to diminish who you are to succeed. Your perspective, your knowledge, and your presence are strengths. If those qualities are not being recognized, celebrated, or used in a meaningful way within an organization, it can eventually take a toll on your confidence and mental well-being.

Instead, seek out environments where your intelligence, leadership, and authenticity are valued. The right workplace will not ask you to shrink yourself—it will create space for you to grow, contribute, and lead. When you are in a place that respects and celebrates who you are, you are far more likely to thrive both professionally and personally.

One of the common challenges we face is that many people in the community are not fully aware of who Employ Milwaukee is as an organization or the full range of services we offer. Because we work closely with employers and job seekers, there is often a misconception that we operate as a staffing agency.

In reality, Employ Milwaukee is not a staffing agency. Our role is to support workforce development by connecting individuals to training, education, and employment opportunities through a strong network of community and employer partnerships.

While some of our partners may operate as staffing agencies or direct employers, Employ Milwaukee’s primary focus is on supporting training and development efforts that help individuals become work-ready and successfully enter the workforce. Through these partnerships, we help coordinate programs, connect job seekers with skill-building opportunities, and collaborate with employers to better align workforce needs with available talent.

By working alongside training providers, educational institutions, community organizations, and employer partners, our goal is to strengthen the local workforce pipeline and ensure individuals have access to the resources, support, and opportunities they need to build sustainable careers.

I value humanity, mutual respect, and supporting one another in the workplace. At Employ Milwaukee, we have a positive and respectful culture, and I appreciate that. As we continue to grow, I believe we also have a strong opportunity to further strengthen cross-functional collaboration across teams.

At times, our work can feel siloed, with each team focused primarily on its own responsibilities. By building more cross-functional awareness and collaboration, we can create an environment where knowledge is shared more openly, and teams feel comfortable supporting one another when workloads become heavy.

Given the demanding nature of our work, stress from workload can sometimes become a challenge. Creating systems where we can share responsibilities, document processes, and support each other can help reduce that pressure. For example, simple practices like recording walkthroughs, documenting tasks, or taking time to teach one another key processes can make it easier for colleagues to step in when someone is on vacation or when additional support is needed.

I believe that by leaning into collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mutual support, we can continue strengthening our culture while ensuring that no one feels they have to carry the workload alone. When we approach our work with humanity and respect for one another, it allows everyone to succeed together.