August 26–29, 2024
Conference Sponsors
Conference Agenda
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Sunday, August 25
12:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Preconference Setup
2:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. E–Board Meeting
3–5 p.m. Registration and Material Pickup
6–8 p.m. Optional Networking
Six Seven restaurant and lounge located within the Edgewater Hotel (this is informal)
Monday, August 26
7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m. Registration and Material Pickup
8:00–9:00 a.m. Buffet Breakfast
9:00 a.m.–9:10 a.m. Land Blessing and Welcome
Peter Guzmán, Washington State Apprenticeship Director & Representatives from the Muckleshoot Tribe
9:10 a.m.–9:20 a.m. Conference Opening
Todd Birch, NASTAD President and John Ladd, Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship
9:20 a.m.–9:30 a.m. NASTAD Website Introduction
David Polk, State Director, Wisconsin and Brittany Craighead, Washington State
9:30 a.m.–9:50 a.m. Opening Keynote: Joel Sacks, Director, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
10:00 a.m.–10:45 a.m. Panel Presentation: Apprenticeship Preparation
Discussion from WSATC Recognized Apprenticeship Preparation Programs on New Prep Program Development, Structure, Funding, and Best Practices for Operation and Successful Articulation.
Moderator: Jordan Shepherd
Panelists: Karen Dove, ANEW; James Owens, IIWA; Paula Resa, Northwest Carpenters Institute, Steve Petermann, Washington State Department of Corrections
10:45 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m.–11:50 a.m. Morning Breakout Sessions, Cascade Rooms 1 & 2
Apprenticeship Prep Policy: How SAA’s Can Utilize Policy to Support Recognized Preparation Program Development and Growth. Presented by Jordan Shepherd, Washington State
Intermediaries & SAA’s: How Developing Best Practices Can Help Lead to Productive Relationships. Presented by Denise Miller and Kate Anderson, Colorado State
Noon–1:00 p.m. Lunch Buffet, Raffles, Sponsor Appreciation
1:10 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Afternoon Breakout Sessions, Cascade Rooms 1 & 2
New & Emerging Occupation & Program Development: How to Determine What “is” an Apprenticeable Occupation. Presented by Patrick Martin, Washington State
Navigating TERO. Presented by Christina Riley and Chris Winters, Christina Riley Consulting.
2:10 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Panel Presentation: Minimum Guideline Standards (MGS)
How Working with Industry Partners Can Strengthen Apprenticeship Standards. How Washington State Got to MGS In the Electrical Occupations.
Moderator: Jordan Shepherd
Panelists: Halene Sigmund, President, Construction Industry Training Council of Washington; Rob Bartel, Northwest Washington Electrical Industry JATC; Patrick Martin, Washington State
3:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m. Break, Raffles
3:20 p.m.–3:45 p.m. Daily Review, Information Sharing of Afterhours Activities
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Social Mixer in the Terrace Room
Tuesday, August 27
8:00–9:00 a.m. Buffet Breakfast
8:45 a.m.–9:00 a.m. Morning Review, Announcements, and Sponsor Appreciation
9:05 a.m.–9:45 a.m. Keynote: April Sims, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
The Importance of Expanding Registered Apprenticeship Opportunities to Underserved Populations and How Understanding the Barriers Those Communities Face and Creating Supportive Services Can Help Those Apprentices.
9:55 a.m.–10:40 a.m. Panel Presentation: Promoting and Expanding Registered Apprenticeship to a Broader Population
How Regulatory Agencies Can Promote and Assist Their Registered Sponsors
Moderator: Josh Johnson
Panelists: Ben Stahlecker, Wisconsin; Patrick Martin, Washington; Chris Maclarion, Maryland; Joann Bueno, Arizona
10:40 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Break
11:10 a.m.–11:55 a.m. Morning Breakout Sessions, Cascade Rooms 1 & 2
Registered Apprenticeship Policy: SAA Policy Development for Sustainable Program Development, Growth and Supporting Regulatory Apprenticeship Staff. Presented by Jordan Shepherd, Washington
Leveraging and Utilizing Stakeholder Partnerships for RA Growth and New Program Development. Presented by Karlee Demos, Oregon and Chris Pinheiro, New York
Noon–1:00 p.m. Lunch Buffet, Raffles, and Sponsor Appreciation
1:00–2:00 p.m. Panel Presentation: Youth in Apprenticeship
How to Engage Youth in Registered Apprenticeship While Staying Within Registered Apprenticeship Requirements.
Moderator: Chris Maclarion, Maryland
Panelists: Lynn Strickland, AJAC; Josh Laney, Alabama; David Polk, Wisconsin; Chris Harrington, North Carolina
2:10 p.m.–2:50 p.m. Afternoon Breakout Sessions, Cascade Rooms 1 & 2
Apprenticeship Councils: Regulatory. Presented by Patrick Martin, Washington
Apprenticeship Councils: Advisory. Presented by Chris Pinheiro, New York
2:50 p.m.–3:10 p.m. Break
3:10 p.m.–3:45 p.m. U.S. Department of Labor on SAA Compliance Audits Process
Presented by Dave Jackson, Division Director of Standards and Quality, U.S. DOL Office of Apprenticeship
3:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Daily Review, Announcements, and Afterhours Social Event Information
6:00–10:00 p.m. NASTAD Night at the Ballpark, T-Mobile Park
Sponsored by LiUNA
Wednesday, August 28
7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Buffet Breakfast
8:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m. Morning Announcements
8:55 a.m.–9:40 a.m. Keynote: Mark Riker, Chair, Washington State Apprenticeship & Training Council
Effective Apprenticeship Councils & Supporting Their Regulatory Agency Partners.
