The Future of Talent: Specialized Workforce Populations

Tapping into Specialized Workforce Populations: Military, Prisoner Re-entry, VISA and H-1B

Panelists: Jason Boone, Avature; Andrew Sides, Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce; Eric Paul, Transition Solutions Enterprises; Kia Parson, Virginia Department of Corrections; Sherry Lu, James Madison University; Timothy White, University of Virginia; Crystal Malik, McCandlish Holton, PC

Jason Boone is a 20+ year recruiting professional with a focus on Veteran & Military Transition. He is a Consultant and Talent Strategist at Avature where he has been recognized for his efforts in the digital transformation of military recruitment to better align corporate recruitment with military transition. Beyond the “day job” Jason works directly with veterans to navigate the job search and interview process to distinguish themselves from the competition. He also facilitates LinkedIn workshops for both the military community and civilian organizations. Jason is a veteran of the US Army Reserves and Army brat growing up at military installations around the country. Outside his career Jason and his Carolina Dog Baylee full-time RV.

A Virginia native, United States Marine Corps Reserve officer, and community volunteer, Andrew Sides is a passionate veteran advocate and defense industry supporter. He grew up locally and attended Piedmont Virginia Community College before transferring to Virginia Tech to complete his undergraduate degree. After working in North Carolina in various change management and information security roles, Andrew, his wife Emily, and their three sons permanently returned to the central Virginia area in 2021. His military background is in foreign security force advising and family program management. In addition to his routine Marine Corps Reserve commitments, Andrew has mobilized to active duty multiple times in order to attend Expeditionary Warfare School, attend Command and Staff College, lead security cooperation teams in the Kingdom of Jordan, and support COVID-19 operations domestically with Task Force Commitment.

Eric Paul, President of Transition Solutions Enterprises, has over 26 years of law enforcement and public service experience; as well as served in the United States Navy. His areas of expertise include community policing, public outreach and training seminars to increase public awareness through special law enforcement programs. Eric retired in 2012 from the Loudoun county Sherriff’s Department where he served in an array of special assignments including school Resource Officer, Community Police Officer serving as a liaison between the community and the County agencies establishing various programs such as the Loudoun House Coalition, and Narcotics Investigator. In his career in law enforcement, Eric served on the Leesburg Virginia and High Point North Carolina Police Departments. He also served as a Correctional Officer for the State of Virginia Department of Corrections for 4 years; after serving in the United States Navy as a hospital Corpsman, stationed in Millington, TN (Naval Hospital).

Kia Parson is the Statewide Virginia Bonding Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Corrections. Kia is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. She has a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in English. She has spent over 10 years working with justice involved individuals to promote successful re-entry into their communities by assisting them with career development techniques that can lead to attaining economic independence. Kia travels throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia promoting and teaching individuals with convictions, agency representatives and employers about the benefits of Virginia’s Federal Bonding Program.

Sherry Lu joined JMU in July of 2022 as Faculty Immigration Specialist. In this role, she manages the H-1B process for international faculty and staff and the J scholar’s program. She supports the International Faculty and Staff group and serves as a backup Designed School Official (DSO), providing a full range of immigration support as needed. Sherry earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China, and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Georgia at Athens, GA. She has been working in the U.S. immigration field since 1999, specializing in employment-based immigration. She has assisted businesses from start-up companies to large multinational corporations, educational institutions, non-profit entities, and religious institutions with temporary work visas and permanent resident visas. Sherry is a member of the New York State Bar and the American Immigration Lawyer Association. She speaks Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese.

Tim White has been the Supervisor of Immigration Services at the University of Virginia since 2017, managing faculty and staff temporary visas and permanent residency casework. Prior to joining the University of Virginia in 2008, Mr. White was a Project Officer with Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs in Washington D.C., and Field Officer in Central and Eastern Europe and Washington D.C. for Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance. Mr. White holds a Master’s Degree in International Development from American University.

Crystal Malik is a Director and Attorney in the Immigration Practice Group at McCandlish Holton in Richmond Virginia. She specializes in employment and family based immigration. Her firm represents employers and applicants of all sizes, including universities, school and hospital systems, and tech companies (among others).

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce and the City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development proudly present the Future of Talent series, diving deep into the evolving landscape of work. Employers will learn new strategies to attract great talent and build a strong team. The Future of Talent series continues on November 14.

Sponsored by Avature