Why can’t college grads find jobs? Here are some theories

Employers bear some responsibility for fixing the college-to-job process, especially for applicants from groups whose potential is underestimated, says Joan Lynch, WorkingNation’s chief content officer.
May 31, 2024

Help wanted in manufacturing – but you need skills

“Manufacturers … are having a little bit of trouble finding the people to fill those [600,000 open] jobs because these are now more tech jobs than the older manufacturing jobs we’ve seen in the past.” -Ramona Schindelheim
May 3, 2024

Transforming cybersecurity through the Apex Program

“Training the Visually Impaired in Cybersecurity” argues that “visually impaired individuals, with accommodations like screen readers, are well-suited for [cybersecurity] roles,” explains its director, Melissa Panzer.
April 24, 2024

Why employers should (and have to) hire older workers

“It is very clear to me. Without thought to this part of the labor force, I fear that these older workers won’t have the opportunity to advance in their jobs and will be relegated to lower-wage, lower-skill work.” - Ramona Schindelheim
April 14, 2024

After years of decline, new jobs are coming to Rural America

Rural areas have long struggled with lack of job opportunities and an aging workforce, but that is slowly changing, says Joan Lynch, WorkingNation chief content officer
March 6, 2024

Employed but unhappy: What’s in store for U.S. workers

“People hear that wages are going up, people hear that it's really easy to get a job, and yet that's not what they're finding.” -Jane Oates
February 1, 2024

Unhappy workers are costing employers trillions

“It’s a scary trend. … We now have the most robust economy in the world. We have to fight to keep that.” -Jane Oates
January 30, 2024

These are the hot careers for veterans

“The language has changed, the understanding has changed, [veterans’] value as workers in this country has gone up, and the bottom line is our economy needs them.” - Joan Lynch
January 4, 2024

A crucial combination in addressing California’s recidivism crisis

“The simplest way to ensure people convicted of a criminal offense are able to successfully return and thrive in their communities is by securing employment.” – Jane Oates
November 28, 2023

Community college helps single mom go from homelessness to Brown University

“Women who graduate from community college or get any sort of degree that are single moms make way more money … and their children are much more likely to go to college.” -Melissa Panzer
October 2, 2023

WorkingNation documentary shares success stories in in-demand tech field

Glory in Overcoming, directed by Melissa Panzer, highlights three women of color, all single mothers, who completed the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator.
August 18, 2023

Study on older workers and job satisfaction is an "eye-opener"

"I'm surprised by the findings. The number of older workers who feel like they've been discriminated against because of their age — the evidence seems overwhelming." - Ramona Schindelheim
August 18, 2023

‘The American Dream is being redefined right now'

“I do believe we can get back on track through the education of where the opportunities will be. It’s not just about the bottom 20%, it’s about the heart of America." - Art Bilger, Founder & CEO
July 18, 2023

A four-day workweek can keep employers seeking talent competitive

“I think the word 'flexibility' has really come front and center in terms of talent acquisition and talent retention since COVID,” according to president Jane Oates.
July 3, 2023

Single mothers overcome odds to build careers in tech

Melissa Panzer discusses Glory in Overcoming, the WorkingNation documentary on a tech training program from Goodwill and Google.
June 20, 2023

The Infrastructure Act requires more skilled workers

Joan Lynch explains how employers and government officials are creating a mix of programs and initiatives to train workers and move them quickly into these open jobs and careers.
April 5, 2023

Employers are still having trouble filling open jobs

Jane Oates discusses which industries are hiring, what jobs we’ll need in the future, and the type of skills they require at the virtual Wall Street Journal Jobs Summit 2023 in March.
March 31, 2023

There are plenty of jobs in sports that don't require you to be a star athlete

In their new video series How to Make Money Doing What You Love, Melissa Panzer and Joan Lynch examine jobs in fan-favorite fields and how to get them.
March 29, 2023

AI can help job seekers get noticed

“Whether it is written directly by a job seeker or written with the help of an AI program, it comes down to this: Employers put a premium on employees who communicate well and show attention to detail.” - Ramona Schindelheim
January 31, 2023

The state of today’s labor relations

“If predictions are true that the next economic downturn is going to hit harder on white collar workers, it’s going to be interesting to see if these workers have a renewed interest in some kind of organizing capability.” – Jane Oates
December 8, 2022

The transition to civilian life can be hard for vets

With the renewed emphasis on skills-based hiring, there’s never been a better time for veterans to show potential employers the skills they have acquired in the military, according to Joan Lynch.
November 12, 2022

Employers can create a stronger workforce

Ramona Schindelheim moderates the Opportunity@Work LinkedIn Live discussion on the importance of looking at the skills and talent of STARs – workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes – to fill open jobs.
October 20, 2022

Encouraging employers to stop demanding BA degrees

There are 70 million-plus workers without a four-year college degree. The Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign encourages employers to stop using a diploma as a job-screening tool, explains Joan Lynch.
October 10, 2022

Many Americans want to work longer than they actually do

“Many older adults need to keep working to pay their bills. Unfortunately, many face some major roadblocks in their pursuit of meaningful, well-paying jobs.” – Ramona Schindelheim
September 6, 2022

Hiring slowed in August, unemployment rate ticked up

"I'm not the least bit concerned that unemployment ticked up, because it means that over 300,000 people got back in the game, and that's what we need.“ – Jane Oates
September 2, 2022