9:50 a.m.–10:50 a.m. Washington State Pilot Program: RSI Cost Reimbursement for Registered Electrical Apprenticeship Programs that Provide RSI In-House
Presented by Jordan Shepherd, Washington State
10:50 a.m.–11:10 a.m. Break
11:15 a.m.–Noon Morning Breakout Sessions, Cascade Rooms 1 & 2
Reciprocity: Utilizing Policy to Help Define and Develop Strong Reciprocal Agreements Between Partnering States. Presented by Patrick Martin, Washington and Jody Robbins, Oregon
U.S. DOL Grants 101. Presented by Kristen Rhinehart-Fernandez, U.S. DOL OA Division Director of Investments
12:00 –1:00 p.m. Lunch Buffet, Raffles, Sponsor Appreciation
1:10 p.m.–2:00 p.m. How Washington State Updated their Apprenticeship Registration & Tracking System (ARTS) Utilizing Employee and Stakeholder Involvement Using Grant Funding and Legislative Investment.
Presented by Cassie Pittman & Bonnie Dressel, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
2:10 p.m.– 3:00 p.m. Afternoon Breakout Sessions, Cascade Rooms 1 & 2
Apprenticeship Prep Policy: How SAA’s Can Utilize Policy to Support Recognized Preparation Program Development and Growth. Presented by Jordan Shepherd, Washington
Compliance: Best Practices, Tools, and Resources to Assist SAA Staff to Monitor, Verify, and Report. Presented by Josh Laney, Alabama
3:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m. Break
3:20 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Daily Review and Announcements
3:40 p.m.–4:00 p.m. NASTAD Officer Elections (NASTAD Membership Only)
4:10 p.m.–5:00 p.m. New State Director Support Group (optional) Led by David Polk, Wisconsin
Thursday, August 29
7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet
8:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m. Morning Announcements
8:55 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Panel Presentation: New and Emerging Occupation Expansion
How States are Approaching the Development of Registered Teaching Apprenticeships Within the K–12 Education System.
Moderator: David Donaldson
Panelists: Jordan Shepherd, Washington; Joan Dolan, Maine; Irene Aviles, Oregon; Toni Giddens, Nevada
10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m. Break
10:20 a.m.–11:50 a.m. State Reports
Noon–1:00 p.m. Lunch & Closing Remarks
12:45 p.m.–1:30 p.m. NASTAD Organization Meeting
Keynote Speakers
Mark L. Riker
Mark started his career in construction in November 1991 as a Union Sheet Metal Worker, serving an Apprenticeship from February 1992 to February 1997 working for Hermanson Corporation out of Kent, WA.
Mark worked as a Journeyman, Foreman, and Project Superintendent for Hermanson until he was elected by his peers to the Office of Business Representative of Sheet Metal Workers Local 66 in June of 2002 where he served until being elected Executive Secretary of the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council in February 2018.
Mark currently serves as Chair of the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council.
April Sims (she/her)
April was elected President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO in October 2022 and was sworn in to begin her four-year term in January 2023. She is the first woman to be elected WSLC president and the first Black woman elected to the presidency of an AFL-CIO state federation. As President, Sims is the chief executive officer of the council, supervises all of its activities and staff, and leads Washington’s largest union organization representing more than half a million union members.
Sims’ lived experience is evidence of the power and potential of organized labor. The granddaughter of Louisiana sharecroppers and the daughter of a single mother, Sims has seen the power of unions to change lives. The Great Migration brought Sims’ grandfather to Washington, where his union job provided economic dignity for his family. Her mom’s union job pulled their family out of the cycle of poverty. As a young mother, it was Sims’ union job that allowed her to build economic security – and activated her as a leader in Washington’s labor movement.
In 2002, Sims joined the staff of her union, Washington Federation of State Employees, AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE), eventually serving as Legislative and Political Action Field Coordinator. April joined the WSLC staff in 2015 as Field Mobilization Director, before becoming the WSLC’s Political and Strategic Campaign Director in 2017.
In 2018, the unions that comprise the WSLC elected Sims as Secretary Treasurer of the council, the first person of color elected as a WSLC executive officer. She served in that office, as the chief financial officer of the council, from 2019 to 2022.
An innovator and change maker, Sims is a life-long resident of Tacoma, living with her family and 110-pound chocolate lab in the gritty city she’s proud to call home.
Joel Sacks
Joel was appointed Director of the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) in
January 2013 by Governor Jay Inslee. L&I’s mission is to “keep Washington safe and working.” The agency administers many vital programs including the state’s workers’ compensation system and its occupational safety and health program.
In Joel’s time as L&I director, an agency wide goal of helping injured workers heal and return to work with a particular emphasis on preventing long-term disability rates for injured workers is transforming the agency, resulting in better outcomes for workers and projected savings of more than three billion dollars. During his tenure, workers’ compensation premium rates have remained flat, average costs in 2022 are almost identical to the costs in 2012. The agency has helped workers recover millions of dollars owed to them in wages through wage complaint investigations. Washington also remains a safe place to work, with one of the lowest workplace fatality rates in the country.
Joel’s position at L&I makes him one of three ex-officio members and he has served as both the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Washington State Investment Board (WSIB). He is a member of the Private Markets and Audit Committees.
Previously he worked at the state Employment Security Department for nearly eight years, serving as Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner for the Budget, Policy, and Communication Division.
Before joining Employment Security, he was Deputy Director of Field Services at L&I. He also served four years at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the U.S. Department of Labor.
Joel holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Haverford College and a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public Affairs. He lives in Olympia with his wife and two daughters.