One of the best ways to tell the story of the Roanoke Region is from within. Thrive 2027, the Roanoke Regional Partnership’s five-year plan, calls for the attraction and retention of in-demand talent and, specifically, for strategies to foster greater diversity in the region’s workforce and leadership.
Through our selected, influential group of talent ambassadors, we intend to build and expand our talent pool to establish a community that represents the wide variety of backgrounds, careers, and lifestyles in our area. The goal of this network is to be as inclusive as possible to all professionals who seek to make our region home. Our talent ambassadors are a representation of our community in the region and will help individuals who are evaluating our market to connect locally with diverse professionals who can relate to their needs. Our talent ambassadors bridge the gap in information and aid in community building and leadership development.
“I agreed to be a talent ambassador because I love living in Roanoke. Second, I love working here. Third, I want others to consider visiting, then moving here. Our region gets better as we grow and diversify.” – Bonnie Chavez, Talent Ambassador
For the year ahead, talent ambassadors will be involved and engaged with the Roanoke Regional Partnership’s plans for Get2KnowNoke and messaging surrounding talent attraction. We know these individuals will be strong crusaders for attracting and keeping the finest talent here in our region based on their innovative ideas, community following, and excitement surrounding the growing region. Our ambassadors are already involved in community engagement, outreach, and attraction through a variety of outlets.
“The talent ambassador network is a unique group of individuals that all bring different experiences, interests, and goals to our community. In order for our region to continue to grow, we must network with a purpose, including business-to-business relationships and investing in personal growth opportunities.” – Mary Katherine Stahl, Talent Ambassador
Talent ambassadors are key outlets for sharing and advertising Get2KnowNoke’s events and initiatives. This advertising will continue, as all talent ambassadors are expected to influence participation in events including the Experience Conference, Roanoke Regional Professionals Network, the Summer Internship Program, and other opportunities for talent engagement in the region. Ambassador attendance has been strong at all events this calendar year and shows the excitement and willingness of the community to support the Partnership’s talent-growth strategy.
“I feel my strong suit is making connections and helping others make connections. I feel that when you want to keep people around you must connect with them. Jobs and amenities can be replicated, but relationships are hard to replicate.” – John Park, Talent Ambassador
One of the group’s priorities has been to engage the remote community. There are opportunities being developed to create more spaces for the remote community to grow and engage, but we hope to do more. One priority of Thrive 2027 is to advocate for remote work here in the region but also to integrate those professionals into our community. With several remote-working talent ambassadors, we now have influential professionals to help advocate for the best resources for remote workers.
“I became a talent ambassador because I wanted to meet people I may not have crossed paths with otherwise. I also wanted to make sure work-from-home professionals were well represented and that we continue to attract remote workers to the region.” – Courtney Proffitt, Talent Ambassador
To learn more about the program and the talent ambassadors themselves, please check out our website. And if you have a story to share, we want to hear from you! Are you proud and excited about our region? Do you want to encourage others to move here for all we have to offer? Please email Julia Boas at julia@roanoke.org
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