Green job opportunities expected to continue growing in Indiana

“WorkingNation released in July a promising report saying green jobs for Hoosiers would grow 29.2% in the next five years, which is far above the national average of 5.7%”
August 9, 2022

Metro Atlanta jobless rate ticks up in May, remains near historic low

Atlanta is better positioned than most places to ride out any Fed rate hikes, partly because it draws young people from around the country, says Jane Oates.
June 23, 2022

A record number of Americans quit their jobs in March

“People are talking about the Great Resignation. This is really a Reset. This is people who took jobs to get by, to make ends meet, and now they’re looking to restart their career.” – Jane Oates
May 12, 2022

Why many employers have ditched 4-year degree requirements

“A degree is not the same thing as a skill. Your experience as a problem-solver or a leader isn't determined by a piece of paper.” – Ramona Schindelheim
April 22, 2022

Unemployment hits pandemic low in March, but uncertainty looms ahead

“Two years ago, every sector was at least disrupted if not completely shut down. But we’ve had such a quick recovery that things are almost back to normal.” – Jane Oates
April 1, 2022

Potential of ‘green’ jobs cited in report; demand in state projected to rise

Efforts to protect the environment have the potential to create many job opportunities, says Paula DiPerna, citing our Green Jobs Now reporting.
March 24, 2022

Revived economy drives unemployment for less educated to record low

“Employers are recognizing that learning by working is just as effective as a degree or certificate.” - Jane Oates
March 7, 2022

Pennsylvania offers a window into green jobs opportunities

WorkingNation and Emsi Burning Glass kick off new national series with a look at green jobs in Pennsylvania
January 28, 2022

Private companies are 'critical' in fixing skills gap, unemployment woes

“Even once COVID settles down and, as a nation, we're able to leave our homes and go back to work, I do think the skills gap is going to be magnified dramatically.” – Art Bilger
January 24, 2022

5 reasons older workers aren't getting hired

Next Avenue asked Ramona Schindelheim to write about the complicated jobs future older workers are now facing
December 6, 2021

The government dramatically underestimated job growth this summer

The hiring frenzy left some employers too busy to report their new hires to the Labor Department on time, says Jane Oates
November 16, 2021

The special challenges to working mothers brought on by the pandemic

The kids are home. Day care is suspended. How can a working mom cope, and how can she re-engage once the pandemic has passed? An interview with Melissa Panzer
August 5, 2021

Op-ed: There’s another reason for the labor shortage

CNBC invited Art Bilger to explain why employers have problems finding the workers with the skills they need for high-paying jobs
July 21, 2021

Map to the Middle: Indianapolis’ explores Indy’s changing workforce

Local TV news special airs based on our original reporting on the city’s efforts to keep its middle class alive
June 27, 2021

WorkingNation’s mission breaks the stigma of unemployment, helps people find purpose

Read about the origins and ongoing mission of WorkingNation in this interview with two of our leaders, Joan Lynch and Ramona Schindelheim
May 7, 2021

Dana Beth Ardi

Executive Committee

Dana Beth Ardi, PhD, Executive Committee, is a thought leader and expert in the fields of executive search, talent management, organizational design, assessment, leadership and coaching. As an innovator in the human capital movement, Ardi creates enhanced value in companies by matching the most sought after talent with the best opportunities. Ardi coaches boards and investors on the art and science of building high caliber management teams. She provides them with the necessary skills to seek out and attract top-level management, to design the ideal organizational architectures and to deploy people against strategy. Ardi unearths the way a business works and the most effective way for people to work in them.

Ardi is an experienced business executive and senior consultant who leverages business organizational transformation through talent strategies. She uses her knowledge and experience to develop talent strategies to enhance revenue and profit contributions. She has a deep expertise in change management and organizational effectiveness and has designed and built high performance cultures. Ardi has significant experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, IPO’s and turnarounds.

Ardi is an expert on the multi-generational workforce. She understands the four intersecting generations of workers coming together in contemporary companies, each with their own mindsets, leadership and communications styles, values and motivations. Ardi is sought after to assist companies manage and thrive by bringing the generations together. Her book, Fall of the Alphas: How Beta Leaders Win Through Connection, Collaboration and Influence, will be published by St. Martin’s Press. The book reflects Ardi’s deep expertise in understanding organizations and our changing society. It focuses on building a winning culture, how companies must grow and evolve, and how talent influences and shapes communities of work. This is what she has coined “Corporate Anthropology.” It is a playbook on how modern companies must meet challenges – culturally, globally, digitally, across genders and generations.

Ardi is currently the Managing Director and Founder of Corporate Anthropology Advisors, LLC, a consulting company that provides human capital advisory and innovative solutions to companies building value through people. Corporate Anthropology works with organizations, their cultures, the way they grow and develop, and the people who are responsible for forming their communities of work.

Prior to her position at Corporate Anthropology Advisors, Ardi served as a Partner/Managing Director at the private equity firms CCMP Capital and JPMorgan Partners. She was a partner at Flatiron Partners, a venture capital firm working with early state companies where she pioneered the human capital role within an investment portfolio.

Ardi holds a BS from the State University of New York at Buffalo as well as a Masters degree and PhD from Boston College. She started her career as professor at the Graduate Center at Fordham University in New York.