Consultants

Gordon Freedman, President, NLET
Program Design & Collaborative Manager

Marketplace Design | Collaboration Management | Product Design | Thought Leadership

Gordon Freedman is the founder and president of the National Laboratory for Education Transformation (NLET), a California-based R&D nonprofit established in 2011 to design, test, and scale new models connecting education, workforce development, and employment. At NLET, Freedman has directed federal workforce innovation initiatives for the U. S. Department of Labor, National Science Foundation talent marketplace research, and state-level policy connecting education systems to measurable labor market outcomes.

https://nlet.org/people/gordon-freedman/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordonfreedman

Ken Sorey, Executive Director, NLET
Project Management & Policy Interface

Large-Scale Project Management | Cross-Program Integration | Budgeting | Compliance

Ken Sorey is the Executive Director of the National Laboratory for Education Transformation. He brings deep knowledge and expertise in improving student pathways from K-12 education to college and the workplace, with a focus on technology-enhanced solutions to improve access and outcomes in education and training. He previously served as Senior Executive Vice President of Educational Results Partnership for 17 years and as State Director of Cal-PASS Plus — the California Partnership for Achieving Student Success — managing statewide and national initiatives providing actionable data to public schools, districts, colleges, and universities leading to improved academic, college completion, and workplace outcomes.

https://nlet.org/people/ken-sorey/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-sorey

Jennifer Oddo
Workforce Ecosystem Design & Project Integration

Academic-Skills Ecosystem Design | Product Integration | Program and Technology Design

Jennifer Oddo brings specialized expertise in the design of academic and skills ecosystems, with a focus on integrating program offerings and technology platforms to create coherent, learner-centered pathways from education to employment.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennoddo

James Thibeau, NLET,
Higher Education & Education Technology Expert

Higher Education Strategy | Education Technology | Institutional Partnership

A veteran education technology executive, James Thibeau has over 25 years of experience driving innovation and change at higher education institutions globally. His expertise spans institutional strategy, technology deployment, and the intersection of academic programs, student success, and workforce outcomes.

https://nlet.org/people/james-thibeau/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimthibeau/

Susie Freedman, NLET,
Development Director & Workforce Partnerships

Market and Landscape Analysis | Grants | Workforce Development | Career Readiness and Pathways

Susie Freedman specializes in market development, grants analysis, and workforce development with a particular focus on opportunities for often-overlooked populations. Her expertise spans training modalities including pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, non- degree credentials, community college pathways, and career readiness programs.

https://nlet.org/people/susie-freedman/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susiefreedman/

Ajay Sharda,
Lead Technologist & AI Development

AI in Learning and Employment | Technology Integration | Platform Architecture

Ajay Sharda is an education technology entrepreneur who founded Pragya Systems and TechiZen, both focused on advancing learning and workforce outcomes through AI and technology innovation. He brings decades of experience building and leading next- generation education platforms and career solutions used across the learning ecosystem, with prior senior leadership at major ed tech and publishing organizations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajay-sharda-460a16/
lhttps://techizen.com/

Julia Phelan, PhD,
Learning Scientist

Measurement and Outcomes Design | Program Evaluation | Learner Engagement | Evidence

Julia Phelan holds a PhD in education from UCLA and brings extensive experience in learning engineering, large-scale research and development, efficacy trial design, and assessment development. Her work focuses on engaging educators, researchers, policymakers, and the public in reflection and action to improve teaching, assessment, and learning quality and its measurable link to educational outcomes.

https://nlet.org/people/julia-phelan/
https://to11solutions.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliacphelan/

Steven Cederquist, PhD,
Digital Credential Expert

Digital Credentialing Infrastructure | Education-to-Workforce Systems | Skills-Based Hiring

Steven Cederquist is a researcher and advisor specializing in digital credentialing infrastructure and education-to-workforce systems. His research examines how digital credentials can support the shift toward skills-based hiring and open new pathways to learning and opportunity across the credential ecosystem.

https://nlet.org/people/steven-cederquist/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-cederquist-ph-d-850ab72b/
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=fQIvtpgAAAAJ

Maria Posey,
Workforce Development Expert

Strategic Planning | Sector Strategy Development | Data and Evaluation | Grant Writing | WIOA Compliance

Maria Posey helps workforce, education, and social impact leaders connect stakeholders, data, and technology in ways that strengthen storytelling, nurture learning, and improve performance. Her work bridges strategy, evaluation, facilitation, and implementation so organizations can turn insight into action and innovation into impact. She is the founder and CEO of Viking Impact Advisors, a social consulting firm dedicated to strengthening workforce development systems, expanding economic mobility, and improving public services through strategic planning, performance management, and innovative funding approaches.

https://nlet.org/people/maria-posey/
https://www.vikingimpact.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajposey/

Ethan Kenvarg,
Apprenticeship Expert

Registered Apprenticeship Programs | Workforce and Education Solutions | Implementation

Ethan Kenvarg is the founder of Neshe Consulting, a boutique consulting agency specializing in apprenticeship development and workforce solutions. Neshe Consulting helps clients develop, implement, and expand effective workforce and education programs, with specific expertise in Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs).

https://nlet.org/people/ethan-kenvarg/
https://www.nesheconsulting.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-kenvarg/

Sasha Thackaberry, PhD,
Online Learning & AI In Education Expert

Online Learning Operations | AI Learning Experience Design | Stackable Credentials | Skills-Based Assessment | Accreditation

Dr. Sasha Thackaberry-Voinovich is the president and founder of Newstate University, bringing two decades of leadership across K–12 ed tech, community colleges, major online universities, an R1 flagship, and global ed tech companies. Earlier roles at Southern New Hampshire University and Cuyahoga Community College inform her expertise in accessible, scalable, AI-first higher education design and accreditation navigation.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashatberr/
https://solutions.newstateu.com/

Daniel Goldsmith,
AI Labor Market Intelligence & Sector Analytics

AI-Driven Labor Market Intelligence | Workforce Technology | Career Navigation

Daniel Goldsmith co-leads Julius, a workforce technology firm focused on emerging industries including the energy sector. Prior to founding Julius, he served as Chief of Staff and Vice President of Analytics and Innovation at Pearson, and as an analytics researcher at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He began his career at the Senate Armed Services Committee and has co-authored more than ten peer-reviewed academic papers on advanced analytical modeling in the social sciences. He holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Brandeis University.

https://www.juliusedu.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-goldsmith-224978/

Shade Shutters, PhD,
Urban Science & Economic Geography Expert

Labor Matching | Skills Gap Analysis | Economic Planning | Industry-Labor Readiness | Complexity Economics

Shade T. Shutters is Research Scientist and Director of Economic Transformations at Arizona State University’s Decision Theater, and a researcher affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. He is also the founder of MetroForesight, a firm applying complexity science and economic geography to regional workforce planning. His published work includes Skills-Approximate Occupations: Using Networks to Guide Jobs Retraining and Constrained Pathways to a Creative Urban Economy.

https://nlet.org/people/shade-shutters/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shadeshutters/
https://www.metroforesight.com/
https://search.asu.edu/profile/340746

Bill Bradbury,
Web & Communication Design & Development

Creative Direction | User Experience Design | Workforce Technology

Bill Bradbury is a creative director with more than 20 years of experience leading impactful brand, UX, web, SaaS, and digital marketing initiatives for Monster and Monster Government Solutions. His work has supported a wide range of federal, state, and local government programs, delivering strategic, user-focused solutions that strengthen engagement, accessibility, and digital experience outcomes.

https://www.billbradbury.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradbury/